Power Inverter

[powell&hyde]

Ice Storms out here do happen and the last time 3 years ago we lost power for 9 days, due to snapped electrical poles all over. I had 5k watt gas generator with a full tank plus 10gals of fuel. When the fuel was used up, had no choice but to buy a new car battery and hook it up to 2500 watt dc/ac inverter to power the furnace (boiler type), We also had a small portable 115v portable burner so we could make our food. We had about a months supply of non-perishables on hand also and a well in the back yard that is hand pumped.

The inverter I have was made by cobra, model cpi 2550 and I'm thinking I paid between $150-$175 for it. It saved our butt when we couldn't buy fuel for the generator (no power at pumps).

[M.T. Pockets]

Thanks for the advice, that looks like exactly what I had in mind - in my price range too. I have wood heat and can cook with lp gas, but the nights get awful long in northern MN in the wintertime and some lights and a radio would when the power goes out would be nice. Kerosene & candles give me a headache and I think the battery backup plan would work nicely. I think 2500 watt would be plenty for what I have in mind. I haven't shopped for an inverter yet, but I'm thinking they should be at most larger hardware stores.