Power Inverter Installed In Expy!
 

I did it a lil different this time!

Since I'm going through withdrawals from not having my truck to drill holes on, I couldn't help myself and finally took the drill to the Expy.

Had this 750 watt power invert for years now and used it the other day to plug in my camcorder. That was when I started to get ideas on where to add receptacles in the expy.

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So I removed the receptacles and got them ready to install behind the expy's center console.

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Then I added an electrical wire clamp to secure my 12-2 wire for the receptacles.

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Then I soldered the 12-2 wire where I had clipped off the receptacles.

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Then I took my old cell phone's charges and clipped the ends to use the wires as extentions for the "power on" "over load" led lights.

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And clipped off the green and red leds.

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And soldered them where the green and red led used to be.

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Then taped all the exposed wires to prevent a short.

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Closed it up.

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And was ready to install the leads to the override switch, to relay, to 40 amp fuse then finally to the battery.

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I was then ready to start installing the inverter under the center console.

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Here is where I was smiling from ear to ear, "DRILLING HOLES ONCE AGAIN!!!" :rocker: :lol:

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And installed the receptacles.

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bridging one receptacle to the next.

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and finally putting it back together.

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Override Switch.

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Power inverter switch

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This is how i wired it.

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Looks good Leo but I have a dumb question what happened to your truck?

X2... Looks sweet but what happened?

that is so clean!!!!

and his truck is getting a heart rebuild, should be back very soon.

Getting the engine souped up; take a look https://www.f150online.com/forums/v8...blueprint.html

Nice Mod!

Carol must have been out shopping again haha

good job like always

i didnt know you had an expedition. ive seen all your f150 videos. and i want a power inverter. it was on my x-mas list but i guess santa didnt see that. haha now im thinking about doing something like this. one up front and one in the rear.

Thankz!

Actually she was all for the idea, haven't gotten ourselves to purchase a car charger for her cell phone. Now that the DC power has been installed she doesn't have worry that her cell phone will run out of charge. :)

You can afford 2 for a hundred bucks. Check this one out 800 watt for 50 bucks not bad. Get it and come visit me and we'll install it together. You not too far from where I live.

http://www.amazon.com/Cobra-CPI-880-...d_bxgy_e_img_a

Nice but, distance to battery ? You need this in order to determine wire gauge, - a safe one anyway. I read thru and don't see any numbers. Hate for you (or someone)to accidentally leave it on ,then burn your truck up lol. No, that wouldn't be that funny. I run an inverter as well, even at the proper gauge per distance, they can still heat up (the cable or wires.) Don't trust the relay alone.

Might wanna check that.

Happy New Year :beers:

I figured that 10 gage wiring would be suffice for a 750 watt inverter.
Too small a wire?

Nice Mod. Fortunartely all of the girls' toys have DC plugs, but will definitely be keeping this in mind.

Yea, that's to small. For my Cobra 500 watt I had to run #4 AWG up to 4 feet, #2 AWG if I go more than four and that's even w/built in fan. They have to be direct as well (to the source).

That's cool what you did on the AC side. Yea you can do pretty much whatever with the recepticals.

Inverters shouldn't be confined, unless you have ventilation moving thru, like a return and exhaust (fan). Yours has that big finned aluminum housing, so it may not require a fan for cooling, but it should be out in the open somewhat, - so the heat can escape anyway.

I ended up mounting mine on the passenger side up high on the floorboard and against the firewall.
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That install was going by the Cobra manual. I got it in front of me, - so I get it right lol.

Specs for this one are 500 watt continuous/ 1000 watt peak.

There's a chart here -

Test Load Power --------------Minimum Cable Size

-----100w---------------------#16 AWG Copper
-----250w---------------------#12 AWG Copper
-----500w----------------------#8 AWG Copper
-----750w----------------------#4 AWG Copper

Four foot of #4 AWG was included with this unit at purchase.

Like I said, that's by the manual with this one, - but still, 10 gauge and not knowing the distance to the battery, is a little scary.

Here's a few links to reference as well -

https://www.f150online.com/forums/19...right-way.html

http://www.donrowe.com/inverters/inv...aq.html#hookup