Anyone use a camera charger on a square wave inverter?

[Red Squirrel]

I think the general consensus is that you should not use any type of battery charger off an non pure sine inverter, but just wondering how bad it really is to do this? Don't most chargers rectify to DC anyway and then have a regulator?

Going on a camping trip and I'm thinking it might be handy to be able to charge my camera battery off the solar system that I'll be bringing, but I don't want to dish $200+ on a pure sine inverter when I can use a ~$50 cigarette lighter one.

Just wondering if anyone has done it before and can confirm that it's fine? I'm not really worried about an explosion or anything as I doubt it would be that drastic, but I don't want to damage the charger or the battery either.

If it matters, I have a Nikon D7000 and the charger is an MH-25. (good thing it's not a 370 or I'd be losing it all the time :biggrin: )

If it really is not advisable to use inverter what other options do I have to charge a camera battery from a 12 volt source, do they make chargers that plug into a cig lighter?

 

[corkyg]

The easiest thing is to carry a spare camera battery or two. I always have two fully charged ones in the flap of my camera case. They are a lot smaller than chargers. Are you camping for more than a month?

 

[Belegost]

I've used the Wasabi Power car charger for my Canon batteries with good results - they have one for the Nikon as well.

 

[paperwastage]

http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Battery-Charger-3-7V-7-4V-Lenmar/dp/B00CBO5AA8

+ any universal 12V-> 5V USB charger (for the backup car charger option)

 

[Red Squirrel]

I've used the Wasabi Power car charger for my Canon batteries with good results - they have one for the Nikon as well.

That looks interesting. Also noticed something, in US amazon stuff actually is sold by Amazon, but in Canada, it's 3rd party. No wonder I always get screwed over with Amazon and 90% of stuff being 3rd party. 3rd party orders usually take several months. So not really an option for this particular trip but I might buy it anyway for future use. I like the idea that it uses 5v USB. Will work fine with my 12v solar system as I have a cig lighter USB adapter already.

I'll see if I can find spare batteries locally I guess and go that route.

Also debating on buying a cheap chinese pure sine inverter off ebay. Some I have to solder myself but they're under 100 bucks. Ebay orders usually come in within a few weeks even from China so I would probably get it on time.