Guest JudgeMental Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Just bought a 300 watt inverter on ebay, I thought it was a pure sine wave model but turns out its a modified sine wave, have realised for £30 it would be! Will this be OK for charging phones, running 230 tv etc..... :-S Had a cheap maplin one fitted in Adria which was OK but it was wired in so let it go with van... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gocro Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 It is a cheap 300w I have and run tv, charge phones, laptop etc no problems. I use my Nexus 7 tablet for SatNav and found that I could not get enough power out of the cigarette type charger to keep up with the power consumed. Purchased a 150W Bestek cigarette type inverter for £16 from Amazon and this now chargers the tablet through the normal Nexus mains charger. Also has a USB output so I can charge phones etc Experts will come on and say you need a pure sign wave, why, but I have had no problems with the inverters I have. The experts will also say that it is inefficient to use an inverter if you can use straight 12 volts dc and I will not disagree but really not worth the hassle of multiple chargers when and inverter can be used on the standard mains charger normally supplied with phone etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Just be weary some cheap inverter don't like running without a load I had one cheap one go with a spectacular bang it was fine charging the phone once the phone was charged there was hardly any load on the inverter and it went bang. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 My experience is simple. Most chargers, Laptop power supplies, TV power supplies etc will work of most inverters OK. But some will cause a modified sine wave inverter to expire with a puff of smoke. I demonstrated this to my own misfortune when a 300 watt brand new Maplin modified sine wave tried three times to run a Toshiba laptop via its mains adapter. I kept turning it off and back on as it would not start. I also tried beforehand turning the inverter on first then plugging in the laptop mains adapter, each time the inverter just stopped. Luckily the Laptop was not hurt. Pure Sine Wave inverters are now much cheaper and you can pick up a 300 watt one of these for around £75. For peace of mind either : Buy at a show and take the kit you want to run to the stand. Try before you buy. or Spend a bit more and be sure with a Pure Sine wave jobbie. Clive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artheytrate Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I have been using a I have used a cheap (£8) 150 watt inverter that I bought from ebay, for the last 3 years, tv, phone charger, dyson 12vt vacuum cleaner etc. The only problem I had was that it blew my toothbrush charger. John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 JudgeMental - 2014-02-15 10:19 AM Just bought a 300 watt inverter on ebay, I thought it was a pure sine wave model but turns out its a modified sine wave, have realised for £30 it would be! Will this be OK for charging phones, running 230 tv etc..... :-S Had a cheap maplin one fitted in Adria which was OK but it was wired in so let it go with van... Your point is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Apart from oil rad, everything we have runs off 12v, car chargers for phones are dirt cheap, many small tv's are 12v. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spospe Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Most of our stuff runs OK from a modified sine wave inverter, but not all. We have a battery charger and a Netbook PC which will not start on the inverter and have to be 'tricked' into working (by starting them and then swiftly unplugging and re-plugging the inverter into the 12 volt supply). In future I will change to a pure sine wave model for 100% ease of use and peace of mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 spospe - 2014-02-16 1:15 PM Most of our stuff runs OK from a modified sine wave inverter, but not all. We have a battery charger and a Netbook PC which will not start on the inverter and have to be 'tricked' into working (by starting them and then swiftly unplugging and re-plugging the inverter into the 12 volt supply). In future I will change to a pure sine wave model for 100% ease of use and peace of mind. Yes I'm sending the one I bought back..any recommendations for a 300 watt pure sine wave model? preferably with leads :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spospe Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Judge Take a look at: https://www.roadpro.co.uk/retail/product_list.aspx?prod=Sterling+12V+pure+sine-wave+inverters I do not have personal experience, but they look good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjmike Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Sorry if I am hijacking the post but I don't understand the need for an inverter. Most of my electrical stuff will run from 12V, the only exception is my laptop which I power using an adaptor that ramps up the voltage, similar to http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/nikkai-12v-in-carin-air-laptop-adapter-with-usb-socket-1a-with-6-charging-tips-a19jt My thinking behind this is that I am not wasting battery juice converting to 240V then having the mains adaptor reduce it to 17V. Or have I got it wrong???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 fjmike - 2014-02-16 5:39 PM Sorry if I am hijacking the post but I don't understand the need for an inverter. Most of my electrical stuff will run from 12V, the only exception is my laptop which I power using an adaptor that ramps up the voltage, similar to http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/nikkai-12v-in-carin-air-laptop-adapter-with-usb-socket-1a-with-6-charging-tips-a19jt My thinking behind this is that I am not wasting battery juice converting to 240V then having the mains adaptor reduce it to 17V. Or have I got it wrong???? Absolutely nothing wrong, however you may need a multitude of different adapters whereas the inverter uses the original charger so just one extrta. The Maplin unit may charge some laptops but my Dell has a 3 wire charge connection and not the 2 wire that the Maplin unit has. If you are going to purchase the Maplin unit take your laptop and try it in the shop first and do not be fooled by the charge light coming on suggesting it is charging as that may not be the case Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Had Enough Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 fjmike - 2014-02-16 5:39 PM Sorry if I am hijacking the post but I don't understand the need for an inverter. Most of my electrical stuff will run from 12V, the only exception is my laptop which I power using an adaptor that ramps up the voltage, similar to http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/nikkai-12v-in-carin-air-laptop-adapter-with-usb-socket-1a-with-6-charging-tips-a19jt My thinking behind this is that I am not wasting battery juice converting to 240V then having the mains adaptor reduce it to 17V. Or have I got it wrong???? Well, in my case, very wrong. My rechargeable electric razor doesn't have a 12v lead and I can't buy one so I have a 150 watt inverter to charge that. As I have an inverter I charge the batteries for two different digital cameras, my laptop, my wife's electric toothbrush and a Sony tablet and to do this I use the 240v chargers which were supplied with each device. Work out the cost of buying 12v leads for all those, even if they were available, which some aren't. And every time I change my camera, or laptop or tablet your policy means buying new 12v leads when I'm already getting a 240v lead and charger with the devices. Far simpler to have one inverter than to keep splashing out on a plethora of 12v leads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjmike Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Not picking an argument but a lot of new tablets, cameras etc. only come with a usb charge lead so you would only need a usb adaptor??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 what? phones/cameras/tv's etc..al charge faster on a 230v supply don't they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I just bought this one as needed it in time for Thursday's trip to Germany... has USB also. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360488869620?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649 This one only £46 but no guarantee of delivery in time.... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281267200798?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 fjmike - 2014-02-16 6:20 PM Not picking an argument but a lot of new tablets, cameras etc. only come with a usb charge lead so you would only need a usb adaptor??? Not an argument but I tried about 3 different cigarette type USB chargers and none would keep the tablet charged and I was not prepared to do modifications to lead so inverter solved the problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Had Enough Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 fjmike - 2014-02-16 6:20 PM Not picking an argument but a lot of new tablets, cameras etc. only come with a usb charge lead so you would only need a usb adaptor??? Well, not quite! The output from a usb socket simply isn't powerful enough to charge most camera batteries or tablets. A typical USB port supplies only 500ma, my Sony tablet needs 1500 ma to charge reasonably quickly. Many modern cameras come with a usb cable, which can be used to connect to a computer for downloading images, but to charge the battery they supply a three pin plug into which the usb cable is inserted. Those three pins plugs have an output much greater than what you'd get from a computer usb socket. You can get away with charging a smartphone from a usb socket but a decent-sized tablet needs more power. Both my cameras came with separate mains battery chargers and I can assure you that if the manufacturers could get away with just supplying a usb lead, they would. I repeat, without my inverter I would have to buy a number of 12v leads and how do you suggest I charge my electric shaver or my wife's toothbrush, both of which will only charge from the mains? Some of us have worked out that we need an inverter and that it's the best option. My Sony tablet came with a 240v plug into which is plugged a usb cable. I bought a 12v car plug with a usb socket. It was supposed to be the correct one but its output was only 1000ma as against 1500ma from the mains one. It takes hours to charge the battery! I use the inverter and the three pin mains plug! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 fjmike - 2014-02-16 6:20 PM Not picking an argument but a lot of new tablets, cameras etc. only come with a usb charge lead so you would only need a usb adaptor??? Well Mike, we travel with three cameras (Nikon, Canon, and Olympus), two laptops (Tosh and Samsung), rechargeable electric razor, and re-chargeable electric toothbrush, and two mobiles. Of that lot only the laptops have available 12V chargers, and only the Olympus re-charges vis USB, so if we wanted to spend any time "off grid", we'd have to get an inverter. On blance, I'm with Frank on this. One inverter fits all, whereas one 12V charger is likely to fit only one piece of equipment, necessitating a lot of, frequently quite expensive, 12V chargers. The downsides of the inverter are that it is likely to be somewhat less efficient (though to get 12V DC to any other voltage DC, the current has to be converted to AC, transformed, and then rectified back to DC, so I do wonder how much more efficient in practice) and the continual battery drain if left connected (or "on" if hard wired) which is surely relatively easily managed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Me two... If running GPS on a phone/phablet/tablet no way will a USB lead supply enough power... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 And yet I have no problems running my Lumia in sat nav mode off a USB, or charging it. Also the tomtom runs off a usb, and the kindle happily charges off a usb. BTW that's the TomTom USB I use so I'll have to look see what the output is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Had Enough Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 colin - 2014-02-17 12:34 PM And yet I have no problems running my Lumia in sat nav mode off a USB, or charging it. Also the tomtom runs off a usb, and the kindle happily charges off a usb. BTW that's the TomTom USB I use so I'll have to look see what the output is. I'm not really sure what your point is here. My Samsung Galaxy S3 will charge from a usb port but it's slower than the mains charger. My Sony tablet will not as it needs 1500ma to charge in reasonable time. A laptop will charge from a 12v cigarette socket but if you already have an inverter you don't need to spend extra money on the 12v car lead. But again, without an inverter, and camping off-site, perhaps you can tell me how I can charge my electric razor, my wife's toothbrush, my two camera batteries, which come with mains chargers and my Sony tablet? Your gadgets may all be capable of charging from 12v but not all are. Why are people having such difficulty understanding that and continually coming back with "My xyz charges off 12v, why do you need inverters?". We need an inverter because we need an inverter. Is that so difficult to understand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Eddie has made no reference to toothbrushes or razors or the like, looking back he has made one small reference to camera. He has stated that a usb cannot cope with a phone running satnav app. which I was replying to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero boy Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 My Sky+HD box is mains only. I have a small inverter located in the same cupboard it lives in. This works fine. Of this box would run of 12v, i would still keep the inverter as they are very handy little devices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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