Inverter prices

[jako999]

I have an inverter and it works well for what we need but in the new van I’m going to get a larger one.
The question is why is there such a price range? I can get a 3000w pure sine wave inverter from Amazon or eBay for £150 unbranded but if you want branded one its 5 times the price why? Ok the build may be a bit better but how much better? The efficiency on both is around 90%.
So what’s the big difference please if any really apart from a name and the alloy box it comes in looks a bit better.
I know you can’t get the cheep ones fixes but at the price after a few years you just replace it.
what brands do people have and how pleased are you with it?
Thanks

 

[Kannon Fodda]

Are the cheap ones really Pure Sine Wave, or just claiming to be?

 

[Lenny HB]

I have a cheapish one but next time I will by a decent one.
Why? The sine wave on the cheap one has a bit of noise on it and the standby current with the inverter on but nothing connected to the outputs is 2 amps. A good one like the Victron has a very good sine output and the standby current is less than half an amp.

 

[Stealaway]

After a quick look I would buy this one. Its physically quiet big and has two fans.
You shouldn't be using one any bigger.

There are many that quote massive outputs and are the size of a fag packet --- avoid those ones.

EDECOA Power Inverter Pure Sine Wave 12V 240V 1000W 2000W UK Remote Car Caravan | eBay

EDECOA Power Inverter 12V to 240V Pure Sine Wave 1000W 2000W UK Sockets with Remote. High Compatibility :Stable and powerful for inductive, capacitive and Resistive loads. 1000W 2000 WATT DC 12V TO AC 240V PURE SINE WAVE POWER INVERTER SOFT START.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Lenny HB]

Are the cheap ones really Pure Sine Wave, or just claiming to be?

Some are better than others it's pot luck with cheap ones, the minimum standards are lower.
A bit like buying a cheap camera the lens may be excellent or it may not be very good, buy an expensive one the minimum standard will be far higher so the lens will always be good.

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[jako999]

I looked at the edecoa one they do a 1500/3000 watt one for £199 with good reviews that’s a big difference compared with a £1000 comparison, it’s a pit ho one showers the standby draw.

 

[Tombola]

these are quite popular and I have the 2000-4000 version, but the fans tend to kick in quite easy, and can be noisy. Amazon product ASIN B07CKBJ9KPIll be changing to Victron soon after checking my friends out.

 

[Googlebot]

Had two cheap ones, both rubbish. One melted the cables at peak loads.

Got a Victron, eye watering expensive but had been performing perfectly. Then the thing started going into low voltage shutdown when it shouldn’t.

I hope I am unlucky as Victron is normally bulletproof.

It is currently on its way back to the dealer for replacement.

 

[gus-lopez]

After a quick look I would buy this one. Its physically quiet big and has two fans.
You shouldn't be using one any bigger.

There are many that quote massive outputs and are the size of a fag packet --- avoid those ones.

EDECOA Power Inverter Pure Sine Wave 12V 240V 1000W 2000W UK Remote Car Caravan | eBay

EDECOA Power Inverter 12V to 240V Pure Sine Wave 1000W 2000W UK Sockets with Remote. High Compatibility :Stable and powerful for inductive, capacitive and Resistive loads. 1000W 2000 WATT DC 12V TO AC 240V PURE SINE WAVE POWER INVERTER SOFT START.

www.ebay.co.uk

I've the 1500/3kw version.

I looked at the edecoa one they do a 1500/3000 watt one for £199

That's the one. I've had it about 4 years but never fitted it to anything. I've been racking my brain trying to invent a reason to fit it in this van but can't come up with one.

 

[Two on Tour]

I bought a cheapish Chinese pure sine wave inverter and it was less than a year before I was out of pocket by £140 after it kept dropping the output voltage to around 200 volts.
Learnt my lesson and bought a Sterling pure sine wave inverter. Made me wince when I handed over the money for it, but it has been as good as gold for the past 4 years.

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[Richard n Ann]

I bought a Meind pure sine wave1000w Chinese one for Ann's hair straighteners about 5 years ago, £67 on ebay. Had to wait a month for delivery but it's been great, even powers the hair dryer (briefly just to see if it would)

The other end of the scale is our Swiss made Studer AJ275 275w Pure sine wave £250 ex demo. It's about 6" square and we use it for everything else in the van, but TV mostly. Standby current is 0.2 amps

 

[Stealaway]

I've the 1500/3kw version.

That's the one. I've had it about 4 years but never fitted it to anything. I've been racking my brain trying to invent a reason to fit it in this van but can't come up with one.

Cheap / big / smart 230v TV and sound bar

 

[DBK]

I've got a 1500W EDECOA pure sine one which cost about £170 and has worked well. Having checked with an oscilloscope it also provides a good sine output.

Is it perfect? No, because I tried charging my portable radio transceiver while using it from the on board sockets a few days ago and there was a lot of RF interference in the supply which vanished when I turned off the inverter. Is this a problem? Not really and I'll look at reducing the interference for the future. For everything else it has worked well.

 

[bilM]

This is the one I have
https://www.sunshinesolar.co.uk/Item/VP3000

 

[dalspa]

This is the one I have
https://www.sunshinesolar.co.uk/Item/VP3000

I bought one of theirs a couple of years ago and very pleased with it. Smaller than the VP3000, can’t see it in their listing. It was on special offer at the time. Purchased to charge ebike battery.

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[gus-lopez]

Cheap / big / smart 230v TV and sound bar

I rarely watch tv at home & I've never had one in a van so would not be starting now.

 

[Tombola]

anyone experience what they would consider excessive fan noise from one now the weather is getting warmer?
Mine seems to kick in with the fan now and then running the fridge

 

[Derbyshire wanderer]

I have a Sunshine Solar 2000w psw that has been faultless for over 5 years. The remote is able to switch it off so that it has zero standby current drain.
Never heard any noise even when using the coffee machine or the microwave

 

[Raul]

anyone experience what they would consider excessive fan noise from one now the weather is getting warmer?
Mine seems to kick in with the fan now and then running the fridge

The reason it runs the fan with starting and running the fridge is couple of things: surge capability reduced with higher temperatures( the hotter the ambient, the more severe the power derating), it needs surge capability for starting; and second is power factor, with induction loads power factor is low, so the current is not in phase with the voltage, is lagging, resulting in reactive power. Your inverter delivers apparent power VA, the fridge absorbs some of it (active power W), and what’s not absorbed goes back to source, as reactive power VAr. The cycle repeats, and causes harmonics. The inverter works harder to sustain the load. Acceptable total harmonic distortion THD is 3-4%. Certain induction motors have capacitors to help correct the power factor, but, as the capacitors age, the power factor gets worse.
If inverter can deliver 1kw at 25degC , at 35-40 degC will struggle even with 0,7kw and will age quicker at elevated temperatures. Victron has power derating at various temperatures to protect the hardware.