400w inverter

I have a Cobra 400w inverter that I want to install in to my Pathfinder as a mod.

My idea is to use the 12v panel on the passengers side and tap on to the 4g main for the inline fused connection to the inverter.

The inverter would be placed as far up under the dash area as possible and the ON\OFF switch and LEDs would be relocated to a rocker switch in an unused place in the center console area.

The inverter also offers a 5v USB output that can be relocated using a very short cable.

All wiring runs from 12v supply or switch\led\usb would be around 2' +\- .

The inverter uses no current (~250ma) if just switched ON with no load.

I was thinking I would just run a switched outlet strip with a 6-8' long cord from it and mount the strip somewhere centrally located in the vehicle.

This gives me multiple 110v outlets with a nominal modification to the vehicle and doesnt expose my inverter to the engine heat etc.

Run the cord under the console and carpet and use 2 screws to hold the strip in place.

Thoughts or ideas?

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Consider adding an RCD to the inverter output in case of bare leads etc. (RCDs should handle modified square wave... but I may be wrong...)

I just scanned over it...Sounds like you got it...Is this more for reassurance then a question...?

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M.E.C.P & First-Class
Go slow and drink lots of water...Procrastinators' Unite...Tomorrow!

Thanks for the replies. Sorry my caffeine never really kicked in today, what's the "RCD" part do?

I've seen examples of people using a dremmel and adding the 110 plug to the console etc, but I would rather not do all that cut n splice where not required.

The 110 would primarily be for use in the Pathy but I could run an extention cord outside the vehicle for camping purposes etc.

The thread is mostly for reassurance, sometimes we find others that have already been down that project path and have some really good suggestions.

Re the RCD - see my recent post on mp3car's Using a relay to auto-power on HDD and power inverter (page 3, post #38).

It needs to switch both AC conductors.
And RCD (aka Earth or Ground Leak Detector, or Safety Switch) disconnects the AC supply if there is a current difference in the two AC wires. If that current difference is due to you, it's a nice feature to have.
(RCDs can also be DC - eg, they can be used to isolate (break-up) hi-voltage batteries for UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) system safety.)

Ahhh gotcha! Yes this makes sense.

Before I knew about your reference I was thinking maybe "Ground Fault Interupts" that we use here around kitchens and baths etc.

So, same thing only different? If it comes to that, I can just trade the two 110v female plugs on the inverter with the interupts which is what the outlet strip would be plugging in to.

Without researching, I'd say that your "Ground Fault Interupts" are the same as out "Earth Leak Detectors" (our earth is your ground; remember that being "down under" we look down at the sky and up at the ground).

At least GFI isn't to misleading.
Earth or Ground Leak Detector is - it implies that it measures a or the leak to ground which it doesn't do (how can it? - it hasn't placed an ammeter at the fault - ie, between your feet and the floor!)
Hence I think the confusion where some think that to be safe, you MUST ground (earth) inverter outputs - or, if you don't, the GFI etc won't work.

The correct tech term for them is RCD = Residual Current Device.
And they work by a current imbalance - ie, if the two AC lines do not have equal (and opposite) currents.
They use 10mA RCDs for hosptials etc, and usually 30mA RCDs for domestic.
The means that if the currents vary by more than 10ma or 30mA, the RCD trips and opens both lines.

If the currents are not the same, it means it is going somewhere - ie, leaking. And that leak will be to ground/earth.
Hence the name earth leakage detector. That's fine to describe its effect, but bad if interpreted literally.

It reminds me of the old spouse tale that sharks are afraid if dolphins. That comes from the observation that if there are dolphins around, there won't be any sharks.
But the reason is that dolphins are a favourite food of sharks!
The point is that whilst you may be safe (from sharks) with dolphins around, if the dolphins disappear, GET OUT of the water!
But if you see sharks and think that that dolphin will save you - it might be the last spousetale you ever recite.
(Of course in OzLand, if there are no sharks or dolphins around, get out because it means there are crocs! Did anyone see the clip a few weeks back from the Northern Territory where some fishers caught a shark and pulled it onshore, and the beat back a croc as it came up to get the shark? That's why Aussies bring band-aids to the beach, as well as condiments and a grill.)


But back to other shockers.
A GLI should work ok as a "shock" fault detector on an inverter.
It will (should!) not need the 3rd earth/ground pin. (Do your GLIs need a 3rd pin, or do they just have a 3rd pin because wet-areas have grounded plugs?)

The only catch I can see is false triggering due to the non-sinusoid nature of modSquare inverters.
Although RCDs have been around for eons, it took some decades before they became immune enough to noise, surges, spikes etc. Early units were prone to false triggering. They only started appearing in modern homes after the became reliable enough (ie, rarely false triggering).

I have some RCDs like wall socket plug-in timers that I might try on my inverters.....    They are cheap (~$20 each) so if they handle the modSquare inverter outputs, any RCD/GLI should.

Remind me.....