testing inverter output

travelnutz wrote:
A lot of what said about MSW inverters harming or causing failures in digital controlled inems: Heated blankets, mattress pads, heating pads, cell phone chargers, laptops and charging bricks, our JetPack WIFI charger, radios including our expensive Bose radio/CD player, TV's, microwaves, etc to name a few is pure bunk! Many of our friends having MSW inverters will tell you it's bunk also.

I/we've been using MSW inverters in our cabined boats and over a dozen different RV's, and other places since the early 1980's with our first inverter (the Heart Interface 1800W inverter) and have NEVER had one item used on them fail yet or fail to work properly. Thousands of hours on our MSW inverters and still using them as I have a 300W, 2-400W, 2-700W, a 1000W, a 1500W, a 2000W, and a 2500W MSW inverters (all MSW) we use a lot in various places, boats, RV's. The 1500W is installed (mounted) in the Lance TC and the 2500W is installed (mounted) in the Carrilite 5th wheel. One electric blanket was used 21 years on the MSW and still working fine but the fabric was getting frayed. So we replaced it with a digital controlled electric blanket on the same MSW inverter 6 years ago and it still works fine today. Have 4 other heated blankets and heated mattress pads plus 2 heating pads all with digital controls and all are working fine on our MSW inverters.

30+ years now of using many MSW inverters with NO failures sure says something good!

It's not "bunk" and you shouldn't post this kind of stuff that may cause others problems. YOU may have decent MSW inverters that don't cause problems for YOU but that is not the case for many that choose to use one with certain devices. You're entitled to your opinions but please, use an ounce of caution when posting absolute certainties about your electrical experience.

A lot of what said about MSW inverters harming or causing failures in digital controlled inems: Heated blankets, mattress pads, heating pads, cell phone chargers, laptops and charging bricks, our JetPack WIFI charger, radios including our expensive Bose radio/CD player, TV's, microwaves, etc to name a few is pure bunk! Many of our friends having MSW inverters will tell you it's bunk also.

I/we've been using MSW inverters in our cabined boats and over a dozen different RV's, and other places since the early 1980's with our first inverter (the Heart Interface 1800W inverter) and have NEVER had one item used on them fail yet or fail to work properly. Thousands of hours on our MSW inverters and still using them as I have a 300W, 2-400W, 2-700W, a 1000W, a 1500W, a 2000W, and a 2500W MSW inverters (all MSW) we use a lot in various places, boats, RV's. The 1500W is installed (mounted) in the Lance TC and the 2500W is installed (mounted) in the Carrilite 5th wheel. One electric blanket was used 21 years on the MSW and still working fine but the fabric was getting frayed. So we replaced it with a digital controlled electric blanket on the same MSW inverter 6 years ago and it still works fine today. Have 4 other heated blankets and heated mattress pads plus 2 heating pads all with digital controls and all are working fine on our MSW inverters.

30+ years now of using many MSW inverters with NO failures sure says something good!

Problem:
There are a lot of modified Square wave inverters that call themselves modified sine.
There are a lot of inverters that are advertised as pure sine wave that are really Modified Sine wave inverters.
There are a very few Pure Sine wave inverters. If in doubt, call the manufacturer and ask for the Total Harmonic Distortion is...
They will lie and say that the third order is less than 5%.

Your only hope is to try out the inverter with the device you are planning to power with it. This is the only test you can do without a lot of really expensive gear.

Before the depression, I saw this a lot with "pure sine" inverters that were trying to run: Microwaves, Flat TVs and computers. Audio equipment not so much.

Matt

dockmasterdave wrote:
If using a modified sine wave inverter, is there a simple way to test how clean the power output is>
I mean a way to tell if it is dangerous for certain things to be used on it.

This Samlex FAQ Webpage should provide some clarity on the subject. Since I wanted to power my trailer "whole house" by simply plugging the main service cable into the inverter I chose to sidestep this MSW issue entirely by investing in a sine wave inverter.

dockmasterdave wrote:
Didn't find this one in searches.
If using a modified sine wave inverter, is there a simple way to test how clean the power output is>
I mean a way to tell if it is dangerous for certain things to be used on it.
Thanks in advance.

Sadly yes. and you already answsered it MSW inverters are a problem with some devices.

Now the biggest issues are also the smallest issues,, TVs may have a wavy picture or bars that move accross... Audio systems have hum or buzz.. and AM Radio.. Forget it... But there is no damage.

I have read of a night light that flamed on (LED type) and Electric Blanket controllers which failed. Generally things with electronic timers are affected.. But other than try it and see... It is kind of hard to tell because sometimes.. It works fine.

Not too many years back the PURE SINE WAVE models were sort of expensive. That's not so much true today.

I just never use a MODIFIED SINE TYPE Inverter where transformers and electronics are involved... I have a 600WATTs PSW AIMS Models that just cost $149 from AMAZON that works fine for as my duty INVERTER for all of those small wattage items we all want to use.

I ran two multi-head extension cords from this Inverter with one going to the Home Entertainment area and the second extension cord to the bedroom area. This gives me access to most of the things we like to always have on whether we are camping at electric sites or off the power grid.

Being a PURE SINE WAVE I do not have to worry now about what my family or visitors might plug into it.

My 600WATT PSW Inverter unit is ON all the time even when we are at Electric sites. Kinda neat to have several of my must have low wattage items being powered up no matter where we are at.

I have a couple of 300WATT MSW Inverters left over from the past and these are used only for powering up outside lights and such... Two things that I have lost using these MSW models was a 20-inch box fan and a Electric Blanket Controller. I was charging my computer using one time and the transformer brick was too hot to touch...

Its all second nature now - never worry about it anymore...

This is just me doing this - there is alot of others that doesn't seem to have any problems using their MSW model Inverters. I just never could make myself chance it after I burned up a few things...

Roy Ken

Yes, plug the item in and see if it operates properly.

Most things with a brick are fine although I have read Apple should be SW only.

Electric blankets with electronic controls seem to fail quickly so avoid that.

Microwaves run at reduced power and MSW may cause premature failure.

Some MSW is better than others so for best answers post the inverter you have along with the item to run. If it is prone to fail someone here has probably done it.

Grandpere wrote:
Anything that is digital--tvs, dvd players, computers, etc. are all at risk for use on a MSW inverter.

Yes, and especially digital controls on blankets/mattress pads.

Anything that is digital--tvs, dvd players, computers, etc. are all at risk for use on a MSW inverter. I hate to say this, but you are better off getting a PSW inverter, then you will not have to worry about what gets plugged into the inverter. The MSW should work on powering your fridge, but that is about all I would trust with it.

dockmasterdave wrote:
..a modified sine wave inverter, is there a simple way to test how clean the power output is

What I would do is plug in a computer charger brick and check the brick for heat every few minutes. A common problem with msw is overheating stuff.