Application Guide - Tripp Lite PowerVerter PV1000HF Owner's Manual

Application Guide

Match Battery Amp-Hour Capacity to Your Application
Select a battery or system of batteries that will provide your Inverter with proper DC voltage and an adequate amp-hour
capacity to power your application. Even though Tripp Lite Inverters are highly efficient at DC-to-AC inversion, their rated
output capacities are limited by the total amp-hour capacity of connected batteries and the support of your vehicle's
alternator if the engine is kept running.
• STEP 1: Determine Total Wattage Required
Add the wattage ratings of all equipment you will connect
to your Inverter. Wattage ratings are usually listed in
equipment manuals or on nameplates. If your equipment
is rated in amps, multiply that number times AC utility
voltage to determine watts. (Example: a ¼ in. drill
requires 2½ amps. 2½ amps × 120 volts = 300 watts.)
Note: Your Inverter will operate at higher efficiencies at about
75% - 80% of nameplate rating.
• STEP 2: Determine DC Battery Amps Required
Divide the total wattage required (from step 1, above)
by the battery voltage (12) to determine the DC amps
required.
• STEP 3: Estimate Battery Amp-Hours Required
(for operation unsupported by the alternator)
Multiply the DC amps required (from step 2, above)
by the number of hours you estimate you will operate
your equipment exclusively from battery power before
you have to recharge your batteries. Compensate for
inefficiency and wiring losses by multiplying this number
by 1.2. This will give you a rough estimate of how
many amp-hours of battery power (from one or several
batteries) you should connect to your Inverter.
Note: Battery amp-hour ratings are usually given for a 20-hour
discharge rate. Actual amp-hour capacities are less when
batteries are discharged at faster rates. For example, batteries
discharged in 55 minutes provide only 50% of their listed amp-
hour ratings, while batteries discharged in 9 minutes provide
as little as 30% of their amp-hour ratings.
You must allow your batteries to recharge long enough to replace the charge lost during Inverter operation or else you will
eventually run down your batteries.
Note: For Tripp Lite Inverters over 1000 watts used in mobile applications, Tripp Lite recommends you use at least two batteries, if
possible, fed by a heavy-duty alternator anytime the vehicle is running. Tripp Lite Inverters will provide adequate power for ordinary
usage within limited times without the assistance of your vehicle's alternator. However, when operating extremely heavy electrical
loads at their peak, you may wish to "assist your batteries" by running your vehicle engine faster than normal idling.
¼" Drill Orbital Sander
300W +
Blender Color TV
300W +
540 watts ÷ 12V =
45 DC Amps × 5 Hrs. Runtime
× 1.2 =
7
Example
Tools
Cordless Tool
Charger
220W + 20W =
Appliances
Laptop
Computer
140W + 100W =
45 DC Amps
270 Amp-Hours
540W
540W