An 800 watt inverter can supply AC power from a 12V or 24 V battery to run light electronics and electrical tools.
However, there are limitations to what can be powered by this inverter and it is important to know what appliances can be run to prevent damage to the inverter.
So this guide provides examples of appliances that you can be powered by an 800 watt inverter, what considerations need to be made before connecting an appliance to the inverter, and what checks to make before powering an appliance to help you use the inverter reliably.
800 watt Power Inverter | What will Run?
An 800 watt power invert can power one or several appliances provided that both the combined power consumption of the appliance does not exceed 800 watts of continuous power and the inverter surge power rating.
The inverter surge power rating is usually 2 -3 times the maximum power rating of the inverter.
Check the inverter’s owner manual or nameplate for both its continuous and surge power rating.
The surge power is important when powering inductive loads like fridges, ACs which can have a considerable power draw at startup.
Example of appliances that can be powered by the 800 watt inverter (List is not exhaustive)
- Mini fridge
- LED TVs
- Laptops
- Selected coffee maker
- Some fridges
- Some power tools like drills
- Selected water pumps
- Lights
- Cellphones and tablets.
Some inverters have USB outlets and USB appliances may be plugged directly into the USB ports instead of the AC outlet for charging or powering.
Appliances that will likely not work with the 800 watt inverter
Larger capacity fridges, AC conditioners, heating appliances such as kettles, water heaters. These generally draw more power than the 800 watt inverter can supply.
Always confirm the power requirements for the appliance before connecting to the inverter.
What Checks to Make Before Connecting an Appliance to an 800 watt Inverter?
There are several key checks on both the inverter and appliance that should be made to prevent accidental damage to either the inverter or the appliance.
Pure sinewave inverters are also recommended for appliances with windings such as fridges, microwaves – they run cooler and quieter.
# 1. Does the appliance need a pure sine wave inverter supply or it can work with a modified sine wave supply?
Manufacturers of sensitive appliances, for example in the medical field like the CPAP machine, recommend power supply from pure sine wave inverters.
# 2. Check that the appliance’s continuous and surge power rating does not exceed what the inverter can handle to prevent damage to the inverter.
# 3. Confirm that the appliance’s voltage requirements can be met by the inverter. Is the inverter output 110V AC?
Then you can only connect appliances that use 110V!
# 4. Confirm the inverter DC voltage requirement. Is it a 12 volt or 24 volt inverter?
Supply the inverter with the manufacturer’s recommended voltage to prevent damage to the inverter (when the inverter voltage rating is exceeded) or the inverter may not work (voltage is lower than what the inverter requires).
When not to Run an appliance on 800 watt Inverter
You should disconnect the appliance switch off the inverter and investigate the cause first before continuing to use it if you observe any of the following:
- Overload alarm on the inverter. This may be a fault with the inverter or a case of high power draw requirement of the appliance.
Confirm that the inverter can meet the appliance’s power requirements
- If the inverter is extremely hot or shuts down because of excessive temperature (temperature alarm is triggered), you need to let it cool down first.
Check that the inverter is installed in well-ventilated areas before switching it on.
- The inverter fan is running noisily. In this case, the inverter may not be able to cool down properly leading to a shutdown.
Check that the inverter does not have worn-out bearings or there is no dust buildup in the fan and inverter interior before continuing to use the inverter.
Safety | How to Run Appliances on the 800 watt Inverter Reliably
To safely run appliances on the inverter:
- Make sure the inverter is installed in a well ventilated area.
- Do not exceed the inverter continuous and surge power rating or the appliance(s) will not work properly and you risk damaging the inverter.
- Confirm how long the inverter can run at maximum power. Some inverters may only be able to run at their continuous power rating for a limited time, an hour or less.
Whenever possible, run the inverter up to 80% of its full rating.
For an 800 watt inverter, for example, aim to connect appliances with a maximum power draw of 640 watts (80% x 800 watts)
How Many amps an 800 watt Inverter Can Draw?
A 800 watt power inverter can supply a maximum current of about 67 amps at 12V DC. If it is a 24V inverter, then it will draw about 33 amps at peak power.
How Many amps Does it Handle?
A 800 watt inverter can handle a maximum current draw of about 7.2 amps by appliances connected on the 110V side at peak power.
Beyond this, the overload alarm will be triggered and the fuse will blow.
What Number of Batteries and their Sizes to with an 800 watt Inverter
The number of batteries to use with 800 watt inverter
The number of batteries to connect to your 800 watt inverter depends on the time (hours) you plan the appliances to run for.
You can consider connecting 1 x 100 Ah or 2 x 100 Ah deep cycle batteries with a recommended depth of discharge of 50%.
How long does an 800 watt inverter run on battery
This basically depends on the combined consumption of connected appliances and the battery capacities (Ah) used.
For example, with connected appliances consuming 800 watts,
- a 100Ah AGM or GEL battery with a recommended discharge of 50% will provide a runtime of about 45 minutes
- a 200Ah AGM or GEL battery with a recommended discharge of 50% will provide a runtime of about 1hr 30 minutes .
If the combined appliance load is less than 800 watts, the runtime will be longer.
Final Word
The 800 watt inverter can meet the power requirements of several light power household electronics and electrical items such as Laptops, LED lights, TVs, fridges of selected capacities, and other appliances provided its continuous and surge power requirements are not exceeded.
If you can, aim to run the inverter to 80% of its capacity and make sure it is installed in a well-ventilated area for it to perform reliably.
For the consistent and reliable performance of the inverter and appliance, check that the appliance’s voltage requirements can be met by the inverter.
Also, confirm if it is designed to work with grid-like power from pure sine wave inverters or otherwise before plugging the appliance.
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