When you are traveling in an RV, and you want to have an automatic energy source, it is often the car battery that you may think would provide the best source of energy for you and your family while you are on the road.
There are so many individuals and families who go online to search for the answer on how to convert a car battery into a power outlet without an inverter. This means that may it be for vacation or creating a home on the road, choosing the car battery as a power inverter is becoming a popular culture in traveling and living on a house on wheels.
To answer the question directly, there has been no practical way that is still being explored and has been proven effective when it comes to converting a car battery into a power outlet inverter.
Some tried to engage their car battery as a power source in their RV but have poorly fared, even putting their central energy source in jeopardy and damaging the battery altogether.
This is because an inverter has been observed to turn 12v DC into 110v AC, which is often not enough to power appliances that are found in RVs. If you push through with this option, you may be able to power some appliances, but in the long run, their energy system will be damaged, which will render them completely unusable.
Sure, converting the car battery into a power outlet for the whole RV may seem cheaper. This is especially true for converting car batteries into emergency power sources at home, allowing them to work as emergency power generators, which have been successfully made in some cases. However, it was observed by those who created these inversions that were consistently using them as power sources have designed detrimental effects both to the performance of the car battery and the appliances that are usually plugged into the system.
In short, even though the option may seem practical and inexpensive at first, the truth is, you would be putting your appliances and the whole energy flow in your RV in jeopardy. You might lose your devices one by one just because of opting for a cheaper source of energy.
Nevertheless, if you have low-powered appliances you might want to connect to the 110Ac inverted from your car battery, the inverted setup may be able to power lamps and light bulbs. But beyond this, it is best not to compromise the condition of your appliance in exchange for using a supposed cheaper power source.
On the other hand, if you are going for the long haul and are staying on the road for a more extended period, or if you aim to live on the road entirely with your RV, you will need a more reliable energy source as a separate inverter. A pure sine wave inverter may cost a little more than the standard inverters in the market. Still, they have longer lives and provide more efficient energy that will last you for several ways to weeks depending on the appliances you use on the go.
So how do you provide energy to the whole RV?
Inverters or transformers are needed to cover 12v DC from car batteries into 120v or an AC that can generally power all sorts of appliances. It is safer and more convenient to use an inverter when converting a car battery into a power outlet for your RV or as an emergency power source at home.
Why Invert a Car Battery Into a Power Outlet?
As mentioned earlier, there are two principal reasons for converting a car battery into a power source. One is to provide power to an RV or a Camper Van as it goes on the road.
An RV or a Camper van are vehicles that work as homes on the road. Specially customized RVs and Camper Vans often have a ready energy source, and all you need to do is plug n your appliances, and you’re good to go.
However, suppose you are doing your van to RV or van to camper transformation. In that case, you might need to explore the possibility of inverting a car battery into a power outlet.
The other reason for this car battery inversion is for emergency purposes. It is great to have a backup power source that can turn on essential appliances during power outages just until the primary power source turns back up.
If you have either of these two as your reason for converting a car battery into a power outlet, you might be able to get valuable tips from the following directions:
The first is to check all the materials you need to make the inversion. The main part of the setup is the automobile battery, and the following important tool is the power inverter with an included clamp to serve as a terminal input.
Remember that car batteries run on a direct flow of 12volts. However, appliances are often powered by 110 to 120 volts of alternating currents. This means that the energy flow is not steady and pulses at 60MHz alternately.
Hence, a device that will provide slotted outlets where the plugs could be inserted is necessary to complete the inversion. This same device should be able to convert electricity from a direct current into an alternating current within a correct measure of the voltage. This device is called the ‘inverter.’
Most auto supply shops and hardware stores offer excellent and top-of-the-line inverters. Recently, sellers of inverters from all over the globe have begun posting their inverters online for faster transactions and door-to-door delivery options. The inverter comes with cables and wires that readily clamp with the car battery’s terminals. At the other end of the inverter are slotted outlets. This is where you plug in your appliances.
The system is pretty easy to set up. It does not need too many technical skills. The truth is, any novice electric enthusiast, a household keeper, and an amateur camper van creator would easily be able to work around the ropes and covert a car battery into a working energy outlet through the use of an inverter.
What are the Things You Should Remember?
When buying a suitable inverter to invert your car battery, choose one specifically designed for a 12v battery. You can easily see this in the label of the inverter. Note that anything lower or higher than 12v will certainly not work well with a car battery.
Pick an inverter that has readily installed clamps and a plug-in connector to make the setting up of the system much easier and faster to complete. At the same time, this type of inverter is safer, mainly because it has already been set up by a professional.
When using a power inverter to power your appliances, be sure to take note of how much wattage you are already using. When you are in an RV, make sure you only use what is needed because the more appliances you plug into the system, the faster your battery will drain. Even if your car batteries are rechargeable, always be wary of how much electricity you use on the road.
Key Takeaways
When inverting a car battery into a power outlet, consider where you would be using it and how long you expect it to last.
In the process of inversion, it is always best to pick the best inverter as this will help minimize fast battery draining in the long run. At the same time, it will also help save the lifespan of your appliances. This will undoubtedly be helpful if you are living on the road and cannot help but use devices along the way.
Those living in their RVs and Camper Vans have found it more practical to use solar panels and a brilliant but safe energy distribution system inside their vehicles. This allowed them to save more while leading more sustainable ways of living.
Households have also been shifting to solar power as an emergency energy source at home. Whatever your decision, maybe when choosing the right alternative energy source at home or on the road, always keep in mind that your safety is a primary concern. Never opt for supposed cheaper options on converting a car battery into a power outlet without an inverter. With this option not working, it will also put you in danger. This has been proven true through some experiences in the past. You do not want the following sad story of going cheaper to be your story, which could be avoided if you opt to buy an inverter and turn your car battery into a more reliable and safer energy source.
