inverter/chargers

[rickngill]

Our stirling inverter blew up and is irreparable, we are new to boating and not sure what we need. we will be living aboard for at least 3 months each year in the winter but at present we are in a marina with a hook up. we are surprised at the cost of a pure sine 2kw inverter/charger especially if we go for another stirling. do we really need a pure sine or will a quasi be ok, need to run a tv and a laptop and other than that just lights etc

[dccruiser]

Our stirling inverter blew up and is irreparable, we are new to boating and not sure what we need. we will be living aboard for at least 3 months each year in the winter but at present we are in a marina with a hook up. we are surprised at the cost of a pure sine 2kw inverter/charger especially if we go for another stirling. do we really need a pure sine or will a quasi be ok, need to run a tv and a laptop and other than that just lights etc

 

Firstly i would try stirling as people have said on here they have often helped with things out of warranty, but failing that you might consider buying a seperate inverter and charger as at least then if one goes you still have the other.

 

my current setup is a 1kw modified sine wave inverter and a seperate charger. I have just bought a pure sign inverter just to run a microwave and a breadmaker, but my tv did have a 12 volt adapter so instead of that i use a 12volt to 12volt converter that wont allow spurious voltages when charging or whatever.

 

RIck

[Ark Right]

Our stirling inverter blew up and is irreparable, we are new to boating and not sure what we need. we will be living aboard for at least 3 months each year in the winter but at present we are in a marina with a hook up. we are surprised at the cost of a pure sine 2kw inverter/charger especially if we go for another stirling. do we really need a pure sine or will a quasi be ok, need to run a tv and a laptop and other than that just lights etc

 

Hi, personally I would stick with pure sine wave. If you really only use your inverter for Tv and a laptop then you could probably make a saving by buying a smaller unit.

Hope this helps

Cheers

A

[slammer]

Hi

I would try Sterling . mine went bang and they repaired it the same day and a 3rd of the price of a similar unit, plus a 2 year guarantee.

[rickngill]

can anyone recommend an alternative make(ie not stirling) which is reliable and good value

[Roger Gunkel]

A quasi sine wave inverter will be fine for tv, laptop etc. A pure sine wave will be neccessary for items that require stable voltages such as fridge compressors, microwaves etc.

 

Roger

[Grace and Favour]

I suspect you'll want Victron or Mastervolt then.

 

Both good quality - - but dearer than Sterling

[rickngill]

Hi

I would try Sterling . mine went bang and they repaired it the same day and a 3rd of the price of a similar unit, plus a 2 year guarantee.

ours had been fitted in the engine bay and the chap that took it out said it was full of oil and dust and in his opinion it was knackered, perhaps its worth sending off to Sterling.

[by'eck]

Sterling were offering a deal where if you bought an MSW inverter or Combi & it didn't power your appliance, they would exchange it for PSW equivalent and just charge the difference in RRP.

[jonathanA]

Pure sine wave or modified/quasi sinewave - pump out or cassette, perennial canal dabating points....

 

We have a stirling 1800 quasi unit and it runs everything we chuck at it including a microwave. imho pure sine wave isn't worth the extra money these days.

 

I personally wouldn't entertain putting either a charger or inverter in the engine room (unless its a proper trad walk in engine room thats clean and dry). none of the chargers/inverters I've seen look like they could cope with damp, dust, condensation etc that you would get in say a cruiser/semi trad engine hole. Our inverter and separate charger are in a cupboard 'in board' where they are nice and dry and dust free.

 

given the choice I think i would have gone for a combi charger/inverter but the inverter was new when we bought the boat and i added a charger, as it didn't make sense to take out a brand new inverter. there is some advantage in having a spearate charger and inverter in that the failure of one doesn't stop the other, but i could also argue that there is twice as much chance of something failing.

 

For me it would be down to relative cost is a combi charger cheaper and easier to install than separate units in your situation ?

[mrsmelly]

I suspect you'll want Victron or Mastervolt then.

 

Both good quality - - but dearer than Sterling

 

Yes, Sterling are at the cheaper end, my present boat has sterling fitted. My last boat had Mastervolt kit, it is certainly much more expensive but it is brilliant stuff and if anything goes wrong with my present stirling stuff I will replace it with mastervolt having had it before.

[ChrisPy]

can anyone recommend an alternative make(ie not stirling) which is reliable and good value

Kipoint sell inverters from Taiwan which appear to be the same as Sterling. I assume Sterling put their own badge on the Kipoint inverters. The manual was identical. Mine was about half the price of the Sterling equivalent even after paying freight. Customs didn't charge duty.

With due respect to Sterling, there was none of their model in stock anywhere in the UK at the time, and they couldn't give me a date when new supplies would arrive, so I looked elsewhere.

The unit was a 1500W pure sine combi inverter/charger.

You pay less by importing direct, but of course there is no effective warranty. Suited me fine.