So I have been looking over the forum at all the electrical / power posts I can find as I mainly Boondock and am looking for ways to keep my battery's up and things charged. I was looking at some threads that had to do with inverters when I remembered I had an inverter so I went looking. I have a Black and Decker PI750AB inverter with a date on it from Oct of 2009 but it has never been used. http://www.invertersrus.com/pi750ab.html Seams like this is a decent inverter for the money?I would like to hard wire it from the battery into the main living area somewhere to charge cell phones and maybe plug the tv into. Will this inverter continue to draw power with nothing plugged in, will it be a drain on my battery's just setting around?

Well. it is a modified sine wave.. This means there is a long list of things that MIGHT not like it.. But... Considering the price (Effectively $0.00) and the degree of incontinence if it does NOT work for your Tv.. I'd say go for it.Put the inverter NEAR the batteires (Compartment next door)Run 120 volt wire up to the TV compartment and install a 2nd outlet there, make this one either RED or ORange, plug TV (And other related stuff) in to this outlet and see how it runs.. Problems, go with a 300 watt TRUE SINE WAVE inverter.. Degree of inconvience.Well to swap out the inverters you pull plug, unhook two wires, hook wires back up and insert plug.. So you do very little extra work.

It probably won't be much of an idle draw, but I doubt you'll be happy with its performance. It's a cheap MSW and some of your electronics may not like it.

Yes I expect it will draw about one amp at idle powering nothing.I understand Apple products don't always do well with MSW.Transfer switch to wire it in:http://www.donrowe.com/KISAE-TS15A-Automatic-Transfer-Switch-p/ts15a.htm

AS long as it's on, it will draw current even if it's not powering anything. However it's a very small amount of current since it a modified Sine wave. Probably something in the neighborhood of .2~.3 amps.

Inverter questions. | Good Sam Community

18 Replies

dieseltruckdriv
Explorer II
Aug 25, 2014
My HDTV doesn't seem to mind my modified sine wave cheapy inverter, but I haven't tried the blueray player yet. I am reading these kind of threads with interest as I am just starting with this kind of stuff.
MrWizard
Moderator
Aug 25, 2014
moved from technology
MrWizard
Moderator
Aug 25, 2014
new digital TV
has a switching power supply, the MSW inverter will be just fine
i ran MSW for many years , with NO problems

the TWO items most reported as having problems with MSW are microwave ovens
and electric blankets/heating pads with digital controllers

the third item is the charging brick power supplies of some electronics like laptops

the newer smaller laptop power bricks, seem to run "hotter" with MSW than the older heavier ones ... could be the lack of a transformer and total dependence on chopping up the wave form for the correct voltage
ScottG
Nomad
Aug 25, 2014
AS long as it's on, it will draw current even if it's not powering anything. However it's a very small amount of current since it a modified Sine wave. Probably something in the neighborhood of .2~.3 amps.
time2roll
Nomad
Aug 25, 2014
Yes I expect it will draw about one amp at idle powering nothing.

I understand Apple products don't always do well with MSW.

Transfer switch to wire it in:
http://www.donrowe.com/KISAE-TS15A-Automatic-Transfer-Switch-p/ts15a.htm
Crazy_Ray
Explorer
Aug 25, 2014
It's JUNK JMO
2oldman
Explorer II
Aug 25, 2014
It probably won't be much of an idle draw, but I doubt you'll be happy with its performance. It's a cheap MSW and some of your electronics may not like it.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Aug 25, 2014
Well. it is a modified sine wave.. This means there is a long list of things that MIGHT not like it.. But... Considering the price (Effectively $0.00) and the degree of incontinence if it does NOT work for your Tv.. I'd say go for it.

Put the inverter NEAR the batteires (Compartment next door)
Run 120 volt wire up to the TV compartment and install a 2nd outlet there, make this one either RED or ORange, plug TV (And other related stuff) in to this outlet and see how it runs.. Problems, go with a 300 watt TRUE SINE WAVE inverter.. Degree of inconvience.

Well to swap out the inverters you pull plug, unhook two wires, hook wires back up and insert plug.. So you do very little extra work.

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Inverter questions.

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