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SELECT BATTERY TYPE
Select 12V “Deep Cycle” batteries to receive optimum performance from your power inverter. If connected to a
vehicle, boat or RV, we recommend to keep engine running while inverter is in use. If the batteries you connect to
the power inverter are not true Deep Cycle batteries, their operational lifetimes may be significantly shortened.
If you are using the same battery bank to power the inverter as well as DC loads, your battery bank will need to
be appropriately sized (larger loads will require a battery bank with a larger amp-hour capacity) or the
operational lifetimes of the batteries may be significantly reduced.
UNDERSTANDING BATTERY AMP-HOUR CAPACITY WITH YOUR APPLICATION
Determine Total Wattage Required:
Add the wattage ratings of all equipment you will connect to your inverter. Wattage ratings are usually listed in
equipment manuals or on nameplates. If your equipment is rated in amps, multiply that number times AC utility
voltage to estimate watts. (Example: a drill requires 2.5 amps. 2.5 amps × 120 volts = 300 watts.)
Determine DC Battery Amps Required
Divide the total wattage required by the nominal battery voltage to determine the DC amps required.
(Example: total wattage required 900 watts: 900 ÷ 12V = 75 DC Amps.)
Estimate Battery Amp-Hours Required
Multiply the DC amps required by the number of hours you estimate you will operate your equipment exclusively
from battery power before you have to recharge your batteries with utility- or generator-supplied AC power.
Compensate for inefficiency by multiplying this number by 1.2. This will give you a rough estimate of how many
amp-hours of battery power (from one or several batteries) you should connect to your Inverter/Charger.
(Example: 75 DC Amps x 5 Hrs. Runtime x 1.2 Inefficiency Rating = 450 Amp-Hours.)
GETTING ST
AR
TED
NOTE:
The type of batteries you use to power your high-power inverter is important. Operating a high-power
inverter will routinely discharge batteries and they will require frequent recharging. Batteries used to
start engines are not designed to repeatedly charge and discharge.
recommends using
“deep-cycle” or “marine” rated batteries.
MotoMaster
®
