How to install a cool looking power panel in your vehicle

Step 5 Ripping apart the inverter

My inverter looked like it had an aluminum body for heat dissipation but it was just plastic.  I cut the cover apart to allow more air flow.  The on - off switch was mounted on a small circuit board that also had the USB plug mounted.  I desoldered the wires one at a time and replaced them with longer (aprox 3 ft) wires I got from an old trailer harness.  I used a connector from an old car radio to make it easier to pull apart and put back together.  I also desoldered the wires running the 120 volts to the outlets.  These also had to be replaced with longer wires.  I don't know what gauge was used but I used thicker wire than was in place before.  I set up bullet connectors to make it easy to pull this apart and put it back together.

Comments

[ContainerHome]

Thank you for your time and effort GREAT Tutorial - !!!!! You can pick one up from HarborFreight -> http://www.harborfreight.com/400-watt-continuous-800-watt-peak-power-inverter-66814.html for 30 bucks!!

[CodfishCatfish]

Great project. If I could add a suggestion. Most over the counter Inverters are modified sine wave that cause havoc with some equipment and are unsuitable for flouresent tubes etc and cause hum on some equipment. The more expensive Pure Sine Wave inverters can cost 5 times as much. I however have discovered that nearly all APC Smart UPS system are Pure sine wave and if you can get one from eBay that needs battery replacement then you can use the car battery as the source and enjoy pure sinewave with over volt, over current and full thermal protection from a UPS that most office PC's and quite a lot of home PC's use. I have seen them go here in the UK for as little as £30 approx $50 for 1000VA and often larger rack mounted versions or 2000VA trade for less. Only a few mods are needed to convert the switching when a loss of power is detected. Hope this helps Awesome project by the way.

[dave spencer]

Really cool suggestion! If I build another I will look into that!