I was wondering if anyone here has tried running their battery charger on a modified sine waver inverter. I have a 2Kw unit in my motorhome, but am a bit reluctant to try it out, given the questionable reputation on some of these Chinese chargers. My car also has one, but I'm sure it's msw too. At 3.5 amp output and 36V, it should pull less than 150 watts (around 86% efficiency, more or less). I'm thinking it is not going to like that wave form at all.
Modified sine wave inverter to run charger?
- Thread starter DervAtl
- Start date
slayer
1 kW
i have run a soneil 48 volts 3.5 amps without any problems and also a nimh 36 volts 3 amps as well.
I read in the instruction that msw could be dangerous with some electronics but sometimes they are very precautious to make sure...i did not have any problems, i recharged with my 300 watts inverter and 1750 watts inverter in my car.
I read in the instruction that msw could be dangerous with some electronics but sometimes they are very precautious to make sure...i did not have any problems, i recharged with my 300 watts inverter and 1750 watts inverter in my car.
oldhaq
100 W
For top up charges I sometimes run one of my 48v2.4a cheapo chinese chargers through a surge protector from a 300w inverter, connnected to my camping setup - a portable jump starter (it had a 12v18a sla, now 14p4s 18650 lifepo4) which is charged with a solar breifcase.
I have run numerous chargers from various inverters. It is very likely to work. In three years I've only had one problem, and that was with a small AA battery charger.
The charger may run a little bit hotter. The reason is that normal AC is 60Hz, but these inverters typically have a 20kHz switching frequency. The first stage in a modern charger is usually a filter and rectifier. The losses in this first stage will be a bit higher at 20kHz than at 60Hz, so it will heat up a bit more.
The charger may run a little bit hotter. The reason is that normal AC is 60Hz, but these inverters typically have a 20kHz switching frequency. The first stage in a modern charger is usually a filter and rectifier. The losses in this first stage will be a bit higher at 20kHz than at 60Hz, so it will heat up a bit more.
FYI: Modern inverters typically have two stages, first a voltage stepup stage, then a DC-to-AC stage.
Stage 1: 12V battery voltage is PWM modulated and stepped up to 120V AC, then rectified to 120V DC.
Stage 2: 120V DC is modulated to Modified Sine Wave 120V AC.
Now for most typical RV usage, the 120V DC from stage 1 would actually be better to run appliances off. This saves the DC to AC conversion loss in the inverter and the AC to DC conversion loss in most power supplies. Only old style transformer based wall wart (the heavy type) need the AC. Induction motors run off AC, but they are unusual in small appliances because they are heavy. Aside from my furnace blower, the only induction motor I have is in a heavy duty pressure washer. Older washing machines have AC motors. Newer washing machines have brushed universal motors or (better) brushless motors.
Likewise most other household appliances work well on DC.
Examples: heating appliances: AC or DC doesn't matter.
universal motors: these run off ac or dc likewise. It is the typical motor found in mixers, hairdryers, power tools etc.
Stage 1: 12V battery voltage is PWM modulated and stepped up to 120V AC, then rectified to 120V DC.
Stage 2: 120V DC is modulated to Modified Sine Wave 120V AC.
Now for most typical RV usage, the 120V DC from stage 1 would actually be better to run appliances off. This saves the DC to AC conversion loss in the inverter and the AC to DC conversion loss in most power supplies. Only old style transformer based wall wart (the heavy type) need the AC. Induction motors run off AC, but they are unusual in small appliances because they are heavy. Aside from my furnace blower, the only induction motor I have is in a heavy duty pressure washer. Older washing machines have AC motors. Newer washing machines have brushed universal motors or (better) brushless motors.
Likewise most other household appliances work well on DC.
Examples: heating appliances: AC or DC doesn't matter.
universal motors: these run off ac or dc likewise. It is the typical motor found in mixers, hairdryers, power tools etc.
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