Printer for RV use? Must run on inverter

  • Thread starter Thread starter me
  • Start date Start date
M

me

I may be living in an RV full time soon.

What printer/scanner combo could I buy that would run
off a battery and inverter? Or maybe even solar
panels?
 
I may be living in an RV full time soon.

What printer/scanner combo could I buy that would run
off a battery and inverter? Or maybe even solar
panels?
Click to expand...

Any inkjet printer and flatbed combo. Printing
uses around 20 watts and scanning uses about the
same. So the lowest wattage inverter would work
but you would probably want a higher quality
inverter than usually found in the under 100 watt
group.

You need to talk to the RV groups about battery
requirements. Some of the full timers can tell
you about their experiences with computer equipment.
 
I may be living in an RV full time soon.

What printer/scanner combo could I buy that would run
off a battery and inverter? Or maybe even solar
panels?
Click to expand...

I use an HP1012 B&W and HP2600n Color laser printers in my RV running off a
2000 watt modified sinewave inverter with batteries and solar panels. I use
laser printers so that the cartridges don't dry out on me and the printers
are always ready to use.

NM
 
Laser??!!

Don't they use a LOT of current?
Click to expand...

These printers use a miniscule amount of current except when actually
printing and the fuser turns on. This draws about 300 watts during the time
when the page of paper is actually moving then it turns off. Sleep mode is
at near zero power.

NM
 
~~NoMad~~ said:
These printers use a miniscule amount of current except when actually
printing and the fuser turns on. This draws about 300 watts during the time
when the page of paper is actually moving then it turns off. Sleep mode is
at near zero power.
Click to expand...

How does that compare to inkjet?
 
How does that compare to inkjet?
Click to expand...

A laserjet uses 10 to 20 times as much power as an
inkjet. You don't want to run a laserjet in a
trailer not connected to AC unless you have at
least 2 heavy golf cart batteries and you need an
$1800 solar panel to maintain the batteries.
 
George E. Cawthon said:
A laserjet uses 10 to 20 times as much power as an inkjet. You don't want
to run a laserjet in a trailer not connected to AC unless you have at
least 2 heavy golf cart batteries and you need an $1800 solar panel to
maintain the batteries.
Click to expand...
Well, I have 4 golf cart batteries and 600 watts of solar panels. But, it
only takes about 2 watt hours/page to print with a laser printer. If you
printed pages continuously for a full hour it would take about 25 amp hours
from my 440 amp hour battery pack. I rarely print 600 pages in one shot.

NM
 
I agree with George, you need a printer that doesn't require heating to
print. That rules out laser (color or black and white), probably dye
transfer, and also solid ink.

That pretty much leaves inkjet. Even the thermal head printers draw low
current.

The one issue to consider with an inverter is if it will work on a hard
cut off or not. I suspect running a printer below it's current/voltage
needs can be bad for it's power supply and logic circuits.

Of course, that could lead to some "printus interuptus" so make sure the
batteries are topped up ;-)

Art
 
One of my laser printers dims my house lights... yes, in a hard wired
standard AC HOUSE with a fairly balanced C.B. box. That's how much
energy some can use (it is an older model, admittedly).

Art
 
Back
Top