Stupid Question TIme - Inverter Leave On?

[spaceyaface]

Forgive me chaps, are we to leave this on all the time?

[Ex- Member]

Forgive me chaps, are we to leave this on all the time?

 

If you're running any 240 volt equipment like a fridge then Yes.

 

For things like washing machines hair driers for example, you only need the inverter on whilst using any 240 volt equipment.

 

Basically if no 240 volt equipment running switch it of until needed it will save energy.

 

 

[Ray T]

Others may have different views, but, I only switch the inverter on when I need 240V. e.g. microwave, mini vac etc etc.

It has caused no damage in the 3 years we have had it.

 

Even with no load it will be using battery power if switched on.

[matty40s]

Turn it on if you need it, off if you don't.

It will always use some power, and there is always the risk that if something gives up inside when you are not there, the consequences could be serious.

[Guest]

Turn it on if you need it, off if you don't.

It will always use some power, and there is always the risk that if something gives up inside when you are not there, the consequences could be serious.

 

We do this too - it's aided by being able to be done remotely in the kitchen - so if we want to use 240V for anything we switch it on if we don't we switch it off. It's always normally off during the night too.

 

I guess the consumption is negligible when just 'on' but not actually 'inverting' anything but I work on the principle of 'every little helps'

[jelunga]

I certainly turn it off when not needed. Save a little power but saves more if there is sonething switched on that you do not want switched on and have forgotten that then drains the battery. I know. I have done it!

[steelaway]

Others may have different views, but, I only switch the inverter on when I need 240V. e.g. microwave, mini vac etc etc.

It has caused no damage in the 3 years we have had it.

 

Even with no load it will be using battery power if switched on.

 

 

 

About 0.5 amp - but always turn it off when you leave the boat for long periods

 

Alex

[Arthur Brown]

A mate with an off grid house has solar and batteries and an inverter. By each 13a socket is a separate switch, this switches the inverter remote on and 240 is available, Turn the switch off again and the inverter goes off.

 

Try to measure the inverter quiescent current, if it's little then there is little to bother about but some used to be in the tens of amps and that would be battery capacity wasted.

[OldGoat]

If you use the boat engine / charge the batteries every day then leaving it on is no big deal.

 

1/2 amp quiescent current = 12 amp hours per day.

 

If you leave the boat for a week that's 74 amp hours wasted two weeks 144 - that's nearly a battery installation's worth - if you get my drift. In which case turn it off.

[J R]

Others may have different views, but, I only switch the inverter on when I need 240V. e.g. microwave, mini vac etc etc.

It has caused no damage in the 3 years we have had it.

 

Even with no load it will be using battery power if switched on.

 

There is no point in leaving an inverter on if it not being used even though the power drain is minimal. It is also worth noting that running the likes of a microwave off the battery bank via the inverter without the engine running will severly hammer your batteries due to the extremly high draw of current over a short period (above 100 amp hrs according to our amp hr meter), and reduce their useable lifespan. They simply are not built for such high and prolonged discharges.