Since a generator is connected to the house battery and the battery is
normally situated between generator and loads (items using the power)
why can't a much cheaper standard generator be used instead of the
much more PSW (inverter) genny be used?
I would think that the battery provides the power and not the genny
directly. Wouldn't the battery work as a "smoother" to any ups and downs
in the voltage?
B
Whenarewethere said
04:01 PM Aug 12, 2025
The battery is DC.
The output of the inverter is AC. Personally I would rather have a pure sine wave inverter. Actually have a 3.0kVA UPS with extra batteries. $4,500 in 2007.
If it is a quality inverter it will also be maintaining a very stable output voltage. Up to the cutoff battery voltage you have set the inverter to.
Corndoggy said
05:54 PM Aug 12, 2025
How is the generator connected to the battery?
Ok, see what your meaning now, your calling an inverter a generator.
Basically, a pure sine wave inverter gives you the same ac signal as you get coming out of your power point. This is best for a lot of electronics. A modified sine wave inverter uses a stepped dc signal, like a set of stairs to create the rise and fall of the sine wave which could actually be a triangle type wave. Some electronics don't really like this way the wave is produced. I had a small modified inverter and didn't have a problem with what I ran through it. I replaced it but went with a pure sine inverter as things I use with it are mostly electronics. I'm not a big 240v user.
-- Edited by Corndoggy on Tuesday 12th of August 2025 06:31:28 PM
Are We Lost said
07:43 PM Aug 12, 2025
Corndoggy wrote:
Ok, see what your meaning now, your calling an inverter a generator.
Brodie, is that what you mean? The device that converts battery power to 240 volts?
As Corndoggy said, some devices are more sensitive than others to the modified sine wave inverters. My partner and I had laptops. One of the power supplies made an audible buzzing noise and would get quite hot. I had a microwave that worked but the sound was a lot louder and harsh. I suspect each of those would not have lasted very long. The replacement pure sine wave inverter solved both problems.
If you go the cheaper modified sine wave route, maybe it will work fine. Or maybe you will have to swap to sine wave after all.
Whenarewethere said
08:58 PM Aug 12, 2025
A bit over halfway down this page is a diagram of sine wave, square wave & modified sine wave.
' Modified sine wave inverters, on the other hand, use relatively inexpensive electronics (thyristors, diodes, and other simple components) to produce a kind of "rounded-off" square wave (a much rougher approximation to a sine wave) and while they're fine for delivering power to hefty electric appliances, they can and do cause problems with delicate electronics (or anything with an electronic or microprocessor controller), so, generally, that means they're unsuitable for things like laptops, medical equipment, digital clocks, and smart home devices. Also, if you think about it, their rounded-off square waves are delivering more power to the appliance overall than a pure sine wave (there's more area under a square than a curve). This makes them less efficient and the wasted power, dissipated as heat, means there's some risk of overheating with MSW inverters. On the positive side, they tend to be quite a bit cheaper than true inverters. '
Brodie Allen said
10:55 AM Aug 18, 2025
Yep! Poorly written question. Try again:
All the potentially sensitive equipment runs off the battery so theres no problem what kind od genny is used for other purposes.
But for 230v stuff like water heater kettle stove radiator etc I think that just about any genny would suffice as has been the case in times gone.
But a modified genny would be the next step up. Theres a huge difference in cost to pure sine wave setup and thats what I wonder about.
If a regular genny is so deliterious then theres squillions of them out there running charging and tools and lighting etc for many years.
No problems and a quarter of the price and weight.
B
Since a generator is connected to the house battery and the battery is
normally situated between generator and loads (items using the power)
why can't a much cheaper standard generator be used instead of the
much more PSW (inverter) genny be used?
I would think that the battery provides the power and not the genny
directly. Wouldn't the battery work as a "smoother" to any ups and downs
in the voltage?
B
The battery is DC.
The output of the inverter is AC. Personally I would rather have a pure sine wave inverter. Actually have a 3.0kVA UPS with extra batteries. $4,500 in 2007.
If it is a quality inverter it will also be maintaining a very stable output voltage. Up to the cutoff battery voltage you have set the inverter to.
How is the generator connected to the battery?
Ok, see what your meaning now, your calling an inverter a generator.
Basically, a pure sine wave inverter gives you the same ac signal as you get coming out of your power point. This is best for a lot of electronics. A modified sine wave inverter uses a stepped dc signal, like a set of stairs to create the rise and fall of the sine wave which could actually be a triangle type wave. Some electronics don't really like this way the wave is produced. I had a small modified inverter and didn't have a problem with what I ran through it. I replaced it but went with a pure sine inverter as things I use with it are mostly electronics. I'm not a big 240v user.
-- Edited by Corndoggy on Tuesday 12th of August 2025 06:31:28 PM
Brodie, is that what you mean? The device that converts battery power to 240 volts?
As Corndoggy said, some devices are more sensitive than others to the modified sine wave inverters. My partner and I had laptops. One of the power supplies made an audible buzzing noise and would get quite hot. I had a microwave that worked but the sound was a lot louder and harsh. I suspect each of those would not have lasted very long. The replacement pure sine wave inverter solved both problems.
If you go the cheaper modified sine wave route, maybe it will work fine. Or maybe you will have to swap to sine wave after all.
A bit over halfway down this page is a diagram of sine wave, square wave & modified sine wave.
https://www.explainthatstuff.com/how-inverters-work.html
' Modified sine wave inverters, on the other hand, use relatively inexpensive electronics (thyristors, diodes, and other simple components) to produce a kind of "rounded-off" square wave (a much rougher approximation to a sine wave) and while they're fine for delivering power to hefty electric appliances, they can and do cause problems with delicate electronics (or anything with an electronic or microprocessor controller), so, generally, that means they're unsuitable for things like laptops, medical equipment, digital clocks, and smart home devices. Also, if you think about it, their rounded-off square waves are delivering more power to the appliance overall than a pure sine wave (there's more area under a square than a curve). This makes them less efficient and the wasted power, dissipated as heat, means there's some risk of overheating with MSW inverters. On the positive side, they tend to be quite a bit cheaper than true inverters. '