Car battery

[Hd1966]

Hi I have a transit connect, I have fitted a sunshine 1500w inverter, i want to run a camping kettle and microwave while the engine is running, can any one tell me the best car battery to buy , thanks

 

[pappajohn]

The battery that's on will be fine if the engine is running, assuming the inverter is connected to the engine battery and not the hab battery.

1500watts is pushing the limit for a microwave.
A 800w oven may need 1600w when it starts. 800w is the output power, not the input.
Also, a standard kettle is 3000w.....even a low power kettle is usually 1700w..
use the gas hob and a whistling Billy kettle

 

[funflair]

I trust we are talking pure sine wave inverter? the inverter will need some good chunky cables to the battery, I would be tempted to say fit the biggest starter battery you can physically fit but be aware that the majority of the power will come directly from the alternator when the engine is running but it might not like full power demand on tick over.

 

[Hd1966]

Hi, thanks for your reply, the reason I'm asking is because the battery that's in the van is a 72ah, the kettle is a small camping kettle, it worked fine the first time but the 2nd time the van was started from cold and the Inverter started bleeping, then the battery light came on in the van, Harry

 

[Stealaway]

Its not advisable to run electric fettles from inverters - that's why most people have gas.
If you really want to run an inverter at all you need a BIG - at least 110Ah Leisure battery

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[Richard n Ann]

You really need 4 batteries to give 125 amps (1500w) that's 31 amps each minus what the alternator contributes, so not too strenuous for them. A single battery won't last long.
Best to use a gas stove.

 

[Hd1966]

Hi , I only need to boil one kettle, it is a 600w ,it's not a camper van, I'm a joiner , I only need it for tea time, and dinner time in work, they won't be running for more than 3 minutes and not at the same time

 

[Richard n Ann]

Take a flask of hot water to get the time required down, but that's still over 50 amps.

I found a good glass flask kept water hot enough to mash tea at lunchtime.

 

[pappajohn]

Hi , I only need to boil one kettle, it is a 600w ,it's not a camper van, I'm a joiner , I only need it for tea time, and dinner time in work, they won't be running for more than 3 minutes and not at the same time

All my working life I took a flask of boiling water and plastic food tubs of coffee, milk and sugar.
Seemed ok to me.
Food ....sandwiches, pies, crisps etc .

 

[autorouter]

A 600W kettle should not be a problem even with a 72Ah battery, as long as you are running the engine before you switch the kettle on. Perhaps it might need the engine revs a bit higher than tickover to get enough out of the alternator, but 50A is not a big deal for an alternator. An 800W microwave (input maybe 1200W) is a bit more of a stretch, but fitting a big 110Ah battery should be enough to power it, with the alternator going at higher revs than tickover.

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[sonar]

I also used a ford transit connect for a while .
used while working away. And it was winter time minus 10

for light cooking and the kettle I used.
a coleman dual fuel burner.
it used petrol so was easy to refuel.
There not as cheap as they were a very short while ago.

and makes great toast as well.