Anyone have any trouble with your cig lighters not having enough amps to run the inverter?
1311010
We had no problems using it to power a laptop to watch movies on a 19 hour drive.
1745271
No. There is a solution. I made some modifications to the output wiring by cutting the output wire short and adding a 15 amp Anderson Power Pole connector because it has much lower contact resistance. The connecting cables are 10 gauge Zip cord. The panel-to-charge-controller cable is 50 feet long (to be able to put/keep the panel in the sun) and has a less that 2% voltage drop at 2 amps, more than 16 volts into the charge controller. I made a cigarette lighter socket adapter using another A.P.P. connector. To get USB charging I use a dual port 12vdc input cigarette lighter USB charger. I also use the cig ltr adapter to power a 1 foot long white LED light bar at about 125 ma which has lasted all night (about 11 hours) on my small, light weight, 3 Amp Hour 12 vdc sealed lead acid battery. You can find the Goal Zero connectors at Radio Shack. With some 16 or 18 gauge wire you can make your cigarette lighter adapter, and/or put 3 white LEDs in series to make a nice night/emergency light. Not quite as efficient, but less expensive.
359777
Most inverters have an intermittent and continuous rating (in the fine print). Usually the intermittent rating (higher) is the advertised rating. Have a look at the fine print on it. If it says 50 or more you are good to go. The worst that will happen is it won't run and you need a slightly bigger inverter - they are cheap. If you run it for very long periods without the engine running there is a remote possibility your car won't start.
823640
I have not noticed a problem with the charge controller. Inverters WILL generate hash, but only in a few places. I have noticed it in the 40-meter ham band.
145948
the only fuse is with your cig. lighter outlet; make sure another piece of eqpt. works there and if not replace the fuse in your fuse block for the cig. liter
1733860
I used mine connected to the cigarette lighter and my understanding is that the blue LED illuminates when the solar panel is exposed to the sun and therefore producing power...that is indeed the way it worked for me...until the entire unit failed within a year and too late to return for a refund. Maybe I got a bad one, maybe it's a poorly-made unit. I have not since tried to find a replacement but probably should.
2033694
hook the inverter to the battery bank. there is no way to run those kind of amps through the battery controller.
877482
Mine starts great, can't complain at all. My first one had problems with the inverter and they sent me a new one, no problems since.
31814
I see there is a dc plug on mine but not sure if it is ment to be used in a cig lighter in a car I would call the company up and ask them would be best way to find out or go to radio shack or a store like that see if they have any thing like that. sorry i was not able to answer your question. this is a webpage to radio shack not sure if it is what ya need http://www.radioshack.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=13384949&kw=dc-12v%20adapters&origkw=DC-12V+adapters&sr=1
1612759
I have a 400 watt and a 1000 watt and they do work great. Both say they will only do 300 to 400 watts with the cigarette lighter plug. You have to clamp the clamps to a battery directly to get more watts, but they should both run 350 watts fine.
2265073
Mine runs off of 120 volts AC power adapter. The output from the adapter is 12 volts DC at 2.1 amps. You may be able to purchase an adapter that plugs into cigarette lights from your car from the manufacturer. Personally I would not attempt to make my own as these units cost too much to experiment with.
770138
Joanne, when I got my heater (also from Amazon), the C-cells for the igniter were very old and not very good. Have you tried replacing the batteries with new alkalines?
1761721
First of all; make sure you have a full tank...Next make sure all ports are open....You can also light the grill with a lighter or match. I have had no problems with mine.
2039601
I can't even get mine to produce. The original inverter drained the batteries. What kind of inverter are you using?
1688824
No. But easy fix by purchasing & connecting an extra cigarette adapter to constant power source thru ur fuse box.
1501561
This little inverter works fine for charging small amperage users like iPADS and iPHONES but it will not charge or run high amp machines such as your vacume, driers, small heaters, etc. the initial amperage surge will be too much for this little jewel too. I really like mine for playing the radio or keeping my iPAD charged while camping in my teardrop trailer. I can't begin to runmytiny200 watt heater though. I also have a 400 watt inverter hooked up to a big marine battery but the start up surge blows it's fuse every time. I need a 600 watt inverter to control the surge, even though says 200 watts.
2265098
In my car I'm running a shunt between the alternator and the negative terminal to read the amps, the power was tapped from a cigarette lighter wire. I believe running the tiny power wires to the shunt would fry them when cranking.