Inverter to inverter to charger
Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009 at 00:39
ThreadID:
73362
Views:
3052
Replies:
3
FollowUps:
3
This Thread has been Archived
Serendipity (WA)
I have some battery
tools that I would like to take when on the road when traveling. When I purchased the cordless
tools mail order from the USA the charger was 110v and has a 240v to 110v step down transformer.
I have a 600w square sine wave inverter but have been warned not to use it to charge the likes of lithium ion batteries like I have with the cordless tools.
Question for those who know more about electrickery than me.
Would this step down transformer smooth out the square sine wave from my 600w 12v to 240v inverter and allow me to use my 110v charger to charge my batteries.
Seems a bit long winded but would like to work with the gear I already have.
David
Reply By: Member - Mike DID - Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009 at 06:13
Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009 at 06:13
I would buy a 12 to 110volt Sinewave Inverter - it only needs to be low power.
"I have a 600w square sine wave inverter but have been warned not to use it to charge"
- I assume you mean a Modified Square Wave (though what the Marketing Dept liars call a Modified Sine Wave)
- It all depends on how good the Inverter is and how good the battery charger is.
AnswerID:
389066
Reply By: Robin Miller - Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009 at 07:41
Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009 at 07:41
It will smooth it out enough David.
Theres a fair bet that it will work correctly without the transformer as
well however I can appreciate your being careful and without a circuit diagram I cannot give you sound advice.
I would try it and watch for the unit getting hotter than via the transformer.
My garmin 276c came from USA at 1/2 price and with a 110v lithium charger which works perfectly
well straight off our 240vac mains.
AnswerID:
389070
Follow Up By: Serendipity (WA) - Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009 at 09:04
Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009 at 09:04
Hi Robin
Some chargers can take a range of input volts but this one states only 110v. A new charger in Aust 240v is around $250. They even make a 12v charger to run off your car for these batteries but again at around $250.
Since I already have the step down transformer I was hoping it fix the sinewave as the electrickery passes through.
David
FollowupID:
656801
Follow Up By: Robin Miller - Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009 at 12:02
Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009 at 12:02
Common issue with american stuff David, my unit was only labelled 120vac as
well.
If its a small lightweight item , this means it probably has no internal transformer and is a switchmode design and worth taking the chance to just change the plug and try on 240 , just watch out for heat.
FollowupID:
656816
Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009 at 12:15
Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009 at 12:15
Hmmmmm Just dont try putting 240 volt through the 110volt side of a computer
Had to fix one that was brought back from US and had been running on 110 over there.
Woman was so excited to show her friends she turned it on without changing it over to 240.
It stuffed the lot.
Only thing left that was any good was the case.
She got it free for being friendly to someone over there.
By the time it all gradually died it would have been cheaper to buy it when she got back
ROFL.
FollowupID:
656818
Reply By: Ozhumvee - Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009 at 07:55
Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009 at 07:55
Another way is to source a 12v charger from the items manufacturer, I've got a Dewalt 12v charger for my lithium ion batteries, was about $60 from memory.
Does all dewalt batteries, in my case 18v ones.
AnswerID:
389073