Looking for small inverter with low stand-by current

Re: Looking for small inverter with low stand-by current

I tested my inverters to determine their idle current. I posted the data here: http://2manytoyz.com/noload.html

One of the best ones was an old Vector inverter. 1.8 Watts/hr. The newer version has a similar model number, but draws 6.36 Watts/hr by comparison. Details at the link above.

I'm using two Vector inverters for lighting at my home. Rather than leave the inverters running all the time (parasitic load), each only runs when lighting on their circuit is required. One circuit is for exterior lights, and is switched on/off via an automatic lighting circuit built into a MorningStar 10L charge controller. The other circuit is my living room lighting. I'm using a 12V remote control circuit and relay to turn this inverter on/off. Works very well. Details on this setup are at this link: http://2manytoyz.com/gridless.html

FWIW, the CFL lighting connected to each of these inverters operate as if on the grid. There's no fluttering, humming, etc. MSW works well for this purpose.

Re: Looking for small inverter with low stand-by current

_OS_ wrote: »

Hi Robert!

Thanks for the information. I have spent the last hour reading everything on your web site! Very interesting read! Much of the stuff you have done I will do in my cabin system as well.

As I wrote above, my Victron inverter uses about 8W of stand-by power that is a total waste at night when the only power we need is when we turn on a light in the bedroom. The Victron has a power save mode that reduce the power to 5W. I tried it but the problem is that the lights "blinks" once every 5 seconds or so. This was so annoying that I turned it off.

I will install a relay that switches in the small inverter at night either automatically or on my command.

OS

Glad you found some of the info useful!

My Prosine inverter also has a stand-by mode. It draws less than 1.5 Watts in the standby mode. It sends out a pulse every couple of seconds to determine if a > 20 Watt load has been applied. If so, the unit comes up to full power. That pulse isn't enough to flash an incandescent, but it sure will flicker a CFL bulb. An X-10 lighting control module will do the same thing unless it's modified.

I managed to capture the small pulse on a scopemeter...



Nice feature, but doesn't work well with CFL bulbs!

Good luck on your cabin project.

Re: Looking for small inverter with low stand-by current

One problem I discovered, while testing how a MSW waveform would hold up after a 100' of extension cord, is the two 50' extension cords with neon bulbs built into the female end, would cause the inverter to fault. I could plug one 50' cord in, then the load, but two cords, with no load, would cause the inverter to shutdown. Weird.



I did successfully complete the 100' extension cord test, but I had to use a 50' section that didn't have a neon bulb. This is something GOOD to know if you ever plan on using extension cords during an outage!

Waveform at the inverter:



Waveform at the end of 100' of extension cord:

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Another issue that can occur is having a purely inductive load. A friend on another forum tried stringing 10 CFL bulbs on a MSW inverter. The string would light up, power down, then light up again.

He discovered that it would power up a few fine, and if he added one at a time, he could eventually light up the entire string.

The booklet that came with my inverter talks a bit about this issue. They said to avoid it, make part of the load resistive, and the inverter will work fine.

Since I'm only powering a couple of CFL bulbs on each of these two inverters, the problem doesn't occur.

Re: Looking for small inverter with low stand-by current

I like them too, can't afford one yet. Listed on the internet at about $2900.00 for that unit. Keep up the great support work in helping people out.

Re: Looking for small inverter with low stand-by current

niel wrote: »

2manytoyz,
i like that scope. set you back much?

Nah, not much. I have 4 of them. Okay, my 'employer' has 4 of them. I sometimes will field test one. Really like that it displays volts/freq as well as waveform. Painfully easy to use, unlike the previous model (same brand) that we had.

Well beyond my personal budget. I have an old Sony/Tek 2 channel o-scope that I can call my own. Nothing fancy, but works.



One thing better than buying expensive toyz, is being able to borrow them. ;-)