Inverter causes loud buzz from GFCI?

whjco wrote:

turbojimmy wrote:
The mail dude brought the GFCI outlet today. Popped it in and no more buzz! I ran the AC fan off of the inverter. Didn't have the guts to try to start the compressor.

Unless it was a really large inverter, it probably doesn't have the capacity to run the compressor.

The buzz you were hearing in the GFI was probably due to the square-wave output of the inverter. Probably wouldn't cause any more problem than an annoyance but I'm glad that the new GFI is doing better.

It's a 2,000 watt inverter with 4,300 watt surge (or so it says). It was really inexpensive so I don't want to tempt fate by trying to run the compressor - don't want to burn it up. I got it for smaller stuff. But the temptation is killing me....

Yes, the buzz was an annoyance but for $15 it's gone now. There's now way I could have slept with that thing buzzing in that bedroom.

turbojimmy wrote:
The mail dude brought the GFCI outlet today. Popped it in and no more buzz! I ran the AC fan off of the inverter. Didn't have the guts to try to start the compressor.

Unless it was a really large inverter, it probably doesn't have the capacity to run the compressor.

The buzz you were hearing in the GFI was probably due to the square-wave output of the inverter. Probably wouldn't cause any more problem than an annoyance but I'm glad that the new GFI is doing better.

The mail dude brought the GFCI outlet today. Popped it in and no more buzz! I ran the AC fan off of the inverter. Didn't have the guts to try to start the compressor.

Still a good price "TJ"! Did good. It ought to be the last ground fault interrupter you'll need to buy. When you need receptacles that stay tight for large amperage appliances go with Hubbell. If you need terminals for connecting wire, use 14.16 gauge #6 forked terminals. 100% easier than winding strands under screws. Need to double wire per terminal use 10-12 gauge. I proved this will an IR thermocouple measurement. Using forked (spade) terminals rather than wrapping stranded wire around screws results in much lower junction temperature.

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Good price. Last one left. eBay no driving.

Thanks! That was $9 + $5 shipping. It's white, mine's brown. I got a brown one on eBay for $14.99 shipped. I'll add it to the pile of stuff I got for the RV but haven't installed yet :)

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Tip. The Leviton brand is junk. Yonke. Try and find a Hubbell brand receptacle. I have a Hubbell GF20ILA and it powers the double quad receptacles over the kitchen counter and the weatherproof receptacle outside. Electrical supply houses frequently carry the Hubbell line.

Thanks. I forgot about the outside outlet. It's on that circuit too. I'll look for the Hubbell brand.

Tip. The Leviton brand is junk. Yonke. Try and find a Hubbell brand receptacle. I have a Hubbell GF20ILA and it powers the double quad receptacles over the kitchen counter and the weatherproof receptacle outside. Electrical supply houses frequently carry the Hubbell line.

turbojimmy wrote:

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Under the bed? I guess I just had to stick my nose in this. I put a GCFI in the bathroom. Is something wet living under the bed?

It's hard to explain - it's on the support for the bed. I think the rationale is this: there's a curtain/door thing that slides across the aisle and separates the living space from the bed/bath area. The bath is on one side of the aisle, the shower on the other. When you open up both doors it makes like a little bed/bath suite back there. The outlet is near the shower, by a mirror. I guess they envisioned using a hair dryer or whatever back there. The GFCI outlet by the bed also feeds the vanity light and outlet across the aisle in the bathroom.

Quite possibly it's the first outlet in the circuit (or at least the first accessible one). I heard here of one RV that had the GFCI on the outlet for a television over the cab area, which was most inconvenient for testing and resetting, presumably for the same reason. A GFCI can protect all the devices further "down" the circuit as well as those plugged into it, provided it's correctly wired.

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Under the bed? I guess I just had to stick my nose in this. I put a GCFI in the bathroom. Is something wet living under the bed?

It's hard to explain - it's on the support for the bed. I think the rationale is this: there's a curtain/door thing that slides across the aisle and separates the living space from the bed/bath area. The bath is on one side of the aisle, the shower on the other. When you open up both doors it makes like a little bed/bath suite back there. The outlet is near the shower, by a mirror. I guess they envisioned using a hair dryer or whatever back there. The GFCI outlet by the bed also feeds the vanity light and outlet across the aisle in the bathroom.

Anyhow, I appreciate the replies. I'm going to swap that outlet out for a new one and see what happens (there's only one in there so I'll have to buy one).

Maybe some day I'll get a PSW inverter, but for now all I need it for is a cheap LCD TV, a boombox and cell phone chargers. It seems to be okay for those purposes.