The first step in doing a DIY inverter install on your boat is to find a 12 VDC source. This is usually a big red wire. A battery switch is a good place to find one. Don't worry at all about it shorting against the common leg of the switch. That thin plastic coating on the handles of the clip is there to insulate them. It looks fine, and is color coordinated. The clip has the appearance of permanence, requires no expensive special ;tools to install it, and has the panache I like to see in a marine electrical installation. You won't need any of those dangerous and unsightly restraints like tie wraps either.
The clip is the positive lead for a 320 watt Xantrex inverter. I know, I know, it's a 400 plus unit, but in reality that's marketing's optimistic view on 320 watts continuous output. This is another device that exudes marine durability, and the installation is so simple. Since it wasn't designed to be mounted to any surface at all, you don't have to. Just plunk it down anywhere.
Installing the ground clip is simple too. Find a block with some black wires on it. If the clip makes sparks when you touch it, just keep trying more black wires until you find one that doesn't spark. Clip it to that one. Plug in the daiquiri blender, and if it runs, you're good to go. If it doesn't just try a different non-sparking black wire. There are always a lot of them on a boat. It might be a good idea to wear sneakers during the install.
As you can see, this is an easy do it yourself project, and you can save a ton of money. The inverter was bought online for about $50, and best of all you don't have to pay some cranky purported marine expert a ton of money to do something that is this simple. So now make a pitcher of Patron margaritas with your blender, and lets go boating. You've earned it.
Wow, not even wire nuts?
ReplyDeletePardon, professor, shouldn't that be Patron?
ReplyDeleteMy bad Blake, and inexcusable due to my status as a professional imbiber of libations. It's all better now.
ReplyDeleteWow, ship shape!
ReplyDeleteThis article is a complete joke whether or not intended as such. It uses the most quick and dirty mean of accomplishing a goal possible while some yayhoo might do this in his jonboat, it is not going to pass coast guard inspection on any real boat, including the cat shown in the article. Whoever wrote this article is nothing short of dangerous.
ReplyDeleteHI Capt Dave, you apparently haven't read much of my blog, and you seem to have missed the unspoken part of Whiskey Tango Foxtrot in the title, especially the Foxtrot part. I found this in a boat and I thought the cheesy and albeit a very dangerous install was worth some note, and this was the way I chose to do it. I removed it after photographing the more interesting parts of the display and gave the owner a short lecture about what he had done. I'm sorry you didn't get that part, but it drips sarcasm, and I'm confident my readers figured it out.
ReplyDelete