Most cell phone chargers are 5 to 9 volts DC, its very inefficient to convert 12-volts DC to 110-volts AC to use a wall charger to covert it back to 5-volts DC.


Better to get a car charger for your phone that steps down the 12-volts DC to 5-volts DC (or whatever voltage your phone uses to charge with)



Also you can find 12-volt powered AA battery chargers or solar battery chargers. Or convert (if you are electrically inclined) a 110-volt battery charger to run on 12-volts.


This way you are still doing the charging you need but without all the power loss that comes with an inverter.

I would still want an inverter for things you can’t run on 12-volts. But the demand for it can be much lower when you convert things to run on 12-volts.

Thanks for the great info, BobS.

I already purchased a pole connector. I didn't know about the stranded wire thing. Great advice.

I grok that, but I haven't yet found a 12V charger for the phone. Besides, I figure as long as the car is running I'm not too worried about efficiency. It's free power that wouldn't otherwise be used.
Well, I suppose you could argue it would otherwise go to the spark and perhaps eek out a tiny bit more millage but I don't think enough to really worry about.

Solid wire can break if it’s repeatedly bent or if exposed to vibration, this is why in autos you see stranded wire.

700 watts is indeed about the most that should be drawn from a 12 volt vehicle electrical system, This is because the alternator cant supply much more than that, and drawing more than the alternator can supply, will either risk damage, or will discharge the battery even with engine running.

With a large heavy duty battery, several thousand watts can be used briefly, but about 700 should not be exceeded for any time.
(unless the vehicle is fitted with a larger than normal alternator, or double alternators, which is not common)

If the inverter is pluged into the cigar lighter then I would limit the load to about 150 watts, cheap inverters are not that efficient, and an output of 150 watts could be about 15 amps input, which, as others point out, is a common fuse rating.