XANTREX 1000 - Should it be grounded???
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My parents bought me a XANTREX 1000 Power Inverter so my CPAP could be more portable. I have a marine deep cycle battery that I use when I go camping with my son but if I had an electrical outlet then I could take some other stuff. If I'm in a tent, could my son and I use it to watch movies on a laptop and such without a grounding rod or should I drive the 30 minutes to my dads house, get the copper wire and the grounding rod and do it right? My father claims in the mountains I have virtually no need to ground it. He said in your car... different story. Ground it whenever you use it in your car. What's the consensus? Am I risking my life to not ground it in the hills? Last thing I want is to get my face blown off at 3:00AM because something freaky happened with my CPAP. My son probably would dig really having darth vader for a father but I think I'd tire of it very quickly. :-D
I see no reason why you should be concerned about grounding it, in the car or not. If you are concerned, I suggest you buy another similar unit, which doesn't mention grounding in the manual. On another note, a Xantrex 1000 is way overkill for anything you would run off a battery you would take camping. You would probably be better off getting a lower capacity inverter which would be smaller, lighter, more efficient at the loads you're talking about(<150w), and NOT even mention grounding. Just to be clear, don't worry. The worst that could happen is your batty goes dead before the morning, but that could happen either way. EDIT: Just curious, what did your dad think would happen if you didn't ground it?
Total geek! :)
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I see no reason why you should be concerned about grounding it, in the car or not. If you are concerned, I suggest you buy another similar unit, which doesn't mention grounding in the manual. On another note, a Xantrex 1000 is way overkill for anything you would run off a battery you would take camping. You would probably be better off getting a lower capacity inverter which would be smaller, lighter, more efficient at the loads you're talking about(<150w), and NOT even mention grounding. Just to be clear, don't worry. The worst that could happen is your batty goes dead before the morning, but that could happen either way. EDIT: Just curious, what did your dad think would happen if you didn't ground it?
Total geek! :)
My dad is a Vietnam Veteran, worked for Idaho Power for 35 years and frankly has outlived his 9 lives, 3 times too many. My dad was like, "Ground it? Who cares." I'm the one trying to be responsible and maybe I'm failing.:cool:
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I see no reason why you should be concerned about grounding it, in the car or not. If you are concerned, I suggest you buy another similar unit, which doesn't mention grounding in the manual. On another note, a Xantrex 1000 is way overkill for anything you would run off a battery you would take camping. You would probably be better off getting a lower capacity inverter which would be smaller, lighter, more efficient at the loads you're talking about(<150w), and NOT even mention grounding. Just to be clear, don't worry. The worst that could happen is your batty goes dead before the morning, but that could happen either way. EDIT: Just curious, what did your dad think would happen if you didn't ground it?
Total geek! :)
When I first read the charts for the batteries I needed and stuff I really muffed it. I've got a deep cycle marine battery that will power my CPAP for 73 days straight. So I figured the disco ball, batman distress beacon and the death star tractor beam modulator wouldn't even phase it. But I'm not ready to admit that I'm prepared for world domination yet.:cool:
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My parents bought me a XANTREX 1000 Power Inverter so my CPAP could be more portable. I have a marine deep cycle battery that I use when I go camping with my son but if I had an electrical outlet then I could take some other stuff. If I'm in a tent, could my son and I use it to watch movies on a laptop and such without a grounding rod or should I drive the 30 minutes to my dads house, get the copper wire and the grounding rod and do it right? My father claims in the mountains I have virtually no need to ground it. He said in your car... different story. Ground it whenever you use it in your car. What's the consensus? Am I risking my life to not ground it in the hills? Last thing I want is to get my face blown off at 3:00AM because something freaky happened with my CPAP. My son probably would dig really having darth vader for a father but I think I'd tire of it very quickly. :-D
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My parents bought me a XANTREX 1000 Power Inverter so my CPAP could be more portable. I have a marine deep cycle battery that I use when I go camping with my son but if I had an electrical outlet then I could take some other stuff. If I'm in a tent, could my son and I use it to watch movies on a laptop and such without a grounding rod or should I drive the 30 minutes to my dads house, get the copper wire and the grounding rod and do it right? My father claims in the mountains I have virtually no need to ground it. He said in your car... different story. Ground it whenever you use it in your car. What's the consensus? Am I risking my life to not ground it in the hills? Last thing I want is to get my face blown off at 3:00AM because something freaky happened with my CPAP. My son probably would dig really having darth vader for a father but I think I'd tire of it very quickly. :-D
code-frog wrote:
If I'm in a tent, could my son and I use it to watch movies on a laptop and such without a grounding rod
Yes. But don't :)
Sovereign ingredient for a happy marriage: Pay cash or do without. Interest charges not only eat up a household budget; awareness of debt eats up domestic felicity. --Lazarus Long
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My parents bought me a XANTREX 1000 Power Inverter so my CPAP could be more portable. I have a marine deep cycle battery that I use when I go camping with my son but if I had an electrical outlet then I could take some other stuff. If I'm in a tent, could my son and I use it to watch movies on a laptop and such without a grounding rod or should I drive the 30 minutes to my dads house, get the copper wire and the grounding rod and do it right? My father claims in the mountains I have virtually no need to ground it. He said in your car... different story. Ground it whenever you use it in your car. What's the consensus? Am I risking my life to not ground it in the hills? Last thing I want is to get my face blown off at 3:00AM because something freaky happened with my CPAP. My son probably would dig really having darth vader for a father but I think I'd tire of it very quickly. :-D
Should the inverter when run off the car be grounded anyway? I know that on my Land Rover & our Shogun the negative terminal (I think, some Land Rovers are positive earth) is grounded to the body work and chassis and the inverter (here in Britain) has a ground pin like all appliances so that's grounded to the chassis as well by implication (and logic). Surely the purpose of the laptop is that it's got a battery so you can charge it in the car and take it outside to watch movies then :rolleyes:, or is that to simple and non-technical? Unless you're watching that insomnia film which goes on for 24h+.
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My parents bought me a XANTREX 1000 Power Inverter so my CPAP could be more portable. I have a marine deep cycle battery that I use when I go camping with my son but if I had an electrical outlet then I could take some other stuff. If I'm in a tent, could my son and I use it to watch movies on a laptop and such without a grounding rod or should I drive the 30 minutes to my dads house, get the copper wire and the grounding rod and do it right? My father claims in the mountains I have virtually no need to ground it. He said in your car... different story. Ground it whenever you use it in your car. What's the consensus? Am I risking my life to not ground it in the hills? Last thing I want is to get my face blown off at 3:00AM because something freaky happened with my CPAP. My son probably would dig really having darth vader for a father but I think I'd tire of it very quickly. :-D
If it's convenient, and affordable, go ahead and ground it. If not, I wouldn't be overly concerned about it. Grounds have two purposes - they provide a reference voltage for circuitry that cares about such things, and they provide a path for current to return without killing anyone should a fault occur in the primary system. In portable equipment the neutral serves as a reference, and if it doesn't have an internal fault the ground carries no current. Operating off batteries as a primary source you have no independent ground to vary from - you're essentially floating with respect to earth. It's perfectly safe. The reason your home equipment requires a ground is that, back at the generating station, the delivered power is referenced to a fixed ground, and in the event of a failure, the current will try to find its way home through the ground, or through you. The ground is far preferable, and hurts a lot less. In the field, on batteries, there is no path through the ground for current to flow. The usual rules don't apply. Go camping, have fun, and worry less. :-D
"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"
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My parents bought me a XANTREX 1000 Power Inverter so my CPAP could be more portable. I have a marine deep cycle battery that I use when I go camping with my son but if I had an electrical outlet then I could take some other stuff. If I'm in a tent, could my son and I use it to watch movies on a laptop and such without a grounding rod or should I drive the 30 minutes to my dads house, get the copper wire and the grounding rod and do it right? My father claims in the mountains I have virtually no need to ground it. He said in your car... different story. Ground it whenever you use it in your car. What's the consensus? Am I risking my life to not ground it in the hills? Last thing I want is to get my face blown off at 3:00AM because something freaky happened with my CPAP. My son probably would dig really having darth vader for a father but I think I'd tire of it very quickly. :-D
when I go camping with my son...my son and I use it to watch movies The power inverter doesn't need grounding, you do. Marc
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killabyte wrote:
doesnt taking a laptop and watching movies defeat the purpose of camping?
My thought also.
Simply Elegant Designs JimmyRopes Designs
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when I go camping with my son...my son and I use it to watch movies The power inverter doesn't need grounding, you do. Marc
Marc Clifton wrote:
The power inverter doesn't need grounding, you do.
You have a way with words Marc. :-D
Simply Elegant Designs JimmyRopes Designs
Think inside the box! ProActive Secure Systems
I'm on-line therefore I am. JimmyRopes -
My parents bought me a XANTREX 1000 Power Inverter so my CPAP could be more portable. I have a marine deep cycle battery that I use when I go camping with my son but if I had an electrical outlet then I could take some other stuff. If I'm in a tent, could my son and I use it to watch movies on a laptop and such without a grounding rod or should I drive the 30 minutes to my dads house, get the copper wire and the grounding rod and do it right? My father claims in the mountains I have virtually no need to ground it. He said in your car... different story. Ground it whenever you use it in your car. What's the consensus? Am I risking my life to not ground it in the hills? Last thing I want is to get my face blown off at 3:00AM because something freaky happened with my CPAP. My son probably would dig really having darth vader for a father but I think I'd tire of it very quickly. :-D
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when I go camping with my son...my son and I use it to watch movies The power inverter doesn't need grounding, you do. Marc
I couldn't have said it better myself.
This blanket smells like ham
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when I go camping with my son...my son and I use it to watch movies The power inverter doesn't need grounding, you do. Marc
Wow... That's the third reply now trashing the idea of going camping and watching a movie. It's starting to sound almost as unpopular as my yoghurt and fried eggs breakfast... :~ FWIW: with the right companion, it can be a very enjoyable activity. And i also enjoy drive-in movies, for similar reasons. Don't knock what you haven't tried...
Citizen 20.1.01
'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master - that's all.'
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Wow... That's the third reply now trashing the idea of going camping and watching a movie. It's starting to sound almost as unpopular as my yoghurt and fried eggs breakfast... :~ FWIW: with the right companion, it can be a very enjoyable activity. And i also enjoy drive-in movies, for similar reasons. Don't knock what you haven't tried...
Citizen 20.1.01
'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master - that's all.'
Shog9 wrote:
Don't knock what you haven't tried...
hehe. I hate camping, and I despise television. :-D Marc
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Depends what your purpose is... ;)
Citizen 20.1.01
'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master - that's all.'
normally the purpose of camping is to get back to basics, get in touch with nature... then shoot it :-\
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." -Albert Einstein
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normally the purpose of camping is to get back to basics, get in touch with nature... then shoot it :-\
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." -Albert Einstein
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Wow... That's the third reply now trashing the idea of going camping and watching a movie. It's starting to sound almost as unpopular as my yoghurt and fried eggs breakfast... :~ FWIW: with the right companion, it can be a very enjoyable activity. And i also enjoy drive-in movies, for similar reasons. Don't knock what you haven't tried...
Citizen 20.1.01
'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master - that's all.'
Picture yourself in another campsite close by hoping to get away for some relaxing time in nature leaving the cares of civilization behind. Then well into the night you can see the glow of a TV and hear someone watching Rambo 23 and all the previous Rambos after that. X| Drive in movies are fine because you expect to hear and see a movie. Camping trips bring to mind campfires and the like.
Simply Elegant Designs JimmyRopes Designs
Think inside the box! ProActive Secure Systems
I'm on-line therefore I am. JimmyRopes -
Picture yourself in another campsite close by hoping to get away for some relaxing time in nature leaving the cares of civilization behind. Then well into the night you can see the glow of a TV and hear someone watching Rambo 23 and all the previous Rambos after that. X| Drive in movies are fine because you expect to hear and see a movie. Camping trips bring to mind campfires and the like.
Simply Elegant Designs JimmyRopes Designs
Think inside the box! ProActive Secure Systems
I'm on-line therefore I am. JimmyRopesJimmyRopes wrote:
Picture yourself in another campsite close by hoping to get away for some relaxing time in nature leaving the cares of civilization behind.
Yeah, comfortable beds, climate control systems, and fully-stocked kitchens really wear on you after a while... ;)
JimmyRopes wrote:
Drive in movies are fine because you expect to hear and see a movie. Camping trips bring to mind campfires and the like.
Campfires, drunk campers carousing, periodically wandering off into the woods to drag new combustibles back to the fire, breaking bottles, anguished cries of the sorry camper who thought bug spray worked better ah flambe... :-\
Citizen 20.1.01
'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master - that's all.'
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JimmyRopes wrote:
Picture yourself in another campsite close by hoping to get away for some relaxing time in nature leaving the cares of civilization behind.
Yeah, comfortable beds, climate control systems, and fully-stocked kitchens really wear on you after a while... ;)
JimmyRopes wrote:
Drive in movies are fine because you expect to hear and see a movie. Camping trips bring to mind campfires and the like.
Campfires, drunk campers carousing, periodically wandering off into the woods to drag new combustibles back to the fire, breaking bottles, anguished cries of the sorry camper who thought bug spray worked better ah flambe... :-\
Citizen 20.1.01
'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master - that's all.'
Shog9 wrote:
Yeah, comfortable beds, climate control systems, and fully-stocked kitchens really wear on you after a while...
Why else would you go camping? :-D
Shog9 wrote:
Campfires, drunk campers carousing, periodically wandering off into the woods to drag new combustibles back to the fire, breaking bottles, anguished cries of the sorry camper who thought bug spray worked better ah flambe...
I want to see the flaming bug spray! :~
Simply Elegant Designs JimmyRopes Designs
Think inside the box! ProActive Secure Systems
I'm on-line therefore I am. JimmyRopes