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Use only marine grade cable and connectors, use appropriate circuit protection as close to the battery as possible and don't install it in an engine compartment.
Ron is right on and I'll add one thing - don't underestimate the battery power required to do what might seem to be 'ordinary' things - like running a microwave, fridge or coffee maker. As an example, 1000 watts coming out of a 12V battery = 83 amps.
I don't know what you plan on running, but the moral of the story is you need serious batteries (and a plan on how they're going to get recharged) to run much more than a tv and some lights.
Before you buy an inverter, buy Nigel Calder's "Boat Owners Mechanical and Electrical Manual". You don't need any advice from us after that. This will be the cheapest 50 bucks you ever spent.
George
Hatteras 56MY (Magnum MS 4024 Inverter)
Boston Whaler 130 Sport
Use only marine grade cable and connectors, use appropriate circuit protection as close to the battery as possible and don't install it in an engine compartment.
Ditto, I've installed two different inverters in my last two boats and experienced no problems. I installed Pro Sine 2.0 inverters. I followed the instructions in the manual and love the system.
The closer to the batteries the better. As the farther away you get the bigger the cable is needed to carry the current safely. I used 4/0 cables when I installed mine and that stuff is pricey like $19 a foot.
I went with the Pro Sine as I wanted a pure sine wave inverter. Better for your electronics.
I went with the Pro Sine as I wanted a pure sine wave inverter. Better for your electronics.
The sine wave approximation is fine for electronics.
A step wave approximation is fine too.
The switching AC/DC power supplies used on electronics "sips" current at discrete times.
The higher constant voltage on a step wave means the electronic loads will draw less current for a shorter duration than when powered by a sine wave approximation inverter.
These are interesting but negligible differences and either topology is fine.
Location: Solomons, Maryland / Now just visiting Marathon
Posts: 4,683
Quote:
Originally Posted by caltexflanc
Before you buy an inverter, buy Nigel Calder's "Boat Owners Mechanical and Electrical Manual". You don't need any advice from us after that. This will be the cheapest 50 bucks you ever spent.
The sine wave approximation is fine for electronics.
A step wave approximation is fine too.
The switching AC/DC power supplies used on electronics "sips" current at discrete times.
The higher constant voltage on a step wave means the electronic loads will draw less current for a shorter duration than when powered by a sine wave approximation inverter.
These are interesting but negligible differences and either topology is fine.
That may be your experience and was pretty much mine untill I installed an inverter in my Camano. The one I installed in my previous boat ran the microwave just fine. The one I installed in my Camano is not liked by the Kenmore microwave oven. Sometimes it works fine, sometimes it starts to cook and quickly shuts down (the microwave, that is). I plan to try a different microwave, one I can return if it doesn't like the inverter.
Speaking of microwaves, they are rated by what they call "cooking power". That's the ouput, not the input. A 700 watt microwave will draw about 1,000 watts of electrical power. Something to consider when choosing an inverter. And the point was made above, you will need some serious batteries to power an inverter that's used to power a microwave, coffee pot, hair drier, etc.
Don't even think about using an inverter and batteries to run AC or a water heater.
Inverter installation, help 
