inverter review?

bigrigfixer wrote:
... but I like the Canadian Tire option. I think I'll go with that.

Thanks for the tip SoundGuy.

Pics of this inverter installed in my own rig are in my gallery if you're interested. We normally camp on electric sites whenever available so my main goal with this inverter was to have some limited 120 vac power available in the camper those occasional times we may lose campsite power. Since my use isn't absolutely "critical" I'd argue that the cost of a premium quality PSW inverter just isn't justified, especially when a unit like this relatively inexpensive 1000 watt PSW model is so readily available, comes with a 2 yr warranty, and has proven capable of the task I ask of it.

Last season I did wire it to run the trailer "whole house" but after losing power in the middle of the night on a really cold Oct weekend last fall and having to go outside in my PJs to disconnect the main service cable from the campsite post and plug it into the inverter I decided that this spring I'm going to instead install dedicated duplex receptacles that are fed directly from the inverter. That way I won't have to go outside at all - just turn the inverter on with the remote switch which I've mounted inside the camper and leave the main service cable plugged into the (dead) campsite power post. Since I also have a Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C surge protector wired into the incoming service that means that while the power is out I'll always be aware of the fact because the EMS display will be dead but when power comes back on the EMS will first decide if it's correct and if so turn power back on (as indicated on the display), at which time I can then turn the inverter off again, all with no effort on my part at all and no more wandering around outside in the middle of the night. :B Since I also have a Kill-a-Watt meter I'll leave it plugged into one of the duplex receptacles powered by the inveter so that way I'll always know exactly what it's putting out. For those who dry camp all the time, installing a transfer switch and wiring the inverter output through it to the trailer to run it "whole house" probably is worth the cost & effort but for those of us who only use the inverter intermittently installing dedicated receptacles IMO makes a lot more sense.

75 is running. Starting can still be 4 to 10 times that amount. This is where surge performance also helps so keep the 12v connection short and fat.

On the back of my fridge it says
Input power: 75 watts.

It's a 1.6 cu ft Attitude AT16BF

That's what I'm basing the 400 watts on, and I'm sure the tv doesn't take more than 200 watts either but I like the Canadian Tire option. I think I'll go with that.

Thanks for the tip SoundGuy.

mlts22 wrote:
Yes, PSW units are twice the price... but they are cheaper than replacing chargers, computers, or other items when they give up the ghost.

or themselves when they burn up. Nothing wrong with being cheap, but this is not a product to be cheap with.

I prefer PSW, just because most electronic gear is designed for a sine wave, not rough steps that appear on the oscilloscope like figures in an Atari 2600 game.

Yes, PSW units are twice the price... but they are cheaper than replacing chargers, computers, or other items when they give up the ghost.

windviewer wrote:
Inverter Issues

URL is https://handybobsolar.wordpress.com/inverter-issues-spring-2013/

Worth a read (IMO)

He shoots himself in the foot ... too much ranting so I can't (won't) bother trying to forge my way through it. Too bad, his writings probably do contain some interesting information but somehow I think I'll live just fine without it anyway. :W

MSW. depending on who you talk to is either Modified Sine Wave or Modified Square wave.

Fact: On many farms there is a set of steps that go up one side of a fence and down the other, The 4-legged animals can not climb out but the Humans can easily climb over the fence on the steps.. Continued later.

The steps form the very same pattern as 1/2 of the Modified square wave (the positive half) the negative half is of course a mirror image.

Continuining: This steps are Called a Stile.

Now the name Stile also applies to a pile of horse dung.

So if you feel I think the Modified Sine/Square wave stinks.. Well, there's proof.

Square waves, modified or not, contain harmonics, In fact it contains not only the 60 HZ (and the 120 or 180 "Step" frequency) but odd harmonics all the way up well into the microwave range So it will interfere with many Television, Radio and even audio hardware.

now proper sheilding and filtering can reduce and contain those harmonics, but not all MSW iverters are properly filtered and shielded and Far too many Televisions, Radios and Audio Amps are poorly filtered. So you get Hum, Buzz or 'Hum bars' or even failure to lock on and decode digital signals.

It also sounds like a buzz saw on my radios. (Very sensitive Ham Gear)

Think about this, I have yet to find an AM broadcast station under 1,000 watts, Most are multiples of that.

Hams, are licensed for a maximum of 1,000 DC input or 2,000 Peak Envelope Power (Depending on mode and which is LOWER) and many of us run only 100 PEP (roughly 50 watts DC) And this AM I was sitting here in S.E. Ga chatting with hams all over the eastern US, From Flordia to the Ohio Valley (Strong signals) and many other places with weaker signals.. All running less than an AM broadcast station, 3.9MHZ band. (AM is 1MHZ band) and if I switch to Digital (Same radio and antenna) I can type with hams all over the globe. So how senistive must my radio be?

Hi,

A very wordy biased opinion. Mostly he rants.

windviewer wrote:
Inverter Issues

URL is https://handybobsolar.wordpress.com/inverter-issues-spring-2013/

Worth a read (IMO)

Inverter Issues

URL is https://handybobsolar.wordpress.com/inverter-issues-spring-2013/

Worth a read (IMO)

Thats what we did here - We got the AIMS PSW 600WATT Power Inverter PWRI60012S from AMAZON ($159)


This has two 120VAC outlets and I ran a multi-tap extension from the Power Inverter to the Home entertainment area and to a night table area in the bedroom.

I can plug in any low wattage 120VAC item into these multi-tap cords without worrying about going up in blue smoke... Anything that has motors or electronics will get hot and make humming noises when hit with MSW type power inverters...

Been there done that as well... Why chance it for just a few dollars savings... In the past the PSW Inverters were very expensive. Not so anymore...

I haven't tried the fridge on the 600WATT Power Inverter but it just might be strong enough to get the initial start going. I am pretty sure the 300WATT Inverter will not work starting the fridge.

Roy Ken