Recommendations for a replacement inverter

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MarMightyGood

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#251304 18-Jun-2019 12:03

Hi all - I've been running a powertech inverter in my shed for the last 2 years or so. This is the one: https://www.jaycar.co.nz/1100w-2200w-12vdc-to-240vac-modified-sinewave-inverter-with-2x2-1usb-and-lcd-display/p/MI5140

It runs a soldering iron and a few power tool chargers, so a modified sine wave is fine.

I returned the first one after it failed with a small bang. Jaycar were (to their credit) very good about it, however the replacement one has now also failed short circuit across the inputs. I'm not interested in returning it this time so opened it up, and it really not well put together; there are bodge wires everywhere, some pretty messy soldering and half of the internal screws appear to have been stripped during construction.

Can anyone recommend a better quality inverter available in New Zealand?

1101

3122 posts

Uber Geek

#2260770 19-Jun-2019 10:56

Chances are anything you buy will be some Chinese built cheapo with someones elses Brand Name slapped on it.
Not helpfull, but thats the way thing are , unless you are willing to pay considerably more for US or Euro manufactured or lab grade quality.

You could possibly convert a UPS to do this ?

MarMightyGood

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2260817 19-Jun-2019 11:55

Ya agree about the Chinese junk. One of the reasons I bought a Jaycar one was I'd hoped that Jaycar would at least ensure that they resold the better end of the junk pile.

The UPS idea is an interesting one. I'm not sure how I'd charge the battery but I imagine its doable. The battery is currently on a charge controller (also Chinese junk but direct from China and going like a champ) independent of the inverter.

Unless I can find a reliable inverter brand I might go the other way and buy a cheaper, less powerful one so that I can accept the odd loss.

SCUBADOO

192 posts

Master Geek

#2260877 19-Jun-2019 13:48

waveinverter.co.nz

FWIW We have the 300W pure sinewave model running in our motorhome powering our 255l Samsung fridge 24/7 for the last 4 years. It has never been turned off. Just a happy customer.

Aredwood

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#2260968 19-Jun-2019 16:47

If you dont mind making an inverter. There are lots of sellers on Aliexpress who are selling the inverter circuit boards. Although quite alot of them, you need to supply your own step up transformer. But they are a very cheap way of getting a high output pure sine wave inverter.

Prebuilt modified sine wave inverters are really cheap to buy on Aliexpress also.

richms

28172 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2260980 19-Jun-2019 17:19

MarMightyGood:

Ya agree about the Chinese junk. One of the reasons I bought a Jaycar one was I'd hoped that Jaycar would at least ensure that they resold the better end of the junk pile.

The UPS idea is an interesting one. I'm not sure how I'd charge the battery but I imagine its doable. The battery is currently on a charge controller (also Chinese junk but direct from China and going like a champ) independent of the inverter.

Unless I can find a reliable inverter brand I might go the other way and buy a cheaper, less powerful one so that I can accept the odd loss.

Jaycar is just junk at 5-10x the price that you can have quickly vs weeks off aliexpress. The only good thing is they go thru the hoops to make a SDOC for things that need it to use in a business.

Richard rich.ms

MarMightyGood

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2261047 19-Jun-2019 18:49

richms:

MarMightyGood:

Ya agree about the Chinese junk. One of the reasons I bought a Jaycar one was I'd hoped that Jaycar would at least ensure that they resold the better end of the junk pile.

The UPS idea is an interesting one. I'm not sure how I'd charge the battery but I imagine its doable. The battery is currently on a charge controller (also Chinese junk but direct from China and going like a champ) independent of the inverter.

Unless I can find a reliable inverter brand I might go the other way and buy a cheaper, less powerful one so that I can accept the odd loss.

Jaycar is just junk at 5-10x the price that you can have quickly vs weeks off aliexpress. The only good thing is they go thru the hoops to make a SDOC for things that need it to use in a business.

Yea - I usually buy cabling there, and anything mains powered. Cabling isn't much cheaper from AliExpress/Ebay, and the mains powered stuff for obvious reasons. Didn't work out so well this time though.

MarMightyGood

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2261354 20-Jun-2019 10:59

SCUBADOO: waveinverter.co.nz

FWIW We have the 300W pure sinewave model running in our motorhome powering our 255l Samsung fridge 24/7 for the last 4 years. It has never been turned off. Just a happy customer.

Aww man was quite interested in this, but something made me check this claim:

We supply NOMAD units to the New Zealand Navy (defence force supplier id NZ008725), Solar and Wind Powered homes, Fisher and Paykel, Coast Guard (proud sponsors of the Maretai unit),

Unfortunately the last bit doesn't seem to be supported by https://www.coastguard.nz/regions/northern-region/units/maraetai/about-us/sponsors/

I have to follow this up now don't I?

Tradepub

Free professional, reference and technical white papers (affiliate link).

tripper1000

1617 posts

Uber Geek

#2261506 20-Jun-2019 14:43

I bough a 2kw pure-sine Waveinverter 2nd hand off trademe and have been running 24/7 for the last year at up to 1800 watts load with no problems.

I do find it is a bit electrically noisy but it has been reliable so far and it must be at least 3 years old now. I did pull the covers off to clean the dust out when I got it, and I found the big cap's were a bit wobbly and put some new silicon on them to cure that.

Jaycar sell budget stuff. They specialise in cheap, cheerful & accessible, not good and reliable. You will find better quality inverters at the marine and RV places.

Edit" +1 that Aliexpress and Jaycar are on a par. You will often find the exact same stuff in Jaycar and on Aliexpress. The difference is with Jaycar you get it today, and if it fails you can exchange it tomorrow. If the item should happen to still be under warranty, take it back regardless of if you intend to use it going forward. By taking stuff back they loose profit which forces them to lift the quality of their products.

raytaylor

4014 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#2262432 22-Jun-2019 12:44

I have found jaycar inverters in the sub-$500 price bracket are pretty good at failing within a year.

10 years ago I would have thought a 2kw inverter for less than $1000 was a steal. Now it seems the norm.

We bought a bunch of the mid-range ones from jaycar for a project where we needed to add mains to 12v sites for a government dept and they all failed.

Side story: About a month ago, I bought an energiser brand one from jaycar and I have been quite impressed. Its on clearance and seems to do quite well with my 90w laptop - most sub 400w ones from there under the powertech brand start beeping overload with it.

https://www.jaycar.co.nz/energizer-500w-1000w-surge-12vdc-to-230vac-modified-sine-wave-inverter/p/MI5021

Ray Taylor

There is no place like localhost

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pipe60

127 posts

Master Geek

#2262692 22-Jun-2019 19:08

Doing a industrial job at the moment using Victron inverters.

Never used them before but a few recommended them.

https://victronenergy.co.nz/collections/inverters/12V-Inverters