Samsung and LG refrigerators on a modifies sine wave inverter

fhillier
fhillier Registered Users Posts: 1
My setup has a Modified sine wave inverter and can't afford to change it right now and want to add a refrigerator. The LG and Samsung have been recommended. Any comments about longevity also will I need a line conditioner because of the Modified?
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Comments

  • jonr
    jonr Solar Expert Posts: 1,386 ✭✭✭✭
    My guess is that an inverter based refrigerator is a good match for a MSW inverter, with no reduction in longevity.

    I am available for custom hardware/firmware development

  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Line Conditioners work poorly with MSW inverters, because it's not just a little bit of cleanup that needs to be done.
    MSW inverters are poorly named, they are Square wave inverters and bear little resemblance to a sine wave.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
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  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    Square wave is problematic with many electronic devices, switching transformers for example, due to the abrupt changes in voltage, capacitors are particularly vulnerable to the extreme rise and fall, being their responsibility of smoothing the incoming waveform. The voltage rises too quickly, then collapses before the circuitry can respond, causing the device to hunt, which in return results in stress and premature failure. This phenomenon is also problematic in induction motors, which manifests as heat buildup in the laminated cores. For these reasons my opinion/recommendation is only use modified sine wave for restive loads, even an inverter refrigerator, which needs to rectify the incoming waveform could potentially have problems, perhaps not immediately but over time,  which supports @mike95490 statement regarding line conditioninors.
    1500W, 6× Schutten 250W Poly panels , Schneider MPPT 60 150 CC, Schneider SW 2524 inverter, 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Battery Bodyguard BMS 
    Second system 1890W  3 × 300W No name brand poly, 3×330 Sunsolar Poly panels, Morningstar TS 60 PWM controller, no name 2000W inverter 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Daly BMS, used for water pumping and day time air conditioning.  
    5Kw Yanmar clone single cylinder air cooled diesel generator for rare emergency charging and welding.
  • 706jim
    706jim Solar Expert Posts: 514 ✭✭✭✭
    I went through this process last year after buying an Insignia fridge from Best Buy. Even bought a Samlex pure sine inverter to run it only to find that I ordered the wrong voltage. So I took a chance and hooked it up to my old Trace MSW inverter. The fridge has been fine after about 3 months continuous operation despite running with a power factor of 45-60%.
    Time will tell if there will be a problem with MSW power, but it has worked just fine for my TV satellite receiver induction motor powered water pump and nearly everything else. It has been mentioned here that the Trace DR inverters are a"better" version of MSW power possibly due to its transformer design.
    Once again it comes down to "should I buy a $1500 inverter to save a $400 fridge"?
    Island cottage solar system with 2500 watts of panels, 1kw facing southeast 1.3kw facing southwest 170watt ancient Arco's facing south. All panels in parallel for a 24 volt system. Trace DR1524 MSW inverter, Outback Flexmax 80 MPPT charge controller 8 Trojan L16's. Insignia 11.5 cubic foot electric fridge. My 30th year.
  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I suspect there are significant differences in MSW inverters. Some may be nearly square wave with the very sudden voltage changes @mcgivor noted above, while others change voltage in a series of steps. Although a stepped wave isn't a curve like a sine wave, it could be a reasonable approximation with enough steps.

    I started out at the cabin using a cheap (1500w IIRC) MSW inverter from a hardware store. It weighed maybe a couple of pounds. The Xantrex MSW 2000w inverter on my boat isn't a whole lot smaller or lighter than my 3500w Outback PSW. The Xantrex includes charging as well as inverting, but I don't think that accounts for the extra size and weight.
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    Yes I blanketed  all modified sine wave inverters, some are better than others, some with a stepped sine wave, but then again  some "pure" sine wave are not much better with high "THD" or total harmonic distortion, guess it's a point of good not cheap, cheap not good.
    1500W, 6× Schutten 250W Poly panels , Schneider MPPT 60 150 CC, Schneider SW 2524 inverter, 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Battery Bodyguard BMS 
    Second system 1890W  3 × 300W No name brand poly, 3×330 Sunsolar Poly panels, Morningstar TS 60 PWM controller, no name 2000W inverter 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Daly BMS, used for water pumping and day time air conditioning.  
    5Kw Yanmar clone single cylinder air cooled diesel generator for rare emergency charging and welding.