CFL not working with inverter?

System

Hi, My house lighting system draws 186watts all cf lights. My inverter has 1200watt continous output I have tested it to 465watts for an hour. House voltage is 123v. Inverter output is 119v. The lights will not light, some flicker? Ideas? thanks.

BB.

Re: CFL not working with inverter?

Is the inverter a MSW (modified square/sine wave) type inverter?

The "peak" output voltage is not the same between the two types (MSW vs TSW/PSW--True/Pure Sine Wave Inverter)... And CFL's may see the MSW inverter as a "low voltage" condition and not be able to "strike" an arc.

All About Inverters
Choosing an inverter for water pumping

The above two FAQs about inverters should answer most of your questions.

From what I have read here, many people do successfully operate CFL's on MSW Inverters--you may have to purchase bulbs from several manufacturers and see which ones will work.

-Bill

icarus

Re: CFL not working with inverter?

Bill has it about right. I have never had a CFL not light on a Cheap Vector MSW inverter, but I have heard of it.

One other possibility is if the inverter has a "sleep" mode, is it possible that you do not have enough load to trigger it out of sleep? Perhaps light a conventional bulb, then try your CFLs.

Tony

Slappy

Re: CFL not working with inverter?

Try a cfl on a lamp/drop light plugged directly into the inverter. I have a 200 watt msw and the cfl's will work plugged directly into the inverter. But if the 200 watt msw is hooked into the house wiring it just does nothing. Wondering if it has something to do with the house grounding? mine is a vector, rebranded as a B&D.

icarus

Re: CFL not working with inverter?

Most cheap MSW inverters, and many True SW inverters will go up in smoke right away if connected to a grounded neutral house wiring system. (I burned up two of them in rapid succession a number of years ago before I figured that out!) This has to do with the floating neutral on a cheap inverter.

The fact that you haven't had yours go up in smoke may be luck. I would avoid wiring a cheap invert to house wiring until I knew the consequences of doing so.

Tony

BB.

Re: CFL not working with inverter?

Many Florescent Lamps (the long type) need a grounded metal reflector assembly to help get the arc started... A grounded metal shield near the CFL may help (try just holding your hand next to the bulb as it starts).

-Bill