Hey guys
my truck has built in converter but and i would like to add how much voltage the thing can handle. The truck also has a second battery tray under the hood.
whats the best way to add how much power the converter can push out?

THakns
R
Hey guys,

I got a 2017 Tahoe LT and it has a built in converter. However the converter doesnt really have a lot of juice. I would like to increase the volts that the converter can handle. The truck comes with a second battery tray under the hood. I spoke to a rep at the dealer and he recommended not adding a second battery, but i got the impression he was a bit old school and didn't really understand what i was looking to do.

Does anyone know the best way to possibly add a second battery and increase the power of the converter.


thanks
R.


Hey guys,

I got a 2017 Tahoe LT and it has a built in converter. However the converter doesnt really have a lot of juice. I would like to increase the volts that the converter can handle. The truck comes with a second battery tray under the hood. I spoke to a rep at the dealer and he recommended not adding a second battery, but i got the impression he was a bit old school and didn't really understand what i was looking to do.

Does anyone know the best way to possibly add a second battery and increase the power of the converter.


thanks
R.


Hey guys,

I got a 2017 Tahoe LT and it has a built in converter. However the converter doesnt really have a lot of juice. I would like to increase the volts that the converter can handle. The truck comes with a second battery tray under the hood. I spoke to a rep at the dealer and he recommended not adding a second battery, but i got the impression he was a bit old school and didn't really understand what i was looking to do.

Does anyone know the best way to possibly add a second battery and increase the power of the converter.


thanks
R.

 

... I would not modify the OEM setup, you'll void the warranty.

Volts aren't the issue. if it's a household device, it's 120v. Amps are the issue. Watts = Volts * Amps. (a 100 watt bulb pulls 100 watts / 120v = 0.833 amps)

What are you looking to power? Find a converter that can handle that, and install it appropriately.

 

To go a bit further on what SabrToothSqrl started on - 100W at 120V needs an input of at least 8.33 amps at 12V not counting losses in the converter.

 

thanks for the reply guys.
I knew i was gonna be asked what i wanted to power up. To be honest nothing in particular. It would be nice to have the flexibility and convenience of being able to plug in a dry vac, a power tool, or even a TV and sat. dish for a tail gate.

An electrician I'm not so forgive me if these questions sound elementary. to make sure I'm understanding, is it the built in converter that doenst have the ability to generate or convert the amps? Or is it a combination of both the battery and converter not being able to provide the required Amps?

I have and external converter in my old truck that has the ability to connect it to the battery directly. I guess i could test it and find out what it will support.

Does anyone know how many Amp's the OEM converter can handle? I'm coming to the conclusion that the OEM converter is there mainly for laptops, tablets and phones.

Thanks you guys, much appreciated.
R

 

https://my.chevrolet.com/content/dam...ers-manual.pdf

Power Outlet 110/120 Volt
Alternating Current
If equipped with this power outlet, it
can be used to plug in electrical
equipment that uses a maximum
limit of 150 watts.
For vehicles with a center console,
the 110/120 volt power outlet is on
the rear of the center console.

For vehicles with bench seats, the
110/120 volt power outlet is on the
center stack below the climate
controls.
An indicator light on the outlet turns
on to show it is in use. The light
comes on when the ignition is in
ON/RUN, equipment requiring less
than 150 watts is plugged into the
outlet, and no system fault is
detected.
The indicator light does not come on
when the ignition is in LOCK/OFF or
if the equipment is not fully seated
into the outlet.
If equipment is connected using
more than 150 watts or a system
fault is detected, a protection circuit
shuts off the power supply and the
indicator light turns off. To reset the
circuit, unplug the item and plug it
back in or turn the ignition off and
then back to ON/RUN. The power
restarts when equipment using 150
watts or less is plugged into the
outlet and a system fault is not
detected.
The power outlet is not designed for
the following, and may not work
properly if they are plugged in:
. Equipment with high initial peak
wattage, such as
compressor-driven refrigerators
and electric power tools.
. Other equipment requiring an
extremely stable power supply,
such as
microcomputer-controlled
electric blankets and touch
sensor lamps.
. Medical equipment.

Looks like the OEM setup requires you to keep the engine running, something not ideal for a tailgate. CO is odorless, tasteless, and poisonous.

150 watts will run things, but it doesn't look like they want you running multiple things on a power strip.

I highly suggest finding what you want to power, adding up all the power needs, plus a 20% buffer, then wiring a system for that... perhaps a 2nd battery you can isolate and run until dead, without impacting the starting battery. Do it all the time for boats, it's called a house battery.