Inverter or laptop power adapter?

Idiot. When they have clean power they DO NOT start at all.

It is when the power sags or fails completely that they begin to perform their job. D'oh!

We are using plenty of UPSs where the inverter runs all the time. What you say could be true for a Standby UPS, however I suspect that even then the inverter is actually active, it's just not supplying power to the load. An on-line UPS will have its inverter actively powering the load all the time the UPS is switch on.

The 12V laptop supply will probably be more efficient and less prone to incompatibilities between a 115V PS and an inverter.

A good (not Radio Shack) inverter will provide more flexibility in the event 115 VAC is needed for other gizmos. It will, of course, be more expensive.

My friend decided to go with the 100W Anyplug adapter from Targus; It will run from 110VAC, 12VDC, and whatever DC is used on commercial aircraft. I appreciate all the info and opinions; I knew going in that there were several ways to skin the cat and wanted to hear what others might do.

Again Thanks Ron

These are all off line UPS.

So MGE are not telling the truth?

[quote] Modular on-line double conversion UPS. Ideal protection for Servers, data storage, network equipment, Telephony - VoIP & Medical equipment - Industrial processes.

• 2,200 / 3,000VA (2/3U) * True On Line * 0.9 PF * Modular UPS * Hot Swappable batteries * 2 Load segments * USB and RS232 ports [/quote]

Maybe I should confront them about it, do you think?

I suspect that they already know that UPS come in three flavours: line-interactive, online and oiffline and that various manufacturers make different types - some producing all three types.

Even within each type, there are very many different designs. Designs for medium sized (2kVA10kVA ) tending to be rather different than those 10kVA.

The poster you are replying to seems to be talking about his experience with

WTF does that have to do with APC UPS in the < 1 KVA range? Have you always had a reading comprehension problem, or is it from excessive drinking and old age?

Who would put a 10 KVA online UPS on a small boat? It might weigh more than the boat, itself. :)

One of the main manufacturers of floating gin palaces is just down the road from me, in Plymouth (UK):

OK, not exactly "small boats". But they have oodles of amps...

Falcon SG series from 800VA true on-line XP Energy Systems MSX series from 700VA true on-line Liebert GXT2 Series from 500VA true on-line AEC T1 Series from 500VA true on-line Sinetech MHC Series from 700VA true on-line

Plenty of true on-line double conversion UPSs under 1kVA.

I have no comprehension problems, your 'these' could have referred to any of the UPS ranges mentioned in the thread so far from my point of view. So what I gather you were actually referring to were your UPSs. I apologise for misunderstanding, but take issue with the rather unfriendly manner in which you decided to point out my error, are you always that rude?

I don't drink, and young enough thanks.

As for APC, no-one has mentioned APC before you did. We used some APC UPSs years ago, which were 500VA, and we were able to start them without line power. I can't remember the model though. They looked a bit like the APC Smart-UPS range, but were cream rather than black, in a 2U 19" rack format.

Well, ballast is often made out of lead. ;-)

The ones I am talking about are for PCs, Why would you want a rackmount UPS on a small boat? S 100 VA inverter would make more sense, and wouldn't need to be hacked.

I installed a dual battery systems on a pair of paddlewheel boats at Lesourdsville Lake, an amusement park in SW Ohio in the early '70s. They insisted on using a 12 VDC to 120 VAC motor generator to run a tube audio amplifier, and a broadcast cart deck for music. If the boat's engine was shut off for more than ten minutes it wouldn't start. I couldn't convince them to switch to 12 VDC 8-track or cassette decks, so they spent about $1000 to buy two deep cycle batteries and two dual chargers, plus the golden time labor to have them done for an after prom party. We worked all night to get the two boats ready, and we were just leaving the dock when the carloads of kids started to show up.

So are balloons! ;-)

Been to one of Dimbulb's parties?

Parties? Did he finally get the permit from the EPA?