Inverters are awesome to use with your car in order to get off-grid AC electricity.
The only problem is that you have to hook them up to your car starter battery and you run the risk of depleting your battery.
Draining your car battery is a problem as it is used to start your engine, and with no energy, it would leave you stranded.
That’s why I felt it important to write this article to give you an understanding of how long a car battery will last powering an inverter.
Keep reading for all the important information which will keep you powered up without running out of electricity to start your car.
How Long can an Inverter Run on a Car Battery?
The good news is that you can run an inverter for hours on a car battery, as long as you keep the engine running.
When running your car engine it automatically charges the battery via the alternator. So you can run an inverter forever as long as the engine is running. You just need to make sure you have enough gas in the tank.
If you power an inverter from a car battery without running the engine it could run out in less than 30 minutes. In fact, it is bad to try and do this as you shouldn’t discharge a car battery more on purpose. Firstly, you won’t be able to start your car. Plus it can cause irreparable damage to the battery.
Vehicle starter batteries are designed to give short sharp delivery of energy to start an engine rather than delivering electricity over long periods of time. It’s why you get a flat battery if you leave the light on in a car overnight!
If you want to run a power inverter without running an engine while camping or away from home then your best bet is to buy a leisure battery that is designed for this purpose.
Check Your Alternator Capacity
If you plan to draw big loads of more than 500 watts then you should check the wattage capacity of your alternator. The alternator is the part that charges your battery in order to run car electronics. Your alternator will have a wattage capacity and if you start to overload this you will draw power quicker than the car battery can be recharged. In time, this would lead to a flat battery. And as we know that’s not good.
A conventional alternator is rated for around 500 watts. Although in more modern vehicles an alternator can deliver up to 2500 watts.
Can a Car Battery be Used for an Inverter?
Yes, a car battery is a brilliant way to power inverters.
You should now understand how you can power an inverter using a car battery and you can draw power as long as the engine is running.
