Inverter Problems

[Lightnin1960]

I bought a used inverter not sure of the make. it's an 8000 watt cont. volt.

it's putting out 136.8 volts as soon as I start even a drill the alarm goes off and it stops any Idea what might be wrong. I hope and think I got it for a good enough price that still makes it worth what I paid for it.

Thanks

[12vman]

If it's making 136 volts, that tells me it's working. Connect it to your car battery with the engine running and try the drill again. You either don't have enough battery or the wiring you used to connect it to your battery is too small in gauge. It's not getting enough current to work.

[Lightnin1960]

Thank you I'll try that. The 136 volts isn't to much for it to be producing???

How do you know if and how to pair a inverter to get 220 volts?? Do the inverters have to be the same kind??

Thanks

[12vman]

If you checked the output with no load connected, I don't believe 136 is too high. After a load is connected, I'm sure the voltage will drop to where its suppost to be..

There are inverters that use a common oscillator circuit to produce 220 v.a.c. with 2 seperate units. One as the main and the other as a secondary and the secondary unit being 180 degrees out of phase from the main. Now these units are combined as one. I've never seen a 220 volt inverter that will operate with 12 volts d.c. Most need 24 or 48 volts for the input.

[Lightnin1960]

Thanks
Is the secondary do the 180 out of phase with the main automatically or you have to connect them together somehow for them to do that.

I did find a place that sold 12 to 220 volts may just get one of them may be easier... lol
http://www.dcacpowerinverters.com/220_volt_power_inverters.html
but I did notice they are 50 hzs. all 220 volts are not 50 hzs are they???

[12vman]

50 hertz is for England and other places overseas. The U.S.A. uses 60 hertz.

If you expect to convert 12 v.d.c. to 220 v.a.c. you better have a huge set up! The conversion factor would be 20 to 1!

It takes a special set of inverters to have the ability to interconnect and make 220 v.a.c. You can't connect two inverters to do this unless they have this ability built into them.

[Lightnin1960]

I just found something else and wonder will this work ok... A voltage converter that'll go from 110 to 220 and visa versa... Something like that should do the job shouldn't it for a whole lot less money???

Thank you for all your help
Jack

[keydl]

An inverter makes A/C - 110 or 220, a converter makes 12 v normally from 110.

117 v is the nominal but 110 and 120 are common - all are +or- 5%.

Your 8KW inverter will need 2-300 watt load to test and the battery load will be 10x so small wires or a weak battery will shut it down.

[Lightnin1960]

ok thank you I plan on hooking up 12 6 volt batteries to it making 12 volts and I'll have to get bigger wires and I should be good I reckon...