Inverter Size (1 Viewer)

kelv

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Hi
A question for the technical minded funsters
Her who must be obeyed will not go away without the home comforts of her Ghd hair straighteners taking a genny is ok but not always practical ie noise etc.
So my question is what size inverter will it take to operate the straighteners
110-220v ac.60hz/50hz,150w this is on the plate.
Thanks for any help.
 

funflair

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Hi kelv

Based on your figures 300 watt should be fine, not sure if straighteners will run from modified sine wave inverter, somebody else will know for sure.
 
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kelv

kelv

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Hi kelv

Based on your figures 300 watt should be fine, not sure if straighteners will run from modified sine wave inverter, somebody else will know for sure.
Thanks I think they have to be pure sin wave not sure but thanks for the help

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pappajohn

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Straighteners are a simple resistive load....hot wire element....so will work fine on a mod wave invertor.

As said above, a 300 watt is more than adequate but it depends how long she needs power for.

150watt through an inverter is around 15amps/hour from your battery....and that 15amps/hour has to be replaced.
 
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kelv

kelv

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Straighteners are a simple resistive load....hot wire element....so will work fine on a mod wave invertor.

As said above, a 300 watt is more than adequate but it depends how long she needs power for.

150watt through an inverter is around 15amps/hour from your battery....and that 15amps/hour has to be replaced.
5 mins per day no more than 2/3 days of grid
Thanks
 
Apr 27, 2008
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You can get a small inverter that will do the trick for around ÂŁ20. Even though its a pretty small one you still need to keep the leads to the battery as short as possible. The mains wires can be as long as you like.

You don't need a pure sine wave for most things, but as they are getting cheaper you might find it worthwhile for other things. 300w about ÂŁ35.

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JeanLuc

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I have no direct experience you understand, but have read reports of GHD straighteners being 'fried' by inverters. I would have thought a PSW model would
 

Lenny HB

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Straighteners & electric tooth brush chargers are well known for frying on modified sine inverters, if you buy a pure sine wave inverter you can run anything without worrying about blowing it up.
If it is just for straighteners why not get a Bablyiss gas hair styler.
 
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kelv

kelv

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Straighteners & electric tooth brush chargers are well known for frying on modified sine inverters, if you buy a pure sine wave inverter you can run anything without worrying about blowing it up.
If it is just for straighteners why not get a Bablyiss gas hair styler.
Do not be so silly that would be to easy the wife will not swap to a gas straightener she says they are not as good maybe I should swop her for an air operated doll

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tonka

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Deleted... Was going to mention Gas straightners but see they have been done..
 
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You don't need a pure sine wave for most things, but as they are getting cheaper you might find it worthwhile for other things. 300w about ÂŁ35.[/QUOTE]

That sounds cheap. Where do you get those from?
 

Steve and Denise

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My wife uses GHD on a modified sine wave Stirling no problem for the last 2 years.

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scotjimland

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As said... go for a PSW .. a 200 watt is adequate.. but not a lot more for the 300watt ..

Just bought a 200watt Sterling PSW to charge Mac Books, Camera batteries, tooth brush etc

.. good prices here http://www.sp-shop.co.uk/Power-Inverters/

200watt PSW part number SIB12200

300 watt PSW part number SIB12300

if you order, made sure you don't order a 24v model..

The Benefit of the 200watt it comes pre-wired with a ciggy plug, so no extra installation needed ..
 
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JeanLuc

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I know they are convenient, but personally, I would not go for the cig lighter connection option. The cables from the cig plug to the inverter are fine, but the cabling from battery to cig lighter socket may not be up to the job of supplying the inverter without voltage-drop that will cause an alert condition on the inverter. This will be particularly true if trying to run the inverter from a 'habitation' socket rather than a dashboard base vehicle socket. Also, at 'full tilt' a 200W inverter will be pulling 17 amps and many motorhome sockets are not cabled to cope with that.
I speak from personal experience having had the problem with a 150W Sterling PSW inverter which I subsequently wired directly to the leisure batteries. (I spoke to Sterling before cutting off the cig lighter plug to check it would not invalidate the warranty.)

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scotjimland

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@JeanLuc

no argument with your logic Phillip .. I also prefer direct hard wiring..

however, the dashboard ciggy sockets are usually rated at 15Amps.. and while at full tilt, a 200watt will pull just under 17Amps.. personally I wouldn't load any inverter to 100% .. I doubt mine will ever even reach 50% charging a Mac or Camera battery.. the Sterling has a power meter so you can monitor it ..

The Hab sockets in the Hymer are rated at 10amps..

It's a judgement call.. if you plan to use the inverter at near max then probably better 'hard wired'
 

scotjimland

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My wife uses GHD on a modified sine wave Stirling no problem for the last 2 years.

yes , but there are modified sine wave inverters, and modified sine wave inverters.. not all are the same quality of wave.. generally speaking, the more extensive are a higher quality .. ie . smoother wave forms. .. but unless you stick it onto a scope you don't know.

Sterling are a good brand.. but there are some real cheap Quasi inverters that are not.

Buy a pure sine wave and you can use it for anything (within the power rating) without fear of frying .. nowadays nearly every appliance and gadget has an electronic circuit .. yes, even hair straighteners.. why take a chance..
 

Steve and Denise

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yes , but there are modified sine wave inverters, and modified sine wave inverters.. not all are the same quality of wave.. generally speaking, the more extensive are a higher quality .. ie . smoother wave forms. .. but unless you stick it onto a scope you don't know.

Sterling are a good brand.. but there are some real cheap Quasi inverters that are not.

Buy a pure sine wave and you can use it for anything (within the power rating) without fear of frying .. nowadays nearly every appliance and gadget has an electronic circuit .. yes, even hair straighteners.. why take a chance..

Can the same not apply to a pure sine wave inverter ie quality/price

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JeanLuc

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@JeanLuc

no argument with your logic Phillip .. I also prefer direct hard wiring..
................. I doubt mine will ever even reach 50% charging a Mac or Camera battery.. the Sterling has a power meter so you can monitor it ..

The Hab sockets in the Hymer are rated at 10amps..

It's a judgement call.. if you plan to use the inverter at near max then probably better 'hard wired'

I was using my 150W PSW inverter to charge my MacBook Pro and found that it was unhappy when powered from a Hymer hab socket (via a Cig-DIN adapter plug). That was particularly noticeable if playing DVDs and running a small speaker system for the Mac at the same time. Once I wired the inverter directly, I had no more problems.
 

scotjimland

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Can the same not apply to a pure sine wave inverter ie quality/price

I guess there could be someone making less than pure, pure sine wave.. or using poor quality components.. once again, price should give an indication if it's quality product or crap.. hence my comment about buying a quality brand like Sterling.. Victron also make good kit..

however, even the best can never produce an absolutely 100% 'pure' sine wave when compared to an AC generator wave.. but damn close..
 

scotjimland

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To better answer the question about quality of modified sine wave inverters.. ..
personally I think they should be called modified square wave.. as they have never been sine waves. but no matter..

sinewave.gif

Sine wave

modwave.gif

Modified or Quasi Sine wave.
squarewave.gif

Square wave



Modified sine wave in this example has just ONE extra step from a Square wave.. better quality ones will have two or more steps.. the more steps, the more expensive they become, until the steps make the wave into a Sine wave ..

Very few but the cheapest inverters are square wave.

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kelv

kelv

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Thanks for all the help very informative I think I am going to try a 300 psw and conect direct to leisure battery is this easy to do or are there any downsides to fitting it myself.
I only have a single battery will I need to add a 2nd one.
 
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kelv

kelv

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As said... go for a PSW .. a 200 watt is adequate.. but not a lot more for the 300watt ..

Just bought a 200watt Sterling PSW to charge Mac Books, Camera batteries, tooth brush etc

.. good prices here http://www.sp-shop.co.uk/Power-Inverters/

200watt PSW part number SIB12200

300 watt PSW part number SIB12300

if you order, made sure you don't order a 24v model..

The Benefit of the 200watt it comes pre-wired with a ciggy plug, so no extra installation needed ..
Just looked at your link to the 300w psw sterling looks a good
buy
 

JeanLuc

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scotjimland

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Thanks for all the help very informative I think I am going to try a 300 psw and conect direct to leisure battery is this easy to do or are there any downsides to fitting it myself.
I only have a single battery will I need to add a 2nd one.

Provided you use the correct size cable for the load and length of cable run, fuse at the battery with a 25a fuse, and protect the cables from chaffing .. not difficult..
the max current for a 300watt is 25 amps .. so using this tool.. calculate the cable size http://www.solar-wind.co.uk/cable-sizing-DC-cables.html

for example.. allowing a 3% loss

a 3mt cable run would require 10mm cable

a 1mt cable run 4mm

you don't absolutely need another battery .. but it may be useful long term..
 

JeanLuc

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The only change I would make to my original installation is that if I were doing it again, I would fit a CBE 230V socket rather than a domestic one which I got from Homebase. The grey finish CBE range is used as standard by Hymer (at least for the vintage I have 1990-2005) so everything would then match. It is a modular system available at both these suppliers (and several others).
http://www.leisurelines.net/cbe-59-c.asp
Broken Link Removed

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