A good quality 1,500-watt, 12 V inverter can be used to run several household appliances, consumer electronics, and selected power tools reliably for a long time.
There’re two keys – make sure you do not exceed its power limits and provide enough battery capacity for the inverter to run for the desired duration.
So, which appliances work safely with this inverter and which ones should you avoid? What battery size should you use?
Read on to find out which appliances you can run with a 1,500-watt inverter, what battery cable sizes you can use, and what battery bank sizes you can consider when powering the inverter.
What you Can Power with a 1500-watt Inverter
The power output of the inverter is the same as that of a 13 amp/115V.
Do not exceed its power limits usually a maximum continuous power supply of 1,500 watts and typically 3,000 watts of surge power.
Doing otherwise risks damaging the inverter!
What Appliances a 1,500-watt Inverter Can Handle?
Note: This list is not exhaustive – only selected appliances are listed. Always check the power consumption info for your appliance before plugging it into the inverter.
- 55-watt LED TV typically 42″
- coffee maker provided the inverter power limits are not exceeded. Consider a 900-watt- 1200-watt coffee maker.
- Laptop
- LED lighting
- 1,200-watt microwave oven (with a pure sine wave inverter)
- Selected pumps ( about 1.5 HP)
- Full-size domestic fridge or freezer. For example, a full-size fridge drawing about 200 watts continuously can be ably powered by the inverter.
- Washing machine provided the inverter power limits are not exceeded (with a pure sine wave inverter)
- Dishwasher provided the inverter power limits are not exceeded (with a pure sine wave inverter)
- Selected power tools ( drill, grinder check power limits)
- CPAP machine
USB appliances
The inverter can also reliably power many lower-power appliances like phones, tablets, and gaming consoles.
Some 1,500-watt inverters have USB ports that can be used to charge phones, power USB LED lights, and other USB appliances.
What Appliances to Avoid (Unless the power draw for both continuous and surge is under 1,500 and 3,000 watts respectively!)
- Electric water heater
- Electric kettles
- ACs
Always consult the manual of appliance manufacturers to confirm that the appliances can be powered by the inverter.
Pure sine wave or modified sine wave inverter
Use a pure sine wave to power fridges, freezers, washing machines, dishwashers, power tools, and in general appliances that use motors and windings.
They not only run cooler but also silently than can be the case when you use a modified sine wave inverter.
Will it Power a Fridge?
Yes, a 1,500-watt inverter can run a fridge provided it is a pure sine wave inverter, and both its continuous and surge power ratings do not exceed those of the inverter.
Can a 1500 Watt Inverter Run a Hair Dryer?
Yes, a 1,500-watt inverter can power a hair dryer provided it is a pure sine wave inverter, and both its continuous and surge power ratings do not exceed those of the inverter.
Note: You may have to switch the dryer to a lower heat setting such as low or mid.
Will a 1,500 Watt Inverter Run a 1,500 Watt Heater
Yes, a 1,500-watt inverter can power a heater provided its continuous and surge power ratings do not exceed those of the inverter.
Make sure that it is connected to a large enough battery bank though.
Heating a large volume of water using an inverter requires a significant investment in the battery bank. Instead, consider using a gas stove. The investment is lower.
You may also be interested in this Post: What can a 300-watt inverter run?
How Many amps a 1,500-watt Inverter Draws
A 1,500-watt, 12-volt inverter draws about 147 amps from the battery bank at maximum power. How many amps a 1,500-watt inverter actually draws from the battery side (DC side) depends on :
- the power draw of the connected appliance and
- whether the inverter is designed to be connected to a 12V battery or 24-volt battery. A 1,500-watt, 24-volt inverter draws up to about 74 amps only.
You may also be interested in this post: Why I don’t run the inverter at maximum power
Why the Inverter’s Current Draw Matters
1,500 Watt Inverter Battery Cable Size
This helps you select the right gauge of battery cables that can safely handle the current draw from the battery at maximum power!
Remember to install a fuse installed on the positive cable as close as possible to the positive battery terminal.
You can refer to the table below for an indicative guide of cable sizes for the various lengths you can use for a 1,500-watt, 12-volt inverter.
Indicative wire sizes for 1500-watt 12V inverter (3% voltage drop)
| No. | DC Cable Length (feet) | Wire Size (AWG) |
| 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 2 | 6 | 1 |
| 3 | 9 | 1 |
Note: Thicker cables are rigid, difficult to bend, and install, and more expensive!
As much as possible keep the cable lengths short, use a higher voltage inverter to use a smaller gauge cable!
What Size of Battery for a 1500-watt Inverter
There are several battery combinations you can use to power the inverter. Use at least a 300 Ah AGM battery bank or 150 Ah LiFeP04 battery bank to power the connected appliances for an hour. Note: This assumes the 1500-watt, 12V inverter’s power is running at maximum capacity.
How Many Batteries to Run a 1500 Watt Inverter
You can use 3 x 100Ah AGM batteries or 3 x 75Ah LiFeP04 batteries connected in parallel. Note: This is only one of the possible battery combinations you can use.
Ultimately, The number of batteries depends mainly on:
- the battery capacity you plan to use in the battery bank. For instance, using larger-capacity batteries requires fewer batteries.
- Whether you go for AGM or LiFeP04 batteries. For the same runtime, you require fewer LiFeP04 batteries than AGM batteries.
These are just a few of the factors that determine how many batteries you need. You may also be interested in: How many batteries for a 5,000-watt inverter?
Can you Use a 100Ah Battery?
Yes, you can use a 100 Ah battery. At maximum power, the inverter will run for about 30 minutes when connected to a 100 Ah AGM battery and an hour with a LiFeP04 battery.
How Long a Battery Lasts with a 1500-watt Inverter
This depends on the combined power consumption of the appliances connected and the battery capacity (Ah).
A 1,500-watt, 12V inverter, at maximum capacity will run for about an hour when connected to a 300 Ah AGM battery before the battery bank is discharged to 50%.
Use a 150Ah LiFeP04 battery for the inverter to last for about an hour before the battery bank capacity is discharged to 80%.
Actual runtime depends on the power consumption of connected appliances and the battery bank size.
You can extend how long the inverter lasts by reducing connected appliances or increasing the size of the battery bank.
Closing Thoughts
You can power several household appliances and consumer electronics using a 1,500-watt inverter provided its power limits are not exceeded.
Usually, this size of inverter is rated for a continuous power draw of 1,500 watts and surge power draw of 3,000 watts.
Always consult the technical specifications section of your inverter’s owner manual.
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