E Bay inverters ... anybody have one like this ???

Submitted: Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:20

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Inverters

This article discusses how Inverters work and why they are so desirable to many travellers. It explains the difference between modifed sine wave inverters and pure sinewave inverters; contains a

Member - Joe n Mel n kids (FNQ

Hi all, looking at an inverter on e-bay, Pure Sine wave 5000w ....E Bay inverter
Any of you guys used this supplier and does anyone have one of these units ????
They are about $1000 bucks from one place and $599 from this guy ..... exact same unit
Cheers and thanks in advance
Joe

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Reply By: Member - Joe n Mel n kids (FNQ - Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:25

Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:25

Just remembered i can load up a pic so here it is .....

Inverter

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Reply By: Allan B (Member, SunCoast) - Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:36

Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:36

hi Joe,

I wouldn't know if that is a good buy our not.
But what on earth do you want to run on it? I suppose you do realise that when loaded to 5000w it will be drawing about 450 amps from your 12v battery? More than a typical starter motor and about 5 minutes battery life.

Cheers
Allan

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Follow Up By: Member - John (Vic) - Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:42

Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:42

Yep what he said!!

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Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:43

Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:43

".........5 minutes battery life."

Plenty long enough to microwave a pie, Allan.

Bob.

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Follow Up By: Allan B (Member, SunCoast) - Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:46

Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:46

Maybe, but you won't be able to drive anywhere to buy another pie!

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Allan

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Follow Up By: Member - Joe n Mel n kids (FNQ - Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:47

Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:47

Hi Allen,
Yeh i know .....I was kinda waiting for someone to pick that up, what it is we estimate we will need 1500-2000w and i will simply buy bigger than "hopefully" i will ever need and it should then be reliable as it will hardly work ......
Hoping my theroy is a good one, i do tend to spend a bit bigger than normal for stuff when we travel as i really DONT want anything to fail ...
We will actually have a bank of 4 x N70ZZ batterys.....
Cheers
Joe

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Follow Up By: Member - Joe n Mel n kids (FNQ - Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:49

Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:49

oh hahah all, it is going in a van .... and the Engle will be half full of pies ... and half beer OK !!!!!
Cheers

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Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:56

Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:56

Reckon they'd be worth a try, Joe.

You could have the kids in the 'van, heating pies while you killed a few metres, and that should keep the battery charged, as well.

Drove a truck for 10 days, that had a 2000w inverter in it, and we used to boil a jug with it. The circuit breaker dropped out a bit, as you'd expect, but at least the coffee was hot.

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Follow Up By: Allan B (Member, SunCoast) - Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:57

Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:57

So, it's a Pie Van maybe?

Cheers
Allan

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Follow Up By: Member - John (Vic) - Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:58

Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:58

Joe what do you want to run off the thing?
Even 2000 watts is pretty big.
I use a 600 watt Pure Sine wave unit for charging phones and laptops etc, don't run anything major off it, does just fine.

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Follow Up By: Allan B (Member, SunCoast) - Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 18:05

Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 18:05

I see that it has "Battery Low Alarm Protection".
That'll drive you batty! LOL

Cheers
Allan

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Follow Up By: Bonz (Vic) - Sunday, Sep 02, 2012 at 08:10

Sunday, Sep 02, 2012 at 08:10

Well let me say that the maximum those outlets would be rated at would be 2400w, each (i.e. 10a at 240vAC), so 4800w at a pinch, and even then I wouldnt want to have that running thru a little box mounted in my car/van/anything. I cant see how anything isndie the box would be rated to 10000w.

If you only need 1500w then get a 2000w pure sine wave jobby, but thats still a lot of power thru an inverter I reckon.

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Reply By: Gazza Bear - Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:48

Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:48

seriously i have a 1500 watt sine inverter and it draws way too much current to be useful
always check the current draw of the inverter to see whether it suites your needs.

i bought my inverter from a ebay supplier in China for $64 and it is extremely well made. i have used it often and you don't need to spend a lot of money.

AnswerID: 494079

Reply By: Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) - Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:52

Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 17:52

Gee! That would suck the battery flat at full load in 3 minutes! LOL ! Michael

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Follow Up By: Geoff in SA - Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 19:47

Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 19:47

As an electrician I would be very suspect of that Invertor.
At 5KVa and peaking to 10KVa it is not big enough. There is not enough heat dissapation for a start and I really doubt it is a pure sine wave.
Have a look at some Invertors and you will find that anything over about 2500 watts will be required to run on 24 volts DC.

It will kill your battery if it was even half loaded.

Regards

Geoff

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Follow Up By: Geoff in SA - Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 19:50

Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 19:50

Just read a bit more of the post.
If you require somewhere between 1500 and 2000 watts I suggest you go buy a genny.

I know its a hassle but it will run for hours and not flatten yr battery (S)

Geoff

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Follow Up By: Member - Joe n Mel n kids (FNQ - Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 23:57

Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 23:57

Thanks Geoff, one big problem at the moment in a lot of places is that gennys are not allowed due to the noise factor, i agree totally on what you say, i also have the space problem and kid factor and gennys n kids dont mix that well, i already have had a fire from the fuel so i am over gennys .... i know a lot of comments are leaning to battery draw but from what i know it is basically relevent to the load and i only have looked at a big unit in hope it will be always loaded light and be trouble free, i doubt if i ever will load it beyound 1500w but at least it will be capable if i ever do .... i have a 600w unit now and the one and only time i needed it to work hard it could not handle it as it was to high a start up draw ....
Cheers and thanks for the reply
Joe

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Reply By: Member - iijmartin - Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 20:05

Saturday, Sep 01, 2012 at 20:05

Hi Joe,
I have a cheap 2500W pure sine inverter. The few occasions we use it has been fine. Why 2500W?? Because The missus needs a hair dryer on occasion when free camping. The 12V hair dryers won't dry her thick hair. I have little hair..on my head. It is quite interesting to watch the amps used on the Victron battery monitor. She only uses the dryer minimally say 5-7 mins and uses 8-10 amps. Easily replaced by solar.
So I don't think they are a big drama, provided you use them sensibly. I agree with you better to get an inverter to suit your needs. The hair dryer won't run off a 600W inverter.
I did have one interesting situation free camping. Ran the lead from the inverter (front boot) to 240V inlet, switched on inverter...wham, battery monitor squarking and 12v appliances struggling. I had accidently left the 30A battery charger plugged in and turned. Inverter was struggling to charge van batteries!!!
Live and learn.
Cheers,
Ian

AnswerID: 494085

Reply By: Macca - Thursday, Sep 13, 2012 at 12:49

Thursday, Sep 13, 2012 at 12:49

Hi Joe

I have one of those - 600W pure sine wave - got it from 'Bit MB P/L' on e-bay. It cost peanuts and I didn't expect much but it's been very good.

It arrived with one of the terminals broken due to the post office dropping it from a great height (I'd guess). It wasn't packed very well.

I contacted Bit MB and rather than me returning it to them I suggested they send me some terminals and I'd fit it myself. This they did and it has worked OK even though the aluminium box is also slightly bent from the blow that broke the terminal.

I have used it many times mostly for my VAST tellie via a 120AH AGM battery.

I have also used it to power a 4 1/2" angle grinder from the same battery - it's never 'cut out' due to overload or failed in any way - yet!

Best of luck

Happy days

George

AnswerID: 494801

Follow Up By: Macca - Thursday, Sep 13, 2012 at 13:01

Thursday, Sep 13, 2012 at 13:01

I should have added that my wife uses it for drying hair when bush camping and we often run the 240v leccy blankets with it too. It seems to be bullet proof - so far.

Cheers

Interestingly, I checked the current draw of my VAST system when fired up and operating - including the 32" LED/LCD Kogan tellie that we use. It was 4.5A!! - that's measured at the AGM battery lead - the actual current being drawn to power the whole system including the inverter itself. I reclkon that's pretty good.

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