PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
Try to follow what is being discussed, for once.
You think the Goggle searches Roger was doing and the generic schematics relate to the OPs inverter ? It's not hard to read what's been said, you should try it sometime.
Should I earth my inverter?
- Thread starter RAP77
- Start date
Try to follow what is being discussed, for once.
You think the Goggle searches Roger was doing and the generic schematics relate to the OPs inverter ? It's not hard to read what's been said, you should try it sometime.
lw395
Well-Known Member
If you have an inverter with an output transformer, you may be able to modify it to earth the neutral. It might be very easy and have no adverse consequences. Or there might be all sorts of unforeseen complications.
There are a lot of subtleties in transformers which a lot of us have learned about the hard way, when products start failing tests such as EMC or RFI.
Sometimes, electric ciruits are like boat designs, in that symmetry is a Good Thing!
The expensive famous name product designed for the job starts to look like a wise purchase.
There are a lot of subtleties in transformers which a lot of us have learned about the hard way, when products start failing tests such as EMC or RFI.
Sometimes, electric ciruits are like boat designs, in that symmetry is a Good Thing!
The expensive famous name product designed for the job starts to look like a wise purchase.
CLB
Well-Known Member
Ok guys, it appears that I don't know anywhere near enough on this subject. I might run a few tests of the unit I have bought and see how it reacts to various faults. I know just about enough not to kill myself 
It appears that there us no simple answer, so hopefully this thread will at least be useful to anyone in the future with the same question. It will almost certainly come up again.
It appears that there us no simple answer, so hopefully this thread will at least be useful to anyone in the future with the same question. It will almost certainly come up again.
VicS
Well-Known Member
I have read the parts of the thread which are relevant to CLB's question.
I have not commented on Roger Shaw's Goggle search results and am not going to comment on them !
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
Excellent :encouragement:
Stick to commenting on those posts then, not on ones that others amongst us are discussing, that don't directly relate to CLBs question. That way, you won't get confused.
Of course not, you didn't read them, because they are not directly relevant to CLBs question
CLB
Well-Known Member
Sorry to resurrect again, but I thought it may be interesting and help narrow down exactly what type of inverter I have.
I plugged in one of those socket testers, the one with lights to tell you if all is well or indicate what might be wrong.
First test, it said live and neutral reversed. Now mine has an EU outlet and I was using an adapter so it was quite easy to spin it around. Guess what. Live and neutral still reversed. What does this mean?
As a matter of interest, following comments on here and the testing I have done, I am almost certainly not going to put this on my boat. Just interested now in what the unit actually is.
Cheers
I plugged in one of those socket testers, the one with lights to tell you if all is well or indicate what might be wrong.
First test, it said live and neutral reversed. Now mine has an EU outlet and I was using an adapter so it was quite easy to spin it around. Guess what. Live and neutral still reversed. What does this mean?
As a matter of interest, following comments on here and the testing I have done, I am almost certainly not going to put this on my boat. Just interested now in what the unit actually is.
Cheers
superheat6k
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure it has 'identified' just yet, so Het, Hom or Bi who knows ?
More seriously untied or centre tapped to earth, which might explain why you get a non- positive answer on a conventional socket tester either way around.
matthewriches
Well-Known Member
You'll probably find both the Live and Neutral plug pins have voltage on at circa 120 ish volts.
Those plug testers don't really mean anything so as far as electrical testing goes.
My apprentice bought one and it went straight offsite as it means nothing in professional electrical testing.
I have an American bred boat that I look after and his Northan Lights generator does exactly that, as it is what they call "2 hots".
Those plug testers don't really mean anything so as far as electrical testing goes.
My apprentice bought one and it went straight offsite as it means nothing in professional electrical testing.
I have an American bred boat that I look after and his Northan Lights generator does exactly that, as it is what they call "2 hots".
rogerthebodger
Well-Known Member
I know the inverter on my boat is not a center tapped inverter but when I plug my mains tester plug it also shows receivers poultry both ways round.
With a multi meter measure the voltage between L & N , L & E , N & E and give us the values you get.
If as Matthew says you get something like 120 Volts between L & E and N & E you may have a center tapped inverter.
I would measure the resistance between the Earth pin and the metal case of the inverter. (inverter disconnected from battery).
I would also measure the resistance between L & Earth pin and N & Eath pin to see if there is and continuity between the earth and the line pins. ( also with the battery disconnected)
