300w vs 500w inverter question

[BobnKris]

The television in our TT is a 32" Jenson that runs on 110v only. I have both 300w and 500w inverters, and both have proven to power the tv on battery power alone.

Other than the obvious (the 500w provides more juice), is there an advantage to using a higher or lower watt inverter, given both provide the required power?

Thanks, and I hope everyone is having a great camping season!

[wa8yxm]

Laptop charging depends on the laptop. Mine need a DC/DC converter to charge off 12 volts. this is basically an inverter and power supply in one box.. So I use the Prosine.. Plus there are some other reasons I need to keep one of my laptops off the 12 volt side of life (Isolation issues).

As I said before with slight modification:

(The mod part 1): IF noise is not an issue (If inverter mounted outside for example) Use the one that draws the least current both on standby and in operation.

(mod part 2 and thanks to the person who pointed it out) IF noise IS an issue, use the one that makes less.

[Almot]

BobnKris wrote:
I've already tested and found the tv to work with both, but didn't know if there was an advantage to use one over the other. Neither is pure sine.

Than use the one that has lower idle current or standby current (not the same thing). If any of those have fan and you need it in the room, you can get this one. You (probably) won't need more watts for TV, even if you will run your monstrous 3W cell phone charger concurrently 🙂

For laptop charging you don't need inverter - charge it directly off the 12 cig lighter socket.

[zedd]

I have both a 300W and an 800W inverter. Either one runs my TV & DirecTV receiver just fine. The 300W has a fan that runs all the time and is kinda noisy. The fan on the 800W never comes on. So, I use the 800W unit just because it's quieter.

TVs, laptops, etc with external power supplies don't care about PSW vs MSW.

[shooted]

ryanw821 wrote:

shooted wrote:
Measure the standby power draw of both. Perhaps one uses less power in standby mode.

Very possible, but I am willing to bet at those sizes they will probably be within a few milliamps of each other. If we were talking a 300w vs a 1500w, the difference would be greater and the choice would be much easier 🙂

I'm not entirely confident inverter capacity has anything to do with stand by power consumption. The quality of construction and corresponding price point I believe may be a larger factor. My xantrex 1800 MSW was labeled as 750ma in stand by. I installed without using the pass thru function and stand by current was near nonexistent.

[wa8yxm]

Ok, normally I'd talk about the advantages of a True Sine but.. The reason is this: There is a long list of things that MIGHT NOT WORK PROPERLY on MSW. This includes many TV's and Radios and audio/video gear.. HOWEVER.. In your case. you know it works, so we can skip all that and get to the meat of the issue.

300 or 500

Theory has it the 300 might be a bit more effiecent, HOWEVER you need to find out for sure.. here is how.

300 watts means about 30 amps draw at 12 volt.. USING a good DC ammeter (if the TV is drawing over 100 watts a clamp on should do) measure the current on the DC lead (i'd just measure the positive lead to the inverter) and take notes.

Switch to the 500 and take notes

Use the one with the lower current draw.

OR: IF you want a bit of power left over for the computer, Cell phone chargers etc... Total up your needs and if more than 280, Use the 5000 (I do not like loading to the max).

[wa8yxm]

Ok, normally I'd talk about the advantages of a True Sine but.. The reason is this: There is a long list of things that MIGHT NOT WORK PROPERLY on MSW. This includes many TV's and Radios and audio/video gear.. HOWEVER.. In your case. you know it works, so we can skip all that and get to the meat of the issue.

300 or 500

Theory has it the 300 might be a bit more effiecent, HOWEVER you need to find out for sure.. here is how.

300 watts means about 30 amps draw at 12 volt.. USING a good DC ammeter (if the TV is drawing over 100 watts a clamp on should do) measure the current on the DC lead (i'd just measure the positive lead to the inverter) and take notes.

Switch to the 500 and take notes

Use the one with the lower current draw.

OR: IF you want a bit of power left over for the computer, Cell phone chargers etc... Total up your needs and if more than 280, Use the 5000 (I do not like loading to the max).

[BobnKris]

eric1514 wrote:
I wouldn't be surprised if there was a 12v socket on the side of that TV for this Jensen 12v power cord.

Eric

I will definitely check that out!

[eric1514]

I wouldn't be surprised if there was a 12v socket on the side of that TV for this Jensen 12v power cord.

Eric

[BobnKris]

Thanks for the info. I purhased a 500w inverter a year or so ago, but recently found my 300w that I had packed away in a closet and forgot about. I've already tested and found the tv to work with both, but didn't know if there was an advantage to use one over the other. Neither is pure sine.

[Almot]

Don is right, some TV will only work on pure sin.

There is - usually - no benefit in getting bigger inverter than needed. A good TV of that size will draw less than 50W, though even a bad one should still draw waay less than 300. Check TV specs.

If there is no difference in idle draw of 300 and 500W inverter, or noise (i.e. both have no fans or installed far away where it doesn't bother you), and both are pure sin, - get the one that is cheaper.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

If the smaller one works well I'd use it. Are they both pure sine wave?

[mena661]

BobnKris wrote:
The television in our TT is a 32" Jenson that runs on 110v only. I have both 300w and 500w inverters, and both have proven to power the tv on battery power alone.

Other than the obvious (the 500w provides more juice), is there an advantage to using a higher or lower watt inverter, given both provide the required power?

Thanks, and I hope everyone is having a great camping season!

Get the 300W.

[ryanw821]

shooted wrote:
Measure the standby power draw of both. Perhaps one uses less power in standby mode.

Very possible, but I am willing to bet at those sizes they will probably be within a few milliamps of each other. If we were talking a 300w vs a 1500w, the difference would be greater and the choice would be much easier 🙂

[ryanw821]

My new 60" Samsung PLASMA at home is less than 275 watts full bright (confirmed with my kill-a-watt), and my OLD (2003 vintage) 37" LCD I had prior was below 200 watts.

The only concern in choosing an inverter is to be sure you are not overloading it or running it at capacity for extended periods, either can shorten its life, but you should have plenty of margin for safety in either one of your two. Use whichever you prefer

I wouldn't worry about either one, UNLESS one is PURE-Sine and the other is Modified-Sine or Square-wave, then I would go with PURE-sine, it's better for sensitive electronics.

Many people will say NOT to use Modified-Sine or Square-wave inverters AT ALL for sensitive electronics, but in my experience it hasn't made a bit of difference, I have run Square-wave inverters with laptop chargers, TVs (CRT and LCD), and other electronics off them since the 90's with no failures of the devices yet, one exception, motors like fans and Air-Conditioners, drills, saws, etc.. do NOT like square-wave, they do best on PURE-Sine.