Retail 3000W Sine-Wave Inverter for $525

AntronX
AntronX Solar Expert Posts: 462 ✭✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
http://sunelec.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6_40&products_id=791

What do you guys think? Cheap Chinese junk? Efficiency does not look impressive at only 87%. But this could be a bargain for off-gridders, if this thing can last.

Here is another one 2000W 12V at $433.
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Comments

  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Retail 3000W Sine-Wave Inverter for $525

    I'd verify UL and FCC certification before I bought it.
    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
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • RCinFLA
    RCinFLA Solar Expert Posts: 1,485 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Retail 3000W Sine-Wave Inverter for $525

    At 55 lbs. it looks like it has an isolation transformer, which is a good thing. Pretty much assures it can be neutral grounded.

    3kW is pushing the high end realistic maximum power from 24 vdc battery.

    Another factor is what the no-load idle current is. It could be in 50-60 watt range, drawing 2 to 3 amps from battery even with no AC output load.

    With 12 msec crossover, it probably at least syncronized to grid zero crossing but likely not a grid tie which inverter matches phase and voltage of grid. +/- 1 Hz freq tolerance is pretty poor.

    Another question is how charging is done. If it has poor power factor its charge current may drop off if AC input voltage is a little low. This would be of most concern if charging from a generator. ('power factor allowed' is for load, not the same as charger power factor)
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  • john p
    john p Solar Expert Posts: 814 ✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: Retail 3000W Sine-Wave Inverter for $525

    +/- 1 Hz freq tolerance is pretty poor.There are not many inverters that are much better than that ,and its not that important unless you need to be running a clock that is very accurate from it..
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #5
    Re: Retail 3000W Sine-Wave Inverter for $525

    Yes... Always 60.0 Hz so far:
    In the synchronous grid of Continental Europe, the deviation between network phase time and UTC is calculated at 08:00 each day in a control center in Switzerland, and the target frequency is then adjusted by up to ±0.01 Hz (±0.02%) from 50 Hz as needed, to ensure a long-term frequency average of exactly 24×3600×50 cycles per day is maintained.[18]

    In North America, whenever the error exceeds 10 seconds for the east, 3 seconds for Texas, or 2 seconds for the west, a correction of ±0.02 Hz (0.033%) is applied. Time error corrections start and end either on the hour or on the half hour.[19][20]

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • bryanl
    bryanl Solar Expert Posts: 175 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: Retail 3000W Sine-Wave Inverter for $525

    Being picky, but neutrals and chassis connected leads confuse people in this context. Code has been clarified in recent years but I've still seen bad advice provided to ground one side of the power improperly in portable devices.
    At 55 lbs. it looks like it has an isolation transformer, which is a good thing. Pretty much assures it can be neutral grounded.
    The blurb doesn't say whether or not the inverter has a neutral. It does indicate it can do 240 out which implies a neutral but that may or may not be the case. It almost appears that the 240v is achieved by ganging 2 of them, which would provide a neutral.

    It looks an awful lot like the ten year old Trace inverters, which are very good but aren't PSW. Interesting power factor qualifications, too.
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  • john p
    john p Solar Expert Posts: 814 ✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: Retail 3000W Sine-Wave Inverter for $525

    BB no one is disputing grid accuracy. BUT to 99.99345% of the people its "so what ?" Ive never seen an electric AC motor that has problems on frequency +/- 5hz of name plate and plug packs can just about all opperate on anything from about 45 to 65 hz so can Just about all switchmode power supplies and lighting.. mains powered clocks are the only things really affected. if you have to use an inverter and need accurate time buy a cheap digital watch or mabe just check the time on your cell phone. or get a sundial with battery backup for night time use.:cool:
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #8
    Re: Retail 3000W Sine-Wave Inverter for $525

    Not a problem--It is in my nature that when somebody asks a question (perhaps sarcastically--my detector is not that great :roll:)--I try and answer it. I learn a lot that way too. ;)

    The difference between 50 and 60 Hz for some devices can be enough to cause problems... Back in another life I used to repair IBM Selectric Typewriters (the little golf ball). Got one from Holland running on a 120:220 VAC transformer. And, on occasion, it would mess-up typing a character. In my parts kit I had the US 60 Hz motor pulley (a bit smaller in diameter) and fixed the problem.

    But, for normal electronics and appliances a 60Hz+/- 1 Hz is not going to be any problem (except for some timers).

    -Bill "its in my nature" B. :D
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • john p
    john p Solar Expert Posts: 814 ✭✭✭
    #9
    Re: Retail 3000W Sine-Wave Inverter for $525

    Its ok BB all I was trying to get across to the person asking about the inverter and to put the comment by another poster in perspective. "for most people it not matter if it even +/- 5hz " It would not be a good reason to not buy an inverter if it a good price providing of course other things about it were good" And $535 for 3kw is a great price. I would buy it if was in the market for one. but my 3 x80w solar panels would have to be working at full output day and night to keep the batteries charged.8)
    I had one of those golf ball typewriters. tried to explain to a young person a few weeks ago how they worked but his reply. ""why not just select another font and size from the menu ?""..
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  • RCinFLA
    RCinFLA Solar Expert Posts: 1,485 ✭✭✭✭
    #10
    Re: Retail 3000W Sine-Wave Inverter for $525

    I mentioned the +/- 1 Hz freq spec as only an indication of level of quality. A cheap 32 kHz crystal clock driven digital logic can assure better then 0.1 Hz

    When doing a zero crossing sync'd transfer crossover, the delta freq matters more then just normal continuous run accuracy. Syncronous motors, like refrig compressor, don't like having a snap freq change of +/- 1 Hz. It will cause a little current surge as the motor is forced to different speed. The speed shift is required without the benefit of starter cap engagement.
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  • john p
    john p Solar Expert Posts: 814 ✭✭✭
    #11
    Re: Retail 3000W Sine-Wave Inverter for $525

    While all that stated by RCinFLA can be technically a problem. Believe it or not where I live a lot of the time in the Philippines I see the frequency change more than +/- 1hz and voltage varies betwen 190 and 230 but despite all that refrigerators survive so does everything else.In the provinces you just think yourself lucky if you have electricity about 80% of the time . Some Philippine islands only have diesel generators that have more variation than that and only opperate from 5am to about 11pm asnd everything connected to them just have to cope or fail. thats life..
    I always hear the same "problems " running 50hz items on 60hz power and vice versa.. but as yet never seen or had a genuine problem in doing it..
    I still believe anyone that would be buying that inverter would be happy with it powering all electrical items(except clocks) providing it can provide the power it claims...Chances are its not going to be used to power medical equipment in an opperating theatre.
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #12
    Re: Retail 3000W Sine-Wave Inverter for $525

    http://www.dcacpower.com/product/3000.html

    There's a 3000 watt one for 289.99 including free shipping. I'm using the 5000 watt one right now and 2 gauge wiring. Only thing is my no load is a bit higher than the specs listed, it's a bit over 1.5amps, but it doesn't bother me.
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  • AntronX
    AntronX Solar Expert Posts: 462 ✭✭
    #13
    Re: Retail 3000W Sine-Wave Inverter for $525
    suncruisin wrote: »
    http://www.dcacpower.com/product/3000.html

    There's a 3000 watt one for 289.99...

    Not pure sine wave.
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