I was just about to buy one of these Powerjack "5000W" inverters when I decided to check for reviews to see if it really was what it was hyped up to be on its ebay page, and ended up on this review series. Thank you so much Knurlknar24, you have saved me a wad of cash, time, and a great deal of heartbreak on this piece of junk. There's no way I would bet my life on one of these units for operating my well water pump during a power outage. Keep up the good work!
I want to thank you for the service you provide. I don't like to read books about electricity, it goes right over my head. With this approach I get a picture and a voice. Your knowledge is up there and has helped me obtain what I need to boondock in my bounder. Right now I'm trying to find a remote on/off switch for my 5000 watt potek inverter.
Not that it would have made much difference. Some of those cheap noisy fans are noisy because there very high flow fans. I recently found this out when I tried to swap the noisy fan in my power supply with a better quality one. Also I'm not a fan of reversing the air flow of fans, on my experiments with PC's I always found the exhaust fans were the only one's that really mattered(reversing the air flow was disastrous). So if the designers had the fan exhausting from the case I would have left it that way. Anyway interesting fix tour and review. POWER Jack!
Your video reviews were extremely helpful. I had purchased a pure sine wave xantrex 2000 watt inverter a while back and found that it could not fully utilize the batteries power as it would turn off at about 11 volts. After watching your videos I now know that I can most likely remedy this with a potentiometer it has internally.(once I fix the blown capacitors and mosfets!). So much for purchasing a well known and respectable brand name!! I decided to buy a larger modified sine inverter and would never have thought to buy a PowerBright brand...just sounded like another cheap and over rated inverter to me. This 6000 Watt inverter is great! I can run everything I want on it at the same time...several lights, small fridge, small freezer, Keurig coffee maker, and then start up my 1/2 HP well pump and washing machine without issue although the lights will dim ever so slightly when the pump starts. The inverter stays completely cool to the touch. The fans are large and fairly quiet when running...and there are two of them - one at each end which I have never seen before. The price currently is about $500.00 now and well worth it. So far none of my electronics have an issue with the modified sine wave so it must be of decent quality as well...this includes all of my variable speed power tools which have had issues with other modified sine wave inverters I have had. Thanks again for your time in creating these videos.
I was about to buy one of these in a 8000w version but now I will be looking a little more carefully at other makes. Thank you for a very interesting series.
I think maybe they marketed the product wrong. Instead of it being just an Inverter they should give it a dual purpose Inverter / Space heater designation. That would really up the efficiency rating!!! What do you think? HAHAHA
Just like every flashlight, bike light or switchmode power supply I've tried from an unknown Chinese company, the advertised numbers are arbitrary. It's good to see people like knurlgnar exposing these products for what truly are.
Another good series. I think it'd be interesting to see how this unit performs with a high performance(high CFM) fan in exhaust mode. It's been my experience that quieter fans are quieter because they simply aren't pushing as much air. I learned that through experience by installing a top rated fan in a portable ice maker. The high quality fan was much quieter, but wasn't pushing/pulling enough air to cool the unit and it's performance suffered way more than I would have imagined. How about making a Knurlgnar24 buyer's guide/ratings index that lists the equipment you test so we can get a snapshot of the best, worst, and middling equipment capabilities vs. cost? And/or a Knurlgnar24 favorites/recommended list? Keep up the good work.
I'm extremely grateful for your videos you certainly have truly educated me about it, keeping in mind that I'm one of those stupid people that pay for two of the 10Kwatts! thank you very very much!
Why are you picking on this manufacturer? I love the idea of a warning LAB - LEE! lol .... PS - your videos are awesome... I am learning a lot from your pain! Thank you!
Keep in mind that the LF inverter that Powerjack sells contains mains-frequency transformers. They are far more capable when dealing with inductive surges. It would be quite interesting to see inside one of those inverters.
If you get your inverter shipped, take the cover off and make sure it's not damaged or poorly constructed before powering up. I just got one where the FETs weren't mounted to the heat sink.
Love the videos. Maybe you can help me. I noticed that Powerjack inverters are shown in pictures being used in beach water. It would appear that they can be used for surf boards and attract young Chinese girls. Have you tried the high surf 10kw hand ten option yet and do you find yourself surrounded by young Chinese girls ?
Well, the 5000 Watts are supposed to be continuously. Given that it can apparently power 1000 Watts continuously. I would say it's rather a 1000 Watt inverter with fairly high surge and short term power capabilities.
Wouldn't adding one or two more batteries to keep the input voltage higher help to keep the output voltage a bit higher and thus increase the power output at least slightly? I know that the controller should maintain steady output voltage, regardless of the input voltage but since it clearly doesn't, maybe it would be worth giving it another shot with a more capable battery bank that can keep the voltage a bit higher. Nice review, btw.
I believe Power Jack has addressed burnout issues with the need to use a 48v set up for hard to start loads. The lower voltage designs, 12v and 24v don't provide the sustained voltage needed for heavy loads. I think you are right with your suggestion.
This air compressor has no pressure release - it always starts up into pressure. The only changes were that the motor was warmer and the pressure was a few PSI higher.
The results seem in line with what you might expect out of a "5kW" consumer audio duty power converter. Which is indeed one possible niche - powering audio equipment. But keep in mind that generally only analog audio equipment actually need sine wave to avoid EMI. The digital stuff pretty much always run fine with modified sine.
I couldn't help but noticed that @14:18 when u started the saw u went into slasher mode and it seems all to convincing u might enjoyed it..lol keep these vids coming thanks for the entertainment
As usual, a new hit, loved your critical approach, trials for improvement, and i wish you try to go a little deeper when it comes to improving performance, and tell us dose it really worth to boost this poorly made inverter t o be a really good quality 5000 Watt?
It isn't often worth modifying inverters to improve their performance because the components they 'cheaped out' on are generally not easily obtainable or inexpensive.
if you still have this inverter, i have an idea: since you said most 3kW inverters can't start those big devices, make a switching circuit with a contactor, so it switches to one of your 3kW inverters, like using it to get devices that need a big surge running, and then keep em running with a higher quality inverter
Great video and great job...keep up the good work mate, BTW I am retired electronics engineer from Sydney Australia, I received one of these units "Power Jack PSW-5000" Inverter 12V-240VAC, unfortunately someone has been into it and missing (Q9,Q10,Q11 & Q12) Mosfets. cannot fine schematics to identify the Mosfets labelling.
Inductive loads (things with motors) you always need to spec double the wattage with the inverter, as the wattage quoted on those loads in an average value, they all draw double their rating (read much more) for a short time on startup, that is not shown on an average current draw figure. Thats true with any inverter and things with motors or heating elements, which require a large rush of current to start. You will either blow a fuse or destroy your inverter, as you are doubling the average rated power of the appliance for a very brief time at startup.
Battery 11volts when load on under voltage cutout. I've been running my whole flat on a 3000w LF PSW SURGE 12000w power jack for the last 6 years and it will run everything in my flat only thing that cuts it out is the ev it don't like to charge the car
I have s 3500w powerjack and it runs a 2400w 240v vacuum... Good enough for planned use running my home light circuit of led lights and possibly some powerpoints via a changeover switch for blackouts....
I'm glad I came across this particular series of videos. I was considering this model for an inverter but was very unsure as to its capabilities and quality. I know it's been a long time but how is the samlex performing?
I'm wondering if the rapid overheating is the result of something else malfunctioning on one of the circuit boards ? Perhaps a resistor or a capacitor, or even a transistor ?
I'd say that given the tiny vent hols at the other end of the fan, it just can't push enough air through to cool the system. maybe it's time for some modding? take a big section of the rear out and replace it with mesh so it has much more air flow capacity. maybe even put another fan on that end? get some serious airflow going and run some more tests.
Off Grid Texas Homestead It is arguable whether turning the fan around would change the result and by how much, however as fast as this inverter overheated at a mere 1kw it is exceedingly clear that it would not make a substantial difference.
I think its unfair to test it and make a judgement call on the product without putting it back as close to original design as possible. You may well be right, it might not make a difference but by turning the fan you have made a design change and its not operating under original design parameters. I say that pulling heat away from and out of the cabinet may make a difference. Its worth investigating. We could all learn from it, I appreciate your effort and the time it takes to make these videos. I enjoy them very much. Kd
All I asked was to turn the fan around, I learn from videos like this. I appreciate what knurlgnar24 does and I thought it was a simple and easy request, no it isn't my inverter, but who rattled your chain and asked for your snide remark smallenginedud?
Have you done any tests with the air compressor on various when it is attempting to represurize air when it is already at a high PSI. E.g. Start the compressor at 100 PSI and have it charge the compressor to 120-150 or wahtever its rated for. I found that one of my inverters can start my compressor fine, but can't start it when the pressure of the compressor is above like 50 PSI.
There is a huge difference a Low Frequency inverter and a standard sine-wave inverter... I have a 6Kw Low frequency split wave that I use... It was NOT cheap. But the links you showed that were to low frequency inverters, which handle frequency sensitive loads much better... Like apples and oranges... Both are fruit, but completely different.
Far out I wish I had your brain. I had a Giandel inverter and threw it away because it stopped working. I'd love to be able to fix electronic stuff. I have an old Technics amplifier that sounded amazing and I want to get fixed.
I'm looking at the 3000w LF split phase so these videos have helped. I have a few observations, though. First, I wouldn't have reversed the air flow direction. The arrangement from the factory draws cool external air across the output filters first. This is important as they will run the hottest. Also, have you confirmed the supply line you modified for a higher dropout isn't part of the thermal regulation circuit? It could need recalibrated now. Do you recall the part number on the output MOSFET? I'd like to take a look at the data sheet. Thanks!
I had one like this years ago and you had to ground the frame to ground to get it to work right and have the engine running, higher voltage...??? then it worked fine...?
Thanks for the review! I have been using a power jack 1500 watt inverter infrequently for the past 6 years and it has worked great for me. That's why when I wanted to upgrade I was looking at power jack again. Are you sure the inverter was over heating and not low voltage cut off in your tests? Just 2 batteries run down quick even with a 45 amp charger. What type of inverter do you recommend?
Your problem is not with the inverter. It may be able to drive the heaters or the microwave oven if it gets enough drive current. Most people that have problems with inverters are due to the fact that they don't have enough drive current. Running a 1500W load will require about 130 amps at 13volts. You need a running charging system.
I got a flash light that is over 250w, its using 4 100w LED chips, and requires a shoulder strap lol (also burnt out 3 of those cheap 150w dc-dc boost converter boards before I bothered to get a 600w board)
Greetings. Very good videos. I was thinking about to do pure sine wave inverter with home made audio amplifier( I am good do this type of amplifier,ab amp) and power transformer but it will be only 75 percent of efficiency. So, after saw this video i believe that my amplifier will be better than that crap.
I like your vidz but none of the better brands you talk about seem to be in Australia unfortunately. Going by your reviews, if the costs are good, would you recommend finding 2 lower wattage more efficient inverters and running them together rather than a single bigger one? I want to build a completely off grid system and looking into if I should go all 240v inverted which I like the idea of or some 12v for the fridge and lights, or perhaps 24v as ive heard inverters run much more efficiently this way.
Hi, I just got a power jack 8000 watt LF split phase inverter. The Instructions are NOT good. I wish to use it as a UPS/ battery charger. Do I wire direct to my house panel using L1, L2, N and leave the grid mains on? Why are there AC in connections if this is correct? I am more than confused and I have seen alot of your vids, you seem to know the most about this.
How many Batterys do you need for the 5,000 watt? I also didnt like the fact you had to repair it - up grade it. I cant find no one to touch these so i would not buy it period. Its funny how they state how it has 2000 watts and it cant even run a small coffee machine. The Federal Government should have these companies put the actual truth not these lies. Everyone have a good weekend.
i have the inverter/charger model .said to be 5000/30,000 surge. i hooked my 1500 ac up and blew the inverter fuse.it is a 25 amp fuse. WTF? my 750 watt cheapy inverter has a 30 amp fuse. these people told me to use 24 v /300 amp hours of batteries with 00 gage wire.???? on a 25 amp fuse? the instruction manual itself said 9000-15000 surge. 25 amp fuse can't be right.
Quick uninformed question I have not seen the other videos but are the outputs in parallel or separate? Even with a pure sine wave inverter it should roughly handle 15 to 20 Amps per outlet saying it's a 5000 watt inverter means it can should handle 20 amps per outlet. Also it needs more batteries and a stronger power source providing the proper amperage to the batteries at 5000watts that inverter should be pulling over 450 amps from the batteries.
not bad really for the cheap price. could add additional cooling on it somehow. would not be great for the Australian summer as it gets to 41 degrees Celsius here and thats nearly the meltdown point
What happened to consumer protection laws? Companies can be prosecuted for selling crap labeled as something that it isn't, and being cheap is no defence. Unfortunately, it seems there are too many unscrupulous people out there and you just can't trust anyone without a huge amount of research to verify their claims. Kind of takes the joy out of online shopping, knowing that almost everyone is trying to screw you and get away with it if they can!
+Andy Lee Robinson It is exactly what it says it is. He did not read the instructions. They clearly state max output using the 120 is 2500 watts. It is only 5000 watts IF you use the split phase wired to a 240 panel.
Are you sure your problem is not on the other side? What kind of batteries and cables are you using? Most people underestimate the input power required.
you don't need to hide on how you come up the efficiency so easy to compute. To find the efficiency the formula would be EFF% = W/(V x A) (example 177/(13.40 x 18.5) = 71.4%.. It will be more appreciated if you really teach your viewer everything.. =)
Got my 8000 watt power jack inverter. Over 4000 watt usage, even on 240v, get overload alarm/shutdown. After many emails with the company, they have informed me that this is just the way it is. Their inverter listed at 8000 watts continuous can only provide up to 4000 watts continuous. The company has admitted that their inverters can only do 1/2 what they are rated for. I would give this a DO NOT BUY!!! TOTAL SCAM RIP OFF!!!
Could you tell me if there is a difference in the amount of watts you draw from your battery set up is more with a larger, say 2ooowt invertor as opposed to using a smaller say 400wt inverter or would it be the same draw from the battery depending on what is pluged into the inverter sorry about spelling, in short would a smaller inverter use up less wattage from the battery if any additional wattage because of being a larger unit.
I haven't checked the Warning Lable on my Magnum 2800 Inverter/charger. Can I run a light bulb with it? They don't include a gold medal on the case declaring it "best". I'm scared...
It would help some but this inverter simply cannot deliver anything near its rated power regardless of airflow. When it comes to airflow diminishing returns comes very quickly.
24:52 Do you have some recommendations for inverters. I'd like one for a commercial truck, to run a small refrigerator, microwave, or over head ac? Not all at once though, unless its reasonably possible. I'd like to run the ac for 8 to 10 hrs or more if possible. Thanks for your vid.
Running an overhead AC will require a MASSIVE battery bank or running the truck overnight to keep things charged. Other than that I'd recommend at least a 3000W pure sine inverter since the ratings on nearly all inverters are not honest. I wish I were more up to date with current models but beware that most 3000W inverters cannot provide even 1500W reliably. You'll have to do some research to know which ones are honest and which are not. A good 3KW inverter should run your AC plus other loads without issue assuming good batteries while less just isn't going to do it for you. I'd also recommend staying away from 'low frequency' inverters. They don't do well in mobile applications and have a higher no-load parasitic draw.
how the hell can my 5000 watt powerjack LF PURE SINE inverter charger, have only a 25 amp fuse? i was told i need 00 gage cables , fur a 25 amp fuse. says 30,000 surge but fuse blows starting a 1400 watt AC.
knurlgnar24 Do you know of a cheap inverter than can run a few lights, a skill saw, and an air compressor(heavy use) for several hours. My generator is an old Coleman 5500, but i would much rather just idle my truck and not lug it around. I am looking for a decent cheap inverter that can run as good as my generator. An answer would be greatly appreciated. Thx.
what does everyone suggest for a pure sine wave 1000-2000 watt 12V/110 power inverter? Been looking for three months and every time I find one I see bad reviews. I'm trying not to spend $1000
so far my Power Jack 3k (Chinese watts that is) low frequency 12 volt input machine is dong a good job but who knows how long it will last or when the Asian girls will show up.
Hi! Do you know any sites that have schematics on power inverters? I want to know what modification to make to make a grid tie inverter function as off grid inverter, if possible. It's a Socomec sunsys home 3965 grid tie inverter. Any help appreciated.
I need to replace my Heart interface freedom 20 2000 watt inverter/ charger I have 50 amp power supply will this unit be the right one or do I need to buy another model?
I was just about to buy one of these Powerjack "5000W" inverters when I decided to check for reviews to see if it really was what it was hyped up to be on its ebay page, and ended up on this review series. Thank you so much Knurlknar24, you have saved me a wad of cash, time, and a great deal of heartbreak on this piece of junk. There's no way I would bet my life on one of these units for operating my well water pump during a power outage. Keep up the good work!
I want to thank you for the service you provide. I don't like to read books about electricity, it goes right over my head. With this approach I get a picture and a voice. Your knowledge is up there and has helped me obtain what I need to boondock in my bounder. Right now I'm trying to find a remote on/off switch for my 5000 watt potek inverter.
Not that it would have made much difference. Some of those cheap noisy fans are noisy because there very high flow fans. I recently found this out when I tried to swap the noisy fan in my power supply with a better quality one. Also I'm not a fan of reversing the air flow of fans, on my experiments with PC's I always found the exhaust fans were the only one's that really mattered(reversing the air flow was disastrous). So if the designers had the fan exhausting from the case I would have left it that way. Anyway interesting fix tour and review. POWER Jack!
Your video reviews were extremely helpful. I had purchased a pure sine wave xantrex 2000 watt inverter a while back and found that it could not fully utilize the batteries power as it would turn off at about 11 volts. After watching your videos I now know that I can most likely remedy this with a potentiometer it has internally.(once I fix the blown capacitors and mosfets!). So much for purchasing a well known and respectable brand name!!
I decided to buy a larger modified sine inverter and would never have thought to buy a PowerBright brand...just sounded like another cheap and over rated inverter to me. This 6000 Watt inverter is great! I can run everything I want on it at the same time...several lights, small fridge, small freezer, Keurig coffee maker, and then start up my 1/2 HP well pump and washing machine without issue although the lights will dim ever so slightly when the pump starts. The inverter stays completely cool to the touch.
The fans are large and fairly quiet when running...and there are two of them - one at each end which I have never seen before. The price currently is about $500.00 now and well worth it. So far none of my electronics have an issue with the modified sine wave so it must be of decent quality as well...this includes all of my variable speed power tools which have had issues with other modified sine wave inverters I have had.
Thanks again for your time in creating these videos.
I just realized I should have posted this comment on the prior video.
So basically its an 800 watt inverter with a high surge rating... what a load of old rubbish, not even worth it at the knock off price.
I was about to buy one of these in a 8000w version but now I will be looking a little more carefully at other makes. Thank you for a very interesting series.
I think maybe they marketed the product wrong. Instead of it being just an Inverter they should give it a dual purpose Inverter / Space heater designation. That would really up the efficiency rating!!! What do you think? HAHAHA
When you started the saw, my ears blew out!!! OUCH!!! So much for headphones!
Just like every flashlight, bike light or switchmode power supply I've tried from an unknown Chinese company, the advertised numbers are arbitrary. It's good to see people like knurlgnar exposing these products for what truly are.
Than you for going through all the trouble and helping me not to waste my hard earned money on that piece of junk. Keep up the good work. Tnx again
Another good series. I think it'd be interesting to see how this unit performs with a high performance(high CFM) fan in exhaust mode. It's been my experience that quieter fans are quieter because they simply aren't pushing as much air. I learned that through experience by installing a top rated fan in a portable ice maker. The high quality fan was much quieter, but wasn't pushing/pulling enough air to cool the unit and it's performance suffered way more than I would have imagined.
How about making a Knurlgnar24 buyer's guide/ratings index that lists the equipment you test so we can get a snapshot of the best, worst, and middling equipment capabilities vs. cost? And/or a Knurlgnar24 favorites/recommended list?
Keep up the good work.
I'm extremely grateful for your videos you certainly have truly educated me about it, keeping in mind that I'm one of those stupid people that pay for two of the 10Kwatts! thank you very very much!
Why are you picking on this manufacturer? I love the idea of a warning LAB - LEE! lol .... PS - your videos are awesome... I am learning a lot from your pain! Thank you!
Keep in mind that the LF inverter that Powerjack sells contains mains-frequency transformers. They are far more capable when dealing with inductive surges. It would be quite interesting to see inside one of those inverters.
The Chinese to English conversions are hilarious I was laughing my butt off. Thanks for the great video and test
If you get your inverter shipped, take the cover off and make sure it's not damaged or poorly constructed before powering up. I just got one where the FETs weren't mounted to the heat sink.
I've seen that too. I usually open up inexpensive inverters to check for this sort of issue before powering up.
The 3000w inverter advertised for motors was a LF design
You have to love the chart!
If you like that chart you would probably like the book on Chinglish that i recently got at Goodwill.
great thorough discussions and evaluations.. alot of things i had wondered before have been cleared up now!
Love the videos. Maybe you can help me. I noticed that Powerjack inverters are shown in pictures being used in beach water. It would appear that they can be used for surf boards and attract young Chinese girls. Have you tried the high surf 10kw hand ten option yet and do you find yourself surrounded by young Chinese girls ?
Well, the 5000 Watts are supposed to be continuously. Given that it can apparently power 1000 Watts continuously. I would say it's rather a 1000 Watt inverter with fairly high surge and short term power capabilities.
Wouldn't adding one or two more batteries to keep the input voltage higher help to keep the output voltage a bit higher and thus increase the power output at least slightly? I know that the controller should maintain steady output voltage, regardless of the input voltage but since it clearly doesn't, maybe it would be worth giving it another shot with a more capable battery bank that can keep the voltage a bit higher. Nice review, btw.
I believe Power Jack has addressed burnout issues with the need to use a 48v set up for hard to start loads. The lower voltage designs, 12v and 24v don't provide the sustained voltage needed for heavy loads. I think you are right with your suggestion.
it not start the compressor up the second time as the compressor will not unload the pressure it made the 1st time if you pull the the plug
+david appleton Well yeah, it could only borderline start it, the extra startup load put it over that limit.
This air compressor has no pressure release - it always starts up into pressure. The only changes were that the motor was warmer and the pressure was a few PSI higher.
The results seem in line with what you might expect out of a "5kW" consumer audio duty power converter. Which is indeed one possible niche - powering audio equipment. But keep in mind that generally only analog audio equipment actually need sine wave to avoid EMI. The digital stuff pretty much always run fine with modified sine.
Despite its drawbacks I do think that this product would be good for certain applications. Powering audio equipment could be one of them.
I couldn't help but noticed that @14:18 when u started the saw u went into slasher mode and it seems all to convincing u might enjoyed it..lol keep these vids coming thanks for the entertainment
superbaron01 Yea, I likes cuttin' stuff
As usual, a new hit, loved your critical approach, trials for improvement, and i wish you try to go a little deeper when it comes to improving performance, and tell us dose it really worth to boost this poorly made inverter t o be a really good quality 5000 Watt?
It isn't often worth modifying inverters to improve their performance because the components they 'cheaped out' on are generally not easily obtainable or inexpensive.
I laughed every time you said "warning lablee" haha
if you still have this inverter, i have an idea:
since you said most 3kW inverters can't start those big devices, make a switching circuit with a contactor, so it switches to one of your 3kW inverters, like using it to get devices that need a big surge running, and then keep em running with a higher quality inverter
Great video and great job...keep up the good work mate, BTW I am retired electronics engineer from Sydney Australia, I received one of these units "Power Jack PSW-5000" Inverter 12V-240VAC, unfortunately someone has been into it and missing (Q9,Q10,Q11 & Q12) Mosfets. cannot fine schematics to identify the Mosfets labelling.
Which are the Q9-12 FETs? Input or output stage, size, etc? I do not remember specific Q numbers on the circuit boards anymore.
***** Thank you for your prompt response.
Power Jack, Wagen tech, AIMS, and DURAFRIED make awesome learning tools. You learn how to repair or recycle!
Inductive loads (things with motors) you always need to spec double the wattage with the inverter, as the wattage quoted on those loads in an average value, they all draw double their rating (read much more) for a short time on startup, that is not shown on an average current draw figure. Thats true with any inverter and things with motors or heating elements, which require a large rush of current to start. You will either blow a fuse or destroy your inverter, as you are doubling the average rated power of the appliance for a very brief time at startup.
Great review good job. I always thought they were not any good from ebay feedbacks. I would not get one ever.
Battery 11volts when load on under voltage cutout. I've been running my whole flat on a 3000w LF PSW SURGE 12000w power jack for the last 6 years and it will run everything in my flat only thing that cuts it out is the ev it don't like to charge the car
I have s 3500w powerjack and it runs a 2400w 240v vacuum... Good enough for planned use running my home light circuit of led lights and possibly some powerpoints via a changeover switch for blackouts....
Very to the point, astute vid on an important item. Thank you. You saved me time & money
I'm glad I came across this particular series of videos. I was considering this model for an inverter but was very unsure as to its capabilities and quality. I know it's been a long time but how is the samlex performing?
I'm wondering if the rapid overheating is the result of something else malfunctioning on one of the circuit boards ? Perhaps a resistor or a capacitor, or even a transistor ?
I'd say that given the tiny vent hols at the other end of the fan, it just can't push enough air through to cool the system.
maybe it's time for some modding? take a big section of the rear out and replace it with mesh so it has much more air flow capacity.
maybe even put another fan on that end? get some serious airflow going and run some more tests.
+John Douglas push pull fans are pointless
pointless? how? how do you think heatsinks work exactly?
John Douglas a fan on the intake and a fan on the outtake will only blow as much air as 1 fan
while this is true, it also creates greater air turbulence (at both ends) which increases cooling.
i am looking for a high quality inverter that will need to run pretty much 24/7. I am looking at samlex units. What other brands would you suggest?
Giandel and edecoa are okay cheap inverters, they will deliver their advertised power and seem well built for the price
Turn fan around and retest please
wow... ur asking alot KD.... retest again?? anyway good show Mr Gnurlgnar, and what nationality r u??
Off Grid Texas Homestead It is arguable whether turning the fan around would change the result and by how much, however as fast as this inverter overheated at a mere 1kw it is exceedingly clear that it would not make a substantial difference.
I think its unfair to test it and make a judgement call on the product without putting it back as close to original design as possible. You may well be right, it might not make a difference but by turning the fan you have made a design change and its not operating under original design parameters. I say that pulling heat away from and out of the cabinet may make a difference. Its worth investigating. We could all learn from it, I appreciate your effort and the time it takes to make these videos. I enjoy them very much. Kd
is this your inverter? no exactly so deal with it.
All I asked was to turn the fan around, I learn from videos like this. I appreciate what knurlgnar24 does and I thought it was a simple and easy request, no it isn't my inverter, but who rattled your chain and asked for your snide remark smallenginedud?
Have you done any tests with the air compressor on various when it is attempting to represurize air when it is already at a high PSI. E.g. Start the compressor at 100 PSI and have it charge the compressor to 120-150 or wahtever its rated for. I found that one of my inverters can start my compressor fine, but can't start it when the pressure of the compressor is above like 50 PSI.
There is a huge difference a Low Frequency inverter and a standard sine-wave inverter... I have a 6Kw Low frequency split wave that I use... It was NOT cheap. But the links you showed that were to low frequency inverters, which handle frequency sensitive loads much better... Like apples and oranges... Both are fruit, but completely different.
Thanks for the very informative video without bias. Good job
Far out I wish I had your brain. I had a Giandel inverter and threw it away because it stopped working. I'd love to be able to fix electronic stuff. I have an old Technics amplifier that sounded amazing and I want to get fixed.
Very practical and informative tests. Thanks!
I'm looking at the 3000w LF split phase so these videos have helped. I have a few observations, though. First, I wouldn't have reversed the air flow direction. The arrangement from the factory draws cool external air across the output filters first. This is important as they will run the hottest. Also, have you confirmed the supply line you modified for a higher dropout isn't part of the thermal regulation circuit? It could need recalibrated now. Do you recall the part number on the output MOSFET? I'd like to take a look at the data sheet. Thanks!
YEAH. THAT IS A GOOD POINT! ACTUALLY WOULD BE BEST TO HAVE 2 FANS.
@@remaundostewart3193 Would be better to test a new unaltered unit, too.
I had one like this years ago and you had to ground the frame to ground to get it to work right and have the engine running, higher voltage...??? then it worked fine...?
para que el inversor prenda la nevera,se puede hacer corto circuito de base con 7.5v culo(7.500w)
these issues must have been fixed because i see no bad reviews,within the last years or two.
Thanks for the review! I have been using a power jack 1500 watt inverter infrequently for the past 6 years and it has worked great for me. That's why when I wanted to upgrade I was looking at power jack again. Are you sure the inverter was over heating and not low voltage cut off in your tests? Just 2 batteries run down quick even with a 45 amp charger. What type of inverter do you recommend?
+Tony S yes, it was overheating. that capacity of battery is adequate for that test
Power Jack makes a 15KW/60KW 24V inverter. Can you do a review on that one?
Your problem is not with the inverter. It may be able to drive the heaters or the microwave oven if it gets enough drive current. Most people that have problems with inverters are due to the fact that they don't have enough drive current. Running a 1500W load will require about 130 amps at 13volts. You need a running charging system.
Dave M ..also as input voltage drops the inverter draws more current which causes more heat. Not really a fair test.
I got a flash light that is over 250w, its using 4 100w LED chips, and requires a shoulder strap lol
(also burnt out 3 of those cheap 150w dc-dc boost converter boards before I bothered to get a 600w board)
Greetings. Very good videos. I was thinking about to do pure sine wave inverter with home made audio amplifier( I am good do this type of amplifier,ab amp) and power transformer but it will be only 75 percent of efficiency. So, after saw this video i believe that my amplifier will be better than that crap.
I like your vidz but none of the better brands you talk about seem to be in Australia unfortunately. Going by your reviews, if the costs are good, would you recommend finding 2 lower wattage more efficient inverters and running them together rather than a single bigger one? I want to build a completely off grid system and looking into if I should go all 240v inverted which I like the idea of or some 12v for the fridge and lights, or perhaps 24v as ive heard inverters run much more efficiently this way.
Hi, I just got a power jack 8000 watt LF split phase inverter. The Instructions are NOT good. I wish to use it as a UPS/ battery charger. Do I wire direct to my house panel using L1, L2, N and leave the grid mains on? Why are there AC in connections if this is correct? I am more than confused and I have seen alot of your vids, you seem to know the most about this.
Could you do a review of a Cotek 1500 watt 24 volt ? They are affordable ($220 ish) now and look well built.
Cotek makes good stuff. Unfortunately I do not anticipate reviewing one in the near future.
Heh heh, I enjoyed the constant references to the 'Warning Lable' :-)
Thanks for your review and hard work!!
How many Batterys do you need for the 5,000 watt? I also didnt like the fact you had to repair it - up grade it. I cant find no one to touch these so i would not buy it period. Its funny how they state how it has 2000 watts and it cant even run a small coffee machine. The Federal Government should have these companies put the actual truth not these lies. Everyone have a good weekend.
i have the inverter/charger model .said to be 5000/30,000 surge. i hooked my 1500 ac up and blew the inverter fuse.it is a 25 amp fuse. WTF? my 750 watt cheapy inverter has a 30 amp fuse. these people told me to use 24 v /300 amp hours of batteries with 00 gage wire.???? on a 25 amp fuse? the instruction manual itself said 9000-15000 surge. 25 amp fuse can't be right.
Nice thorough testing. Love the dry humor. Were you able to return it and get your money back?
I got what I paid for so I cannot really complain. It is still on my inverter shelf at as of today.
Dave you've talked me out of every inverter I see. what do you suggest. I'm trying to get one with direct connect also if possible.
Love your videos keep it up!, O and first lol
Quick uninformed question I have not seen the other videos but are the outputs in parallel or separate? Even with a pure sine wave inverter it should roughly handle 15 to 20 Amps per outlet saying it's a 5000 watt inverter means it can should handle 20 amps per outlet. Also it needs more batteries and a stronger power source providing the proper amperage to the batteries at 5000watts that inverter should be pulling over 450 amps from the batteries.
Parallel
not bad really for the cheap price. could add additional cooling on it somehow. would not be great for the Australian summer as it gets to 41 degrees Celsius here and thats nearly the meltdown point
agreed. It's a terrible 5kw pure sine inverter overall, but considering the price point it may have some applications.
Maybe the data on the "lable" WAS correct!🤣😝😁
Hilariously they still use "warning lable" on their revised eBay page for newer products..... 4-5 years later!
maybe it overheated so early because you are using the fan in wrong direction, these kind of fans drains more air than push it
What happened to consumer protection laws?
Companies can be prosecuted for selling crap labeled as something that it isn't, and being cheap is no defence.
Unfortunately, it seems there are too many unscrupulous people out there and you just can't trust anyone without a huge amount of research to verify their claims.
Kind of takes the joy out of online shopping, knowing that almost everyone is trying to screw you and get away with it if they can!
+Andy Lee Robinson It is exactly what it says it is. He did not read the instructions. They clearly state max output using the 120 is 2500 watts. It is only 5000 watts IF you use the split phase wired to a 240 panel.
Do you understand the difference between power inverters HF or LF ??? From your movie it appears that you do not understand the difference at all.
Are you sure your problem is not on the other side? What kind of batteries and cables are you using? Most people underestimate the input power required.
Yes, I am sure. I agree that most people blame the inverter when their battery setup and cabling are the real problem. That isn't the case here.
Thanks for the review
Sensible load test for the inverter should be a main's powered 250 amp arc welder ?
you don't need to hide on how you come up the efficiency so easy to compute. To find the efficiency the formula would be EFF% = W/(V x A) (example 177/(13.40 x 18.5) = 71.4%.. It will be more appreciated if you really teach your viewer everything.. =)
you must be in Canada, here in the states we use farenheit
what is a good inverter for a solar set up ?? is a low frequency inverter better for a solar application
So would a modified sine wave inverter be better for a continuous load instead of a pure sine wave?
Does a pure sine wave produce more heat?
Got my 8000 watt power jack inverter. Over 4000 watt usage, even on 240v, get overload alarm/shutdown. After many emails with the company, they have informed me that this is just the way it is. Their inverter listed at 8000 watts continuous can only provide up to 4000 watts continuous. The company has admitted that their inverters can only do 1/2 what they are rated for. I would give this a DO NOT BUY!!! TOTAL SCAM RIP OFF!!!
Thank you for your info. Good man Charlie Brown!
Could you tell me if there is a difference in the amount of watts you draw from your battery set up is more with a larger, say 2ooowt invertor as opposed to using a smaller say 400wt inverter or would it be the same draw from the battery depending on what is pluged into the inverter sorry about spelling, in short would a smaller inverter use up less wattage from the battery if any additional wattage because of being a larger unit.
I haven't checked the Warning Lable on my Magnum 2800 Inverter/charger. Can I run a light bulb with it? They don't include a gold medal on the case declaring it "best". I'm scared...
Woa! Almost bought one. Thanks so much.
I think not over in warning table/lable means the rated power of appliances won't be higher than that.
that makes a lot of sense. good analysis.
How much dc voltage want and how wattes battery required this 5000 WATS unit and how much price Pakistani rupees
Maybe if you install more fans., it may help the performance
It would help some but this inverter simply cannot deliver anything near its rated power regardless of airflow. When it comes to airflow diminishing returns comes very quickly.
Wow. How nice powerful apparatus it is!
24:52 Do you have some recommendations for inverters. I'd like one for a commercial truck, to run a small refrigerator, microwave, or over head ac? Not all at once though, unless its reasonably possible. I'd like to run the ac for 8 to 10 hrs or more if possible.
Thanks for your vid.
Running an overhead AC will require a MASSIVE battery bank or running the truck overnight to keep things charged. Other than that I'd recommend at least a 3000W pure sine inverter since the ratings on nearly all inverters are not honest. I wish I were more up to date with current models but beware that most 3000W inverters cannot provide even 1500W reliably. You'll have to do some research to know which ones are honest and which are not. A good 3KW inverter should run your AC plus other loads without issue assuming good batteries while less just isn't going to do it for you. I'd also recommend staying away from 'low frequency' inverters. They don't do well in mobile applications and have a higher no-load parasitic draw.
@@knurlgnar24 how can you tell if a unit is low frequency? Thanks a lot. That's helpful enough to get me started.
Great review. Can you tell us the make of that power strip with the voltage display and where can we find it?
It’s called a kilo watt meter can be bought harbor freight and many other places. It is plugged into what looks like a standard surge protector strip
how the hell can my 5000 watt powerjack LF PURE SINE inverter charger, have only a 25 amp fuse? i was told i need 00 gage cables , fur a 25 amp fuse. says 30,000 surge but fuse blows starting a 1400 watt AC.
knurlgnar24 Do you know of a cheap inverter than can run a few lights, a skill saw, and an air compressor(heavy use) for several hours. My generator is an old Coleman 5500, but i would much rather just idle my truck and not lug it around. I am looking for a decent cheap inverter that can run as good as my generator. An answer would be greatly appreciated. Thx.
Must have missed the decimal point in the Wattage
what does everyone suggest for a pure sine wave 1000-2000 watt 12V/110 power inverter? Been looking for three months and every time I find one I see bad reviews. I'm trying not to spend $1000
io
so far my Power Jack 3k (Chinese watts that is) low frequency 12 volt input machine is dong a good job but who knows how long it will last or when the Asian girls will show up.
Hi, do you have any recommendation what brand of inverter I should buy or do you assemble inverter that I can buy?
I need a Good inverter for My work truck. 20 gallon Compressor. Power tools. Lights. Mini fridge. Small microwave. What do U recommend?
en el negocio de la electrónica no se pierde,mientras pueda producir muchos millones.
today is almost the end of 2017, have you made another revision of this brand. They told me they improved
i think it keeps cutting off is the input voltage dips to 11v ? too much current
superb review...you save some money for me. Thanks
Hi! Do you know any sites that have schematics on power inverters? I want to know what modification to make to make a grid tie inverter function as off grid inverter, if possible. It's a Socomec sunsys home 3965 grid tie inverter. Any help appreciated.
I need to replace my Heart interface freedom 20 2000 watt inverter/ charger I have 50 amp power supply will this unit be the right one or do I need to buy another model?