Inverters how do you decide? (1 Viewer)

Brakers

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Hi Everybod There is so many threads on this and not many if any cover in reality how much is too much to pay for one.

Inverters, how do you know which inverter is the best to buy, you can purchase an inverter so cheap and so dear I’m at a loss as to which inverter is the best to buy, without paying for the name or over the top for no reason except that is what the price is.

I’ve read what people have said that their inverter does what it says on the tin and they have bought this one or that one, but how do they know how efficient the inverter is and the quality of it.

I realize that the quality of the components influence the final price and also the efficiency of the inverter is another aspect but there is such a discrepancy between the cheap ones and the dear ones and also the intermediate ones it’s difficult to decide where the price is just too much for what you are getting or so cheap it's not worth the money.

No site I’ve visited gives me a any idea which one to go for or reviews various models, I don’t mind paying for quality but don’t want to pay over the top for something I can achieve for less without compromising on quality and longavity.
I'm not sure if I will be any wiser after this thread but I do apreciate anyone who tries to answer this vague question.
Many Thanks Tony
 
Feb 4, 2016
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I have a small inverter already fitted to my van , just enough to charge laptops etc witch is silly anyway get 12 volt chargers, i digress . If money isnt a problem a pure sign wave is best.Any inverter will rip capacity ie charge out of your battery bank at a rate of knots. I need to buy 2 new batteries soon as they charge up but crash when put under load.
What do you want your inverter to do ? and how you will get charge back into your battery's ?
Steve.
 
Jan 28, 2008
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you need to say what you want the invertor for hairdryers curling tongs coffee machine?

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Brakers

Brakers

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I have a small inverter already fitted to my van , just enough to charge laptops etc witch is silly anyway get 12 volt chargers, i digress . If money isnt a problem a pure sign wave is best.Any inverter will rip capacity ie charge out of your battery bank at a rate of knots. I need to buy 2 new batteries soon as they charge up but crash when put under load.
What do you want your inverter to do ? and how you will get charge back into your battery's ?
Steve.
Hi Steve Thanks for taking the time to answer this post, Initially I only want to power a TV and a playstation and a coffee maker, but I always want to be ready for the future, if I'm unlucky enough to meet a lady lol, then what she might use is a hair drier and straighteners then the inverter will need to be more powerfull than what I want today. I do understand there is limitations but I also hear of people running these item every day and have no trouble. I have a bank of 4 125Ampre hour batteries and I'm in the process of booking in to get two 150watt solar panels fitted hopefully in October. I also have a generator but don't tell anyone else. LOL
Best Wishes Tony
 
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Brakers

Brakers

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you need to say what you want the invertor for hairdryers curling tongs coffee machine?
Hi Mitzimad I do not need it for curling tongs as my bonce is lacking in hair and what is there is grey as you can see from my avatar.
I think if you read my post previously to steve it will answer your question.
Thanks Mitzi for showing an interest in this post.
Best Wishes Tony
 
Jan 27, 2014
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Techno gave us excellent advice when we were looking for
Inverter. what battery's. solar power we would need
I still have his cartoon picture he sent mike it makes me smile
Every time I look at it .

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Feb 4, 2016
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I was going to say ask @Techno but i thought it rude lol . With a large battery bank and loads of solar in the sun you will be fine if it gets sunny enough , there again we are talking uk weather. shhh Tony ive got a built in genny dont tell anyone ;)
 

TheBig1

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I am not getting deep into the physics of why, but everything you mentioned bar the coffee machine are better run on 12v. Any tv suited to use in a motorhome will normally have a step down transformer in the mains lead and can be run on 12v directly. You can buy a playstation in-car adaptor to run on 12v. both will use less battery power using 12v

for a simple coffee machine you need to check the wattage of the element and buy an inverter one size above this maximum. Most of us have managed many years without inverters for coffee machines. We go low tech and use a percolator on the gas hob

if you do buy an inverter go with a good named brand with a warranty worth the paper its written on. cheapies are great for occassional use, but will let you down when most needed

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scotjimland

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I'm with @TheBig1 .. 12v is my preference ..

coffee machine, we use a hob perculator. and also a cafeteria .. both make great coffee..

However... I succumbed and installed a small 200 watt Sterling PSW to charge items I that don't have a 12v option... like , camera batteries, 2 x MacBook laptops and the electric toothbrush..

I have 2 x 85 ah Gel batteries and 160 watt solar... been away for 4 weeks and was never on an EHU.. the only time in the future will be to charge electric bike batteries...

I've looked into using an inverter for charging them but it's just not feasible.. Each battery has a charger rated at 2amps at 240v , which equals just under 500watt x 2 = 1kw inverter .. charging 2 batteries this would draw 84 amps .. so in effect I would have two flat leisure batteries within ONE hour .. (50% of total capacity) and the bike batteries would NOT be fully charged.. it's a non starter..

Think over very carefully what you REALLY need one for .. ask the question.. is there a better option ? Then think on the power it will use and how long your batteries will last .. then buy something more useful.. like a hob percolator.. :LOL:

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I'd go along with what everyone else has said. If something can be powered directly from 12v then that's by far the better option.

If you really have to have an inverter then for anything with sensitive electronics it has to be pure sine wave and it's no good buying a cheapo one because whatever it claims it won't be proper pure sine wave and your devices won't work properly.

For what you said you want to be able to use then a proper 12V TV, a 12V car charger for the PlayStation and a good stove top coffee maker such as a Bialetti is all you need.
 

Techno

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Makes many meals in the time it takes my kettle to make hot water
image.jpeg

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laird of Dunstan

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I'm with @TheBig1 .. 12v is my preference ..

coffee machine, we use a hob perculator. and also a cafeteria .. both make great coffee..

However... I succumbed and installed a small 200 watt Sterling PSW to charge items I that don't have a 12v option... like , camera batteries, 2 x MacBook laptops and the electric toothbrush..

I have 2 x 85 ah Gel batteries and 160 watt solar... been away for 4 weeks and was never on an EHU.. the only time in the future will be to charge electric bike batteries...

I've looked into using an inverter for charging them but it's just not feasible.. Each battery has a charger rated at 2amps at 240v , which equals just under 500watt x 2 = 1kw inverter .. charging 2 batteries this would draw 84 amps .. so in effect I would have two flat leisure batteries within ONE hour .. (50% of total capacity) and the bike batteries would NOT be fully charged.. it's a non starter..

Think over very carefully what you REALLY need one for .. ask the question.. is there a better option ? Then think on the power it will use and how long your batteries will last .. then buy something more useful.. like a hob percolator.. :LOL:
jim,ive got 200 watts of solar and 2 x 75ah batteries ,my inverter is a 300w ,ive had no problems charging the ebike batterys with it, the batteries have droped down to 60% of charge whilst doing one but would appear to be capable of doing the recharge without going past the 50% mark. I think the trick is to recharge whilst there is sunshine
My intentions are to increase my hab batteries to 300AH or more if i can(y)
 
Feb 24, 2013
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not long enough
purely on electric bikes, I am looking at ours and plan to only charge via a small inverter while on the move, so hopefully the alternator is putting as much back into the batteries as being taken out

no use if you are parked up for weeks, but we never do (y)

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eddie

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I am not getting deep into the physics of why, but everything you mentioned bar the coffee machine are better run on 12v. Any tv suited
I agree and you would be amazed how many people they need things when they don't

Any tv suited to use in a motorhome will normally have a step down transformer in the mains lead and can be run on 12v directly.
Neither the 40" nor the 36" in my RV will work on 12 volt. :D

So I have to have a pure Sine wave inverter, so makes sense to have the Sky+ boxes on the inverter as well

Most of us have managed many years without inverters for coffee machines. We go low tech and use a percolator on the gas hob
;)Some of us didn't even know decent coffee exisited in our homes for many years, let alone our campers

There are good reasons for some to have inverters fitted, and I agree that if a decent 12 VDC solution is available, I would always suggest it to my customers.

;)Many Funsters have left Van Bitz with a shopping list of 12 volt leads they need to get from Maplins, when they called in to discuss buying Inverters

My wife is murder without the ability to use her hairdryer, so I have no option;) however, I have a very large inverter, a very large bank of batteries, a built in 6kw generator, a large roof full of solar panels, and a 200 amp on road charging system

And I still charge my iPhone on 12 volt :ROFLMAO:
 

sallylillian

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The use of electric always seems to polarise views on this forum but the use of an inverter in your AC/DC armoury can be very benificial if you take a more expansive view of its use. If its I just want to power a small item like a TV or such like then you can easily choose a small *00 watt inverter. But I believe that an inverter should be considered as a more integral part of your electrical system. Purchasing a larger and more sophisticated modern inverter/charger unit provides a wealth of benifits.
Victron, who I have to admit after years of exeperience with a variety of units are my manufactuerer of choice, have some good models for motor homes. A charger/inverter of quality will give you a power assist function as well as a UPS (uninteruptable power supply) and it is these functions which bring the most advantage. Whilst 10 and 16 amps supplies are creeping up fast many sites have low power breakers, 6 amps or even less sometimes, and managing consumption in a MH with a variety of electrical items and family members who do not understand the concept that electrical power is finite on a site can be testing. With the above features power drawn from the EHU can be limited by dialed up selection to the maximum of the breaker, but when internal demand, say the wife puts on her hairddryer and tongs just as you boil a kettle for her tea, the inverter seamlessly provides inverted power to make up the shortfall in supply and the breaker remains connected providing as much as is possible.
Of course you have all the other benifits of an inverter enabling the use of all your electrical kit whilst off grid, but remember that some devices, like our favourite Nespresso machine have large start up power draws which can easily kill a small unit.
Another benifit is that the charger and inverter are one in the same box, so a saving in weight and space requirement.
Sure these solutions are more expensive than a simple low wattage inverter but if you are either specifying a new van or upgrading old equipment then this is a route well worth investigating.
Good luck with your research.
 

funflair

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Hi Tony

I think you have already decided that you want an inverter which is great in my book, now you are asking how to choose the right one. when I was choosing I wanted Pure Sine Wave, I wanted a remote Start/Stop panel inside the van, I looked st efficiency and I wanted to buy from "a person" rather than a web site someplace in China, I chose to speak to RoadPro and had already checked out their offerings before speaking with them at one of the shows, I came away with a Merlin M power 2000 watt PSW inverter, it not top price and it's certainly not the cheapest at about £700 at the time.

Happy hunting.

Martin

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Sep 26, 2010
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I'm with @TheBig1 .. 12v is my preference ..

coffee machine, we use a hob perculator. and also a cafeteria .. both make great coffee..

However... I succumbed and installed a small 200 watt Sterling PSW to charge items I that don't have a 12v option... like , camera batteries, 2 x MacBook laptops and the electric toothbrush..

I have 2 x 85 ah Gel batteries and 160 watt solar... been away for 4 weeks and was never on an EHU.. the only time in the future will be to charge electric bike batteries...

I've looked into using an inverter for charging them but it's just not feasible.. Each battery has a charger rated at 2amps at 240v , which equals just under 500watt x 2 = 1kw inverter .. charging 2 batteries this would draw 84 amps .. so in effect I would have two flat leisure batteries within ONE hour .. (50% of total capacity) and the bike batteries would NOT be fully charged.. it's a non starter..

Think over very carefully what you REALLY need one for .. ask the question.. is there a better option ? Then think on the power it will use and how long your batteries will last .. then buy something more useful.. like a hob percolator.. :LOL:

Hi,
We've got a 300W Quasi Sine Wave (i.e. not pure sine wave unfortunately) inverter and have just bought 2 e-bikes (Bosch powered). Like ScotJimland I was/am concerned about charging the e-bike batteries from the inverter. The charger states that the input is 230v, 1.5A, hence drawing 345W.
However, when I actually measured the voltage and current (with the battery half charged - as obviously the state of charge of battery will alter the current demand) it was V=240v and I=0.7A. Power = VxI hence Power = 168W.
Since Power Out = Power In and also taking into consideration losses in the Inverter of say 10% this gives a Power demand on the input side of the Inverter of approx 184W and hence within its 300W rating.
Of course, the current drawn from the batteries (2 x 90AH charged by 150W of Solar panel) will be approx 15A (I = P/V) and so will have to be careful but this should be ok.........shouldn't it?(n)

Photo attempts to explain logic.......:)
 

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Jul 5, 2013
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As others have said do not buy an inverter unless you are sure you really need one. They are not an efficient way to run most electrical appliances and especially modern electronic items which, in any event, use low voltage DC to work.

Almost everything we have in the van can be charged or run on 12V. TVs, camera, laptop, ipad, phones, bluetooth speaker and headphones and shaver are all serviced by 12V adaptors bought from Amazon. I have just bought a new Surface Pro combined laptop and tablet and guess what DC voltage is produced by the 240V charger? 12V. So I just bought myself the correct plug in adaptor for a ciggy lighter that will produce a constant 12V charge (necessary because, of course, the 12V in the van can vary from 12V to over 14V).

We drink more tea than coffee, but would use a cafetiere if we wanted to use ground coffee - similar taste to the filter machine we use at home. Yes we like an occasional espresso as a treat, especially in Europe, but we can go out for that. We rarely use our microwave at home so why would we need to use one in the van? The only two things we have problems with are the electric toothbrush and the wife's hairdryers. The toothbrush is solved by buying one that runs on 2 AA batteries, which last about a month. They are as good as the expensive rechargeable ones but only cost a tenner or so, and we now use the same at home. If you don't like throwing away AA batteries then use rechargeable ones and buy a 12V charger for them.

So the only reason we have our 2000W (4000W peak) inverter is for the hairdryer, which is used about once every 3 days. You do not need pure sine wave for that, so I bought a cheap (under £100) inverter from Amazon (delivered from Germany) and it has worked just fine in our previous van and the new one. Even came with nice meaty cables, which are a must with any higher powered inverter.
 

Big Nick

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I have 12v for most of my tech including the 24" tv, both cameras, laptop, tablets, wifi extender and iPhones.
The only want is from the missus and is re her hair dryer and it would be nice to be able to use the microwave but hey ho I'm sure we can survive!
I think it's called first world problems!!

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funflair

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We bought an inverter because we "really wanted" one not because we "really needed" one why should we "just survive" yes we could make coffee in a cafetière and heat milk in a pan BUT it's not the same as milk in the microwave and then frothed with a aero latte and a shot of coffee from the Nespresso machine. My wife could have dried her hair with a towel and let the sun finish the rest off BUT why should she, we have plenty of solar and a bit of common sense so no worries.

Martin
 
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Deleted member 29692

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I really struggle to believe that anyone really thinks coffee made from one of these stupid pod or capsule machines is better than coffee made by grinding you own beans and then using either a real espresso machine or a stove top one.

Easier? Possibly

Less effort? Certainly.

Better? Not a chance.

I don't have any milk in my coffee but 'er indoors does as do a lot of other people. For this I have a Bialetti Tuttocrema milk heater and frother in the MH. It works far far better than any other device for the purpose including the expensive electric ones we have at home.

https://www.espressodrinker.co.uk/b...er=17717-559&gclid=CNuB85_okM4CFaoy0wod5CQDvw

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Jul 5, 2013
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I thought laptops were more like 18 volt ?
The older ones are, but you can still get 12V adaptors for them. The new generation ones have cooler running processors and SSDs rather than hard discs and run on lower power and voltage. As I say my new Microsoft Surface Pro runs on 12V. Still has an i5 processor, 8Gb RAM and 256GB SSD though. And Windows 10 runs well on it.
 

Doctor Dave

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I really struggle to believe that anyone really thinks coffee made from one of these stupid pod or capsule machines is better than coffee made by grinding you own beans and then using either a real espresso machine or a stove top one.
[/URL]


The only coffee I enjoy is NESCAFE original.

(Although I am not convinced that what we buy these days IS original as I can remember when Nescafe was a powder in a tin (60 plus years ago)).

Dave

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