A/C Inverter 2017 Expy

[HawkX66]

I have the factory power inverter in my Expy. Has anyone put a multi-meter to theirs? I'm only getting 101.5 vac out of mine. Other than replacing the factory plug on the back of the console with a beefier one, mine is stock. I solder well, so the resistance added from that shouldn't have much of an affect.
140w is a complete joke, so at some point I'm planning on replacing the factory inverter with something else. It's a very easy install, I just need to figure out which one I'm going to use when the time comes.

 

[jeff kushner]

I've used mine several times and it's on par with a cheap Coleman inverter.

If you really need power, go get a real inverter, connect it to the battery and you won't have to worry about frying the stock internals.



jeff

 

[HawkX66]

I don't know why they bothered. It looks like it was developed by a freshman intern. They ran ~18-20 ga wire to the blades and didn't even run a ground. 101 vac if mine is working correctly? What a joke. Ford, you can do better... Especially on a $70k+ rig.

 

[bobmbx]

I don't know why they bothered. It looks like it was developed by a freshman intern. They ran ~18-20 ga wire to the blades and didn't even run a ground. 101 vac if mine is working correctly? What a joke. Ford, you can do better... Especially on a $70k+ rig.

Its for a laptop, not a blowdryer or microwave.

 

[HawkX66]

Its for a laptop, not a blowdryer or microwave.

I wouldn't trust my laptop to a bad source like that. I wanted to use it for that, so I'll have to upgrade the system at some point.

 

[chuck s]

100.6 here and very disappointing.

But I have a 4000w inverter I connect directly to the battery with heavy cable when I need to run power tools like an air compressor when working on my travel trailer at the storage yard. Just connect, idle the engine, and switch it on. Much handier than carrying a generator for this task. I don't task it beyond perhaps 2000w.

-- Chuck

 

[MuddySpokes]

. . . and didn't even run a ground.

Am presuming this is the 110v ground wire. Just curious, what would it do in this case?

 

[HawkX66]

Am presuming this is the 110v ground wire. Just curious, what would it do in this case?

Electrically speaking nothing as you wouldn't be able to run a true ground. Grounds; however, are an important part of supporting a plug. This is one of the reasons why it's common practice now to install plugs 180 degrees to traditional installations. This is more than likely the reason mine failed in the first place. It was like ****** after a good night. You know, sausage down the hallway and all that... Very loose to the point where the plug wouldn't stay in or make a connection.

 

[bobmbx]

Electrically speaking nothing as you wouldn't be able to run a true ground. Grounds; however, are an important part of supporting a plug. This is one of the reasons why it's common practice now to install plugs 180 degrees to traditional installations. This is more than likely the reason mine failed in the first place. It was like ****** after a good night. You know, sausage down the hallway and all that... Very loose to the point where the plug wouldn't stay in or make a connection.

You mean the physical shape of the plug, right?

I must know...which is the traditional installation of an electrical outlet? Ground lug on top or bottom?

 

[TobyU]

You mean the physical shape of the plug, right?

I must know...which is the traditional installation of an electrical outlet? Ground lug on top or bottom?

OH, I am so tired of this!!!
The traditional is the two slots on top and the round ground on the bottom, but SOMEONE decided that IF IF IF...the plug were to work its way almost out and a metallic object...A fairly flat or thin one....get this....FELL on the plug it would....guess what.....Wait for end of the world- short them out and spark and blow trip the breaker or even less on a GFI (and they have those new whatever they are called GFI Super duper ones).
If you put the round prong up and the same item falls, it is more likely to deflect off to the side and not connect any terminals.

NOPE: I will live the rest of my life with upright -correct- receptacles. I will use a gasoline mower (at any hour of day I choose) pour gas or gas with oil or diesel on stumps and brush to burn them.....and not drop flat metal objects down along walls with cords sticking out.

 

[chuck s]

Have any codes changed? I know UK sockets are upside down but their current is 230vAC.

Ground on top is safer. A guy came door to door selling asteroid protection shingles. Maybe I should call him back when I get done reversing all my outlets. Think I should turn the power off first?

-- Chuck

 

[HawkX66]

Jeebus guys, chill. I didn't say I'm rewiring my house to change the plugs. It's pretty standard now when doing an installation to install the plug with the ground up. I don't know if it's national code yet though. "Traditional" is with the blades up and the ground down.

 

[CowboyPilot79]

The 101v readout is because of the MSW waveform the cheap inverters use. Anything with an AC-DC converter will see it as effectively a 120VAC RMS equivalent power supply. It will not play nice with anything that has an AC motor or a timing circuit that relies on the 60hz waveform for timing (like most alarm clocks, they will run fast)

Sent from my IN2015 using Tapatalk

 

[CowboyPilot79]

Also, since I've already dragged up a two year old thread, the upside down plugs are standard for commercial installations in some places. In residential an upside down plug usually indicates that it is on a switched circuit.

Sent from my IN2015 using Tapatalk

 

[TobyU]

Also, since I've already dragged up a two year old thread, the upside down plugs are standard for commercial installations in some places. In residential an upside down plug usually indicates that it is on a switched circuit.

Sent from my IN2015 using Tapatalk

Well today it might but it certainly didn't used to. They used to put all the receptacles in the correct way with the two prongs on the top and the ground on the bottom and now they seem to have switched them all upside down.
They can rationalize all they want about something metallic accidentally falling down on a plug that's not pushed all the way in but you're only lowering the risk to a 50% chance but I don't get into or care about all that because it's all just some made-up fairy tale about what may happen under certain ideal conditions which may make it a little bit safer. I'm not going to live my life by those parameters.
I do what works or what works best and often the minimum of what gets the job done. I will put all of my receptacles in the old way.
Hack, what would someone do if they saw a receptacle that didn't have the third ground prong?? Do people today even realize those exist?? This is what's wrong with society today people change things too often and they are not educated enough on the old ways that they think what they're doing now is the way it's supposed to be and the way it is always been! This is hardly true.