Inverter disaster!

[Theo]

Damn and triple damn!

 

I blew up my inverter last night. I splashed it while filling up the CH header tank (Who would put an inverter under a CH header tank?!)

 

Lots of sparks and a nasty smell.

 

Is it likely to repairable or do I just grit my teeth and buy another?

 

Nick

[NB Phoenix]

Damn and triple damn!

 

I blew up my inverter last night. I splashed it while filling up the CH header tank (Who would put an inverter under a CH header tank?!)

 

Lots of sparks and a nasty smell.

 

Is it likely to repairable or do I just grit my teeth and buy another?

 

Nick

 

Ouch!!

 

First of all what make of inverter is it? Second have you checked the fuses, both internal and external, plus if you have one, the big blighter in the main battery feed?

[Theo]

Ouch!!

 

First of all what make of inverter is it? Second have you checked the fuses, both internal and external, plus if you have one, the big blighter in the main battery feed?

 

 

600W Modified sine wave Genius. The three internal fuses that I found are all intact. I did not check the feeder fuse but my first attempt at repair was to leave it on a CH radiator for several hours until it appeared to be completely dry and then connected it up again. More smoke, more smell, more sparks. :-(

 

As I say the smell was horrid but when I opened it up there was no visible damage. However I did only look at the component side of the pcb, not the solder side.

 

N

Edited January 7, 2007 by Theo

[NB Phoenix]

Did you notice where the sparks came from. i.e outside or inside the inverter? As it may be a cable short out not the inverter itself. Also if you have the lid open don’t forget to check for signs of burning / sparking on the inside of the case as this may help to locate the problem. I would suggest you are very careful though, sucking eggs and the like, but you are dealing with potentially fatal currents. There are experts on here who will give you sound advice.

[Theo]

Did you notice where the sparks came from. i.e outside or inside the inverter? As it may be a cable short out not the inverter itself. Also if you have the lid open don’t forget to check for signs of burning / sparking on the inside of the case as this may help to locate the problem. I would suggest you are very careful though, sucking eggs and the like, but you are dealing with potentially fatal currents. There are experts on here who will give you sound advice.

 

 

I am sure that that sparks came from inside. Smoke certainly came from inside.

 

And thanks for the warning. I am quite happy to be taught about sucking eggs if it helps to preserve my life!!

Edited January 7, 2007 by Theo

[chris w]

I am sure that that sparks cam from inside. Smoke certainly came from inside.

 

And thanks for the warning. I am quite happy to be taught about sucking eggs if it helps to preserve my life!!

Theo

 

If the fuses are OK, then it sounds like it's probably beyond economic repair other than by the manufacturer. Many of these circuits will use multi-layer PCB boards which are not really home repairable. If there was smoke etc, it sounds like it something to do with the output stages - the transformers etc.

 

However, since it was damaged because of an accident, ie: you accidentally spilt water on it, you should be covered under your insurance policy in terms of getting a new one.

 

Chris

[Theo]

Theo

 

If the fuses are OK, then it sounds like it's probably beyond economic repair other than by the manufacturer. Many of these circuits will use multi-layer PCB boards which are not really home repairable. If there was smoke etc, it sounds like it something to do with the output stages - the transformers etc.

 

However, since it was damaged because of an accident, ie: you accidentally spilt water on it, you should be covered under your insurance policy in terms of getting a new one.

 

Chris

 

 

How very odd! I never thought of insurance. I am grateful for the tip.

 

Nick

[Gibbo]

Damn and triple damn!

 

I blew up my inverter last night. I splashed it while filling up the CH header tank (Who would put an inverter under a CH header tank?!)

 

Lots of sparks and a nasty smell.

 

Is it likely to repairable or do I just grit my teeth and buy another?

 

Nick

 

I spent a total of 15 years (on and off) bench repairing inverters for two of the biggest names in the industry. When a 600 watt inverter retailed at £500 it was touch and go whether it was worth repairing them. Now they sell for so little, and considering how complex they are, and how much test equipment is required to repair them properly, the hourly rate of someone capable of fixing them would have reached the value of the inverter by the time he'd taken the screws out of the lid. I'm not joking.

 

They seem like a simple idea. In reality they are horrendously complex and when something goes wrong that results in smoke I can almost guarantee that it will have ripped through just about every power component in there. And if you replace those, without the correct test equipment and procedures, you can be almost certain that they'll all blow again the instant you switch it on.

 

Throw it in the skip. Sorry.

 

Gibbo

[Smudge]

Theo,

Smudge did exactly the same to our inverter just before xmas!

He called the manufacturers, Sterling in this case, and explained the situation to them, and they said as it was only 18 months old and still under manufactuers warrentee they would have a look at it, although as it was no 'fault' of the unit they could not replace it. Anyway, they got straight back to us and said it was boll... broken (!) ... but, they would give us 40% off a new one! How cool?

Point...? It is worth giving the manufacturers a bell! And yes, we did claim on the insurance.

Sam (Mrs Smudge)

[Gibbo]

Theo,

Smudge did exactly the same to our inverter just before xmas!

He called the manufacturers, Sterling in this case,

 

Just being pointlessly pedantic, "importers" not "manufacturers"

 

Gibbo

[Smudge]

OOH! excuse me!

[David Schweizer]

Just being pointlessly pedantic, "importers" not "manufacturers"

 

Gibbo

Yes it is a bit pedantic. I would guess that far more than half the electrical/electronic equipment sold in this country by British companies is made by someone else, but as consumer protection legislation always refers to either Manufacturers or Retailers, it is quite appropriate to refer to Sterling Power Products as the "Manufacturer" in a case where warranty is being applied.

 

Any way it is my understanding that much of the Sterling Range is designed and prototyped in this country and then out sourced to Asia for manufacture, just as many other products sold in this country which carry well known British brand names.

 

Edited January 8, 2007 by David Schweizer

[Smudge]

Manufacturers/importers..... doesn't alter the fact that their customer service was excellent! Which just lately seems to be v. rare!

[David Schweizer]

..... doesn't alter the fact that their customer service was excellent! Which just lately seems to be v. rare!

I agree, Charles Sterling come in for a lot of criticism from other parts of the trade, but I have always found him to be very informative, helpful and fair (albeit very brief).

 

A few years ago, over a period of several weeks he helped me with a problem I had with the charging circuit on my boat. After all the tests and alterations achieved no improvement, he sent me a prototype Alternator Regulator to try out on my boat, When I reported that it had solved the problem, he gave me the unit free of charge. Now that really is service.

[DHutch]

Any way it is my understanding that much of the Sterling Range is designed and prototyped in this country and then out sourced to Asia for manufacture, just as many other products sold in this country which carry well known British brand names.

Yeah.

- As a lsight as-side, we have a freind who runs a small bussiness that invovles making small-batch electronc componets.

 

They use a small uk-based firm to produce the cicuit boards, which they them assemble themselfs, often mainly by hand.

- A few month ago they where working a new product, and had ordered one prototyre board to make a working demonstation of the product for a event.

- Few weeks later, after several times being told it would be with them "any time soon", they rang up the compnay to fine out eaxtly where they where upto, as they needed the board very soon.

 

In the end they finaly got a stright answer to where it was. Stuck in customs!!

- This was the first they knew that any of there boards where manufactroed anywhere other than the the uk.

 

In the end, his wife ended up making the board in the livving room using equipent browed from the local collage by another freind!

 

 

 

Daniel

[chris w]

Sterling stuff is designed here and made in the Far East due to the cheapness of the electronic components (half the cost as compared to Europe according to Charles Sterling). Surprisingly, he said that labour costs were not a deciding factor and that the rate was not so very much lower than here. He reckoned there is a European cartel keeping component costs so high in Europe.

 

Chris

[Gibbo]

Sterling stuff is designed here and made in the Far East due to the cheapness of the electronic components (half the cost as compared to Europe according to Charles Sterling). Surprisingly, he said that labour costs were not a deciding factor and that the rate was not so very much lower than here. He reckoned there is a European cartel keeping component costs so high in Europe.

 

Chris

 

Some of it is. Some of it isn't. For instance the inverters are nothing to do with Sterling whatsoever. They are designed, manufactured and marketed in the far east. You can buy the same unit with about 40 different "badge" names on them.

 

He's quite right about the costs. In fact he's underestimated the difference. They're about a quarter the cost over there.

 

Gibbo

[Guest]

Sterling stuff is designed here and made in the Far East due to the cheapness of the electronic components (half the cost as compared to Europe according to Charles Sterling). Surprisingly, he said that labour costs were not a deciding factor and that the rate was not so very much lower than here. He reckoned there is a European cartel keeping component costs so high in Europe.Chris

I'd bet he is right.

[Theo]

No1 son's father in law knows everyone and among the everyone he knows is an electronics buff who likes to repair things. He had a look at my poor inverter and found virtually every component on the board had blown. I will now buy another and site it in a place where I am not likely to pour water over it.

 

There are lots to choose from on the internet. Am I safe getting a low priced one? What do I get if I pay a higher price for the same quoted power?

 

Nick

[chris w]

No1 son's father in law knows everyone and among the everyone he knows is an electronics buff who likes to repair things. He had a look at my poor inverter and found virtually every component on the board had blown. I will now buy another and site it in a place where I am not likely to pour water over it.

 

There are lots to choose from on the internet. Am I safe getting a low priced one? What do I get if I pay a higher price for the same quoted power?

 

Nick

 

Make sure the rated power is CONTINUOUSLY rated. So, for example, Sterling 1800W inverters are rated at 1800W continuously and 2500W surge. Some 1800W inverters are not really that if used continuously.

 

Chris

[OWIN]

Theres a lot to be said for the old adage of you get what you pay for, a friend of mine has a Victron 2.5KVA inverter charger which is about ten years old and the charger packed up, it was sent off back to the manufacturer and repaired FOC and sent back. now thats service, but they are not a cheap unit