arthur49 Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Hoping the techies pick this up.......... My wife finds 12v hairdryer has no power to make a good job so is put off sites/aires/stellplatz if there is no electric hook up. So I've been considering an inverter. Is my thinking below accurate? 230v hairdyer rated at 1000w on setting she uses, therefore I need an inverter rated at least 1000w say 1500w since we need some headroom and inverter consumes power itself. She tells me she runs hairdryer for about 4 minutes...........lets call it 5 minutes! 1000w / 12v = say 90Amp, running for 5 mins (or one twelfth of an hour) = 90 / 12 = say 8 Amps 'consumed' I have 2 x 100Ah batteries (+ 80w solar panel) so I have loads of capacity left on basis I don't want to discharge batteries below 50%? Assumptions made on basis of fully charged batteries. Is my thinking accurate? Arthur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Sounds reasonable. Except its is 8 Ampere hours (Ah) not amps. Because of the high rate of discharge C/2 you will reduce the available capacity, called the Peukert Effect so you can probably factor the 8 Ah used up to an equivalent of about 10 Ah . I am using a figure of about 80% for the Peukert factor. edit, and I have ignored the efficiency of the invertor. Say 80 to 90%. So thats what, say 11Ah to 12 Ah used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthur49 Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 Very many thanks Brambles. Run it past my wife so she's desperate to get an inverter for her birthday!!!! Arthur PS the only Peukert Effect I was aware of was after too much red wine........... (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 But remember you will be drawing something in excess of the 90 Amps you calculated so will need VERY heavy wires to carry that current. Also keep the 12v leads as short as possible as that is where you will suffer your greates 'loss'. In other words mount the inverter as close as possible to your batteries. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 You can get a 400w hairdryer, they are not bad. It reduces the load on your batteries quite a bit. H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthur49 Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 Keithl - 2012-01-30 3:37 PM But remember you will be drawing something in excess of the 90 Amps you calculated so will need VERY heavy wires to carry that current. Also keep the 12v leads as short as possible as that is where you will suffer your greates 'loss'. In other words mount the inverter as close as possible to your batteries. Keith. Thank you. Was looking at a Sterling Inverter which comes with battery connect cables........however might try to see if my wife could cope with a lower wattage mains dryer as suggested above Arthur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthur49 Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 hallii - 2012-01-30 3:49 PM You can get a 400w hairdryer, they are not bad. It reduces the load on your batteries quite a bit. H Like the sound of 400w hairdryer.................any ladies on here have thoughts on these? Arthur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike B. Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 It might be more cost effective to use normal hairdryer and a generator! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tugga Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 arthur49 - 2012-01-30 4:23 PM hallii - 2012-01-30 3:49 PM You can get a 400w hairdryer, they are not bad. It reduces the load on your batteries quite a bit. H Like the sound of 400w hairdryer.................any ladies on here have thoughts on these? Arthur I use a 450W hairdryer. It collapses down to a small little bag and it does a BIG job. They are really efficient for the wattage and size and get nice and hot. I don't have really thick long hair, its normal and in a bob, but its very good for what I want it for. Bought mine online, not from amazon, but they have one the same here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hot-Pink-Hair-Travel-Dryer/dp/B003UPFXF4/ref=sr_1_13?s=drugstore&ie=UTF8&qid=1327955760&sr=1-13 I also have a gas hotbrush and a pair of gas hair straighteners, all in all I am always happy with my hair whilst on holiday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthur49 Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 Many thanks Cheryl. I have NO hair (or very little) so this is strange territory for me....... Arthur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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