200/115 = 1.74 amps required from the inverter.
The inverter output should be rated at least 200 W or 200 VA or 1.74 amps. There are issues such as waveform quality or peak vs average current that could cause a 200 W inverter to be too small, There is also the possibility that it might not deliver 100% as advertised. To be safe get one that is larger.
The current required at the input is 200/12 = 16.7 amps plus something for losses in the inverter. That shouldn't be more than 10% for a good quality one and it should be marked on the inverter. If the inverter is rated 300 VA, the input current without losses would 300/12 = 25 amps. If it is marked 30 A input, it requires 30/25 = 1.2 or 20% extra for losses. In that case, you could expect 16.7 X 1.2 = 20 amps with your load.
I think that a 300 W or 300 VA or 2.6 amp inverter would have a pretty good chance of operating your nebulizer from the lighter socket without blowing a fuse. If you need to connect directly to the battery, you should put a fuse in series with the wire, probably 25 amps.
Formula is Volts times Amps = Watts. Sometimes Watts are shown as W & some times as VA ( Volt/Amps ). Your nebulizer already shows you the 200VA, & that is the number you need to size the inverter. So the 200VA is 200 Watts at 115 Volts. To convert that to 12 Volts that is available from your car you would divide the 200 by 115 ( Volts ), then multiply that number by 12. So 200/115 is 1.7 Amps, then 1.7 Amps times the 12 is 20. So you need an inverter that will handle 20 Amps at 12 Volts. Best to give yourself some elbow room, so a 25 Amp inverter would be good.
Get a 500W inverter and connect it to the battery direct. The cigar lighter socket won't give 20A - or if it does, the plug will melt. (those sockets are a stupid design, back-compatible with lighters that modern cars don't have anyway)
adaviel is correct. 200VA is too much power to draw from a cigarette plug. You need a inverter that is rated at least 300VA and it has to be connected directly to the battery.
Hi, I have a nebulizer device which my mother uses to control her asthma attacks, and we wanted to find a way to use it in the car should she have an attack on the go. We purchased a power inverter which plugs into the cigarette lighter and have a three pronged outlet on the other side.
When we plugged the nebulizer in it worked briefly but then would shut off.
I'm wondering if I bought the wrong watt power inverter but I can't figure out how much wattage the nebulizer requires.
Here is what I know:
Input Voltage: 115VAC
Input Frequency: 60Hz
Power Rating: 200 VA
If someone can find watts for me and provide me an explanation of how you did it, I'd appreciate it!
