inverter review?

[bigrigfixer]

Just saw a few Schumacher inverters at Wal-Mart, also online, those reviews were 4 star or better. Anyone here ever use one? My plan (for now) is to use a 400 watt with a transfer switch to run a small bar fridge for my outside kitchen, and the tv in the bedroom. I know you guys will mostly recommend a psw, which this one is not, but I've also seen some of you say a msw is okay to run a tv, so...

[mlts22]

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.

[SoundGuy]

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

[wa8yxm]

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?

[pianotuna]

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)

[windviewer]

Inverter Issues

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

Worth a read (IMO)

[RoyB]

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

[sch911]

Chris Bryant wrote:
I can almost guarantee that 400 watts will not run that fridge, or rather, it will not start it.

x 2

[SoundGuy]

bigrigfixer wrote:
Just saw a few Schumacher inverters at Wal-Mart, also online, those reviews were 4 star or better. Anyone here ever use one? My plan (for now) is to use a 400 watt with a transfer switch to run a small bar fridge for my outside kitchen, and the tv in the bedroom. I know you guys will mostly recommend a psw, which this one is not, but I've also seen some of you say a msw is okay to run a tv, so...

Since you're shooting so low and according to your profile you're in Canada why not just wait until the next time Canadian Tire puts their 1000 watt PSW inverter on sale for $199 Cdn. Sure, it too may not be at the top of the quality heap but it is PSW, does get the job done, comes with a 2 yr warranty, can be returned if you decide you don't like it, and is IMO the best deal you'll find here in Canada on a PSW inverter. Yeah, I've got one myself and it runs a toaster, coffee maker, wife's hair dryer (on low), a variety of fans, heck I've even plugged the entire trailer into it and ran the A/C fan motor just to see if it could do it. :B

Secondly, why bother with a transfer switch? Just wire the output of the inverter to a couple of conveniently located duplex receptacles into which you can plug whatever you want to run with this inverter ... simple. :D. You could alternately power the trailer "whole house", also without using a transfer switch, but you have to make sure the converter is turned off, the fridge is forced to the gas mode, and the water heater's electric heating element (if it has one) is turned off. Trust me, you'll forget, so having been there, done that, I see dedicated receptacles as the "best" solution.

[Chris_Bryant]

I can almost guarantee that 400 watts will not run that fridge, or rather, it will not start it.

[Happy_Prospecto]

Some fridges don't like MSW inverters, some tv's don't like MSW inverters, why not spend a few more $'s and get a PSW inverter and then both will work.

[scrubjaysnest]

What is the reefer + tv wattage? A 400 might not big enough. our msw 400 is just right for two laptops.

[Almot]

bigrigfixer wrote:
I know you guys will mostly recommend a psw, which this one is not, but I've also seen some of you say a msw is okay to run a tv,

Some of us said that MSW is OK to run a TV, because some TV are OK with this. Some others are not.