BajaNomad

Power Inverter ?

ligui - 11-25-2013 at 07:51 AM

I'm looking to buy a 1500 watt inverter . Any ideas on what might be a good model at a good price ?

Thanks ! :yes:

Russ - 11-25-2013 at 07:59 AM

Please get a true sinewave inverter what ever you buy.

chuckie - 11-25-2013 at 08:19 AM

Russ is rght, read the signs and buy one..I dunno what a sinewave is but mine SKU66108, made in China, runs my freezer from Colorado to Mulege and back and serves as freezer power for power outages here, running off my idling Dodge diesel...1250-2500 peak watts..about 90 bucks as I remember....

Hook - 11-25-2013 at 08:26 AM

What will you be powering with it?

Inverter

bajaguy - 11-25-2013 at 08:27 AM

What will you be using it for???
Quote:
Originally posted by ligui
I'm looking to buy a 1500 watt inverter . Any ideas on what might be a good model at a good price ?

Thanks ! :yes:

ligui - 11-25-2013 at 08:32 AM

Light use in RV

Camping World

bajaguy - 11-25-2013 at 08:40 AM

http://www.campingworld.com/
Quote:
Originally posted by ligui
Light use in RV

Inverter

captkw - 11-25-2013 at 08:41 AM

If you not using anything that has a motor in it like a laptop,lights TV,a sinewave is not needed.....but,, say for a washer,,fridge,microwave. a true sinewave unit is the way to go...BTW at idle a alternator puts out very,very little juice (amps) much better to get the "R's" up to at least 2k...

55steve - 11-25-2013 at 09:02 AM

Inverter Uses
• Inverters are used for different purposes and the electricity, or energy, produced by the inverter is used to power various types of electronic equipment. Inverters can be used for household appliances such as televisions, computers , refrigerators, stereos and lighting, which all operate with AC electrical energy. Of the three types of inverters (pure sine inverters, modified sine and square sine inverters), pure sine inverters are used for most household appliances and provide a regular form of sine wave energy conversion unlike modified and square sine wave inverters.

Pure Sine Inverter
• A pure sine wave inverter, also known as a true sine wave inverter, uses sine waves, which oscillate regularly in order to produce electrical energy to power appliances. The sine wave inverter produces sine waves with AC machinery that rotates and creates the type of electrical wave that is usually produced by the utility company with the use of a generator. There are many benefits to using a pure sine inverter since all electronic equipment is designed to be used with sine waves. Additionally, some appliances such as light dimmers cannot work without the use of sine wave power and microwaves cannot operate at full output without sine wave power. Pure sine wave inverters are more expensive than other types of inverters.

Modified Sine Inverter
• A modified sine inverter differs from a pure sine inverter because it operates by creating step waves instead of regular oscillating waves. As a result of this, most appliances cannot work with this type of inverter because they require a regular energy output that cannot be produced using step waves. However, some appliances can operate with modified sine inverters though they require more power to run since the level of energy output from the inverter is irregular.

Square Wave Inverter
• Square wave inverters make electrical energy conversions using a series of waves that have a rectangular form. The signal from the inverter is very noisy and most appliances cannot function with electrical currents produced by a square wave inverter. The square wave inverter is one of the earliest types of inverters and, as such, the device is incompatible with most modern types of electrical equipment. Moreover, the power produced by this type of inverter can damage some electronic equipment that is sensitive to the square waves of electrical power.

[Edited on 11-25-2013 by 55steve]

chuckie - 11-25-2013 at 10:03 AM

I know you know everything Captkw, but my Dodge at idle, coupled to my inverter does just fine running my freezer and a few lites...must be an exception eh?

Thanks Chukie

captkw - 11-25-2013 at 10:10 AM

I don't know much..But I do know electrical systems !!but thanks anyway for the compliment!!:lol:

DavidE - 11-25-2013 at 10:54 AM

Pretty tough to beat Harbor Freight for an inexpensive modified sine wave inverter. When they go up in smoke, you're not out much. Pretty tough to get a warranty while in Mexico.

Some electronics will fail immediately on modified sine wave power, like electric blanket controls, and some electrical devices like a microwave oven will not operate at full power. It is common for a cup of coffee to reheat in 2 minutes with shore power and twice as long using an inverter and battery.

Any inverter is really touchy about voltage drop in the power cables from the battery. I needed to increase wire size of my junkbox Harbor Freight 400 watt inverter from the wire clamps that came with it to number eight AWG wire.

I try and keep in mind an inverter still eats some power even when leaning on a shovel with no load.

Most rectified wye alternators these days produce a more power than you'd think at engine idle in-gear RPM's. The Ford 3-G 130 ampere model for instance produces 60-70 amperes at in-gear idle. The newest Denso hairpin alternators are the same size but produce up to 270 amperes, and where the 3G may produce 70 amps at idle the hairpin is shoving out 150+ when needed. This is a radical innovation.

But newer vehicles consume a lot of power. I've seen fuel pumps consume 15 amperes, electronics another 10, engine fan 20 amps, then air conditioning, yadda, yadda.

wessongroup - 11-25-2013 at 11:06 AM

Great information ... as always ... thanks it all helps

270 amps ... WOW .. get your Marshall Stacks out :biggrin:

[Edited on 11-25-2013 by wessongroup]

Remember This Is Alternator NOT MOTOR RPM

DavidE - 11-25-2013 at 11:42 AM

David E

captkw - 11-25-2013 at 12:09 PM

Exactly !!!

Russ - 11-25-2013 at 12:41 PM

Info by 55steve is right on. Google 1500 watt inverters, investigate. Then call and pick their brain pool for want you need.



[Edited on 11-25-2013 by Russ]

Hook - 11-25-2013 at 12:46 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by ligui
Light use in RV


You gotta be more specific. WHAT devices in the RV? A bunch of device chargers? A laptop? Microwave? Coffee pot? A fridge? A TV?

Because warranty claims are so difficult to deal with in Mexico is EXACTLY the reason not to buy one from Cheap Chinese Overstock aka Harbor Freight. What's you're alternative when it fries on you because it was no-name, no history, no-workee.

Stick with good names like Samlex, Cotek, Magnum and some Xantrex models.



[Edited on 11-25-2013 by Hook]

chuckie - 11-25-2013 at 01:08 PM

Whatever...my cheap chinese overstock just keeps doing the job....

DavidE - 11-25-2013 at 01:10 PM

Xantrex, Samlex, they all bit the dust sooner or later in high salty humidity. Rather not spend a lot of money repeating the experience. The only truly problem free inverter I have ever owned was a Trace. The HF's lasted as long as the other non Trace inverters. When they do die, I won't cry when I use one as a wheel chock.

Hook - 11-25-2013 at 02:30 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by chuckie
Whatever...my cheap chinese overstock just keeps doing the job....


So, that's a couple trips a year and the infrequent long outage in Mulege.

Boy, that's some tough duty. :rolleyes:

Russ - 11-25-2013 at 03:08 PM

I've had my Trace 4024 for over 12 years now and it hasn't faltered once. Can't say that about the charge controller. Went to the OutBack for that. Now if there was a long lasting battery the solar industry would prosper. A set of batteries now cost as much as the rest of the system. Of course this isn't a back up system, it is all there is here unless you want to listen to a generator.
Quote:
Originally posted by DavidE
Xantrex, Samlex, they all bit the dust sooner or later in high salty humidity. Rather not spend a lot of money repeating the experience. The only truly problem free inverter I have ever owned was a Trace. The HF's lasted as long as the other non Trace inverters. When they do die, I won't cry when I use one as a wheel chock.




[Edited on 11-25-2013 by Russ]

Hook - 11-25-2013 at 03:15 PM

Didnt Trace get bought out by Xantrex?

DavidE - 11-25-2013 at 03:17 PM

Quality 2-volt cells are not cheap but .330" positive plate thickness really improves battery life. It would take 12, 1465 A/H cells to power your inverter (as you know). But unless they are badly abused, should last 12-16 years.

I would be sorely tempted to use a generator that powers alternators to recharge the batteries rather than develop AC.

Russ - 11-25-2013 at 03:29 PM

Yes. And I think someone bought them?
edit
Just did a search but no info about them being bought.
Quote:
Originally posted by Hook
Didnt Trace get bought out by Xantrex?


[Edited on 11-25-2013 by Russ]

DavidE - 11-25-2013 at 03:35 PM

The instant Trace went up on the auction block, senior staff and engineers fled. So the beancounters came and any remaining Trace products had specifications chopped, cheap Chinese FET's substituted, the whole deflowering.

The closest thing to the old Trace these days is MAGNUM energy inverters. Even Outback isn't the same as it was.

monoloco - 11-25-2013 at 03:44 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Hook
Didnt Trace get bought out by Xantrex?
They are both now owned by Schneider Electric.

monoloco - 11-25-2013 at 04:03 PM

Personally, I'd stay away from the flea bay and Harbor Freight stuff. I just don't trust the quality of the AC current that they produce, I've seen the current and the hz fluctuate wildly on those cheapo inverters and I wouldn't want to run any electric motors, battery chargers or electronic devices off of them, I have in fact fried several devices while using them. It's better to spend a little more for an inverter made with quality components. Here's one possibility: http://www.solar-electric.com/samlex-pure-sine-wave-inverter...

If you can get by with a smaller inverter, Morningstar makes a sweet little 300 watt model that is very efficient.

monoloco - 11-25-2013 at 04:10 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DavidE
The instant Trace went up on the auction block, senior staff and engineers fled. So the beancounters came and any remaining Trace products had specifications chopped, cheap Chinese FET's substituted, the whole deflowering.

The closest thing to the old Trace these days is MAGNUM energy inverters. Even Outback isn't the same as it was.
I would take issue with your comment on Outback, they are widely considered one of the most reliable inverters on the market, they are still field repairable, and their customer service is great. I know many people who have been using them for years with no problems. The one that powers our home has been running continuously for over 3 years, powering everything from lights to tablesaws without a hiccup.

[Edited on 11-26-2013 by monoloco]

Hook - 11-25-2013 at 04:17 PM

Well, at the prices Outback charges, they'd better be good.

DavidE - 11-25-2013 at 04:19 PM

Fewer products than they had. "Even outback isn't the same as they were" means a lot of innovative engineers have fled. TWENTY YEARS AGO, Trace had "generator coupling" where if the generator could not start a load, automatically the inverter would stop being a battery charger, switch over to inverter mode SYNCHRONIZE WITH THE GENERATOR until the generator load went online, then switch back over to charging the batteries. All seamless.

Recently MAGNUM reinvented the very same feature.

larryC - 11-25-2013 at 06:00 PM

Robin Gudgel started Trace inverters. They were bought out as you say by Xantrex. But Xantrex didn't force him to sign a "no competition" contract so Robin and his brother Bob started Outback inverters. Bob designed the MX 60 charge controller, the controller that most other controllers are compared to now. A real workhorse. About 6 years ago they were forced out of Outback and have since started Midnight solar. They don't make an inverter, probably because of a no competition contract, but they make really good charge controllers and other solar accessories.
I agree with Monoloco above, Outback is one of the best inverters on the market. But when Robin starts making inverters again I'll consider switching to them.
Larry

12 to 110

captkw - 11-26-2013 at 07:51 AM

I have seen little change in the units I repair and install...... now with this info I have a better understanding as to why...cool..FET'S and always wonderd why they don't use torriadail transfromers and get rid of the Zenior diodes ......morning!!

chuckie - 11-26-2013 at 07:55 AM

Zener

Bob and Susan - 11-26-2013 at 05:36 PM

...and house current is 120v

my 2 cents...
it's for an rv...go to harbor freight and get a hundred dollar 2000watt unit

laptops run off a battery


edit: and the laptop is passeee...
people are using thrie phones on vacation now
very few vacation with those heavy dinosaurs

[Edited on 11-27-2013 by Bob and Susan]

Hook - 11-26-2013 at 05:50 PM

I will never give up my laptop until they pry it from my cold, dead hands.

Line voltage

captkw - 11-26-2013 at 06:27 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bob and Susan
...and house current is 120v


If you get 120V you would have to have a transformer sitting outside your house...LOL.. voltage depends on many items..such as how far from a transformer,,wire size,,temp and a host of varibles...I cant tell you how many rv parks in Baja that I checked the voltage with my FLUKE and was always lucky to get a 100 V......."sigh" the old days...