Pure Sine Wave inverters

[paul zerkel]

This question grew out of the refrigerator thread going on, but really is a somewhat separate issue, so I am starting a new thread. So assuming I want
a 1500 watt pure sine wave inverter...

$500+ for the Samlex, or $200 for whatever TigerClaw is

https://www.amazon.com/Samlex-Solar-PST-1500-12-Pure-Inverter/dp/B00AYH686E/ref=sr_1_4?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1474644603&sr=1-4&keywords=pure+sine+wave+inverter&refinements=p_n_feature_keywords_two_browse-bin%3A7067174011

https://www.amazon.com/Tiger-1500W-Power-Inverter-DC-AC/dp/B008JGE8LE/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1474644603&sr=1-1&keywords=pure+sine+wave+inverter&refinements=p_n_feature_keywords_two_browse-bin%3A7067174011

Based on prices it seems Samlex, GoPower and Xantrex are the brands that command the higher prices. Are they really worth double the price? I just
chose the above two Amazon listings as representative. There are other high priced name-brand inverters, and other off-brand pure sine wave inverters
in the $200 price range.

--
Paul Zerkel
'78 Eleganza II
Salisbury IL (near Springfield)

 

[john r. lebetski]

Xantrex and and Trace merged a few years back. They were both highly regarded. Can't comment on the others.
--
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
Source America First

 

[a.]

> This question grew out of the refrigerator thread going on, but really is a somewhat separate issue, so I am starting a new thread. So assuming I
> want a 1500 watt pure sine wave inverter...
>
> ~$500 for the Samlex, or $200 for whatever TigerClaw is
> ...
> Based on prices it seems Samlex, GoPower and Xantrex are the brands that command the higher prices. Are they really worth double the price? I just
> chose the above two Amazon listings as representative. There are other high priced name-brand inverters, and other off-brand pure sine wave
> inverters in the $200 price range.
What do you want the inverter for? The fridge only needs about 100W of modified sine wave. You don't want the wasted power in a 1500W inverter to run
a 75W load.

The dual voltage fridge swing motor compressor doesn't have any surge current, so you don't need to oversize it to overcome the startup draw.
--
73 23' Sequoia 4 Sale
73 23' CanyonLands Parts Unit 4 Sale
Upper Alabama
"Highest price does not guarantee highest quality."

 

[paul zerkel]

We are considering replacing the Norcold with a dorm or possibly apartment sized ac only fridge. Hence the reason for considering a larger inverter.
--
Paul Zerkel
'78 Eleganza II
Salisbury IL (near Springfield)

 

[a.]

> We are considering replacing the Norcold with a dorm or possibly apartment sized ac only fridge. Hence the reason for considering a larger
> inverter.
The dorm fridge will pull a little more power than the Norcold all the time, and more surge current, but if all you are powering is a dorm sized
fridge, you do not need OR want a 1500W inverter. 500W will be way plenty, and you can probably get away with 300W. Think of it this way: An inverter
will waste a percentage of its rating whether idling or running something. A 1500W inverter will waste 3 times as much power idling as a 500W
inverter, and continue wasting power when it is well below rated capacity.

If you are the boondocking type trying to minimize the amount of time you run your generator to recharge batteries, you need the smallest, most
efficienct inverter you can get away with for each appliance, and turn the inverters off when not in use.

You do not want a single 1500W inverter on all the time if you need 100W for the fridge and only need more than that when the TV or something else is
on. Get an inverter for the fridge, an inverter for the TV, an inverter for the laptop, and so on. Turn off the inverter when you turn off the device.
Always turn the inverter on first, then the device, and when powering down, turn off the device, then the inverter.

Don't spend extra money for full wave inverter if your appliance will be happy with modified wave.
--
73 23' Sequoia 4 Sale
73 23' CanyonLands Parts Unit 4 Sale
Upper Alabama
"Highest price does not guarantee highest quality."

 

[RF_Burns]

With a dorm size compressor fridge you need an inverter powerful enough to handle the startup surge of the motor, not just its running power. We have
an Avanti apartment size fridge, (about the same size as the OEM Norcold), it takes about 600 watts to start, then settles down to about 80 running.
The compressor looks to be the same Danfoss unit as my small wine cooler at home. We use a 1500 watt Samlex pure sine wave. I would not go under a
1000Watt since the instantaneous peak is going to be higher than the 600 watts that occurs in the first second or so.

As far as inverters go, we've have no failures with Samlex equipment that runs 24/7 at radio tower sites.
--
Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
Hubler 1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that

 

[adolph santorine]

Paul:

What Bruce said.

Dolph

DE N8JPC

Wheeling, West Virginia

1977 26’ ex-PalmBeach
1-Ton, Sullybilt Bags, Reaction Arms, 3.70 LSD, Manny Transmission, EV-6010

“The Aluminum and Fiberglass Mistress"

>
> With a dorm size compressor fridge you need an inverter powerful enough to handle the startup surge of the motor, not just its running power. We have
> an Avanti apartment size fridge, (about the same size as the OEM Norcold), it takes about 600 watts to start, then settles down to about 80 running.
> The compressor looks to be the same Danfoss unit as my small wine cooler at home. We use a 1500 watt Samlex pure sine wave. I would not go under a
> 1000Watt since the instantaneous peak is going to be higher than the 600 watts that occurs in the first second or so.
>
> As far as inverters go, we've have no failures with Samlex equipment that runs 24/7 at radio tower sites.
> --
> Bruce Hislop
> ON Canada
> 77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
> Hubler 1 ton front end
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
> My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

 

[steve jess]

For the price of a dorm fridge AND a sine wave inverter you could get a fridge designed to run on 12 volts, like the Norcold DE-0061. That model is the logical successor to the fridges that came in our coaches.

Steve Jess - Tucson, AZ
Mid-day/PM newscaster
Arizona Public Media

________________________________
From: Gmclist on behalf of Paul Zerkel
Sent: Friday, September 23, 2016 9:57 AM
To: gmclist
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Pure Sine Wave inverters

We are considering replacing the Norcold with a dorm or possibly apartment sized ac only fridge. Hence the reason for considering a larger inverter.
--
Paul Zerkel
'78 Eleganza II
Salisbury IL (near Springfield)

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[christopher brewer]

I had good success with Aims inverters.

Only had one fail in a customers van,
and it had gotten wet.

--
Christopher Brewer
Chattanooga Tn
1975 Palm Beach
Still mostly original
EV-6010 Norcold 962 Sully's Wireless Air Mach 15k
Gettin better, $1 at a time...

 

[Matt Colie]

Quote:
> From: Gmclist on behalf of Paul Zerkel
> Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Pure Sine Wave inverters
>
> We are considering replacing the Norcold with a dorm or possibly apartment sized ac only fridge. Hence the reason for considering a larger
> inverter.
>

> For the price of a dorm fridge AND a sine wave inverter you could get a fridge designed to run on 12 volts, like the Norcold DE-0061. That model
> is the logical successor to the fridges that came in our coaches.

Steve,
Check you prices.
The math doesn't work by a few hundred dollars.

And, you are also discounting the available additional AC for other purposes.

And, you are assuming that a some kind of pure sine inverter is required when that just is not the case.
AC motors whether capacitor start, split phase or shaded pole will run just fine on a modified square (it isn't even close to sine) inverter. Yes, it
will be a tad less efficient, and so will run a little warmer. (example: investigate how all the VF motor drives work)

In our case, for a 23 with a smaller ice chest, the cash out of pocket difference was about 1200$us. I don't know about everybody else, but I can put
a lot of hours on the Onan for that much cash.

Something that does have to be considered is that the typical residential hardware is all "case cooled". The condenser has not been an open coil on
the back for many decades. This means that sufficient cooling air has to be provided to the sides and provision made for its circulation. There is
also the fact that they are not provided with any means to secure them in place (except some California models have an earthquake bracket) and do not
have any positive door holding provided. Personally, I never found either of those to be serious challenges.

And, Mary is very happy with the reefer we have now.

Matt

--
Matt & Mary Colie - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
'73 Glacier 23 - Still Loving OE Rear Drum Brake with Applied Control Arms
Now with both true Keyless and remote entry
SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit

 

[chris]

Samlex, GoPower and Kotek are all the same units, basically. I've read good reviews about the Samlex and Kotek Units...

--
-Chr$: Perpetual SmartAss
Scottsdale, AZ
77 Ex-Kingsley 455 SOLD!
2010 Nomad 24 Ft TT 390W PV W/MPPT, EV4010 and custom cargo door.

Photosite: Chrisc GMC:"It has Begun" TT: "The Other Woman"

 

[adolph santorine]

Matt:

The last comment is probably the single most important issue.

The CFO gets what the CFO wants

We use child locks to keep the doors from flinging open.

Like these -

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Safety-1st-HS038-Lock-Release-Fridge-Latch/16383404 https://www.walmart.com/ip/Safety-1st-HS038-Lock-Release-Fridge-Latch/16383404

They have a button you can push so when you’re parked, you don’t need to push the the button to open the fridge.

When the fridge bites the dust, I”m going to post mortem the compressor to see what caused the failure.

 

[john r. lebetski]

The missing ingredient here is propane. That will give the longest bang for buck dry camping.
--
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
Source America First