Sine Wave Inverter Cooling

I hadn't considered a 2K unit as I figured the power consumption at idle would be higher. I have replaced an Xantrex inverter under warranty due to fan failure in the past, it would run with no load due to the high temperatures in the desert.

They only have a 300 watt. It is quality--but it won't run a residential fridge.

I agree with going to 2k instead of 1k. Prowatt has a 2k unit in the $400 range. Talk to bestconverter.com

Ron3rd wrote:
Morningstar inverters do not have fans as noted above. You would have to check what wattage they come in.

For fridge use I doubt the fan will even come on.

hypoxia wrote:
Is there a 1000 watt sine wave inverter that has a large heat sink instead of relying so much on a fan for cooling? My experience tells me the fan will eventually quit at the worst possible time as Murphy is always at work. I'm using it as a dedicated refrigerator power source.

Seems unlikely based on previous replies, but perhaps it would be better to have a 2000w inverter so its fan would not come on so often?

I feel your pain since we got a 120v fridge for the TC and now depend on the inverter when off grid to run the fridge, which has no propane option. No inverter-no fridge!

(We use solar to help support the batteries running the inverter running the fridge)

Morningstar inverters do not have fans as noted above. You would have to check what wattage they come in.

hypoxia wrote:
Is there a 1000 watt sine wave inverter that has a large heat sink instead of relying so much on a fan for cooling?

A quality 1kw inverter will not run its fan very much, usually only when a large load is on it. Generally, the cheaper the inverter the more it relies on the fan.

To the OP

I wish there were - If you find anything please keep us informed

Your concern is a primary reason I stick with Morningstar Solar equipment
No moving mechanical parts aka FANS in their solar charge controllers or their small 300watt inverter. They use large oversized heat sinks, However heat is still an issue and needs to be removed ASAP. From a past life I learned every 10 degree C increase in chip core temp above normal reduces the equipment life by 50% or more.

After a 2 week camping trip in the outback of Montana we found loads of dust and dirt under our silverware container inside the drawer inside the rig - wonder where that can from? Maybe it gets into and sticks on the cooling fans inside converters / interters / etc.... MAYBE

Too many component failures can be attributed to having never cleaned the circuit board and heat sinks. Fans need blades wiped to reduce imbalance and premature bearing failure. Some of the old equipment I have cannibalized were so loaded with dirt and dust motts inside, it was embarrassing. And messy.

Fans may not fail but sleeve bearings can dry out and sound like WW II London during a blitz. Brushes wear down to zip and the curtain drops.

Air movement is magic. Moving air past the epoxy heatsinks on my Mega drops interior heatsink temp twenty degrees. Moving air on 90mm star LED heatsinks allows a heatsink designed to run one 10-watt chip be fitted with TWO and run substantially cooler than the single chip heatsink relying on convection cooling alone.

To answer your question: Not that I am aware of.

However somewhere I have the instructions for making an Inverter.

You could make one .. But a 1,000 watt inverter heat sink would not be "Large" it would be Gigantic.

I've had fans for years.. they don't fail. The inverter itself if more likely to fail. Outback is the only one I know of with no fan, and it's expensive.

Murphy loves cheap stuff.