7 Best Power Inverter for Semi Truck – Your Ultimate 2024 Review

Powerful Performance

Boasting of a running output of 900W and a surge output of 1800W, the Energizer is one of the few inverters with such a high output.

Whether you are looking to power the microwave, television, or turn on the air conditioning in your cabin's interior, the Energizer has enough power to keep all appliances running smoothly.

LCD Display

For the ultimate convenience and ease of use, the Energizer 900 features an LCD that will provide you with the performance metrics of your entire system.

More specifically, the LDC will display the battery levels, as well as the input voltage and the output voltage.

Silent Operation

If you have used an inverter before, you know they can get really hot. To avoid this from happening, most of the brands have fitted their inverters with rotating fans.

While the fans will help to regulate the temperature, they have the downside of generating a lot of noise.

Energizer, however, overcomes this obstacle by using a thermal fan, which, unlike the traditional fans, is quieter and will perform better at temperature regulation.

Multi-purpose

Sporting 2 AC outlets, alongside 2 USB ports, the Energizer will provide you with the ultimate convenience of powering multiple devices at a go.

So, whether you’re planning to warm your food, charge your laptop or even phone while in the cabin, you can do so without any hassle.

Design

As we have mentioned earlier, the Samlex PST-12 comes with a commercial grade design suitable for the heavy duty loads and long periods of operation.

Design-wise, this inverter has a strong quality build and its reliable in that regard. So, this unit will stand up to the drops and bumps in your cabin.

On the downside, however, this unit, weighing at 15.6 pounds is a tad heavy, but the weight is justifiable by the quality and sturdy build.

Performance

When it comes to performance, this monster does not skimp, either.

Generating a running output of 2000W and a surge output of 3500W, this inverter is highly efficient, and an ideal choice for those looking to add more power, and want that extra wattage to power up all appliances that you could haul together in your semi truck.

With this device, you can charge your laptop, your phone, keep the mini-refrigerator running and at the same time turn on the air conditioner.

Clean Power

The Samlex 2000-PST 12 is a pure sine wave inverter, and what it means is that it generates a continuous power output of smooth and reliable power.

The output from this inverter is free from fluctuations or surges, and won’t cause any harm to the electronics using microprocessors.

By using advanced electronic circuitry, this inverter will provide you with a reliable stream of surge-free power that will not “fry” your appliances.

In a nutshell, you can use this inverter virtually on all your appliances, without worrying about their structural integrity.

Safety

While at it, it’s worth to mention that the Samlex is certified to UL standards, and FCC compliant.

High Efficiency

The low idle power draw, combined with the temperature controlled cooling fan, allows the generator to reduce energy consumption and work at optimal temperatures, and the result is that this unit will provide the maximum efficiency you can get with an inverter.

Powerful Performance

When it comes to performance, the Boost is a powerful beast that is going to provide you with the power you need to keep your cabin lively.

With a surge output of 6000W, there’re a few, if any, appliances that this unit cannot power in your cabin.

Whether you are looking to keep you a heated blanket in the cabin warm, use your air conditioner, warm your food using the microwave or even watch the tele, Boost 3000W has sufficient power to keep you running all through.

Ease of Use

With an optional remote control feature, this inverter will provide you with the convenience of hands-free operation.

Here, you can either turn or/off the inverter without needing to physically contact the inverter.

Ease of use is further underlined by the presence of a readout that will allow you to see some of the performance metrics of the inverter, including digital watts and amperage.

Safe

Featuring a gamut of safety features, this semi-truck inverter will protect and maintains the structural integrity of all your haul appliances.

Some of the safety features on this inverter include; overload protection, short-circuiting protection, thermal protection, and low battery shut down.

Multi-purpose

Besides the 2 AC outlets, the Boost 3000W, similar to the Samlex 2000-PST-12 comes with a high output receptacle that will allow you to hardwire this inverter to 120Vac.

Sturdy Build

All the components of this unit are housed in a strong metal edifice constructed from reliable magnesium-aluminum alloy.

The durable construction on this unit makes it super strong and will protect the unit and its components from drops and crashes in your truck.

Performance

Performance-wise, the Pomax Power does not fall short on this.

Basing its energy on a modified sine waveform, this inverter boasts of a running output of 1000W and a surge output of 16000W.

If you know anything about in​​verters, you know that this unit will provide you with all your energy needs while in your truck.

Multipurpose

For starters, this inverter is highly versatile as it comes with up to 4 receptacles (2 USB ports & 2 AC outlets) meaning you can power up to 4 devices simultaneously on this device.

Better yet, this unit is designed with an automotive size 24” cigarette lighter adapter plug with cable, and this ensures that the Pomax can be plugged into vitally all types of semi trucks.

Ultra-safe Protection

Designed for ultra-safe operation, this unit comes with a host of safety features that will keep all your appliances safe.

The built-in fuse, or instance, will protect your electronics against overloading, short-circuiting, overcharging and over-heating.

Speaking of overheating, this unit comes with a smart cooling fan that will keep the inverter running at optimal temperatures while making the unit extremely quiet.

5. Xantrex 813-3000-UL Xpower

The Xantrex is designed to provide truckers with unmatched power, ease of use as well as reliability.

A quality inverter for your semi truck, travel trailer, or RV truck, this unit will meet all your power requirements while providing you with the ultimate convenience.

6. Go Power! GP-ISW3000-12

Go Power is a pure sine wave inverter that will take the DC battery power of your semi truck and convert it into a replica of AC household power.

Ideal for a variety of appliances, this unit will provide you with power and surpass your expectations.

7. Ampeak 1000W 

Though the Ampeak is a budget-friendly and small inverter, it's highly rated and will provide you with a continuous output.

With such a high output, this device is ideal for wider applications, ranging from use in your semi truck, RV, travel trailer, and even your car.

Inverter for Semi Truck Buyer’s Guide

Getting the best inverter for semi truck is a challenging task, more particularly if you are a beginner, who has just started operating on trucks.

If you are looking to purchase the ideal inverter, you need to put several things at the back of your mind. For instance, you will need to figure out the size of the inverter you need, the number of appliances you will power, the total wattage needs of your appliances, your budget, and much more.

For these and other reasons, we have compiled this awesome inverter buyer guide that should help you select the right inverter for your needs. Here, we shall highlight the major factors that you’ll need to consider before the next purchase of your inverter.

Size of Inverter

All too often, when you ask the “experts” on the ideal size of a semi truck inverter, you’ll likely get the bigger the better-after all, the biggest inverter will cater to all your power needs.

However, this is quite a common misconception that every trucker needs to steer clear away from.

Why?

While it’s true that a bigger inverter will provide greater power, understand that choosing the ideal inverter will require you to align its specifications with those of your power needs.

Failure to that, you might either, end up with an undersized inverter that will not work on your cabin appliance and end up as a waste of money, or, get an inverter that is too powerful, and end up costing too much energy.

To prevent such an unfortunate scenario, you'll need to enumerate all the appliances in your semi truck. Here, you'll list all the appliances plus their wattage needs.

Then, add the total wattage, and this should help you determine the total continuous wattage you’ll need. However, understand that this is the running wattage, and does not reflect on the surge power upon start-up.

Whatever the case, ensure that before you choose an inverter, first have a rough idea of the total wattage of your appliance, then add 20% of the total wattage, and this should help you pick an inverter that will meet your specific power needs.

Waveform

Inverters for semi trucks work on either sine wave or modified wave.

Both of these waveforms are exceptional at the cabin environment, but if you are working with sensitive electronics such as CPAP, a sine wave inverter is a more inspired choice.

Sine wave will work on virtually all appliances, and the benefit of these inverters is they do not suffer from output fluctuation, meaning they provide a reliable stream of output. Ideally, you would be right to compare sine wave as a replica of the output you get from your conventional grid.

Unless you have the sensitive appliances on your cabin, a modified sine wave inverter will just work fine in operating your appliances and electronics.

Cost-wise, the sine wave inverters are a tad expensive. But gladly, the price difference has considerably narrowed in the past few years, and you should expect a price difference in the range of 15%-20% more than the modified inverter

Ironically, you'll find that a sine wave unit registers a lesser efficiency than the latter since it uses most of its energy to keep the output levels consistent.

Disconnect Technology

While an inverter will serve you greatly in providing reliable power, it can similarly negatively affect your truck's battery life, and its ability to crank the engine, if the inverter does not have a shutdown capability.

It greatly matters to have an inverter with an auto-disconnect feature, allowing the inverter to shut down intelligently once the voltage level goes below 12 V DC.

Installation

While most of the local technicians will not have a hard time installing the inverter on your truck, we encourage you to purchase an inverter from a company that either offers quick training programs on trucker interested.

This way, you can get all your questions answered about the installation procedure.

Whatever the case, however, we often remind our readers that when dealing with inverters over 300 watts, you will have to deal with fusing or hard-wiring, as the amount generated can be quite a lot.

At the very least, you should have some knowledge of wiring, and while at it, it's crucial to maintain adequate ventilation to allow heat dissipation rather than accumulation.

Because of the safety risks associated with the inverters, it’s always a good idea to choose those with a warranty, and better yet, opt for factory-installed inverters instead.

Safety Ratings

Safety should always be a priority in your truck.

It’s good to remember that inverters, despite their size, are capable of generating an electric shock that could either injure or worse, kill you.

It's, therefore, necessary that when choosing an inverter, pick one that is rated for safety.

Ideally, if you are in the US, pick an inverter with a UL listing, more particularly those with UL standard 458 or UL Standard 450.

Still, we insist that you handle your inverter with caution, adhere to the principle of basic electricity, ensure the Safety Rating is certified True and most importantly, purchase your inverter from reputable vendors.

Safety Features

Besides the UL rating, it’s critical that you choose an inverter with safety features, and this is for the benefit of your appliances.

Some of the safety features that you should pay attention to include the presence of built-in fuses, and protection against the common appliance hazards such as:

Safety Check with Employer

Assuming you are an employee of a fleet company, it’s always a good idea to check with your employer before bringing any inverter on board.

Some trucking companies, for instance, have insurance stipulations and equipment regulations on the use of appliances in the cabin, and outfitting the cabin can land you into trouble.

Therefore, we always advise the truckers to get consent from above, and this way, you’ll both end up satisfied.

Price Range