Inverter problems
Submitted: Thursday, Mar 18, 2004 at 20:31
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Willem
I bought a Powertech Pure Sinewave 150watt Inverter a little more than 12 months ago. On the recent EO long weekend to Little Desert the inverter cooked itself with plumes of smoke emanating from the box. It was out of warraty and I couldn't find the purchase receipt.
My travelling mate, who is a retired lekky decided it was a a capacitor that was crook and whilst in
Adelaide this week scouted around and found an electrical spares
shop hidden away in a side street. There he bought the capacitor and soldered it in for me. The inverter is working again.
Cost? $1.35 for the part and some solder and a couple of city blocks of walking.
I wonder what Powertech would have charged me for a repair job.
Reply By: Jarrod - Thursday, Mar 18, 2004 at 20:47
Thursday, Mar 18, 2004 at 20:47
Willem, as a Qualified Electronics Tech, I can tell you what went wrong with your inverter - The smoke got out!!! ya see, everything electrical runs on "smoke" similar to water in a pipe. If somehow the smoke is allowed to be released (in your case the electrolitic capacitor burst) then the item stops - This is also true of some engines - However engines have lots more "smoke". Sometimes it all comes out at once - thats why they stop running!!
I know this wont help, but it made me smile when I heard it....
Jarrod.
P.s, same person who told this also said "life is tough. It's tougher if you're stupid".......
AnswerID:
50947
Follow Up By: Wayne (NSW) - Thursday, Mar 18, 2004 at 20:51
Thursday, Mar 18, 2004 at 20:51
Jarrod,
Same would apply to air in tyres.
Wayne
FollowupID:
312697
Follow Up By: Willem - Thursday, Mar 18, 2004 at 21:00
Thursday, Mar 18, 2004 at 21:00
Jarrod,
A good joke is always appreciated :-)))))
Hope I never have to have anything repaired by you..hahahahahaha
FollowupID:
312699
Follow Up By: Bonz (Vic) - Thursday, Mar 18, 2004 at 22:25
Thursday, Mar 18, 2004 at 22:25
Jarrod,
thanx for the advice, I have silliconed up all the holes in my inverter especially that pesky fan at the back and now the smoke wont be able to get out, just to be sure I only use it when its securely fastened in a plastic bag, I keep under the
seat.
Thanx Mate, you saved my inverter
FollowupID:
312738
Follow Up By: joc45 - Friday, Mar 19, 2004 at 01:26
Friday, Mar 19, 2004 at 01:26
Some years ago, there used to be a DOS program called nosmoke.exe, which used to fix smoking computer power supplies. Perhaps it might work on
inverters if a laptop is running off it.
Gerry
FollowupID:
312771
Reply By: Member - StevenL - Thursday, Mar 18, 2004 at 21:19
Thursday, Mar 18, 2004 at 21:19
My parents Dometic Aircon on the caravan recently was not working. Guy came and checked it out and it was the capacitor.
Apparently when they start up there is a huge initial load so there is a capacitor that supplies extra kick to get things moving. Happens in a few things electrical I'm told. The job of a capacitor is to store electricity drawn slowly from a source and then release it quicly when triggered. I think camera flashes work on this principle.
Same as you said, the guy said that these things just give up the ghost suddenly. Dad now has a spare one ready for next time. The cost $16 for the capacitor and $50 for the call out.
Maybe a capacitor is in the inverter to smooth out start up loads of equipment plugged into it???
StevenL
AnswerID:
50955