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Old 08-20-2015, 08:27 PM   #1
PerryB
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Inverter generator question.

I have a companion set of Honda eu2000's and have been happy with them but I don't understand something. I often hear how "clean" their power output is, but they cannot produce a perfect sine wave like a traditional rotating core generator (alternator actually ). I realize they have a tightly stepped wave that nearly duplicates a sine but its still a series of ons and offs to produce the curve, as opposed to a continuous sweeping wave. Why is this considered cleaner than a conventional genset?
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Old 08-21-2015, 06:27 PM   #2
jtyphoid
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My understanding is that cheaper non-inverter generators are not well regulated or filtered. Noise from the ignition system can make it into the output waveform, etc. Also, the output frequency and voltage are not constant as engine speed changes with load, e.g., a fridge compressor starting up.

Inverter gensets are typically just better regulated and filtered by nature of the design.

If Tapatalk will allow me to enter this correctly, here is an article that shows some waveforms from various sources. The cheap generator near the end is kind of scary.
http://www.jkovach.net/projects/powerquality/
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Old 08-25-2015, 07:14 AM   #3
Ram189
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I was always told that the non invertor generators were harder on computers, cell phones charging, LED TVs, High Def TVs, ect.
The electric wave is not as clean and tends to spike more which causes the problems.
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Old 08-25-2015, 06:51 PM   #4
PerryB
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Thanks for the feedback, thats almost a pun considering the topic. The link was very enlightening. Some of those waves nearly made me seasick! Now that I've seen it, I have to acknowledge that the Honda is pretty clean, at least on the A/C side. The D/C output was pretty sad with that big ripple, but all I ever do is charge wet cell batteries so I don't see it as a real problem. Thanks again, good info.
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Old 09-14-2015, 05:46 AM   #5
Pmedic4
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Inverter output information

Quote:
Originally Posted by jtyphoid View Post
My understanding is that cheaper non-inverter generators are not well regulated or filtered. Noise from the ignition system can make it into the output waveform, etc. Also, the output frequency and voltage are not constant as engine speed changes with load, e.g., a fridge compressor starting up.

Inverter gensets are typically just better regulated and filtered by nature of the design.

If Tapatalk will allow me to enter this correctly, here is an article that shows some waveforms from various sources. The cheap generator near the end is kind of scary.
http://www.jkovach.net/projects/powerquality/
That website presents good information. I had always heard that if you wanted to run your computer off of a generator, you should use a good quality UPS in between the generator and the computer, now you can see why - but now I wonder what the output looks like through the UPS with the generator running.
Another good question, what do the other inverter type generators output look like in comparison.

We've been considering a small inverter generator, and of course leaning towards a Honda, with the consideration of price being significant for the Honda versus the Champion/Yamaha/Generac. Might have to look for those output comparisons.
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Old 09-14-2015, 06:03 AM   #6
jtyphoid
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An expensive on-line (double converting) UPS would certainly provide clean power from even the worst generator, but I don't know that the more affordable line-interactive or off-line ones would help any more than a power strip with filtering circuitry.

The cost of an on-line UPS is probably high enough that just going with a decent inverter generator instead would make sense.

I would also like to see a comparison of the output waveforms from a variety of inverter generators. It would also be interesting to see how a good conventional generator, like the Onans that are in many RVs, compare to the inverter units.
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Old 09-14-2015, 07:50 AM   #7
Steve S
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From what my electrician has told me was if you have more power than you actually need is the safest way to go. He explained that when there's too much draw on the generator and the spikes are what will kill things like the circuit board on trailers.
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