Ebay Inverter/chargers - any good?

[Ott3r]

I've just been looking at these inverter chargers on Ebay (Item number: 380047885051) - they seem to be just what I need, and at a price I can afford Has anybody bought on of these? Any feedback - good or bad?

 

Thanks!

 

O

[DHutch]

*linky*

[alan_fincher]

Difficult this one isn't it ?

 

Undoubtedly you can buy certain electronics products on e-Bay that are the same as some sold badged in this country, but at far higher prices.

 

But then I think of just how many threads I see where somebody has had a problem, and gone to Sterling, or whoever, and got a fair result.

 

Although this seller has 97% positive feedback, if you look at some of the negative feedback, it relates to their unwillingness to do things when the buyer believes they have a problem.

 

As the seller responses are often not in good English, I'd be a bit worried about what, if any, after sales support I'd get.

 

I'm sure someone will pop up and say they have bought one, no problem, but then up to 97% of people buying from him apparently have no problem.

 

I was always taught that if something looks to good to be true, there is probably a catch, and I can't help feeling there may be a catch here, (or at least if you hit problems).

 

At least read the comments from buyers who reckon products could not deliver the continuous or peak powers quoted. They may be wrong, of course, but equally some of them may not be.

 

Alan

[blackrose]

Looks dodgy to me. One of those dissatisfied customers mentions having to pay an import duty. The ebay ad says the units are in Germany so there should be no duty, but if they end up coming from Taiwan...

 

Also as Alan says, you really have no comeback should the combi prove to be faulty or not conforming to the specification. Are you really going to send back halfway round the world?

 

Then again we might be wrong. If you do end up buying one let us know the outcome.

Edited July 23, 2008 by blackrose

[stuart]

If your a gambling person who has £400 to spare (or potentially save £300 compared to a branded one) then go for it!

[Keeping Up]

I see the input spec requires the mains to be 50Hz +/-1. That's quite tight.

[Justme]

I see the input spec requires the mains to be 50Hz +/-1. That's quite tight.

 

 

Real grid mains hardly varies at all, say 49.9to 50.1hz. A variance of 1 will never be seen on mains. I dont know about on a genny.

 

Justme

[Ex- Member]

This is an extremely good price, personally I would take a punt on it. At the bottom of the listing it does have a warranty of sorts, you just have to afford the postage for returning the item if it goes wrong, return postage too after 6 months.

 

I would be more comfortable if the seller had £500 Pay-Pal protection. I also note his feedback is mentioned, however only 2 neutral over the past 6 months, so that tells me he's got his act together somewhat and both of the recent neutral feedback says the problem was fully resolved.

 

We paid over double that for our 3kva without charger

[Trilby Tim]

I see the input spec requires the mains to be 50Hz +/-1. That's quite tight.

Not really. This website shows the frequency stability of the UK mains over 69 days and it rarely goes out by more than +/- 0.05 and never by more than +/- 0.15 Hz, so +/- 1 is perfectly reasonable.

Only 1 of the EBay negative feedbacks concerned the actual device, the other negative/neutral feedbacks were concerning delivery. Although of course most people give feedback when they receive the device, so that's no guarantee it'll last. Also the detailed average seller ratings were over 4.5 stars for all but postage and packing charges, and those are given entirely freely by buyers without fear of receiving a negative or neutral in return. I'll certainly consider it for our boat, it is a pretty substantial saving, although I agree it is something of a gamble as to how long it lasts and whether it's repairable if it does fail.

[Grace and Favour]

I'd also have a quick gander at the prices he's sold these at recently . . (some much lower that the £349 he's asking for . . . so you may well be able to get a much better price from Old Jack Chang!!!

 

(such as here)

Edited July 23, 2008 by Grace & Favour

[Justme]

We were going to buy one & used the make off option. He turned it down intialy but then accepted a very low offer. On some thing that was "buy it now" for £350 he accepted £170. In the end I bought a Victron unit second hand. Still looking at the 100amp chargers.

 

 

Justme

Edited July 23, 2008 by Justme

[alan_fincher]

I'd also have a quick gander at the prices he's sold these at recently . . (some much lower that the £349 he's asking for . . . so you may well be able to get a much better price from Old Jack Chang!!!

 

(such as here)

That link takes me to an 8000 watt (!!!!) modified sine way inverter. The original post was for a 3000 watt pure sine wave inverter.

 

I don't understand why his adds are saying "no duty payable" whereas some of the feedback disputes are over the fact people had duty charged (unexpectedly), but he claims they were told this would happen.

 

Has he changed the way he' sourcing them to get round the duty thing.

 

Clearly as he is selling different inverters (power rating, as well as pure vs modified sine wave) you need to be crystal clear you know what you are buying.

 

I don't know why, I still feel uncomfortable with Old Jack.

[topgun]

Bought one 3 or 4 years ago from Old Jack Chang - via ebay. Delivery good. Price £110 + £60 p&p & insurance.

Works well BUT................... voltage live to earth 120, voltage neutral to earth 120, voltage live to neutral 240.

Not very safe!

[Gibbo]

Bought one 3 or 4 years ago from Old Jack Chang - via ebay. Delivery good. Price £110 + £60 p&p & insurance.

Works well BUT................... voltage live to earth 120, voltage neutral to earth 120, voltage live to neutral 240.

Not very safe!

 

That an isolated output inverter. No big deal.

 

Gibbo

[Keeping Up]

A better arrangement than my small inverter which I thought was 240v centre-tapped; I measured L-E 240v, L-N 240v, N-E 240v. It must be some sort of 3-phase jobbie.

[Grace and Favour]

That link takes me to an 8000 watt (!!!!) modified sine way inverter. The original post was for a 3000 watt pure sine wave inverter.

 

I don't understand why his adds are saying "no duty payable" whereas some of the feedback disputes are over the fact people had duty charged (unexpectedly), but he claims they were told this would happen.

 

Has he changed the way he' sourcing them to get round the duty thing.

 

Clearly as he is selling different inverters (power rating, as well as pure vs modified sine wave) you need to be crystal clear you know what you are buying.

 

I don't know why, I still feel uncomfortable with Old Jack.

 

 

Big grovels Alan, I'd added the wrong link . . have now corrected it to this

[alan_fincher]

Big grovels Alan, I'd added the wrong link . . have now corrected it to this

OK, so that one sold at £184, but £80 carriage increased that to £264.

 

But then it says....

 

Please note, that the buyer is responsible for the Import Tax and Customs Duty !!!

The three exclamation marks are his, not mine.

 

So how much is that then ?

 

Has anybody actually bought one, and what was the total cost to them, please ?

Edited July 23, 2008 by alan_fincher

[ThePiglet]

The earlier one shows "Item location: Taipei, Taiwan" where as the latter one in post #2 shows "Item location: Geisenheim, Germany"

Presumably this is why there is no duty payable within Europe as it's being sent from a country within Europe rather than direct from Taipei.

This seller seems to offer stuff from both Germany and Taipei so keep an eye out. The same item from Taipei is selling for £299 but with postage of £80 (rather than £28) and the risk of import duty.

I'd go for the £399 one fom Germany.

[topgun]

That an isolated output inverter. No big deal.

 

Gibbo

 

Thanks Gibbo - my electrical knowledge not good, but equipment switched off at socket is still live to earth at 120 V. Have I missed something? Should I back fit two pole switched sockets through the boat?.Does my RCD protect?

The incorrect polarity indicator on my consumer unit glows with the inverter on. Is not lit when on shore power. Is not lit when using a Sterling inverter.

[Gibbo]

Thanks Gibbo - my electrical knowledge not good, but equipment switched off at socket is still live to earth at 120 V. Have I missed something? Should I back fit two pole switched sockets through the boat?.Does my RCD protect?

The incorrect polarity indicator on my consumer unit glows with the inverter on. Is not lit when on shore power. Is not lit when using a Sterling inverter.

 

Get yourself a small (15 watt) 230 volt lightbulb and connect it between neutral and earth on the output of the inverter. Then measure the voltage across the lightbulb. If it's still 120 volts then you have a centre tapped output inverter (not common) and there's nothing you can do about it. To be strictly safe your entire system should use double pole switches and circuit breakers. Your RCD will still work.

 

If the voltage collapses substantially when the lightbulb is connected then simply connect neutral and earth at the output of the inverter. Then you are back to the same as the grid.

 

Gibbo

[Cinimod]

And here is a link to a whole selection of the same

Some on Buy it NOW others on bids...

[topgun]

Get yourself a small (15 watt) 230 volt lightbulb and connect it between neutral and earth on the output of the inverter. Then measure the voltage across the lightbulb. If it's still 120 volts then you have a centre tapped output inverter (not common) and there's nothing you can do about it. To be strictly safe your entire system should use double pole switches and circuit breakers. Your RCD will still work.

 

If the voltage collapses substantially when the lightbulb is connected then simply connect neutral and earth at the output of the inverter. Then you are back to the same as the grid.

 

Gibbo

 

Thanks your advice. Will check system this weekend - had been consiering fitting DP switched sockets as existing are plain white SP- the wife would like brass!

[Trilby Tim]

I know I'm resurrecting an old thread here, but is there anyone else who's actually bought one, if so how well does it work.

Topgun: Have you done Gibbo's test yet, do you know whether it's centre tapped or isolated output?

I'm looking at inverters now.

[Smelly]

I know I'm resurrecting an old thread here, but is there anyone else who's actually bought one, if so how well does it work.

Topgun: Have you done Gibbo's test yet, do you know whether it's centre tapped or isolated output?

I'm looking at inverters now.

 

Tim, I bought a Kipoint 2Kw inverter off ebay and it lasted about 12 months before it blew half the input fuses, admittedly I was running my grinder on it for quite a while (900 watt). The charger bit survived a further 6 months. I gave it to a mate and it's still going strong.

 

I got hit with an import tax of about 65 quid too.