Nothing is more fun than spending time in your RV on a vacation. Perhaps you’re just planning to travel in your recreational vehicle and want to be sure that you can power your appliances and devices adequately.
Whether you’ll be camping, traveling, or simply hanging out in your RV, you should consider getting a high-quality pure sine wave inverter.
These inverters convert the direct electric current waves from the powerhouse of an RV into a useful alternative current that can be tapped into for powering various electronic devices. The best RV pure sine wave inverter owners will be able to give out the proper converted electrical wattage while also meeting a variety of other performance specifications.
If you’ve been looking for a comprehensive review of the best pure sine wave inverters for RVs, look no further. Below is an in-depth guide on how to choose the best pure sine wave inverter for your needs, plus some of the top options available today.
What’s a Pure Sine Wave Inverter And Why Would You Use One for An RV?
Understanding how a pure sine wave inverter works and why you need one is important. A pure sine inverter is a device that can convert DC (direct current) electricity into AC (alternating current) electricity. This is usually necessary for converting electrical current into a usable format to power standard electronic devices.
Pure sine inverters are used to power sensitive electronics like microwaves, televisions, fridges, laptops, and other similar electronic devices. These inverters let you access a power source that’s equal to or better than the power you’d get in your home. This makes them the ideal option for use in a recreational vehicle (RV).
3 Best Pure Sine Wave Inverter for RV Reviews
Here’s a look at some of the best options currently available for pure sine inverters designed to be used with vehicles like an RV.
1. Energizer 3000 Watt 12V Power Inverter
The Energizer company is known for its impressive electronics and trusted power output capabilities. This Energizer 3000 watt inverter is one of the best pure sine wave inverter choice for campers. It can be used to power small appliances, power tools, and more. It’s a great option for RV owners who want a hassle-free 3000-watt pure sine wave inverter. It’s easy to use, reliable, and a good overall investment.
- Impressive Performance
It offers impressive overall performance and has been designed and built to handle various inductive loads. It has unparalleled watt per watt performance, making it stand out among its competitors.
- Safety Tested
The Energizer 3000 Watt inverter has been tested, validated, and approved by MET. It boasts awesome safety and performance ratings.
- LCD Screen
This inverter also has an LCD screen that lets you read its input voltage, output wattage, protection settings, and battery level. This is great for checking on your power specs with little to no hassle.
- Other Facts
It has an input voltage of 12V DC and an output voltage of 110V~120V. It also comes with useful dual USB ports that offer 2.4A each (4.8A total).
This inverter is easy to install and comes with heavy-duty cables for attaching it to the battery bank. It has a 3000-watt continuous capacity inverter with a 6000W peak power load. It can run appliances for several hours without overheating. It’s also a comparatively quiet pure sine wave inverter, which is great for enjoying the serenity of the outdoors in peace while camping.
That being said, this inverter may shut down under 60-70 W loads. Turning power switch off and on makes it work again, but this is a flaw that may be frustrating to some users.
Pros
- 3000 watts continuous power
- Quiet operation
- Converts 12V DC to 120V AC Power
- Has 2 x USB charging ports
- Includes Free 3 Ft Zero Gauge Battery Cables
Cons
- May shut down under heavy loads
- Sine wave may interfere with some light bulbs
2. Krieger 3000 Watts Power Inverter
This is a small pure sine wave inverter that packs a punch. The Krieger 3000-Watt 12-Volt power inverter comes with four 110-Volt AC outlets and an included installation kit. It’s a great RV power supply for refrigerators, blenders, power tools, and more. It has been MET approved and conforms to UL and CSA standards. It’s the best RV pure sine wave inverter charger for anyone looking to get everything in one convenient package.
- Great for Power On-The-Go
This inverter converts 3000-Watt continuous power, 4000-Watt peak power, modified sine wave inverter converts 12-Volt DC to 120-Volt AC, connect DC battery cables directly to your battery and you have power on the go.
- Good All-In-One Value
This inverter comes with an all-inclusive wired remote control, included fuse kit, and battery cables, making it an awesome value.
- Reliable and Safe
This inverter features overload, temperature, short circuit, input voltage, output wattage, and battery level indicators. It has been tested, validated, and approved by MET for both its safety and performance specifications. It has also been MET approved under UL standard 458 and CSA std C22.2
- Handy LCD Screen
The LCD screen shows you all of the protection features so you can have peace of mind knowing everything is operating properly.
- Includes 3-Year Warranty
With this inverter, you’ll get 3 years of protection. It has a 3-year “parts and labor” manufacturer warranty.
- Other Facts
If you’re looking for a portable and easy to use sine wave inverter for your RV, this is one of the best inverters out there. This RV pure sine wave inverter charger is reliable, safe, and simple. With 3000-Watt capabilities, you’ll be able to power pretty much anything.
That being said, this inverter has been known to trip out with certain wattage loads. This can be frustrating if you’re going to run high-wattage appliances like floodlights.
Also, even though it comes with an all-inclusive wired remote control, included fuse kit, and battery cables, it’s more expensive than many similar options. You might want to keep that in mind if you’re trying to save money.
Pros
- Great overall value
- Has 2 USB ports
- 3000-Watt Power Inverter
- Portable and easy to use
- Includes Warranty
Cons
- May shut off with heavy loads
- Seems to trip out easily
3. Ampeak 1000W Power Inverter AC Converter
If you’re looking for an inexpensive backup power inverter, you may want to consider the Ampeak 1000W Power Inverter AC Converter. It’s a comparatively cheap pure sine wave inverter, so you get your money’s worth. It provides 1000W continuous DC to AC power output, converts 12V DC battery power to standard 110V AC, and has up to 2000W surge capacity.
- Versatile
This inverter has 2 AC outlets and 2.1A USB port to deliver 1000W continuous power. This makes it ideal for cell-phones, laptops, electric lights, digital cameras, microwaves, and other electronics in your RV.
- Advanced Safety Features
This inverter for automobiles features a smart digital display and cooling fan as well as a convenient LED indicator and a 6 x 25A mini slip fuse.
- Inexpensive Option
This less than 2000 watt pure sine wave inverter is an inexpensive pick for RV owners. Even though it’s somewhat of a cheap pure sine wave inverter, it still functions well. It will save you money on initial costs.
This is a convenient choice for motorhomes. It has a smart display that shows the DC input voltage, AC output wattage, and fault codes. This can help you be aware of the inverter status at all times.
Keep in mind that this inverter may overheat. You’ll want to avoid placing it in direct sunlight or next to any heat-sensitive materials. It also doesn’t come with any warranties as far as we can tell.
Pros
- Inexpensive and cheap sine inverter option
- Easy to use
- Meets safety standards
- 12V DC to 110V AC Converter
Cons
- No warranty
- Prone to overheating
What You Should Know Before Purchasing a Pure Sine Wave Inverter for RV
Before you purchase a pure sine wave inverter for an RV, there are a few things you’ll want to know. We’ve taken the time to list a few of them out for you.
What Size
To make sure that you get the proper inverter for your RV, you’ll need to determine the size you’ll need. to do this, you’ll need to be aware of your total the wattage requirements. You’ll also need to know what equipment you want to power.
Add the wattage of this up and add an extra 20%. If you’ll be powering microwaves or refrigerators, keep in mind that these devices can be are temperamental. For an RV, we recommend using a pure sine inverter rated for powering things like compressors, heaters, microwaves, and more.
Also, if you want to power any tools like saws or drills, it’s important to consider power surge limits. This is because some tools have high surge requirements. These surges usually occur when the tools are powered on. It’s a good idea to use surge ratings on all the electronic devices you may use and match it appropriately to size your inverter.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is another key factor to take into consideration before you purchase a pure sine wave inverter for an RV. Many newer pure sine wave inverters are extremely energy efficient.
Even the inexpensive Ampeak 1000W Power Inverter saves energy by utilizing a switched off from DC mode. This causes the power output to end thus, saving battery life. So, if the unit is switched to the OFF position, it will not draw any current from a battery.
In addition to this, larger sine wave inverters will usually have a facility that functions similarly to a “sleep setting.” This setting is implemented to increase the overall efficiency of the device.
With that being said, even some newer models aren’t as efficient as we would like to see.
This usually happens with other inverters that don’t utilize pure sine wave conversion technology.
Generally, waveform conversions that are not true sine wave options, such as square, or modified square wave inverters, will be less efficient when powering inductive loads.
This means that the appliance may use 20% more power than a pure sine wave inverter. That means that the extra power usage may shorten the life of the appliance you power. This can cost you more money in the long run.
Power Output
It’s important to understand wave power output when you’re choosing an AC power source. Premium DC-AC inverters feature pure sine wave output. These AC power sources have been designed to give you clean, regulated power. This power is identical to or even better than the power supplied to your home by your local city utility company.
When you compare this to inverters that offer “modified sine wave” or “square wave” output, you see the difference. All of these kinds of inverters provide a fluctuating current electrical output voltage. This means that they aren’t good for powering as many appliances as pure sine wave inverters are.
Waveform Output
It’s also important to have an understanding of the difference between sine waves and modified sine waves. Pure sine wave inverters are not the same as modified sine wave inverters. Understanding this key difference can help you protect the battery of your RV and any appliances or electronic devices you may wish to power.
Modified sine wave inverters are usually less expensive than pure sine wave inverters. They are an alternative some people use to run appliances and equipment. This is a fine thing to do as long as the equipment you run isn’t sensitive to power fluctuations. If you use a modified sine wave inverter to power a device like a vacuum or a blender, however, you can expect the appliance to get damaged or have its life shortened.
So, if you try to power a computer or television with a modified sine wave inverter, you may have disastrous results. We recommend against doing this.
Outlets
Another thing to consider is how many outlets your pure sine wave inverter offers. Most good inverters of this kind will offer you between 1-6 outlets. You may also have USB power outlets available.
If you want to use your inverter to charge your phone, it’s a good idea to purchase a pure sine wave inverter with USB ports. This will help protect your devices from damage.
You’ll also want to look at the wattage and voltage ratings of any devices you may want to charge or power and compare those ratings to the ones provided by the inverter you wish to purchase.
Cable Length/Material
It’s also important to decide what size battery to inverter cables and over current fuses and breakers you will use with your inverter.
Remember, the fuse and breaker have been put in place to adequately protect your cabling from overheating. This is critical for safety.
Smaller cables can be used if you use a correspondingly smaller breaker or fuse. This is so you can be sure to protect the cable. You should know that using smaller cables and breaker than what’s suggested by the manufacturer of your inverter can cause problems. This is because the breaker will repeatedly “pop” since it’s surging beyond its capacity.
Device Protection
Always remember to check the amperage and power ratings of your devices before connecting them with an inverter of any kind. This is for the protection of your electronics, the inverter, and for your safety.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How to Size Your Pure Sine Wave Inverter?
We recommend buying an inverter that has a continuous power rating that matches the surge total of all equipment you will be running at one time. Then, simply add another 20% to that number. This is how to determine the sine wave inverter size you require.
Here is a quick example: If your total number of appliances running at the same time with the surge factored in is 2000 watts, and the running watts are only 1800 watts, you’ll want to calculate the number with 20% added in. That would be 2000 x 1.44 = 2880 watts. This means you’ll need a 3,000-Watt pure sine wave inverter.
2. RV Inverter Installation – How to install Inverter Charger in RV
This is a complex question. You can either follow the instructions and guidelines that come with your inverter or watch this in-depth video.
3. What is the best pure sine wave inverter?
While the best pure sine wave inverter for you will vary depending on what your needs are, we recommend the Energizer 3000 Watt 12V Power Inverter. This Energizer 3000 watt inverter is one of the best pure sine wave inverter options for 2020.
4. Do you really need a pure sine wave inverter?
Pure sine wave inverters are much better at providing clean power. These inverters are safe for essentially any appliance you need to get power to, even a computer. So, if you want to keep your devices safe, yes, you’ll want to get a pure sine wave inverter.
5. How long will a 12v battery last with an inverter?
Based on user experience and an average of multiple inverter ratings, your 12V RV battery will last with an inverter for 10-17 hours.
6. What is the main advantage of having a pure sine wave inverter?
The main advantage is that these devices offer you access to clean and reliable converted electrical current. These inverters are energy efficient and keep your devices safe with their AC/DC power conversation.
7. What can a 1500 watt inverter run?
A 1500 Watt Power Inverter converts 12V DC to 120 Volt AC. This means that it can run computers, lamps, floodlights, air conditioners, televisions, refrigerators, video game consoles, power tools, cell phone chargers, radios, microwaves, fans, and much much more.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, a pure sine wave inverter is a great device to have on hand for your RV! If you plan to safely power your everyday electronic devices while in your recreational vehicle, you’ll certainly want to have one on-hand.
These pure sine wave inverters are energy efficient and generally a safe option for powering most of your electronic devices. Our favorite pure sine wave inverter for an RV is the Energizer 3000 Watt 12V Power Inverter, followed closely by the Krieger 3000 Watts Power Inverter. We hope this guide has been helpful, and wish you happy trails!
See also: Top rated RV surge protectors for RV owners.