Whistler PI-800W 800 Watt Power Inverter Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this inverter after researching several different models. My house is fairly rural, and I lose power a half-dozen times a year. About 2 of these outages last more than a day, so clearly this won't help with that, as I don't have a dozen deep cycle batteries lying around.
This model has incredible starting capacity, and I purchased this model because I wanted one that could start and run my fridge from a battery so I don't lose a few hundred dollars in food every time the power goes out. The manual states that this model can provide 2x rated power (1600 w in this case) for a FULL 10 SECONDS. That is incredible and unheard of in an inverter this price. If you download the manuals for most, they state they can provide 2x rated power, but for only 0.1 second. 0.1 second? That's hardly helpful, and won't start any motor. I can confirm that this unit will easily start and run both of my refrigerators without any difficulty. Obviously the surge capacity is reduced with the batteries reduced power capacity, and it won't surge 2x when the battery is low. Additionally, I was impressed with the manual recommending "just try it", if you didn't know if the inverter could handle your load. That indicates they trust their design, and gives me confidence as well.
Just today I used this inverter with a trolling motor battery from my boat. I was able to watch TV and operate a lamp with a CFL bulb for about 5 hours until power came back on. This includes my 57" CRT projection TV, 700w amp and DirecTiVo. My Kill-A-Watt EZ indicates that it pulls about 350w idle. It ran from this inverter for 5 hours without any difficulty, and only became warm to the touch. The power output is cleaner than my borrowed generator; the TV picture was rock solid, no audio artifacts through the amp.
Caveats:
1) When the battery runs down, the surge capacity is reduced. It still had an hour of TV left, but it would no longer start the fridge.
2)The power is not clean enough to satisfy the APC UPS on my TiVo. It ran the battery down on the UPS since it was convinced my power was dirty. Moving the power to the inverter directly solved this problem.
3)This unit pulls a LOT of current when running. Tonight one of the nuts on the battery post was loose, and the inverter kept shutting down. Once I realized the problem, I tightened the nut and all was well. The loose nut could not provide the current needed to run the Inverter. Mess with the battery clamps, and it will give you a big spark, pretty bright if your power is out. ;-)


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The Whistler PI-800 800 Watt power inverter allows you to run some AC appliances right from your car, boat or RV. Perfect for weekend use and life on the road. They're also great for power outages.

Whistler Power Inverters For many of us, a vehicle is more than just transportation. It can be a mobile office, communications or entertainment center, or simply an expression of our personality. Whistler products are designed to make the time you spend in your vehicle more productive, more fulfilling, safer, or just simply more fun. Whistler's mission is to provide products that improve your driving experience.
Whistler offers a complete line of DC to AC inverters ranging in capacity from 100 Watts to 3000 Watts. These inverters offer advanced technology, dependable operation and will provide years of reliable service when used in accordance with their operating instructions.
PI-800 Features
Full Output Power--Other inverters have reduced output over time.
High Surge
Cooling fan
Ground Fault Sensing
80 Amp Power Requirement--at rated output

Electronic Circuit Protection
Overload ProtectionInverter will automatically shut down if load exceeds inverter rating.
Smart Surge ControlInverter will attempt to start loads above the continuous rating for up to 10 seconds.
Voltage ProtectionWhenever the input exceeds 15 volts DC or is less than 10 volts, the inverter will automatically shutdown.
Short Circuit ProtectionAutomatically shuts down until short circuit is removed.
Thermal CutoffAutomatically shuts down if internal temperature exceeds safe design parameters.

What's in the Box Whistler PI-800 800 Watt power inverter, User's Manual

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Vector VEC043B 750 Watt D/C To A/C Power Inverter With Power Level Meter Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)It took me days and days of searching the web to become informed enough to make a decision as to which power converter to buy. Let me share with you a summary of the important things to know.
TYPES OF OUTPUT
Your AC equipment is designed for a sine wave, but only the very expensive power converters produce a true sine wave output. The cheapest AC power converters produce a square wave output. A mid price AC power converter (like the VEC043) produces a modified wave. Besides the price impact, there are trade-offs of what type of equipment you can use for square wave or modified wave.
Power tools have an AC/DC motor that works with all 3-types of outputs. If you only want to use power tools get the very cheap square wave power converter.
AC motors such as refrigerators need a modified wave. AC motors under heavy load can not start to spin using a square wave and even if it does "spin up," it will probably shorten the life of the AC motor to use a square wave.
The most sensitive AC equipment must use the true sine wave power converters. The worse case equipment is a cheap stereo or TV and their performance with a square wave power converter is completely unacceptable. A modified wave will work with all stereos and TV's, but some of the cheaper units will have a 60 cycle buzz in the sound and snow in the picture.
The VEC043 power converter performs well with most stereos and TV's, but not all of them, especially the cheapest units. It works with your power tools, AC motors, and computers. I personally felt it was the overall best choice, but if you want a true sine wave output, then be prepared to pay the big bucks!
LINKS TO PICTURES OF THE TYPES OF OUTPUT
Sine wave: http://www.energyusernews.com/EUN/FILES/IMAGES/82710.jpg
Square wave: http://users.uma.maine.edu/faculty/rsm/slides/chap4/f4-3b.gif
Modified wave: http://www.baintech.com.au/assets/images/square_wave.jpg
NOISE
All of the manufactures write about the electrical noise of their power converters, but it is the audio noise that is important to me personally. I have a friend who uses a power converter in his car on a daily basis. He just bought a new Black and Decker power converter, and he says it is much quieter than his first power converter was. His Black and Decker power converter makes a whining sound that reminds me of a dentist drill, and I don't like it!
There is a small fan in the VEC043 and it makes a little more noise than my laptop, and about the same noise as my desktop computer or the kitchen refrigerator. Best of all, there is no whining sound.
CAR BATTERY
Everything electrical on your car is specified to work down to a minimum of 10.5 volts. Less than 10.5 and your car may not start. The VEC043 has an audio alarm that sounds at 10.6 volts. Nice feature!!!
Running the battery down below 10 volts is very stressful to the battery and may even damage the battery. The VEC043 shuts off at 10 volts which is another nice feature.SPECIFICATIONS FROM THE VEC043 MANUAL
Output: 2 AC outlets (110VAC RMS 60 Hz @ 6.8 amps)
Output protection: self-resetting breaker
Output power: 750 watts continuous (1500 watts peak)
Input: 10.5 to 15.5 Volts DC
Input protection: internal fuses
Reverse input polarity protection: none
Connection: battery clips only
Low voltage alarm: sounds at 10.6 volts
Low voltage cut off: occurs at 10.0 volts
Weight: 3 lbs (1.35 kg)
Length: 10.7 in. (27.2 cm)
Width: 6.25 in. (15.9 cm)
Height: 1.75 in. (4.5 cm)
Warranty: 2 year limited
Operating temperature: 30 to 105 degrees F (-1 to 40 degrees C)


Click Here to see more reviews about: Vector VEC043B 750 Watt D/C To A/C Power Inverter With Power Level Meter

Converts vehicles 12 Volt DC to 110/120 Volt AC. Feature state-of-the-art circuitry to handle temporary high surge loads. Low power consumption ensures longer battery life. 90% efficient, solid state design means you get the most from your vehicle battery. Restarts automatically if the inverter shuts down from: over-voltage, under-voltage, overload or over-temperature, after the problem is solved. Completely silent operation. Gradually and safely ramps up the output voltage to start difficult motorized loads and protects sensitive appliance circuits. Turbo Cooling- Extends life of the product by keeping components cooler. Do not exceed maximum wattage rating for inverter. Power Supply: 12v, Continuous Watts: 750, Surge Watts: 1,500, AC Outlets (qty.): 2, LED Indicators: Yes, Modified Sine Wave: Yes, Soft Start Technology (SST): Yes, Low Battery Protection: Yes, High Temperature Protection: Yes, Overload Protection: Yes, Low Voltage Protection: Yes, Over Voltage Protection: Yes, Needs to be Hardwired: Yes, Dimensions L x W x H (in.): 11 x 6 x 2

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Cobra CPI1000 1000W 12V DC to 120V AC Power Inverter with USB Port Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this inverter to run my home fridge during power outages. It works great. No problems starting and running the compressor. It even handled a 1/2" drill motor easily.
I picked this one for it's power and voltage display. It allows me to estimate the battery draw so I have an idea how long it will last. I also liked the USB power source, although I have not used that yet.
It does come with nice HEAVY power leads (with clips), although they are very short. Good enough to set right next to a battery and clamp on.
So far, no complaints or problems.

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Duracell 852-1807 1,800 Watt Five Outlet Rechargeable Power Source Review

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(More customer reviews)Bought this recently from Amazon for $180.00 I will say its worth about that. I tried a few high wattage things in it like a hair dryer, Iron, coffee maker, just to see how long I could use it. These are things I could never think of using in a standard 1500VA UPS, (Which I have for comp and such) All of the devices ran well, the hair dryer probably sucked it down the fastest, (Set high 1500watts), lasted aout 7 minutes before the warning started going off. The unit ran about 5 more minutes on medium setting before the battery dropped to 20 percent. The battery did recover to 50% after turning off dryer, so high wattage appliances I think are a bit much for the batteries to output continuously.
The unit is heavy, about 60 pounds. For the money, I would buy again. I figure I should get about 6 hours on a computer with a flat panel attached. For most short power outages, this will get you by for a few necessities. Anything longer you will have to go generator.
The description reads as though you can use it for a fridge and other high wattage appliances, which I guess is true, but misleading as I would imagine a fridge would kill it in about 10 minutes or less.
All in all glad, I was able to purchase for the $180.00. If nothing else you can dry your hair when the power is out, and make coffee, without having to hook up the generator


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The DuracellPowerSource 1800 is the ideal emergency backup power solution for the home or office. During a power outage, it automatically supplies emergency backup power for a small office and household appliances like a refrigerator, TV, lights or sump pump. In an emergency, the Duracell PowerSource 1800 switches seamlessly to its built-in battery and provides 1800 Watts of household power, supplying up to 12 hours of uninterrupted backup power for a small office, or up to 4 hours of run time for essential home appliances and electronics. Application: Emergency backup for home or office, Watts: 1,800, Power Supply: Combines sealed, 60Ah AGM battery with 1800 Watt inverter to convert 12V battery power to AC current, Includes: LED display

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Vector VEC053D 1,200 Watt D/C To A/C Power Inverter With Power Level Meter Review

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(More customer reviews)What a peice of crap!There are no posts on the back of this inverter, only holes with set screws. So you can't buy a regular set of cables and screw them on. Instead they send you a set of their "special connectors" so you can spend your time building your own cables.

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Vector Maxx SST Power Inverters... soft - starting hard workers with state - of - the - art circuitry! SAVE BIG! These Power Inverters, your choice of power levels, convert 12V DC into 110/120V AC household power. They feature Maxx SST (Soft Start Technology) gradually, safely ramping up the output voltage to start difficult motorized loads and protect sensitive appliance circuits. They handle temporary high-surge loads without problems. They run most AC-powered electronic equipment and appliances including wet / dry vacs, stereos, heavy-duty power tools, TV / DVD / VCR combos, microwaves, refrigerators, computers and more (see chart for wattage examples). Powerfully convenient: Completely silent operation; Smooth, noise-free power technology with filtered modified sine wave, helps eliminate static and horizontal lines in TV picture; Engineered for safety, durability, reliability. Has short circuit protection, low battery voltage alarm and shutdown, thermal shutdown, and auto reset. Certified to meet ETL standards; Turbo cooling keeps components cooler for longer life; Approx. 90% efficient, solid state design gets the most out of your battery; Durable, weather-resistant aluminum housing. Ideal for work sites, power failures, camping, tailgating and more... check the details and hook yourself up with one or more now! Sample Wattages: 100 Watt Halogen Bulb - 100 Watts; Computer / Printer / Fax 150 Watts; 12" 3-speed fan 230 Watts; Quartz Halogen Spotlight 250 Watts; 20" TV / VCR Combo 300 Watts; 3/8" Drill 320 Watts; Home Stereo 350 Watts; Small Power Tools 400 Watts; Blender 450 Watts; Mini Refrigerator (1/20 hp) 500 Watts; Coffee Maker 800 Watts; Mini Microwave Oven 1,000 Watts; Full-size Microwave 1,400 Watts; Wet / Dry Vac, 6 HP 1,440 Watts; 1 HP Motor 1,500 Watts; Stackable Washer / Dryer 2,200 Watts; Three 3-prong 110/120V AC outlets, with 1,200W continuous / 2,400W peak power, up to 10.8 amps Approx. 13 x 6 x 2 1/2". Weighs 5 3/4 lbs. AVAILABLE SEPARATELY: Vec

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