Whistler Pro-1600W 1,600 Watt Power Inverter

I have purchased many inverters for my service truck, RV, boat, and emergency home backup, and this is what I have learned...

Buying a large inverter is confusing. Most people want their inverter to run the "continuous" loads that they have, plus have enough surge power to start air conditioners, microwaves, sump pumps, etc. Seems simple enough, but when they purchase an inverter, usually it can't handle the startup surge they were hoping. Herein is the problem: most people don't understand "Surge Duration".

Most inverters can put out more than their rated "continuous" output for surge. But the question is: How long can the inverter provide that surge? The vast majority of consumer inverters can only provide surge for 2 seconds with most less than 1 second! This is totally inadequate for hard starting appliances. I have measured the surge on my 2 hp air compressor, and it lasted about 5 seconds before it settled out to its "continuous" wattage. My 1000 watt microwave settles down at about the 3 second mark.

So what to do? Always look for an inverter with a long surge duration. The bigger inverter companies sell them, but they are usually labeled "Industrial" or "Commercial", and are much more expensive.

Which brings me to the Whistler Pro Inverters. Whistler Pro's have something they call "Smart Surge Control" that provides the surge wattage for close to 10 seconds. That is the longest I have found of any low priced consumer based inverter. I gave several a shot, and they work as advertised! They have more than enough surge duration to start my hard starting appliances like A/C, microwave, air compressor, large power tools, sump pump, etc. My 3000 watt Whistler (5000 watt surge) can start my hard starting RV air conditioner with no problem while also running my microwave!

...So add up your continuous wattage needs. Then find the wattage of your most surge hungry appliance (here is a great chart w w w.g e n e r a t o r s a l e s.c o m/w a t t a g e-c a l c u l a t o r.a s p ) and size your inverter based on those calculations.

Example:

Rated running watts ("continuous") of my lights + fridge + sump pump = 1440 running watts

Largest Surge wattage appliance is my big sump pump = 2700 surge watts

Pick the inverter that is above both ratings, in this case I would get a Whistler Pro 1600. It is rated at 1600 watts running continuous, 3200 surge.

Remember: inverters require VERY HIGH current, so the 12v cables have to be VERY large to work correctly. For larger inverters (1500 watt+) the cables need to be LARGER than the cables you see on your car battery. Large cables are expensive, stiff and heavy, but are a MUST! Your inverter will NOT run correctly without them! Follow the cable sizing guides, and don't skimp or you will be disappointed with your inverter's performance! I cannot stress this enough. Also, keep the 12v connectors clean and tight for reliable power.

Lastly, let's talk about your batteries:

Home backup, off grid or RV (large) inverter use requires more than one deep cycle battery, usually many more. Check with an inverter pro to size your battery bank correctly BEFORE you purchase your inverter.

For those of you that are running an inverter in an idling single battery vehicle, the vehicle alternator makes your battery look bigger than it is. In my truck I have a 165 amp alternator with a 1600 watt continuous inverter. It works terrific with the engine idling. I just don't use the inverter with the engine off. The continuous large current draw on an ordinary car battery will shorten its life considerably if the engine is not running. I could install a battery isolator with a second battery, but if I leave the truck idling, that isn't necessary. Remember, BIG cables, TIGHT clean connectors!

I hope this helps you with your inverter buying quest... Good shopping ;-)

I purchased this to run my appliances (fridge and freezer) in the case of power outages. Got heavy duty cable and battery clamps so can hook up to any available auto to power the unit. Tried on the chest freezer and the over/under fridge one at a time with no problems. Will only need to run for an hour every 5 or 6 to keep things cold enough to not spoil. Can also obviously run lights and other items as needed with this. Easy to store, easy to use, no need to store gas, no maintenance. There is always at least one car in my driveway too.

Buy Whistler Pro-1600W 1,600 Watt Power Inverter Now

One just can't beat the amount of wattage this item provides for the money. It seems a good quality product and simple to use. Works great, if properly set up. One thing I didn't see anybody mention is that this inverter is NOT supplied with the battery cables, which these things used to always include. As another reviewer recommended, get very heavy wiring/cables to connect this item to your vehicle because it will draw a lot of amperage when driven hard. I give this Whistler product 5 stars and two thumbs up.

Read Best Reviews of Whistler Pro-1600W 1,600 Watt Power Inverter Here

I just ordered this inverter because my 15 year old Whistler 1500 watt is going on the blink. If this one lasts have that long I will be totally happy. I think the trick to long life is mounting it horizontal and give it plenty of air space around it for cooling. I use it in my Locksmith van to run key machines, a Dremal and laptop. Not at the same time. I also don't let the inverter get stressed, I run the truck while in use. This puts less stress on the truck battery to. Past experience is why I am going with Whistler.

Want Whistler Pro-1600W 1,600 Watt Power Inverter Discount?

I've got a fair amount of experience with inverters and I'm really impressed with this one. I've been using it off and on for a few months now and it has worked great. It handles 1600 watts and then some. Make sure to use the heavy gauge cables. I tried to skimp by with 8 and it wasn't strong enough to handle the full 1600. I went to Lowe's and picked up 6 and it's working like a champ with a 3 ft lead from my 350 ah battery bank. The one thing I have noticed is the voltage readout is showing a bit lower (ex 11.9v vs 12.2) than actual when I compare with my multimeter. That's actually a good thing for me because the inverter will take your battery below 10.5 volts and I really don't want to discharge my batteries that hard. I really like the digital readouts for voltage and current watts used. It's pretty easy to see the conversion loss if you're able to run the appliance off the grid through a kilowatt and compare.

Save 61% Off