Real Life Examples

“We spend a lot of time with our friends at the beach. Living within an hour’s drive of majestic Lake Tahoe means summer-long access to some of the most serene fresh-water beach landscapes in the country. We bought a small power inverter to run our radio and a few fans … then we remembered the blender.”-Michelle G., Reno, Nevada Summertime means lake days, and it has since high school. The blue waters of Lake Tahoe—although quite chilly year-round—have a magnetic way about them, as they seem to call at you on sunny days when you’re off work. I also have to admit I may have even called in “sick” to work a time or two when the Lake’s call was especially strong. My boyfriend and I have been the heads of more than our fair share of lake adventures during our time together. We have a Facebook group of friends dedicated to lake outings. Of the 72 miles that make up the perimeter of the natural lake, we’ve explored, well, all 72. The variety of beaches is remarkable. Having been to the Lake’s beaches as many times as we have, we’ve learned a thing or two about what makes the days at the beach all they can be. On one particular beach outing, we shared a small section of sand in an isolated cove with a family of six. The family hauled down quite the buffet and spread it out across two folding tables. What caught our attention was their series of George Forman Grills cooking up steak and shrimp sandwiches, which were delicious. In addition to the grills, the family also had a few cooling fans and a stereo plugged in. After talking with the dad of the group, we learned that he’d been bringing his power inverter and battery setup to the beach since his kids were babies. He plugs in the air pumps for their inner tubes and other float toys too. He showed us how simple the setup was to use and told us how he charged it back at the house. He carried it down in a tote bag, hooked it up and had immediate power to plug into. After that day we were determined to get one for ourselves. We put it off for a while for some odd reason, but then were persuaded to make the investment (which was minimal) the day before we were heading out to a secluded beach for an overnight trip. On this trip we powered two fans during the day, but then also had a big light that we powered up at night. We also blew up the airbed in our tent with an electronic pump. Now we were on to something. Our setup was simple: a 500-watt power inverter and a small battery. We bought a regular car battery, but later found out it likely wouldn’t last long if we drained it all the way down and then recharged it over and over again. For that kind of abuse, a guy recommended a deep-cycle battery. However, our first battery still does the trick, even though we can tell it doesn’t hold as long of a charge any longer. Staying cool with the fans and having light at night is nice, but you know the real kicker? Freshly blended drinks on a hot day. When we flip on the blender we become the life of the beach. Inverters R Us take: Ask us how to run a blender off of a power inverter, it's easy and you're friends will be glad you did!

“My husband and I can live through a power outage just fine, but the food in our refrigerator and freezer can’t. We are now prepared for the next one”-Natalie S., Arlington, Texas Because it’s only my husband and me living in our home, power outages don’t drive us all that crazy. It’s not as if we have small children or technology-addicted teenagers or aquariums. We can survive just fine without power, and have on multiple occasions. However, there’s an expense we never considered until late last summer: The cost of having to replace everything that spoils in the refrigerator. The summer was going along quite smoothly, although it was HOT—even hotter than usual. Then, in the middle of August we got hit with a series of thunderstorms, which is quite common for our location in Texas. The summer had mostly been a drought and then the heavy storms came. Because of the dry weather that preceded the storms, flooding broke out all over town. When a particularly windy thunderstorm struck, our power was knocked out after a frenzy of lightning. Because of the flooding, there was quite a bit of damage throughout the area and it took a few days for the electric company to restore our power, as it just so happened our neighborhood was among the first to lose power and the last to regain it. In total, we were out of power for a little more than 80 hours. In that amount of time—and with the high heat we were experiencing—everything in our refrigerator spoiled and nearly everything in our freezer thawed. After trying to salvage some questionable condiments, like mayonnaise, we decided to be safe and throw everything out. Before the power came back on, we purchased some bags of ice to keep frozen meat cold in a cooler, but the ice all melted and the meat became waterlogged. When all was said and done, we were left with an empty, and smelly, refrigerator—not to mention a messy freezer with puddles of melted ice cream. Not only did we feel awful throwing all that food out, but we had to also “eat” the replacement costs to restock the refrigerator. In our estimation, we were out close to $350 of meat, vegetables, dairy, desserts and frozen fish. When you add in our grocery store bill of $225 to restock, we were looking at a total expense of $575 after that costly power outage. Therefore, we decided that even having to replace one refrigerator full of food after an extended power outage could make an investment into backup power well worth it. A Good Power Inverter to Keep Your Goods from Spoiling After cutting our losses from the damage last year’s power outage caused in our refrigerator, we talked with our neighbors, who had invested in backup power the year prior because of their young children. They told us about an inexpensive power inverter and battery setup they had purchased for use during times when they’re left in the dark. They had a 1,000-watt power inverter with enough battery supply that they plugged in their refrigerator, lights and even let their kids plug in their electronics when the power stayed off for prolonged periods. We loved the idea and once we looked into it, we figured it was a relatively small investment (we spent about $200), especially when compared to the $575 hit we took last year after one long patch of powerlessness. We haven’t been without power since, but now we feel much better that we are prepared. We’ve plugged our refrigerator into the power inverter, along with some other appliances, and we’re confident that it’ll keep us from being vulnerable during the next power outage.

“I have what I like to think of as a “hunting honey hole” that’s been a secret of mine for years. Each hunting season I drive my Chevy pickup out to this spot and hunt the surrounding lands, never seeing another hunter. This past season I was determined to make life in the back of my pickup truck for two nights more comfortable. For me, this meant having a power inverter to run a few electronics.”-Shayne G., Elko, Nevada For the first seven or eight years of hunting this spot, I only went out for the day and drove back home. Then, about two years ago now, I started staying one night in the back of my truck, packing blankets and a sleeping bag to try and stay warm. Two years ago I stayed for multiple nights for the first time ever. I was able to come home with enough chukar to stock the freezer, which made my wife happy because these little birds are delicious in the crockpot. So, this past season I was committed to staying multiple nights, but I was unwilling to put up with sleeping in the cold, uncomfortable nights in the truck bed and really roughing it. When I started shopping for some “comfort” items to make the trip more enjoyable, I started first with an airbed that fit my truck bed. Then, I went for an electric heater. I thought I was set … then I considered how nice it would be to wake up to hot coffee to take on my hunt. With those three items—an airbed, a space heater and a coffee pot—I was set. I looked at battery-operated options, but they fell short—especially in the areas of heaters and coffee pots. When I considered electric options, I first ruled out the idea of my power source being a gas generator. Not only would it be a pain to lug in, but the noise and smell would tell ever chukar in the area that I was here to hunt them and put them in a crock pot. I thought a power inverter to convert battery power to AC power was going to be outrageous; boy was I pleasantly surprised. I bought a modified sine wave power inverter and a deep cycle battery for under $300, which was a great investment because they both had warranties that guaranteed I’d get a long life from them. I could have gotten by without buying a battery specific for my electronic needs and just used my truck’s battery, but I didn’t like the possibility of falling asleep with the heater on and draining the battery. Plus, the salesperson I talked to warned me against draining my car battery time and time again, as I would significantly reduce its lifespan. Therefore, I just felt better having a battery dedicated to my power needs and leave my car battery to only making sure my truck started when it was time to leave. This setup was so great I even stayed a third night this past season. I was comfortable in my truck bed for the first time; I had heat, and I woke up knowing I had the ability to make hot coffee. I was set. The chukar count may have been a low one this year, but I had a much more enjoyable experience out in the nature this time around. I think next season I’m bringing a hot plate so I can wake up to coffee and bacon!

“We’re not RV people—not yet anyway. At the current moment we are happy camper-van people, and over the past 4 months we’ve spent time in each of the lower 48 states. Even during the random van breakdowns, we remained comfortable, thanks to the power inverter we purchased before our adventure.”
-Jake V., All Over the U.S.A.

It started when my girlfriend and I had a crazy idea. It ended with us having the adventure we’d remember for the rest of our lives.

See, last year both of us reached the end of our work contracts with two different sailing companies. My girlfriend was a cook on the boat and I led SCUBA-diving lessons for passengers. Trips lasted anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks as the 16-person sailboat would travel around the western coast of Mexico. Having spent the last nearly 2 years of our lives working on boats for the two sailing companies, we decided we could sure go for an extended stay on dry land. Because of our current lifestyle, we didn’t have much to begin with in terms of stuff. We packed well and survived without many material amenities. So, after weeks of semi-joking about it, we decided we were actually going to buy a vehicle and travel the United States, stopping to see friends and family along the way.

We purchased a Ford E150 Campervan. We didn’t want to look too much like the stereotypical “hippy” road warrior, so we avoided the VW Westfalia (plus, we couldn’t find one in good shape in our price range). Other than some bedding, some cookery and a few small devices, we were set. We started our adventure and made it a mere 2 weeks before we realized something had to change: we needed power.

Camping “dry” was fine, but we wanted to go for longer periods without having to succumb to a hotel to enjoy the comforts of electricity. After some Googling on our smart phones on a drive between Santa Fe and Albuquerque, we found our answer: a power inverter from Inverters R Us. We bought a relatively compact 1500 watt power inverter (we decided a less expensive, modified sine wave version would fit our needs) and had it shipped to a hotel that we planned on staying at.

With our setup, we soon bought electronic gadgets that would make life on the road more comfortable. We exchanged our propane stove with an electric hotplate, bought a coffee pot and found a small TV with DVD player at a pawnshop. Then, later on, we started getting a bit chilly through the Rockies, so we caved and bought a small portable space heater.

Having the power inverter made all of the difference. After 2 weeks, we didn’t know how much longer we were going to make it. Then, after the addition of the power inverter, we made things easy on ourselves and started enjoying the adventure we were having. Sure, we could have rigged the setup to work with the battery in our camping van, but this was all new to us and I didn’t want to be the one to fry the battery or something and be stranded. We were completely happy with our simple setup and it didn’t fail us once … even the time outside of Lancaster, Pennsylvania when we were stuck “with only our butter” while we waited for our broken down van to be repaired (it’s an inside joke).

“I was deciding between a power inverter for my sailboat or a generator when I identified that they both fulfill different needs. So, I decided to go with both … and boy am I glad.”
-Claude G., Somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico

As all seasoned sailors know (and most novice sailors for that matter), AC power on a sailboat originates from three main sources: plugging into “shore” power, using a generator or using a power inverter. When pulling into a marina or having your sailboat docked, you’re obviously going to use the supplied shore power. But, when you’re on the move, your options are limited to two sources: generator or power inverter.

I’ve used a generator on sailboats previously and I wanted to explore my options with my new boat, mostly because I wasn’t crazy about the smell of spent gasoline or the noise produced by the generator when I’m out under the stars. Given, I had quite an older generator and I’m sure they’re at least a little bit quieter (and less smelly, maybe).

As I began exploring my options, I identified two main power needs:
1. The need for continuous power to run my air conditioner and deep freezer.
2. The need for easy access to (silent) power not worth cranking the generator up for, such as blending a quick drink or running the toaster in the morning.

I began talking with other sailors who were quite happy having both on board. Most of the sailors commented on the generators being noisy, and even rattling obnoxiously, but they agreed they would rather have air conditioning on those unbearable days. Some also fished quite a bit and liked being able to keep their deep freezer going after cleaning and dividing the meat from a big catch. When it came to the power inverters, most of the sailors commented on the convenience. The quiet, clean power was nice to have any time they wanted to use electronic devices. Some even ran their TVs, laptops and DVD players via their power inverter.

So what did I do? I bought a power inverter for my sailboat … I also bought a generator.

Yes, the generator is noisy and it runs on gasoline, which means it smells like gasoline even though I have it well ventilated. I use my generator to run my air conditioning for long periods and also my deep freezer when it’s stocked. I even used my generator to charge my boat’s batteries a few times when I noticed they were low (I purchased a marine-rated AC battery charger for this very reason).

The power inverter is the real treat. It’s such an ease when I want to use electricity just for a moment when the generator is off. I can plug in my transistor radio, make a cup of coffee and plug in my space heater on chilly nights. It’s always available and it’s quiet, which is nice when I’m anchored in a serene harbor and want to listen to something other than a noisy gas engine.

Providing Power For Our Camping Visitors, While Still Completely Immersed in the Wild “My husband and I own a small destination-camping spot on the far end of our property, nestled next to the mountains and a creek that is fed by a natural hot spring. Visitors come stay for a week at a time to “reconnect” with nature. For years, we never offered them the ability to “connect” any electronics. Until now.”-Carissa B., Honeyville, Utah The year we installed a solar panel setup that stored power in a series of batteries and gave visitors the ability to “plug in” via a power inverter was a big turning point in our business. We noticed the feedback that we were getting started having sentiments like “the level of comfort is unmatched” and “the perfect destination to get away, while still being able to enjoy a few modern comforts like my hair dryer, coffee pot and heater for brisk nights.” We were thrilled with the responses, as we had contemplated the pros and cons of offering electricity for sometime before making our decision. We were afraid that the “real” outdoor enthusiasts would complain they didn’t even want to urge to plug in their computers, charge their cell phones or hear from the outside world. The responses were quite the opposite, though. We were able to maintain the “green-ness” of our camping destination by deciding to go solar. In Utah, we get an incredibly high number of sunny days and being able to harness that power to allow visitors to enjoy a few luxuries during their stay is a nice compromise. By installing the power inverter setup, we were able to list on our website different suggested devices visitors might want to bring with them for their stay. Doing this helped answer some common questions and put potential visitors at ease by giving them the peace of mind they can connect some of the devices they rely on daily. We used to have a number of inquires from people who were on the fence about going without power for a full week. Now, we have convinced those types of visitors that the power is there if they choose to use it, or they can ignore the option and live without using anything electronic for their stay; it’s completely up to them. During the first season of offering power, we asked visitors what they chose to plug in during their stay and found the comments were all pretty similar: cell phone charger, lights, space heater, coffee pot, hair-grooming devices and a hot plate. Then, from that information, we were able to make smart decisions concerning what we provided and what we didn’t. Now, visitors can bring nothing more than their hiking shoes and a few changes of clothes to be completely set in our semi-permanent tent-cabins. We offer the simple electronic devices and people really seem to appreciate the small blips of modernity we provide, all while allowing them to be immersed in the wild (without the noise and smell of a gas-powered generator). Because the setup is so easy to use, we post some simple instructions for visitors who have never used a power inverter and we haven’t had the slightest of problems. Our number of repeat visitors has skyrocketed. Thanks to our investment, we now offer a bit more comfort while visitors stay in our home away from home. Plus, I have to say, my husband and I book a few weeks each summer to enjoy it for ourselves … now that I can make hot coffee and warm my feet on cool Utah mornings.

“Where I live in northern California, houseboating is a big hobby, possibly more than anywhere in the country outside of Lake Havasu in Arizona, which is more for spring breakers and less for houseboating enthusiasts. I’ve refurbished an old beat-up houseboat I actually won in a poker game. This year’s upgrade: a houseboat inverter.”-Danny B., Redding, California    Living for nearly 20 years next to Shasta Lake, I always had friends who took up the hobby of boating, namely houseboating. The lake is somewhat magnetic, calling people from all over the country to explore its seemingly endless fingers, all of which offer diverse landscapes, colors, depths and wildlife. There are plenty of marinas spotted around the lake that rent their fleet of high-end, furnished houseboats to tourists. I’ve rented from all of them on numerous occasions over the years. I’d been thinking of buying my own as an investment, but there always seemed to be something else that tied up my finances. Then, 4 years ago, I won the boat title of a worn and weathered houseboat built in the late 1980s. While some people may have seen winning the boat as a money pit or a “my-problem-now type thing,” I was ecstatic. Where my wife saw an eyesore, I saw a fulfilling project that would allow us to spend more time together on the lake we both cherished. The first few projects on my new boat were all mechanical (and painting). Once it was in running order and we got out on the open water, we both knew my new hobby was going to be worthwhile. Once the boat was operable and we knew it wouldn’t leave us stranded in one of the lake’s deep fingers far away from help, we started refurbishing the inside so we could feel at home. New bedding, fire extinguishers, board games, portable lights and new flooring came first. Then, it was time to upgrade the kitchen. My wife begged for an oven and stove for cooking, something we’d enjoyed on the many rentals we experienced together with friends. For this, I knew it was a good excuse to tackle the issue of electricity. Most rental houseboats come with a gas-powered generator to power your devices (and provide the luxury of in-boat air conditioning; something we didn’t have). I’d considered installing a generator, but we had both experienced issues getting old generators cranked up when we needed them. Plus, the noise wasn’t something we enjoyed when we were anchored on the lake under the stars with the owls hooting from the shore. After talking with a friend (the same one I’d won the boat from in the first place), he was determined to sell me on the idea of a DC-to-AC power inverter with a bank of deep-cycle batteries that were designed to be drained of power and recharged over and over again without issue. He recommended a solar panel setup for recharging the batteries and that’s something I kept in my back pocket on my wish list. When we first installed the battery and houseboat inverter setup, I was fine with recharging the batteries with an AC charger we could plug into shore power at the marinas (or back at the house when we trailered the boat home, which we did more times than not after an outing). Sure, the batteries are quite heavy, so I typically use an extension cord at the house instead of hauling them out each time. The setup is simple and it allows us to cook, run fans, keep lights on to play games after dinner and plug in our cellphones to charge when we are out on the water for an extended period. Simply put, the setup is awesome. I still plan to invest in solar panels, but first I’m looking at a new grill for the front deck of the boat. When we catch a largemouth bass, a string of crappie or an elusive Chinook salmon off the back of the boat, there’s quite the urge to get to fileting and cook the fish right on the spot. Oh, and my wife would like a kayak to better explore the narrow channels. So, grill, then kayak, then solar setup. Oh houseboating; it’s the greatest hobby in the world. Happy houseboating. Inverter R Us choice for a houseboat inverter : Spartan Power Inverter / Chargers