# Power Inverter for air mattress



## beh162

I have an aerobed that I take camping but last year we ran into a problem. The power inverter I had wasn't strong enough to power up the mattress. We ended up having to blow it up elsewhere.

The air mattress manual says: Plug into any polarized 120 VAC electrical outlet. North American Electrical rating: 120 VAC 60HZ 1.6 A

The inverter I had: DC to AC 300 Watts Peak 150 Watts Continuous
I just read on the back is says Output: 115 VAC 150W

So basically what I need is to find an output of 120 VAC?


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## jproffer

I'd say you need to find an output of more like 200 Watts...the 115V vs. 120V is a non-issue.

1.6A x 120V = 192 Watts


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## beh162

Oh I see...

So far I've only found outputs of less than 120V. Do I need to worry about the watts when I'm looking?


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## beh162

I mis read what you were saying! Ohh Okay now I know what I have to look for!


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## user1007

Don't they sell DC air pumps for those things you can run off the vehicle electric to inflate them?


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## beh162

This has a pump built in with a plug attached. So unfortunately, I can't buy a DC pump to attach.

I see this on for $39
*300 Watts Continuous, 600 Watts Peak Power*
*Converts 12 Volt DC to 115V AC*
*Output power (peak) = 600W*
*Output power (continuous) = 300W*
*Input voltage shutdown = Yes 11-15V DC*
*Output voltage = 115V AC, 60Hz*


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## jproffer

According to the matress info above and the inverter info there, that one should work for what you're doing.


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## wkearney99

The problem with low-end inverters is they don't have enough power to support the startup current of some devices. They might list having enough but still fail to get the devices going. I ran into this trying to power up an AC-only TV/DVD in our boat. I had to step up to the next level of inverter to make it work.


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## ddawg16

Ok.....I see a big problem here......Camping?....air mattress? That's not camping.....that's just a cheap version of a motel 6. 

Now that I've had my fun.....when I go camping with the boys....they are on roll up pads.....I like my comfort. My one mattress with the built in pump also has batteries.....have you checked yours to make sure it does not also have batteries? I also have a battery powered pump....not to mention a hand pump that I like for the kids to use....helps get rid of some of the energy they have.

Instead of an inverter, just go with a battery powered pump. It will be cheaper than the inverter...


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## wkearney99

I don't think the indoor aerobed models have either a fill valve nor a separate DC input. They're AC only and not really intended for anything other than indoor use when you've got reliable AC power. For outdoor they sell models that use a DC supply. 

You'll just need to get a better and larger inverter. Bear in mind, the current needed to inflate that thing will drain quite a lot from your batteries. Do no expect to do this at least without the engine running. And your vehicle better have enough spare amperage to support running the inverter. A small car with a tiny alternator might not be capable of keeping the battery charged while the pump is running. You'd end up depleting your battery even with the engine running.


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## beh162

ddawg16 said:


> Ok.....I see a big problem here......Camping?....air mattress? That's not camping.....that's just a cheap version of a motel 6.


It's called 5 star camping... not that I was asking us to trade camping setups.


The inverter is due to come on Friday so I'll have to check it. It's a Tahoe truck and it will be turned on while we do the air mattress' 

If I need to upgrade to a higher end... how much higher do I look at? 1000W?


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## wkearney99

Call the bed makers and ask if they've dealt with this question before.


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## tylernt

beh162 said:


> If I need to upgrade to a higher end... how much higher do I look at? 1000W?



Motors typically draw 2X to 3X the current on startup... so a 192 watt motor might pull 400-600 watts when it first starts up.


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