Inverter recommendations?

[smac999]

Originally Posted by Roy M

smac999, I think there is a bit of miscommunication. My question is: If I were to go to a foreign land with, say 240VAC/50 cycles, purchase an extension cord that has the correct plugs for the dock box and an outlet, into which I plug a locally purchased battery charger, and since the output of the charger is 12 VDC, wouldn't that make it possible to charge my house bank? Then, by turning on my inverter (which would not be connected to shorepower, whatsoever) I could then transform the housebank 12 volt power into 110 VAC/60 cycles for my own consumption using my boat's AC outlets. I am talking about 15 amps of AC, not powering an electric heater or waterheater.

not really miscommunication. I just don't know what you have on the boat. if all you are running is a few small things on a few plugs. then yes. if you have a lot of ac stuff on the boat, then it's not so easy. because on most boats not everything gets powered by the inverter, and those things wouldn't work unless you started the genny.

if you had a lot of ac stuff. you'd need a really big charger. if you are pulling a constant 15a off your inverter you are pulling 150 amps off your battery. which means you would need a really big charger to plug into the dock.

but if you just have small things, or big things for short time (microwave etc) then a smaller charger would work.

[Roy M]

Thanks, folks! I just have a few things that need occasional 120 VAC: vacuum cleaner, power tools, chargers for cordless battery tools, COFFEE GRINDER, etc. I figure that if I need something heavier, I can just buy the device and run it on local power, then trade or gift it to someone when I leave.

[pir8ped]

and thanks from me too.

Since most of my tools are variable speed, I'll factor in the purchase price of new simpler tools.

Cheers.

[foggysail]

Originally Posted by Kiwi303

For the True vs Modified debate as to the sinewave your inverter puts out, If you are using Electric goods, like nonvariable speed drills and grinders, the Modified is usually fine, however Electronic goods like TVs and stereo systems need true sinewave. Laptops can usually get away with modified even tho they are electronic because they have an adapter that cuts it to DC anyway.

What this means is if you get the simpler basic tools and avoid electronic control ones then running tools off a cheap inverter is quite practical, but if you want to run sophisticated tools, you will need a sophisticated inverter which obviously will mean more dollars to shell out.

Really? My 32" Sony HD TV sitting in my boat works just fine with either of my two modified sinewave inverters. Even my fridge works but it is a little noiser than when it operates from my dedicated sinewave inverter.

I believe the things you will have problems with using non-sinewave inverters are those that have magnetic components especially motors.

[roverhi]

Au contraire, mon ami. Motors work just fine with modified sine wave inverters. It's some, not all, electronics that need sine wave power.