Best inverter charger

[michaelmrc]

mastervolt makes some very nice products as do victron and magnum. here in canada my issue with victron is the horrific lack of tech support, whereas magnum has been excellent.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by michaelmrc

mastervolt makes some very nice products as do victron and magnum. here in canada my issue with victron is the horrific lack of tech support, whereas magnum has been excellent.

You can use the Victron support channel in their Dutch headquarters

[DotDun]

I'm in the middle of updating to Victron....called the US office twice with technical questions, both times got excellent support.

[Idylles15.5]

I think I'll suck it up and go with the Victron. By the way, wasn't this a nice little discussion lol. No fighting or armchair sailor know it alls. Very refshing lol. We stayed on topic and no fights.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by DotDun

I'm in the middle of updating to Victron....called the US office twice with technical questions, both times got excellent support.

I had pretty good luck getting through to US tech support as well.

[Typhoon]

Thought I would share my experience . Bought a brand new Victron phoenix a few years back but never got around to installing it . When I did , it was
DOA ! Went back to Victron , they told me it was out of warranty , so I thought ok no problem , I will pay for the repair . After all.... this is a Victron and I wanted the best .!Well , as it turned out the CPU that controlled the unit is not made any more and not available. That's it ?!?!? Thats all they could say to me ? this 3000$ dollar unit is an anchor ? Yep !! I will never endorse Victron! I have a Vanner on board , built in the USA , this thing is rock solid , built like a tank , doesn't make a sound ! Was half the money and has never been off for three years. This unit works hard every day running domestic water , washing machine , microwave , toaster , and power tools , never even gets warm . vanner vanner vanner . They are used on fire trucks ,ambulances , hydro trucks . Now that's tough work , built like a tank . I have no affiliation with them . Just a happy customer.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

You can use the Victron support channel in their Dutch headquarters

Unfortunately I only know about three words in Dutch.

However, if they are like everyone else I met in the Netherlands they probably speak better English than I do.

[redsky49]

Nightmare experience with Xantrex several years ago. Multiple failures, replacement units as well as original, terrible factory support. I believe that they moved the production offshore at some point, so that might be a factor. Extremely frustrating, especially when cruising offshore. Never again.

Magnum unit that replaced the Xantrex has performed flawlessly. When I called the factory to ask a question, lines were busy. Left my number. They called back 20 minutes later, and had all the answers to my questions.

Magnum unit is somewhat larger and heavier than the comparable Xantrex, and functions somewhat differently. After about six years, I am quite happy with the Magnum Energy MS-2000 series inverter chargers.

Recommend Magnum 100%.

[Idylles15.5]

Originally Posted by ColdEh Marine

Thought I would share my experience . Bought a brand new Victron phoenix a few years back but never got around to installing it . When I did , it was
DOA ! Went back to Victron , they told me it was out of warranty , so I thought ok no problem , I will pay for the repair . After all.... this is a Victron and I wanted the best .!Well , as it turned out the CPU that controlled the unit is not made any more and not available. That's it ?!?!? Thats all they could say to me ? this 3000$ dollar unit is an anchor ? Yep !! I will never endorse Victron! I have a Vanner on board , built in the USA , this thing is rock solid , built like a tank , doesn't make a sound ! Was half the money and has never been off for three years. This unit works hard every day running domestic water , washing machine , microwave , toaster , and power tools , never even gets warm . vanner vanner vanner . They are used on fire trucks ,ambulances , hydro trucks . Now that's tough work , built like a tank . I have no affiliation with them . Just a happy customer.

I was just on the Vanner website. Thanks for the info. Never even heard of them. Has all the options of the Victron and like you mentioned looks like its built like a brick S house. American made which means I can get parts and service without being clobbered. I'm calling them tomorrow. Thanks

[redsky49]

Originally Posted by Idylles15.5

I was just on the Vanner website. Thanks for the info. Never even heard of them. Has all the options of the Victron and like you mentioned looks like its built like a brick S house. American made which means I can get parts and service without being clobbered. I'm calling them tomorrow. Thanks

I had never heard of them either. They make no mention (that I could find) of serving the marine market.

Salt air is a tough environment, perform your due diligence.

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by ColdEh Marine

Thought I would share my experience . Bought a brand new Victron phoenix a few years back but never got around to installing it . When I did , it was
DOA ! Went back to Victron , they told me it was out of warranty , so I thought ok no problem , I will pay for the repair . After all.... this is a Victron and I wanted the best .!Well , as it turned out the CPU that controlled the unit is not made any more and not available. That's it ?!?!? Thats all they could say to me ? this 3000$ dollar unit is an anchor ? Yep !! I will never endorse Victron! I have a Vanner on board , built in the USA , this thing is rock solid , built like a tank , doesn't make a sound ! Was half the money and has never been off for three years. This unit works hard every day running domestic water , washing machine , microwave , toaster , and power tools , never even gets warm . vanner vanner vanner . They are used on fire trucks ,ambulances , hydro trucks . Now that's tough work , built like a tank . I have no affiliation with them . Just a happy customer.

Not calling BS, but it's certainly suspicious as there is no model Victron Phoenix that costs anywhere close to $3000! Even in CA funny money, no model over $1000.

[Typhoon]

Originally Posted by redsky49

I had never heard of them either. They make no mention (that I could find) of serving the marine market.

Salt air is a tough environment, perform your due diligence.

They are rebranded by Charles I think for the marine market , take a look inside a Victron , nothing special , no epoxy coating , nothing but marketing hype . If a vanner can work for years inside a hydro truck all year around on the road , I'm sure it can work inside a boat. Mine has done the job . I have seen Vanners that looked like they had been in a fire , and they still worked , my step son works for the local transit system as an electrician . He has seen old vanners that worked after years of brutal abuse . Lol. tough stuff highest praise . Maybe I'm a little jaded by my bad treatment from Victron, but I'm happy to have a Vanner .

Regards John

[Typhoon]

Originally Posted by DotDun

Not calling BS, but it's certainly suspicious as there is no model Victron Phoenix that costs anywhere close to $3000! Even in CA funny money, no model over $1000.

Hmmm . yeah , they dicountinued them , remember that CPU chip ? This was around 6 years ago , it was a 2000 watt unit . Just an inverter no charger . Look on the discontinued page , you will find it . And yes it was almost 3000 Canadian with taxes .

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by ColdEh Marine

Hmmm . yeah , they dicountinued them , remember that CPU chip ? This was around 6 years ago , it was a 2000 watt unit . Just an inverter no charger . Look on the discontinued page , you will find it . And yes it was almost 3000 Canadian with taxes .

Have no choice but to believe you.

I do believe Victron has improved customer service in the last 6 years. Now, they at least have employees in the US.

[Lepke]

I use/run ac power 100% of the time. Double door reefer and 2 small freezers and 99% of the lights are ac. My heads are incinolets and use 1kwh/flush.
I use Magnum MS-AE inverters. What is the selling point for me is 120/240 volt with all power running thru the inverter. It auto switches to batteries on loss of shore/generator power without power loss in the boat. Clocks, etc., keep time and so on. I have 2 inverters for 8+kw. and use several banks of 8dd batteries. It is a non thinking system for me.
When on shore power or generator the inverters charge the batteries. When on batteries and charging needed, the system starts one of the generators that runs until the batteries are full. I have enough batteries to go 2+ days on the hook w/o charging. I plan to add solar and maybe a turbine.
Also, when cruising, I no longer run a generator. Main driven alternator keeps up the batteries. I don't know what Magnums service is like. I never needed it.