Help with Inverters please (1 Viewer)

wanderwolf

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Mar 10, 2016
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Hi,
I have just joined the MF site. I have had a motorhome for 18 months and used it generally for long weekends on established sites. Now want to go a little farther afield and probably do some wild camping in perhaps Spain. I have arranged for a 120 watt solar panel to be fitted and also want to get an inverter for charging up phones and ipads etc but also for a hairdryer ( for my partner - I have less hair than Homer Simpson ). I can't get my head round what I should have. The local Swift agent (who is fitting the solar panel) suggests a 1000 watt inverter. Ii is a power source pro and I imagine it is of the modified sine type. They are quoting £350 fitted but the service guy doesn't fill me with confidence that he knows what he is talking about re capacity and suitability etc. Can anyone shed any light on whether this inverter would suit what I need please??
 

Doctor Dave

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May 18, 2015
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Cheaper to buy your partner a towel! A 1000 watt inverter will only power a small hairdryer, and if it is not a PSW inverter it possibly won't run any hairdryer. Check the wattage on your hairdryer at home.


Dave
 
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wanderwolf

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Mar 10, 2016
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Don't think the towel option will go down well but will certainly give it a shot if it is going to save some money!! You say 100 watt but did you mean 100 watt per my post. What is a PSW inverter please ?

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Jul 13, 2008
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What wattage is the hairdryer? I think the Dr miss read your post. You did say 1000 watt inverter?
 

Steve

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May 8, 2013
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a bit more info will help alot, what is the dryer going to take to run? what battery do you have, then the advice can be a bit more accurate.
Steve
 
Jul 29, 2007
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Most standard hairdryers are around 2000 watts so a 1000watt inverter would useless. Also most hair dryers are just an element, an electric motor and a switch, meaning they will happily run of a modified sine wave inverter.

If you have a google you can find some lower watt hair dryers around 1200-1400watts which are a better option, match them with a 2000 watt inverter and you will have a happy wife.
Be aware though that it will trying to drag around 100amps from your battery to make this work. You will need a decent set of batteries.

Ian

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eddie

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Oct 4, 2007
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Hi,
I have just joined the MF site. I have had a motorhome for 18 months and used it generally for long weekends on established sites. Now want to go a little farther afield and probably do some wild camping in perhaps Spain. I have arranged for a 120 watt solar panel to be fitted and also want to get an inverter for charging up phones and ipads etc but also for a hairdryer ( for my partner - I have less hair than Homer Simpson ). I can't get my head round what I should have. The local Swift agent (who is fitting the solar panel) suggests a 1000 watt inverter. Ii is a power source pro and I imagine it is of the modified sine type. They are quoting £350 fitted but the service guy doesn't fill me with confidence that he knows what he is talking about re capacity and suitability etc. Can anyone shed any light on whether this inverter would suit what I need please??
Look on the back of the hairdryer and it will give you the wattage

As an example, Lyn my wife uses a 2000 watt hair dryer, which has three heat settings. So we have a 2000 watt inverter fitted which will peak at 3000 watts for fifteen minutes which is enough time anyway even if Lyn uses it flat out.
 

DBK

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Jan 9, 2013
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Having just had a look you can get travel hairdryers of 800W so a 1000W inverter will just about cope but i suggest 1500 might be better. Of course 800W isn't much and if she has hair like Rapunzel then a larger "bedroom" type dryer will be needed.

If you can afford it pure sine wave (psw) would be best but I'm sure a hair drier will work off modified sine wave but electric tooth brushes have been reported being burnt out with these.

I suggest you need two 110Ah leisure batteries or thereabouts and 120W of solar may struggle if you are doing a lot of wild camping - but you can always start the engine!

I would suggest a bit of future proofing and ensure they fit a solar controller which can take at least a second panel should you decide to fit one later. The increase in price, if any, should be very small.
 
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Imbiber

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May 12, 2009
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I have a Sterling 1600w pure-sine-wave (PSW) inverter which powers her ladyship's 1400w hairdryer. I think a 1000w inverter is probably too small for what you intend, especially as the lower wattage hairdryers are next to useless. I would also suggest a PSW as Dave has already mentioned is the way to go.

Also, I would consider your battery bank size too, as the 1400w hairdryer we have draws 100+amps on full heat setting. The 120w solar you're considering will help but you'll need some decent battery life first if you have visions of happy 'off-grid' survival.

Good luck in your research.

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Doctor Dave

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May 18, 2015
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Don't think the towel option will go down well but will certainly give it a shot if it is going to save some money!! You say 100 watt but did you mean 100 watt per my post. What is a PSW inverter please ?

What wattage is the hairdryer? I think the Dr miss read your post. You did say 1000 watt inverter?

Sorry - did mean 1000 not 100 watt. PSW = Pure Sine Wave (just like the mains at home).


Dave
 
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wanderwolf

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Mar 10, 2016
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Hi Guys,
Thanks very much for input. Will have a look at the PSW inverters. I have a single leisure battery and was going to add a second in any case. I am told I need to get two new ones and not to mix old and new. It grieves me to get rid of a perfectly serviceable battery but I guess the advice for two ones is correct?
 
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wanderwolf

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Mar 10, 2016
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fiat bessacarr
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Have found a 'sunshine power inverter 2000 watt 12V PSW for £299. Anybody got anything good or bad to say about this manufacturer/model please.

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Steve

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May 8, 2013
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Have found a 'sunshine power inverter 2000 watt 12V PSW for £299. Anybody got anything good or bad to say about this manufacturer/model please.
i am not going to say good or bad as that is the kiss of death but i have the same its 3 years old gets used hard and is still working. if you are going to wire it in please read all the advice before you do it. cable sizing is importent!
 
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wanderwolf

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Mar 10, 2016
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Thanks Steve. My partner occasionally refers to me (harshly) as Frank Spencer. Think I will get garage to wire it in.
 
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Robert Clark

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Thanks Steve. My partner occasionally refers to me (harshly) as Frank Spencer. Think I will get garage to wire it in.
Is the garage a Motorhone wiring specialist ?

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Apr 27, 2008
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As mentioned before you will need a second battery to run a 2000w inverter which can draw up to 200A. This could run a single battery down to 50% in 15minutes which would then take a single 120w panel up to10 hours to recharge in good sunshine. If hair drying is essential, and its possible, we do it, then something like we have 4x100w panels and 2x125Ah batteries
Dont charge phones etc from an inverter. There are 12v chargers availble for almost all, which are much more efficient.
 
Sep 27, 2007
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Hi Wanderwolf,

I note you are in the West Midlands, so you may well benefit by having a look at this site www.davenewell.co.uk and then a chat on the phone, especially if you are not going down the diy route.

Good luck with your "project"

 

Leeshort1

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Sep 12, 2016
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2015
I would forget about using a hair dryer on a 12v battery full stop . We use are inverter to power a 32" tv that's 50watt and we get about 10 hours to from a 100ah leisure battery .

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eddie

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Oct 4, 2007
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I would forget about using a hair dryer on a 12v battery full stop . We use are inverter to power a 32" tv that's 50watt and we get about 10 hours to from a 100ah leisure battery .
Lyn my wife uses a 2000w domestic hair dryer on our inverter no problem at all, it just needs setting up for what you intend to use
 
Aug 6, 2013
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Most affected by MSW inverters are devices with wound components like hairdryers, toothbrushes, anything with a motor, etc. Most so-called 'sensitive' devices like laptops, tablets, phones, etc, use switched-mode power supply units and have done for the last 10 years or so - which is why mains chargers for these devices have become much lighter. Advice regarding PSW inverters is in general out-of-date and based on yesterdays technology.
 

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