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08-20-2015, 08:27 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Chico, California
Posts: 296
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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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2011 F-350 C.C. 4X4 LWB 6.7PSD
2010 Montana Mountaineer 345DBQ
2005 F150 FX4
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08-21-2015, 06:27 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Texas
Posts: 265
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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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08-25-2015, 07:14 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Frederick, Md
Posts: 202
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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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08-25-2015, 06:51 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Chico, California
Posts: 296
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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.
__________________
2011 F-350 C.C. 4X4 LWB 6.7PSD
2010 Montana Mountaineer 345DBQ
2005 F150 FX4
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09-14-2015, 05:46 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Illinois
Posts: 581
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Inverter output information
Quote:
Originally Posted by jtyphoid
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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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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Ed & Mary
2017 Cougar 333MKS
2015 RAM 3500 HD with 6.4L
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09-14-2015, 06:03 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Texas
Posts: 265
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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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09-14-2015, 07:50 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: B.C
Posts: 1,399
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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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2010 Keystone Cougar 25 RL.
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