power invertors 12 volt.

[Dale M.]

1200 watts (at 120 volts) is something like 10 amps...

Depending on start up current drill requires inverter may not be big enough for "start up"...

If you look at the battery side of inverter it is going to be drawing something like 100amps if its running full tilt (10amp on ac output) ... Which means short battery life if lots of long run times...

If this in going to be a long term situation (hours) maybe a generator would better serve for purpose...

Dale

[Shadow Catcher]

One thing to remember they suck AMPS big time. If I did the math right (always suspect) you would pull 100 Amps 12V with your 1200 watt inverter. We have a 300W (good to 600W for up to 10 min) Morningstar SureSine to power the TV (24W) and a couple of other small items.

[terryjones1]

Power Inverters convert 12 DCV to 110 ACV.

Inverters are used when 110 ACV power is not avaible (dry camping).

The inverters that I am familiar with, also, include a 110 ACV to 12 DCV Converter for when 110 ACV power is avaible.

The higher watage Inverters (1500 watts and above) are used for such things as microwave ovens, coffee makers, toasters.

When you have larger 120 ACV power requirements, such as a microwave oven, the DC side of the Inverter needs very high DC current requirements.

If the AC requirement is 12 Amps, the DC current will be more than 120 amps.

You will need a very large battery and very large battery wires (I used 0000 wire size) to handle all the DC current.

[48Rob]

I have a 4000 watt inverter installed in my truck.
I use it to run heavy duty power tools in the field.
It is connected to a large 12 volt deep cycle battery that is separate from the trucks starting battery.
The trucks alternator charges both the regular battery and the deep cycle battery via a special relay.

The battery will run a heavy draw power tool of say, 10 Amps for 1 hour+ before needing to be recharged.
It will run power tools with a higher draw as well.
Since it is on my truck, it is easy enough to just let the truck run and not worry about the deep cycle being discharged.
It will easily run an air conditioner or microwave, but unless the truck is running, only for an hour or so.
It works very well as a 110 power source where ever I can drive with my truck, and is a lot easier than hauling a generator, just flip a switch and I have power...but, it is a fairly expensive system requiring a heavy duty battery, a switching device, heavy duty welding cable, and the inverter.
A small generator can be had for half the cost.

Rob

[eamarquardt]

I have a 4000 watt inverter installed in my truck.
I use it to run heavy duty power tools in the field.
It is connected to a large 12 volt deep cycle battery that is separate from the trucks starting battery.
The trucks alternator charges both the regular battery and the deep cycle battery via a special relay.

The battery will run a heavy draw power tool of say, 10 Amps for 1 hour+ before needing to be recharged.
It will run power tools with a higher draw as well.
Since it is on my truck, it is easy enough to just let the truck run and not worry about the deep cycle being discharged.
It will easily run an air conditioner or microwave, but unless the truck is running, only for an hour or so.
It works very well as a 110 power source where ever I can drive with my truck, and is a lot easier than hauling a generator, just flip a switch and I have power...but, it is a fairly expensive system requiring a heavy duty battery, a switching device, heavy duty welding cable, and the inverter.
A small generator can be had for half the cost.

Rob

Yes to all of the above.

Cheers,

Gus