Best budget pure sine wave inverter?

[yamsack]

Hi all,<br><br>I'm starting to shop for a pure sine wave inverter with at least 2000 watt capacity (with peak around 4000 watts).&nbsp; Honestly, I'm trying to buy one as cheap as possible.&nbsp; However, I don't want to suffer with reliability issues.&nbsp; So far, I'm interested in this one :<br><br>http://www.ebay.com/itm/4000w-2000w...pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&amp;hash=item563d8c0957<br><br>Any thoughts on this one or suggestions for other models/brands.&nbsp; My budget for the inverter is $300-$500.&nbsp; Thanks all.<br><br>

 

[ped]

<P>Why do you want a pure sine wave? They're actually a waste of money unless you have a particular instrument that demands one, usually medical equipment. And then it's generally recommended to simply purchase a small one&nbsp;that's just enough wattage&nbsp;to run that one&nbsp;piece of equipment&nbsp;you need it for and use a large modified sine wave for everything else. You're really not in any way doing yourself any favors with one otherwise.<BR><BR>A modified sine wave is not the opt-out budget option to "real" pure sine wave. They're the standard and work no different for 99% of modern electronics. Pure sine wave is only there as an [expensive] option for people who have special needs. High end audio/video, oxygen machines, laser printers, etc. They're the exception, not the rule. </P><BR>It's like the same thing with AGM batteries, MPPT charge controllers, etc. They exist to solve or upgrade specialized and particular needs, not really to totally replace "old" technology. Most of the time in ordinary applications they're nothing more than a gimmick and a waste of money.<BR>

 

[akrvbob]

I have a friend who has this Aims 1500 watt PSW inverter and speaks highly of it. It would be my first choice.<br>http://www.invertersrus.com/pwri150012s.html<br><br>Are you going to use a microwave? If so you are right to get a pure sine wave, my experience has been that they work very poorly with MSW. Bob<br><br>

 

[yamsack]

<b>@ akrvbob</b>,<br><br>I will not be using a microwave.&nbsp; Electrical devices will include a laptop, inkjet printer, perhaps a couple of energy saver florescent lights, a tiny handheld 7 inch LCD tv and occasional use of a hair trimmer.&nbsp; I wanted to get a pure sine because I've heard from some folks that a modified inverter either got their stuff very hot or that it eventually fried/damaged their stuff.<br><br>Will the AIMS be enough for what I listed?&nbsp; The only device that will be on all the time will be the laptop.&nbsp; The 2 lights will be on for no more than an hour a day.&nbsp; The little 7 inch LCD perhaps 6-8 hours a day.<br><br>What do you think of the specific inverter I posted?&nbsp; It's a cheappie made in China, but I didn't want to get something more expensive for no reason.<br><br>

 

[yamsack]

Thanks akrvbob and 4x4tour.&nbsp; That cleared things up a lot.&nbsp; Now the hunt is on for a good price for a 1500 watt AIMS.<br><br>Bye the way, I did a rough calculation of how many watts my devices will be using, which is roughly just under 100 watts.&nbsp; I still don't know much about how to calculate amps, volts, watts, etc.&nbsp; But it seems that getting a 2000+ watt inverter would be wasting money, especially since I don't plan on using a microwave or fridge at all.<br><br>Just to be exact, I'm gonna be using a laptop 24/7 (20-30watts), occasional use of an inkjet printer, a couple of 26 watt lights (for an hour or so), a tiny handheld lcd tv for the evening, a tiny clip-on fan, and an 8watt hair trimmer maybe once a week.<br><br>I'm thinking that I can even get away with an inverter even less than 1500 watts.&nbsp; What do you all think?<br><br>

 

[blars]

It sounds like a 400 watt inverter would be enough.&nbsp; You may want to rethink the lighting, LEDs take 10-20% the power for the same usable light.<br><br><br>

 

[yamsack]

Thanks blars,<br><br>I would be using the lights for only about an hour a day.&nbsp; The lights are actually those energy efficient CFL bulbs.&nbsp; I need them for photographing stuff I sell online.&nbsp; Other than that, the only light I need is from the laptop's monitor.<br><br>By the way, I saw an LED light bulb, which was also the same wattage (23W) as the CFL bulbs I'm currently using.&nbsp; If the wattage is the same, would there be any energy savings by using the LED's?&nbsp; Additionally, the LED, with the same wattage, cost about 5 times more than the CFL bulbs of comparable watts.<br><br>

 

[VanTramp]

You know I got mine on Craigslist and tested it thoroughly before taking it home. If you can handle doing that, I do see deals on there often enough. I paid $350 for a quite expensive 2500 watt pure sine with charger etc. &nbsp;Thing is, had I not found that one, I probably would have gone with similar to what Bob is suggesting. &nbsp;You may not need more than 400 watts now, but while you are going through all this to purchase, install etc, why not give yourself more options now as to what you can run in the future. The difference in cost isn't that great but the difference in what a 400 watt vs a 1500 watt can run is quite significant.&nbsp;<div><br></div><div>Consider also that running more than one device at a time requires a larger inverter. Definitely go for the LED lighting too <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"></div>

 

[yamsack]

Thanks for your suggestion, VanTramp,<br>Unfortunately, money is very tight right now, especially with tax season coming around the corner.&nbsp; If I do need more power down the road, I'll address the matter if/when I get there.&nbsp; For now, I don't see that happening anytime soon.<br><br>I went ahead and bought a Power Bright pure sine wave 600 watt inverter.&nbsp; I checked on Amazon's feedback section and Power Bright had consistently high ratings for all of their inverters.&nbsp; It only cost me $177 bucks with free shipping to boot!<br><br>

 

[VanTramp]

<div>I can definitely understand that, times are tight for sure! That's a decent size pure sine inverter as a start anyway. You can always add a large modified sine later and have a pretty wide capability overall if you decide you need it.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Hey, give a review of it after you use it a few months <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"> I bet a few others would love to know how it works out!&nbsp;</div>

 

[akrvbob]

The thing to remember about microwaves is that the watts given for them is cooking power, not the actual current they are using. My Honda 1000 generator would not run a 700 watt&nbsp; microwave (which is why I now own a 2000). I would want a 1500/3000&nbsp; watt inverter to run a microwave. Also remember that microwaves want a very pure source of power. They almost always run very poorly with a modified sine wave inverter.&nbsp; Bob<br>

 

[akrvbob]

I just bought a microwave and the smallest I could find was 700 watts. If I had a 600 that worked I would have kept the 1000. The 2000 is bigger, heavier and burns more fuel. But I wanted to run a microwave!!<br><br>You can get the 2000 for $900 here:<br>http://www.speedwaysales.com/honda/index.php<br><br>Honda doesn't like online dealers to compete with stick/brick retailers, so they can't publish their prices. Create an account with Speedway and you will see the price today is $899.99. That includes shipping and no tax (probably). <br><br>

 

[VanTrekker]

<p style="margin: 0px;">Hi - Just wanted to chime in regarding the fluorescent lights.&nbsp; I tried running them on my 2500 watt modified sine inverter and they flickered terribly.&nbsp; Ran them on the Honda generator (pure sine) and smooth as silk.&nbsp; </p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">Most of the other&nbsp;accessories seem to work okay on modified sine, particularly the stuff (like the TV) that uses LEDs.&nbsp; I think it's cause LEDs fire so much more rapidly that you don't see the flickering with those type of lights...&nbsp; If you are using CFL (compact fluorescent lights), I would stick to pure sine.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">I like to watch the newer cars' turn signals when&nbsp;driving down the road... The ones that&nbsp;use LEDs transition from blink to blink extremely fast&nbsp;- the same reason that your LED bulbs don't appear to flicker with the rather abrupt transitions of the modified sine wave (which in most inverters is nothing more than a square wave unless you lay out some bucks)&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">For the record, I'm using a modified sine on all my electronics without any problem but I really only use the inverter for&nbsp;the TV, BluRay player, and a few misc. AC to DC charging adapters.&nbsp; The house lights are all 12V LED and run from house batteries.&nbsp; CPAP machine is powered by 12V DC also.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">Have a good one.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">Brad</p><p style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://vantrekker.blogspot.com/" target=_blank>http://vantrekker.blogspot.com/</a></p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p>