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Inverter fan


locostmike

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Hi folks, 

I have a live aboard narrowboat with 4+1 batteries and a sterling inverter/charger. 

My inverter fan keeps coming on. The only thing that is different is that 'Ive recently changed my battery bank. Any thoughts on why this might be? 

Thanks 

Mike 

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We have a Sterling inverter, and the standby current is pretty high, about 3.5A.  Odd thing is that it draws less when running a small load.

Our fan comes on after a few minutes on standby, not really surprising, really as the inverter is in a cupboard,and is dissipating 40 odd Watts.

 

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5 minutes ago, Iain_S said:

We have a Sterling inverter, and the standby current is pretty high, about 3.5A.  Odd thing is that it draws less when running a small load.

Our fan comes on after a few minutes on standby, not really surprising, really as the inverter is in a cupboard,and is dissipating 40 odd Watts.

 

+1 except not in a cupboard :)

Fan often runs when charging batteries as well. I've never thought of it as unusual.

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7 minutes ago, Iain_S said:

We have a Sterling inverter, and the standby current is pretty high, about 3.5A.  Odd thing is that it draws less when running a small load.

Our fan comes on after a few minutes on standby, not really surprising, really as the inverter is in a cupboard,and is dissipating 40 odd Watts.

 

I have similar experiences with a sterling charger,  an  inverter and a inverter charger (not all at the same time). They all do the same.

Electronic equipment hates heat - I suspect that Charles S  specifically built in an extra bit of cooling to make his kit last longer, full in the knowledge that some of it was likely to be stuffed away where it would get hot....

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We tested the batteries as part of a check to find why my eberspacher wasn't working. The tester showed they were duff. You've made me doubt which setting the inverter was left on, pretty sure it was the "linked to shoreline" option though. Happy to be told if I'm doing something wrong! 

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There was a stirling combi fitted on my last boat when I purchased it. Used loads of leccy even on standby :o I got rid of it on fleabay and bought a mastervolt vastly superior and second hand faultless from gumtree for very little money :D

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Sounds like a panel ammeter may be handy, or at least one of those Uni-T (UT203?) handheld clamp meters eg from Amazon UK.

Some inverters/combis are 'low frequency' with a great big heavy transformer in, they usually drink current in standby BUT are pretty bulletproof compared to the usual 'high frequency' types.

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5 minutes ago, WotEver said:

The spec on that one suggests it doesn’t measure DC current. 

Looks like the description is for the non 'E' version of the meter, anyway if buying from China it can be had a bit cheaper than the Amazon fulfilled price:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UNI-T-UT210E-Handheld-RMS-AC-DC-Mini-Digital-Clamp-Meter-Resistance-Capacitance/232012176542

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