So I was bored Sunday and figured I had been putting off doing this long enough. I run a printer out of my truck every day for work so I use a power inverter but my nice one died and I had to buy a smaller one to get me by until I got this new one in...

First, the inverter:
http://www.okshowpics.com/gallery/showpics/albums/userpics/10001/normal_IMG_0654.JPG

very close up pic of soldered wires to the back of the switch on the control board (not very good at soldering):
http://www.okshowpics.com/gallery/showpics/albums/inverter%20install/normal_IMG_0759.JPG

Mounted inverter in a tool box in the bed:
http://www.okshowpics.com/gallery/showpics/albums/inverter%20install/normal_IMG_0760.JPG

Plug in and switch mounted (almost looks like it should be there from the factory):
http://www.okshowpics.com/gallery/showpics/albums/inverter%20install/normal_IMG_0762.JPG

Dash back together:
http://www.okshowpics.com/gallery/showpics/albums/inverter%20install/normal_IMG_0763.JPG
http://www.okshowpics.com/gallery/showpics/albums/inverter%20install/normal_IMG_0765.JPG

Yep, it works!:
http://www.okshowpics.com/gallery/showpics/albums/inverter%20install/normal_IMG_0766.JPG

Here's the bed:
http://www.okshowpics.com/gallery/showpics/albums/inverter%20install/normal_IMG_0767.JPG

I was really excited with how it came out and it was way easier than trying to build a place to mount the big faceplate or put holes in my speaker box. I plugged an extension cord into the inverter and then cut the other end and spliced the wires into the back of the plug in that I stole from the old inverter that I have been using for the last 4 years that finally died.

Let me know what you guys think!

Is that an okshowpics.com sticker?

yeah it is...have you heard of it?

I've seen the page awhile back.

wow, what a project, congrats to you for finishing it!

Congrats to you on a finished project... I just hope that solder job doesn't come back to haunt you in the immediate future.

I suppose it depends if you have a lot of rough pavement in your daily drive, I guess. And by the way, can I just go ahead and ask the $64K question: why do you run a printer out of the bed of your truck?

yeah I am already ready for the solder to break even though it felt plenty solid. The photo is just really close up so it makes it look worse than it really is. I think that is 22 gauge cable if that helps give perspective. I did keep the original switch functional so it won't be a big deal if it does, I'll just have to get in the back and turn it on that way until i fix it.

I print window stickers & buyers guides for car dealerships so that's why I need the printer. I use a laser printer that takes a lot more current so that's why I needed the big inverter

yeah I am already ready for the solder to break even though it felt plenty solid. The photo is just really close up so it makes it look worse than it really is. I think that is 22 gauge cable if that helps give perspective. I did keep the original switch functional so it won't be a big deal if it does, I'll just have to get in the back and turn it on that way until i fix it.

I print window stickers & buyers guides for car dealerships so that's why I need the printer. I use a laser printer that takes a lot more current so that's why I needed the big inverter


Sounds like one of the guys from your dealerships (perhaps in the car audio department, if there is one you know and trust in the next one you visit) should be able to do a quick re-solder on that for you for what could be considered low cost (a beer or two after hours, or lunch, etc.).

Heck, I'd do it myself just to have lunch with one of my fellow OKC Talk posters, but I live about 5K miles away from you!

Laser printers... just an FYI, don't ever plug one of these into a UPS, it will drain the battery on them. Ran into that problem when I was a Net Tech at SNU. I couldn't figure out why I was replacing batteries every week. Found the common denominator, made some phone calls and visits to offices, and bam, figured it was the laser printers. I mean, they pull 600 volts to charge the drum for printing, for each page.

i've read not to use UPS for laser printers and they do take LOTS of power to run...not sure if it's 600 volts because the outlet only puts out 110...maybe you meant watts and in that case mine takes around 900

I also read that they won't work with a modified sine wave inverter but they've worked fine for me for years now...

also if you are using a power inverter in a car, don't use a capacitor...learned that the hard way too

We have a gargantuan UPS for our monster server: more than a half-ton of batteries. Normally it loafs along at 12, 13 percent of capacity. Print something on the laser, and it jumps to nearly 30 percent.

Which means that this fairly-ordinary HP LaserJet is drawing as much current as an IBM midrange plus a router plus a hardware firewall plus various switches plus the Barracuda spam trap, and then some.

It's crazy how those small printers can take so much. I am using a LaserJet 1020 right now, it's super slow but only takes 3.5amps AC to run, so I don't have to start up the truck just to power it up. I have a brother printer that is way faster I normally use but I figured I'd use this one to save gas.

The drum charges, so it can take as many volts essentially, as it needs.