Inverter I took out of the Pace Arrow

[Rickf1985]

Here is the inverter I took out of the Pace Arrow. It is original to the coach, dated 1989 on the bottom. What is quasi-sine wave? Is that a fancy name for a fake sine wave? Hm? Also note the input voltage, in order to maintain that kind of voltage you would pretty much have to have the vehicle running. If not it is going to drop below 12.5 fairly quickly.

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Dimensions is the company that made the pure sine wave inverter that I'll be installing this week in the RV.  Its the one I got in Oklahoma this past summer for 40 bucks...2500 watts continuous pure sine wave, 3500 peak.  Dimensions makes a lot of high end commercial units, like the one I got for 40 bucks (which they still make and sell new for almost 2 grand).  I would guess that Quasi-sine wave is another term for modified sine wave.



Kev

[Rickf1985]

This one had the TV and the VCR plugged into it and it was stuffed up in the cabinet over the front passenger windshield. I guess that way you could watch TV at any time although with the old CRT TV I don't think you would get through a whole movie before running the batteries down.

[TerryH]

Quasi - sine wave is another name for Modified - sine wave.
Here is an explanation of the difference between Pure and Modified sine wave from Xantrex:

   

http://www.xantrex.com/documents/tech-doctor/universal/tech1-universal.pdf

[Rickf1985]

Good link. So basically what I have is not worth much of anything unless I am running a toaster or a coffee pot and if I am running them I will be running the generator to do it.
The one that was in my Winnie was even more primitive, I was just getting ready to toss it on the scrap pile. I will get some pics before I do.

[Rickf1985]

You know, I was looking at the description on my unit and noticed that after where it describes the Quasi-sine wave it also says "single pulse per cycle". If I look at the picture in that link the wave they are showing is two pulses per cycle? Now I am really cornfused. i?? i??

[Bnova]

Good link. So basically what I have is not worth much of anything unless I am running a toaster or a coffee pot and if I am running them I will be running the generator to do it.
The one that was in my Winnie was even more primitive, I was just getting ready to toss it on the scrap pile. I will get some pics before I do.

And I don't think you can run a toaster or coffee pot with 100 watts.

[DRMousseau]

If I remember correctly, a quasi-sine wave is a stepped-sine wave best described as a modified sine wave of multiple steps in number greater than simple square wave or basic 3-step modified-sine wave, and most closely approximates a true sine wave. Yes,... a "fake sine wave"

I'm sorta surprised by this as I never really saw many such inverters. The input voltage is the standard notation, of the standing voltage, of a rested, fully charged, 12V wet-cell, lead/acid automotive batteries,... although it is more accurately 6.7V-6.8V

I see nothing of a "cut-off" voltage, so it's possible that it may likely run until output voltage is unsatisfactory for use, although I believe the switching circuit will also act as a protective low voltage cutoff. If not, then that means, on the unswitched outlet, your TV may quit, but your 100W light may still work and continue to dim until your battery has been excessively discharged. The low battery indicator MAY only be an indicator of low voltage, likely activated around 11V or so. The switched outlet works in conjunction with any other available AC source that may be supplied thru the connected AC input. This is the one to plug your TV into so it always works on genny, shore or battery power with no interruption.

Although 100W isn't much,... it might be nice for a TV that may be sensitive to input power. If I had one of these, I'd likely install it in my TV mount panel and use the switched outlet exclusively. With AC and DC sources available in my panel, I would always have a functioning TV that never lost it's settings!!!

[Rickf1985]

Dimensions is the company that made the pure sine wave inverter that I'll be installing this week in the RV.  Its the one I got in Oklahoma this past summer for 40 bucks...2500 watts continuous pure sine wave, 3500 peak.  Dimensions makes a lot of high end commercial units, like the one I got for 40 bucks (which they still make and sell new for almost 2 grand).  I would guess that Quasi-sine wave is another term for modified sine wave.



Kev

You don't think that unit may have been a little, Um................. "warm" do you? And I am not talking about just plugged in. W% N:(

[Mike_Rosoft]

Ouch... that thing will need over 300A at full tilt ..... 1 meter long feed cable would be 25mm sq or 1awg (whichever side of the water) ... my converter is 4meters away from the battery .... I would need to put 2 cables 95mm sq or 000AWG...... and I would need some very High Current batteries..... 200Ah would last 10 minutes...... (oh and if they were cheap, the current would warp the plates...) I think i'll go with a more modern solution......

[ClydesdaleKevin]

LOL Rick!  Nope, it didn't fall off the back of a truck.  COX Communications upgraded their fleet and auctioned off all their older work vans.  Instead of leaving these inverters in the vans, they took them all out and put them on pallets and auctioned off the pallets separately.  A guy I know in Oklahoma won a whole pallet of these for some crazy low amount, and sold me this unit for 40 bucks.  Every one he tested so far, this one included, tested good.

Kev

[Rickf1985]

Now I remember you saying that before. That was a good deal but as was noted, getting high wattage out of an inverter takes a ton of battery power. Just not worth it to me, I will fire up the generator if I need that much.

[DRMousseau]

I have a 3000W modified sine and yes,... a $120 custom made 00AWG fine conductor "welding cable" for battery bank connection.

Mostly, it serves to power the microwave for an occasional few minutes use, WITHOUT firing up the genny for just a minute or so. And now, because the current fridge is a household compressor type, the inverter will also maintain it while on the road. While these "take a ton of battery power" in use, the time duration of such use is pretty short. Although with my current battery bank, I think that fridge is gonna be a big killer! Still, I find the convenience of an inverter to be rather nice.

[Lefty]

I have a small 400 watt continuous/800 watt surge pure sine wave inverter mounted under the dash of my F-350 to power a laptop or charge cell phones and stuff while travelling. It's wired directly to one of the truck batteries with 10Ga wire (yes, it is fused).  Very handy.
for emergencies, I have a Coleman PowerMate 1,500w inverter that hooks up directly to the battery via clamps. I've used it to run a standard size Skil Saw and jig saw, as well as my small pancake air compressor. It also works great for running work lights.

[DRMousseau]

Power tools!! yup,... nothing like breaking the golden silence in the isolated middle of nowhere than with a skillsaw!!!! Luv having an outlet outside and an inverter to handle it!

[Rickf1985]

Here is the one I took out of my 89 Chieftain. It is definitely lower end but 10 watts higher. Check out the plug, the grounding lug is just a hole in the front panel that does nothing!





I am sure either of these are fine for running a laptop since you are going through a transformer in the laptop charger anyway.

[jeno]

Rick I also have a 1989 where is the inverter located? Thanks

[Rickf1985]

The Pace Arrow was over the passenger side windshield and the Chieftain was under the dinette seat right behind the passenger seat. I am not sure where it would be permanently since it has a cigarette lighter plug on it for power. I get the impression it was brought out when needed and plugged in at the dash.
Jeno, What size is yours? I have noticed that the interior layout changes a LOT between the different sizes even in the same model.

[jeno]

I guess I should have said that in the first place it's a 23 foot

[Rickf1985]

Mine is a 31 foot so I am thinking it could be anywhere but it should be there unless the PO took it out. Look around the power points and the cigarette lighter, any storage in those areas. also wherever your converter is. That was right there where mine was stored. On mine though the battery charger/converter is in the front and the load center is in the back.

[jeno]

I'll check it out thanks Rick

[HamRad Mobile]

Hi, Rick; 


"Quasi-sine wave" 


I like it.  That is the first one that I have even heard of that is being truthful, honest, and candid with us. 


Sill, my own preference is to call one of those things that does not put out a true sine wave -- a "Modified Square Wave" output waveform inverter.   I agree that it is not a true "Bang-Bang" from rail-to-rail basic square wave when they "step" the level up and back down in increments, and that is why I call it a "Modified Square Wave" instead.


All those guys need to be honest with us.  They put out a Modified Square Wave. 


With the harmonic content in even a multiple step modified square wave, there is no justification for even referring to a "sine wave" when describing the waveform that those things put out. 


At this time, the easiest way to get a true sine wave alternating current power source still is by using a rotating field armature engine driven generator. 


And the history of Trace Engineering in Arlington, Washington, and what happened after they were bought by Schneider Electric and re-named "Xantrex" is really interesting.   


Enjoy; 


Ralph 
Latte Land, Washington 

[HandyDan]

I'm with Rick, if I need electricity I'll crank up the generator.  In fact, I disconnected my inverter because I never use it.  I only have one marine battery to light the coach so I don't have enough battery power to put it to any significant use.

[DRMousseau]

I have 2 T-105 Trojan 6V, and a 2000W inverter, and a 65A charging converter. The battery bank gives me a bit more than a KW of usable power. In use, that means I have about 12hour of 12V power drawing 10A, or about an hour of running a 1000W microwave. Not much, but the Micro seldom runs more than about 1-5min at a time, so it's real handy to use here and there rather than starting the genny for only a few minutes. The furnace and water pump draws about 6-7A each,... both are on for only a short time as well.

I can generally run a day or two on the battery and inverter, starting the genny up for a few hours every couple days to recover battery charge. This is often done when running down the highway, when the noise bothers no one, and an afternoons drive, finds me ready with a full charge at the next stop.

Electronics, notebook, and TV draw very little on AC,... and I think it's silly to run the genny all night to charge these, since I haven't but one DC outlet to do so otherwise. I certainly utilize the shore-power whenever I can, but my inverter is wonderful!!!

Now on real hot summer nights,.... UGH!!! I really hate runnin' genny AND the AC, but there's jus no other way without a shore-line.

[ClydesdaleKevin]

With our big battery bank of 6 Interstate golf cart batteries, and over 700 watts of solar on the roof, we rarely EVER have to use the generator.  We only run the generator about once a month for 10 minutes to cycle it, or on the rare occasion we are driving the rig and its so hot we need the air conditioner running inside.  Sometimes we need it when boondocking when the winter sun is low in the sky, but that is also extremely rare.






Kev