Inverter installation question

[KingRocky]

I want to permanently mount a power inverter in my minivan, and then run AC power to three separate outlets so my kids in back can plug in their various toys/gadgets on long trips.

My questions are:

1. Are there automotive-type AC outlets available to mount in my car? I've seen OEM installations on pickup trucks & the like, but I've seen nothing in the aftermarket.

2. If they ARE available, where can I get them from?

3. What kind of wiring should I run to the outlets to ensure safety and low noise? Household conduit cable? Sheathed/braided?

ANY help you guys (& gals?) can provide will be appreciated.

[fuzzypuppy]

This is kind of an old post but,
I have done this to my truck, a 2k watt inverter under the hood run off a separate deep cycle batt.
An outlet in the cab and AC power run to the back of my truck to run tools or power to my camper.
Proceed at your own risk!! It is for real 110 voltage running out of these inverters!!!
you can find slim box's and outlets at an RV store, I ran my romex through flex metal conduit.
For my wife's Astro I just use a little 400 watt plugged into the cig lighter type outlets and an extentiom cord, this way it can be wound up and stored in one of the storage bins out of sight.
I say this because for one I used to keep a little 400 watt unit in the cab of my truck as well for charging drill batteries and the like instead of firing up my big inverter, well this was an invite to a thief, it as well as everything else was ripped out of my truck.
Second, installing a larger inverter put's a strain on your elec system, even a small one will to some extent, but the 2k inverter I installed would kill my battery in short order, even with the engine running, the altranator can't keep up with the drain, I had a 110 amp alt and ended up installing a 200 amp unit.
It would be a good thing to make sure your alt and battery are up to the task for even a small inverter.
just my 2 cents

[KingRocky]

THANK YOU for the tips! Just what I needed.

[gremlin96]

take your minivan to a shop that deals in RVs. thay will set you up. tell them you want a second battery to run the inverter off of. thay will have a switch ware you can trickle charge the second battery and have the main for starting the van. other wise you will need a jump start if you set long in a parking lot.

if you want to go the cheep route. run 12 volt power out lets and get small inverters that plug in to the outlets. thay have them realy cheep. if you blow a inverter just toss it and for around 30 buck at walmart you have a new one.

i wish my o4 chevy had the room my 85 did. i ran a large inverter in the bed off of a deap cycle battery. I could power dan neer any thing. My truck was set up to jump 12v and 24v rigs to boot.