Power Inverters

Submitted: Sunday, May 24, 2009 at 08:54

ThreadID: 69121 Views:2112 Replies:3 FollowUps:6

This Thread has been Archived

Ray

Looking through E-bay I see than many of the inverter advertised there are 220 or 230 volt. I understand that our voltage is 240v.
How efficient would these lower voltage inverter be

Back Expand Un-Read 0 Moderator Share

Reply By: Robin Miller - Sunday, May 24, 2009 at 09:37

Reply By: _gmd_pps - Sunday, May 24, 2009 at 09:38

Reply By: Member - Captain (WA) - Sunday, May 24, 2009 at 19:13

Sunday, May 24, 2009 at 19:13

Yep, my bad :( ...was thinking inductive load only and not resistive load - posting too late at night with other things on my mind and didn't think about it (currently overseas in USA EST timezone). For a resistive load, less amps is certainly true :)

Cheers

Captain

AnswerID: 366518

Follow Up By: oldtrack123 - Sunday, May 24, 2009 at 20:45

Sunday, May 24, 2009 at 20:45

Hi Captain
Inductive loads are no differant to resistive loads they both have to obey ohms law !!

Perhaps you can explain how an inductive load will draw more current @ a lower voltage.?

FollowupID: 634258

Follow Up By: Member - Captain (WA) - Sunday, May 24, 2009 at 23:12

Sunday, May 24, 2009 at 23:12

I think I have confused the issue with some assumptions and my jetlag means a less than precise answer . First of all, I was thinking about the power draw from the 12v source to the inverter. If the inverter supplies a regulated 240V to the load, then the load on the inverter is constant - regardless of inductive or resistive. Now as the inverter is supplying a set load, if you lower the supplied DC voltage to the inverter then the amps must increase.

But as I have just realised, that is not the original question asked - it was about the AC voltage supplied being lower, not the DC. And yes, supply a lower inverted AC voltage to any load and it will draw less amps - will crawl back into bed and get some sleep after chastising myself for not reading the original post properly :)

Cheers

Captain

FollowupID: 634295

Follow Up By: oldtrack123 - Monday, May 25, 2009 at 12:09

Monday, May 25, 2009 at 12:09

Hi Captain
No problem, easy enough to do.
WE are now in agreement ,with one qualification .
The inverter & many other devises can be designed to draw more amps with falling voltage ,BUT there is a limit @ which the input components are overloaded.

I posted because I have seen the statement that POWER is a constant so many times elsewhere that I have been amazed.
It has lead to some long & somewhat heated discussions, with many ,I believe, refusing to accept their view was wrong

Enjoy your trip

FollowupID: 634335