Samlex 450W 12V Modified Sine Wave Inverter

The Samlex SAM Series 450W is a modified sine wave 12V inverter with two outlets, a 5V 2.1A USB port and 900W surge capability.

It connects through a vehicle-style 12V lighter socket or directly to the battery with the included clamps. That flexibility suits temporary use, though the socket route has a limit: 450 watts at 12 volts is around 38 amps, well beyond what a typical socket circuit fused at 15 amps will carry.

Running near the rating therefore means connecting the clamps directly to the battery rather than using the plug. The plug is for lighter loads, and treating it as the default connection is how the socket fuse ends up blown at an inconvenient moment.

Two three-prong outlets and a 5V 2.1A USB port cover laptops, phones, cameras, lights and portable equipment. A 900W surge rating gives short-duration startup capacity, with soft-start technology, a load-controlled fan, low-interference design and a low-battery alarm. ETL safety listed. Explore more power inverters.

• Plug into a socket or clamp to the battery
• 450W at 12V is around 38 amps
• A socket fused at 15A will not carry that
• Use the clamps when running near the rating