[TomB985]

Originally Posted by Kevin0915

and trucks get burnt down because dumb drivers think just because you have 1000w of stuff to power, you can get away with getting a 1000w inverter. I have a 700w microwave. getting a TV and an XBox, i wouldnt be running them both at the same time.....,

Has NOTHING to do with it!!!!

Every inverter out there nowadays has built in overload protection. They WILL shut themselves down if you overload them, or at worst they may fry themselves, but it's very unlikely they'll cause a fire.

What causes fire is high current with high resistance, caused by improper wiring. When you're pulling your 1500 watts through cables that aren't rated for it, or through a bad connection that has too much resistance, you can start a fire.

Fires are caused by drivers who don't know how to wire an inverter, NOT by overtaxing an inverter!

[Kevin0915]

Originally Posted by matcat

Same here, when I was with swift I had an 800w inverter, and never got caught for it, always just stuffed it away when I knew I was going to a terminal.

well i look at it like this.....kinda like if you work in an office where jacket and tie is required, except on fridays, when the office manager tells you 'under the table' it is okay to wear jeans. Then you're told the regional manager will be in on the 5th (which happens to be a friday), and you're dumb enough to wear jeans when officially you arnet supposed to.

If i look at my fuel route, and notice "fuel-swift-oklahoma city-fill up", you better bet i am going to stop at the pilot off exit 140, and pack it away.

[Rev.Vassago]

Originally Posted by TomB985

Has NOTHING to do with it!!!!

Every inverter out there nowadays has built in overload protection. They WILL shut themselves down if you overload them, or at worst they may fry themselves, but it's very unlikely they'll cause a fire.

What causes fire is high current with high resistance, caused by improper wiring. When you're pulling your 1500 watts through cables that aren't rated for it, or through a bad connection that has too much resistance, you can start a fire.

Fires are caused by drivers who don't know how to wire an inverter, NOT by overtaxing an inverter!

The end result is the same, no matter what the cause.

[Windwalker]

Originally Posted by Kevin0915

well i look at it like this.....kinda like if you work in an office where jacket and tie is required, except on fridays, when the office manager tells you 'under the table' it is okay to wear jeans. Then you're told the regional manager will be in on the 5th (which happens to be a friday), and you're dumb enough to wear jeans when officially you arnet supposed to.

If i look at my fuel route, and notice "fuel-swift-oklahoma city-fill up", you better bet i am going to stop at the pilot off exit 140, and pack it away.

I'm just a little bit curious. I've had a few inverters, of varying sizes. Up to a 600 watt, I simply plugged into a cigarette lighter outlet. The thousand watt had cables that ran through a hole in the floor, under the sleeper. You're talking about a 1500 watt. How do you plan to run the cables into the truck so that you can make use of it? Or are you going to stop, hook it up outside, and run the power inside? If someone gets under your truck with a creeper ( yes, they do this at times), a hole for that size cables is not that hard to see. How do you plan on hiding that?

[Kevin0915]

Originally Posted by Windwalker

I'm just a little bit curious. I've had a few inverters, of varying sizes. Up to a 600 watt, I simply plugged into a cigarette lighter outlet. The thousand watt had cables that ran through a hole in the floor, under the sleeper. You're talking about a 1500 watt. How do you plan to run the cables into the truck so that you can make use of it? Or are you going to stop, hook it up outside, and run the power inside? If someone gets under your truck with a creeper ( yes, they do this at times), a hole for that size cables is not that hard to see. How do you plan on hiding that?

i have yet to find the hole in the bottom of the sleeper. But i was looking at buying 4 guage trucker size cables. But like i said, i would long have since have the inverter and cables packed away before pulling into a terminal.

and when/if i do find a hole, i'd figure out a way to put a flap of material over the hole. It isnt like I will have the inverter hooked up to the battery while i'm driving. It'd only get hooked up when i sit for my 10 hour break or longer.....

[headborg]

If you go with the Cobra 1500watt Inverter- you can get by with 4-guage wire Minimum, you'll need 15feet of black and red. You can find it next time you stop by a Tractor Supply Co. or Farm & Fleet-- will cost you 100.00. Get 4guage O-ring terminals. Then in the electrical section of Wal-Mart 2 packages of 3/4 Black "cable neat" and some large wire ties to cover them up. Look for the plastic plugs in the bottom of the sleeper floor ( easier to spot from the outside. There's no need to cut or tear up anyone's truck.

For that matter, I ran around with a box under my bed with 2 AGM Truck batteries tied together(parellel) then ran a 12-guage wire with cigerate lighter socket to them -- then a jumper cable to an interier cig lighter socket ( to keep those batteries charged up-- hence no wiring anything perminent to the truck.)

If you're wiring something larger- you can use electric welding cable 2-guage ( it's cheaper than going with the red or black ).

I agree, most fires are caused because drivers don't know how to wire properly- loose connections cause heat. It's also a good idea to place an in-line fuse or breaker down near the battery end of your hot wire-- you'll
need a 275 amp fuse/holder.

[TomB985]

Good advice borg...

Here's the way I look at it. I'm pretty sure from the responses from the other swift drivers here that doing what you're talking about is cause for immediate termination. It certainly was at my last company! At the end of the day...is it really worth it to you? Right now you're employed.

If you get terminated for not following company policy, your chances of employment are somewhere between slim and none. With your lack of experience most companies will look at you like you just got out of driving school, and most training companies are either very selective or just not hiring student drivers anymore. In either case, they wouldn't touch anyone who was terminated!

Think of all you're risking....

[Kevin0915]

Originally Posted by TomB985

Good advice borg...

Here's the way I look at it. I'm pretty sure from the responses from the other swift drivers here that doing what you're talking about is cause for immediate termination. It certainly was at my last company! At the end of the day...is it really worth it to you? Right now you're employed.

If you get terminated for not following company policy, your chances of employment are somewhere between slim and none. With your lack of experience most companies will look at you like you just got out of driving school, and most training companies are either very selective or just not hiring student drivers anymore. In either case, they wouldn't touch anyone who was terminated!

Think of all you're risking....

You're right. Looks like ill wait till i get my own truck, and lease it on with them. Like i said, the only way i can possibly think of going O/O would be if i could get steady 2500mi/wk. after everything is taken out, if i am still making $500/wk (which is close to what i'm making now), but i can have an inverter and my dog in the truck...why the hell not?

[BobBski]

Just wondering if this "no Inverter" policy that some of you mention applies to the 150 and 300 watt size that plug into cigarette lighter receptacles?

I'm particularly interested in Crete and Heartland policy on these.

The 150 and 300 are the only ones I've ever used and in the last several years mostly just a 150 to power my 17" laptop/TV/DVD player. The inverters are both fused, have great cooling fans, and really don't see much difference between them and the other 12 volt "appliances" used on the road by many of us.

Bought a new 150 a couple weeks ago for my pickup while visiting a BestBuy....great cooling fan on it and has one plug in receptacle along with a cigarette lighter recepticle. Also sits great in my cup holder.
Amazon.com: CyberPower CPS150CHI AC Mobile Power Inverter/Converter, 12VDC to 120VAC, 150W, Cup-Mount: Electronics

Have fun.

[headborg]

Originally Posted by BobBski

Just wondering if this "no Inverter" policy that some of you mention applies to the 150 and 300 watt size that plug into cigarette lighter receptacles?

I'm particularly interested in Crete and Heartland policy on these.

The 150 and 300 are the only ones I've ever used and in the last several years mostly just a 150 to power my 17" laptop/TV/DVD player. The inverters are both fused, have great cooling fans, and really don't see much difference between them and the other 12 volt "appliances" used on the road by many of us.

Bought a new 150 a couple weeks ago for my pickup while visiting a BestBuy....great cooling fan on it and has one plug in receptacle along with a cigarette lighter recepticle. Also sits great in my cup holder.
Amazon.com: CyberPower CPS150CHI AC Mobile Power Inverter/Converter, 12VDC to 120VAC, 150W, Cup-Mount: Electronics

Have fun.

Heartland policy is -- 100% total- No inverters (period)

Crete- you can have one as long as you don't "hardwire" it into the truck- modify the wiring or obviously no Big Inverter... yes, the microwave/refridgerator would probably be a dead giveaway.

But, the Freightliner Century/Columbia fuse box has a very nice place/power fuse block where you can quickly clip the small alligator clips to the positive and ground to the frame-- and you can get maybe 800watts from there.
Not enough power to start and run a microwave( I don't think: .95kw input).

The box of 2 deep cycle batteries connected to your inverter and a small cord ran to the cig lighter to keep them charged/ recharged gets around the 'no wire up' policy..... but now that Crete is putting APU's on their trucks-- makes the whole inverter issue a mute point. Less of course, you're not one of the 'lucky ones' with an APU-- while those drivers are saving up to 150.00 a week with a microwave, etc you're not having an extra 150 added to YOUR check- but still not allowed to have an inverter in the interm until they get around to installing an APU on your assigned truck.

Kinda unfair---giving half your fleet a break( pay raise) while the other half toils on.