StirCrazy wrote:
otrfun wrote:
. . . Choosing a capable 2000w inverter is important. Not all 2000w inverters are created equal. Although most inverters can supply their continuous current rating, many fall short providing suitable amounts of inrush current. Inrush current is necessary to successfully start a/c units and microwaves. Unfortunately, very few manufacturers provide inrush current specs for their inverters.
Good luck!
inrush and starting current are the same, just different names depending on the type of equipment. in rush covers any time a electric componant temporatly draws more power when you turn it on, in a motor it is generaly called starting current. every inverter I have seen lists this as peak power. and its usaly a couple K watts above the rated output. for example the renogy is a 2000 watt inverter continious with a peak of 4000 watts that will handle anything on a rv but maby not two large power users at once.
Steve
IMO
starting current is just a colloquial term to sometimes describe inrush current and not related to any particular type of equipment. Also, peak current is very different from inrush current (see last paragraph).
IMO the most important takeaway when discussing inrush, starting, peak, or surge, current is the following:
unless a specific time or duration (or testing standard/protocol) is specified for any given current rating, the current rating provides little insight into how the device will perform in the realworld. For instance, I could claim a 12vdc/120vac inverter has 2000 watts (16.6a) of continuous output. Notice I specified current AND time/duration (continuous). This is 100% useable data that translates into realworld performance. I could also claim this same inverter produces 4000 watts (33a) of surge or peak output. However, if I don't specify a time or duration it's a meaningless claim in terms of realworld performance. If I claimed it could produce 33a for, say, a few milliseconds, then that 33a is completely useless. Not enough time/duration to help start an a/c compressor or motor. Now, if I claimed it could produce 33a for almost a second (or longer), that's a huge deal in terms of realworld performance---exactly what an a/c compressor or motor needs to sucessfully start. Time/duration is everything in this context.
I've found the following to be generally true for consumer grade inverters and inverter generators: There is no standardized time/duration for a surge rating. Depending on manufacturer, it can range from a fraction of a second to as long as 30 min. A surge rating can be useful *
IF* a specific time/duration is specified. IMO peak current is more of a marketing ploy because the time/duration for peak current (1 or 2 cycles) is too short to be of much use in a realworld environment. Time/duration for inrush current is much, much longer (approaching a second). Assuming sufficient current, this is exactly the time/duration necessary to successfully start an a/c compressor or motor.
