>Dan,
>Good thing I didn't plan on running the microwave. It's kind of misleading
>however that Statpower's web site suggests that the 800 watt unit could
run a "small
>microwave".
PROWATT are not exaggerating. I have run small < 1000 W microwaves of a
800 W unit.
What many people do not realize is that the swithcing power supply can
handle as much as a 50% overload for short periods of time. The problem
becomes one of heat dissipation and battery supply. As long as the fins
on the case can dissipat the heat the unit is fine. When the whole case
has heated up and no longer able to cool the circuit board then a thermal
cutout pops and shuts down the inverter.
So it is okay to run a microwave for five minutes at levels slightly
higher than the 800W continuous rating. however if you run the same unit
for thirty minutes then it will shut down. Repeated applications in
short order will cause overheating and may ultimately do some damage.
I'm planning to install a PROWATT 800 in my motor home since it doesn't
make sense to fire up a 6.5 Kw gen set for a cup of coffee.
I use to work for a coach conversion company. We a;lways installed
inverters rated slightly lower than the max load to save a considerable
chunk of money. We ran a full galley on 2KW inverters.
Going to the 3 KW and 4 KW inverters meant a huge jump in price.
The 10Kw diesel gensets were only fired up to run the 100 Amp chargers and
the electric heating.
Regards
Arild
>Good thing I didn't plan on running the microwave. It's kind of misleading
>however that Statpower's web site suggests that the 800 watt unit could
run a "small
>microwave".
PROWATT are not exaggerating. I have run small < 1000 W microwaves of a
800 W unit.
What many people do not realize is that the swithcing power supply can
handle as much as a 50% overload for short periods of time. The problem
becomes one of heat dissipation and battery supply. As long as the fins
on the case can dissipat the heat the unit is fine. When the whole case
has heated up and no longer able to cool the circuit board then a thermal
cutout pops and shuts down the inverter.
So it is okay to run a microwave for five minutes at levels slightly
higher than the 800W continuous rating. however if you run the same unit
for thirty minutes then it will shut down. Repeated applications in
short order will cause overheating and may ultimately do some damage.
I'm planning to install a PROWATT 800 in my motor home since it doesn't
make sense to fire up a 6.5 Kw gen set for a cup of coffee.
I use to work for a coach conversion company. We a;lways installed
inverters rated slightly lower than the max load to save a considerable
chunk of money. We ran a full galley on 2KW inverters.
Going to the 3 KW and 4 KW inverters meant a huge jump in price.
The 10Kw diesel gensets were only fired up to run the 100 Amp chargers and
the electric heating.
Regards
Arild
