inverter question

[JIGGS]

How big a power inverter do I need to charge a 7a Vexilar/Aqua View battery in a vehicle?

[PierBridge]

The smallest or cheapest you can find will work.....

[anyfishwilldo]

You don't need an inverter. Just get a charger that hooks up to the cig lighter.

[McGurk]

Quote:

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You don't need an inverter. Just get a charger that hooks up to the cig lighter.

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DINGDINGDING We have a winner!

Get ANY cheap 12 v charger and go to it. Splice on whatever ends you need (the center post of the adapter is always positive). Otherwise, you are going 12v --> 110 volt while losing juice to heat, and then 110v --> 12v while again losing juice to heat.

[PierBridge]

Don't let them scare you I've been charging a Vex battery with an Inverter for 20 years it' not a skill saw your trying to run.

Plus the inverter will come in handy down the road.

DING DING DING.....

[chris63]

Make sure you only charge your 7amp at 500 milliamp(1/2 amp) rate so you dont overheat it and will extend your battery life as long as possible.IM confussed about the question concerning inverters.How can you charge a dc cell with ac power?c63

[MnIceman]

Most 12 VDC chargers use 120VAC for a power source. The charger straightens out the AC (alternating current) to DC (direct current)by using a rectifier and or diodes . It also transforms the voltage down to 13.5-14vdc. When using an inverter by plugging it into a 12 vdc power supply. The inverter steps up the voltage back to 120 vac . What some guys are doing is plugging in their 120 vac to 12 vdc chargers to the inverter and then the inverter to their cars power source. Basicaly 12vdc power supply to 120vac to 12vdc battery. Definetly not the most efficient way of doing that but it does work .

[MnIceman]

Quote:

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Quote:

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You don't need an inverter. Just get a charger that hooks up to the cig lighter.

---

DINGDINGDING We have a winner!

Get ANY cheap 12 v charger and go to it. Splice on whatever ends you need (the center post of the adapter is always positive). Otherwise, you are going 12v --> 110 volt while losing juice to heat, and then 110v --> 12v while again losing juice to heat.

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The center post is not always positive. Most of the time it is . I'm speaking from experience . You have to look at the symbols on the chargers/ converters . Most electronic devices do not like to have their polarities reversed . They let out smoke when you do and then you have to pay to put the smoke back in to make it work again.

[anyfishwilldo]

I'm not trying to be a smarta$$ or anything, but you don't have to splice anything. Aquaview sells a cig lighter 12v charger that hooks directly to the posts of a vex/aquaview battery. If I recall correctly, it was about $20. That is cheaper than an invertor.

[McGurk]

You are correct MNiceman, I should have noted that the cig light adapter center post will always be positive. The other end is quite adifferent matter and you do need to figure out the polarity.

And yes, you can buy an inverter to do the job (I have a little guy, too ), and it will work. Seems to be kind of a waste of time as when I did that it charged much slower, but it does get used for other things, too. But if I had to buy one thing to do what the poster asked for, I'd spend the money to get something to charge as simply and directly as possible, ala a 12 volt battery charger. It sounds like the Aquavu solution would work great instead of cutting and splicing.

[coffee]

Either the 12v cig lighter charger from Aqua-view or the reference to any 12v charger seems the simplest. Where can you pick up the Aqua-view charger? Also, what are some types of 12v chargers that will work?