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Xantrex prosine or modified - Gregory OConnor - 02-08-2008 03:10

I do quite a bit of dry camping short trips. Last year I replaced 8
12volt batteries with 6 L-16 and now I need a larger battery charger.

I now have the origional '94 heart2800 inverter and two '04 Xantrex
smart charge 40's for chargers. When the detroit is powered it puts
out over 300 amps so I know the bank can take a large charge. I
want to tax the generator with powering more charger at a shorter
run time. It seems that the best way to buy a charger larger than 50
amps is to buy a inverter charger. My thinking is that inverter
technology has advanced in efficiency since '94 also therefor I
narrowed my choice to Xantrex refurbished units. I like refurbished
mostly because $$$$$$$$$$$.

I cant get a straight answer if the new modified sine inverters are
more efficient with consumption of 12volts then my old '94
heart2800. Do I need a pure sine wave if the old heart does
everything I need?

here is a link to the prices on refurbished Xantrex
http://sunelec.com/Distributors_/Trace/body_trace.html


GregoryO'Connor
94ptRomolandCa

Xantrex prosine or modified - Steve Pfiffner - 02-08-2008 03:50

A battery bank that size needs no more than about 150 amps of
charging
capacity(at 12 volts), just because you have a 300amp alternator does
not mean the battery
bank can utilize it. I personally have had poor luck with Xantrex 40
amp chargers,
ever wonder why reman units are always available? I have had great
service from
Iota chargers http://www.solarseller.com/
Pure sine wave are very overhyped, if the Heart does the job I would
stick with it,
there is scant evidence of improvments since '94

Steve
BB Wannabee


----Original Message----
From: Gregoryoc@...
Date: 02/08/2008 9:10
To:
Subj: [WanderlodgeForum] Xantrex prosine or modified

I do quite a bit of dry camping short trips. Last year I replaced 8
12volt batteries with 6 L-16 and now I need a larger battery charger.

I now have the origional '94 heart2800 inverter and two '04 Xantrex
smart charge 40's for chargers. When the detroit is powered it puts
out over 300 amps so I know the bank can take a large charge. I
want to tax the generator with powering more charger at a shorter
run time. It seems that the best way to buy a charger larger than 50
amps is to buy a inverter charger. My thinking is that inverter
technology has advanced in efficiency since '94 also therefor I
narrowed my choice to Xantrex refurbished units. I like refurbished
mostly because $$$$$$$$$$$.

I cant get a straight answer if the new modified sine inverters are
more efficient with consumption of 12volts then my old '94
heart2800. Do I need a pure sine wave if the old heart does
everything I need?

here is a link to the prices on refurbished Xantrex
http://sunelec.com/Distributors_/Trace/body_trace.html


GregoryO'Connor
94ptRomolandCa

Xantrex prosine or modified - robert nloomas - 02-08-2008 07:42

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Gregory OConnor"
wrote:

Gregory I have 10 6volt batteries using charging/
hart inverter.The charging side of the inverter is a 120 amp
charger never had a problem since installed 7 years ago.I try not to
dischard the batteries below 12.2 volts.
Bob Loomas 1985 PT 36
Harahan La.

>
> I do quite a bit of dry camping short trips. Last year I replaced
8
> 12volt batteries with 6 L-16 and now I need a larger battery
charger.
>
> I now have the origional '94 heart2800 inverter and two '04
Xantrex
> smart charge 40's for chargers. When the detroit is powered it
puts
> out over 300 amps so I know the bank can take a large charge. I
> want to tax the generator with powering more charger at a shorter
> run time. It seems that the best way to buy a charger larger than
50
> amps is to buy a inverter charger. My thinking is that inverter
> technology has advanced in efficiency since '94 also therefor I
> narrowed my choice to Xantrex refurbished units. I like
refurbished
> mostly because $$$$$$$$$$$.
>
> I cant get a straight answer if the new modified sine inverters
are
> more efficient with consumption of 12volts then my old '94
> heart2800. Do I need a pure sine wave if the old heart does
> everything I need?
>
> here is a link to the prices on refurbished Xantrex
> http://sunelec.com/Distributors_/Trace/body_trace.html
>
>
> GregoryO'Connor
> 94ptRomolandCa
>

Xantrex prosine or modified - Pete Masterson - 02-08-2008 09:21

The most modern inverter technology is more efficient than the inverters of a few years ago. Efficiencies of 95% are common. 

The digital circuitry in an inverter will normally create a "square wave" AC if it wasn't internally adjusted to do otherwise. Since most motor-driven devices can not accept a square wave, the "modified sine wave" inverter was created. It 'steps' the square wave up and down in the cycle sequence. If you could view the wave (on an oscilloscope), you'd see a pattern of stairs. A true sine wave inverter will some much closer to the analog sine wave that comes from electric generators. The digital nature of the inverter circuitry will always leave some 'stepiness' to the wave form, a true sine wave inverter will have much smaller steps than the typical modified sine wave form. 

The main reason to have a true sine wave is that electric motors run cooler and more efficiently. It has little impact on appliances and lights that don't have motors. (The power supply in a TV or computer usually converts the electricity to DC anyway for internal use -- but some such appliances don't particularly like square waves, so need, at least, modified sine wave electricity.)

Can't say how much improved efficiency a 2008 inverter will provide when compared to a 1994 model. Try to find a conversion efficiency specification in the documentation you have... 
Pete Masterson
'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
El Sobrante CA
"aeonix1@mac.com"
On Feb 8, 2008, at 7:10 AM, Gregory OConnor wrote:

I do quite a bit of dry camping short trips.  Last year I replaced 8 
12volt batteries with 6 L-16 and now I need a larger battery charger.
I now have the origional '94 heart2800 inverter and two '04 Xantrex 
smart charge 40's for chargers. When the detroit is powered it puts 
out over 300 amps so I know the bank can take  a large charge.  I 
want to tax the generator with powering more charger at a shorter 
run time. It seems that the best way to buy a charger larger than 50 
amps is to buy a inverter charger. My thinking is that inverter 
technology has advanced  in efficiency since '94 also therefor I 
narrowed my choice to Xantrex refurbished units. I like refurbished 
mostly because $$$$$$$$$$$.   
I cant get a straight answer if the new  modified sine inverters are 
more efficient with consumption of 12volts then my old '94 
heart2800. Do I need a pure sine wave if the old heart does 
everything I need?
here is a link to the prices on refurbished Xantrex
GregoryO'Connor
94ptRomolandCa
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