Joy,

A 750 watt inverter is actually small (less than half a normal household
outlet).

A small boat or airplane (both weight and space sensitive) would normally
have bigger inverters.
I have a new Large laptop w/DVD-R, Firewire, super bright wide HD screen and
JBL pro sound built in.. my old 14" Toshiba Satellite laptop would run fine
on my smaller 175watt inverter, so would a 30 inch long 40watt florescent
stick light, Canon DV video camera, Nikon niCad battery charger, Cell phone
etc. one at a time... My problem now is I got a bad so called 300watt
inverter. 300 Watts is what it says on the case in big letters, flipped over
on the back, in very small print it says... Max 240watts.. but my computer's
power brick says 120 watts in 18pt type on the back, and this cheap CDN tire
inverter overloads on it, even connected directly to the battery
terminals... My suggestion is to read the fine print closely... and don't
expect to plug in just anything that would go in a normal wall outlet....
which is 15amps @120vac or over 1500watts... without an inverter and battery
source that matches the load, it will not work correctly...READ your load
and don't exceed your inverter's FULL time limits (not just short start-up
load limit). The better inverters will sound an alarm when overloaded, the
cheaper ones will just smoke a fuse or breaker, or worst yet, silently under
supply your load.

as for what you call a huge inverter.... and why people need them,
some folks use small airconditioners, microwaves, TV/VCR/DVDs

I personally don't carry around loads like that.

but in my case I do sometimes use a 10lb Battery belt that is for a
professional film camera. Plus large tripod and accessories.

But sure smaller is better... and the whole world would be a better place if
we could actually get people to DO that.
But I'm just singing to the choir here.... we are into smaller, or this
would be the Giant65ftRV.com list.

RR

>>Date:    Fri, 2 Dec 2005 21:31:34 -0500
From:    Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Subject: Re: Inverter at Radio Shack

I'm baffled by these inverter/laptop tales.....snip...
I use it for my laptop or occasionally my coffee grinder........or once in a
while a fan or a lamp
or my radio.  One thing at a time.  I've never had any trouble with having
enough power..........I'm baffled as to why folks need these huge inverters
for laptops!