Which Invertor, Pure Sine or Modified

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GSL

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I would like to fit an invertor to my Mobo, to power a Nescaffe coffee machine and or televisions / DVD player when on anchor.

This is not my first experience with large domestic battery banks and invertors, I fitted a Victron 3000W Invertor / Charger in my last boat.

My question is, given my fairly simple requirements this time round, should I spend the extra on a Pure Sine Wave invertor, or is a Modified Sine Wave invertor perfectly satisfactory for my needs.

I will fit something in the 1000 - 2000 Watt range, and have 460 A/hrs of domestic battery available.

Thanks

Graham
 
Most TVs/DVDs are 12volt.

Your home TVs have a 240v transformer to step down to 12 volt.

Changing your boat 12v to 240 volt and them letting your TV change it back down to 12v is wasting huge amounts of power.

Take a careful look at TVs and DVDs for sale and find the ones with an external 240v to 12v transformer.

Then just plug it straight into your boats 12v supply ( could use a regulator if you want to watch on the move as 12v becomes 14.4v, but there is no need if it is just to use at anchor).

I have just taken my TV dvd out, an Ipad, 3 g dongle , TV catch up , netflix is a far better solution :)

As to the coffee machine , at anchor :confused:
I'd have a cold beer instead :D
 
Hey DAKA

I guess I have to admit to being a real girls blouse, however I just can not get used to sitting at anchor as the sun comes up drinking a beer, those days went by 35 years ago! Coffee thanks..... and a proper one at that.

I have already installed Samsung LED Televisons on the boat, they are only about 30mm deep and I am very please with the look of them mounted flat on the wall, and the quality of picture, so the 12 volt option does not exist. I did that on the last boat and I was always disappointed with the picture quality.

Downloading movies etc also not an option, boat is in Sant Carles and Wifi not so good there, although every other aspect of the Marina more than makes up for it.

So Invertor it is, but Pure or Modified I still do not know.

Graham
 
I bought a modified sine wave (sometime called quasi-sine wave) inverter a couple of years back to power a small 240V tv. It worked ok, but we got a lot of buzzing from the speakers. Changing to a more expensive pure sine inverter got rid of the buzz completely.

This was all before I found out about the tv's with external transformers of course!!
 
if you go for a pure sine, then any electronic stuff (even future kit) will always work.

Family or a guest may bring on a device which doesn't like modified / clipped sine, which would be a shame.


Go for the proper sine, with guaranteed output shape.
 
sarabande said:
if you go for a pure sine, then any electronic stuff (even future kit) will always work.

Family or a guest may bring on a device which doesn't like modified / clipped sine, which would be a shame.


Go for the proper sine, with guaranteed output shape.
Click to expand...

I would go for pure sine wave. Same experience with fuzzy sound and stuff on TV.

Having said that, I've just fitted a 2500w Sterling Inverter Charger, and discovered the need to upgrade the cable to the battery. It's become a really big job with 8m of wire an inch thick, and a 400A fuse etc..

If you won't want to run hoovers, washing machines and hair dryers, I'd do an audit of the power you might need at any one time, and spec the inverter a bit over.
 
Sarabande is dead right. Pure Sine is the cleanest & safest supply . It is recommended that any computer should be run with a clean supply (Sine) & most electrical appliances have some computer bits in them these days. Best to have a supply that you don't need to worry about imho.
 
just a further thought, I would check the wattage of the nescafe machine. as 240v kettles & microwaves really eat the watts
 
Most coffee machines are around 1600w, so you would need a 2kW inverter to run them safely.

I am afraid you get what you pay for, Go for a Victron or Mastervolt. You have no worries about plugging any loads into it, it will not damage them and you will not damage the inverter either.

I brought mine from the dealer http://www.es-store.co.uk/victron-inverters.html

Anthony
 
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