Reducing power on an 800watt hairdryer for camper

[Caddyshack]

I bought a cheap 800w hair dryer for our camper. The inverter is rated at 1200w max and this was the lowest power hair dryer that I could find.

Watching the app for the victron inverter it shows 850+ kva then triggers the over power alarm and shuts down, I guess the dryer is spiking its power.


I wondered if I could fit something in the power line almost like a dimmer control to try and drop it to 600watts? If not I will need to explore lower power hair dryers or rechargeable ones

The 800w toaster works perfectly fine.

[shirt]

a hair dryer is an inductive load which will have a current inrush on start up of multiples of the normal operating current. this is what is tripping the breaker.

oridinarily you'd fit a soft starter to loads that risked tripping on inrush current - large a/c units and the like. not sure if there would be one small enough for a hair dryer.

[Caddyshack]

Thanks, it’s odd as it runs for about 20 seconds then trips, not on main start up and this is in setting 1 not 2 although that may just be fan speed.

[normalbloke]

Do they not do a gas/induction/heatpump version yet??….

[Caddyshack]

normalbloke said:

Do they not do a gas/induction/heatpump version yet?? .

Not that I have found. A few cordless rechargeable ones but unsure of how good those would be and quite pricey to just try. I have a small generator that hooks up so I think that will run it if needs be. It’s only for when my daughter has a party to go to when we are out competing

[charltjr]

You can get soft start units (basically a fairly big capacitor which discharges to cope with the peak inrush current and then gets replenished slowly once things have settled) but they're not cheap, at least £100.

TBH I'd just run the generator if it's for very occasional use.

[Caddyshack]

Thank you all.

Yes, doesn’t seem worth spending loads for very occasional use. Genie it is!


Appreciate the help