TheBackShed.com

Forum Index : Electronics : MorningStar SureSine 300Watt Inverter?

Author

Message

Jaffasoft

Senior Member

Joined: 03/11/2010
Location: Australia
Posts: 102

Posted: 12:14am 02 Sep 2014

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

Hi Folks.. how's your electricity projects going?

I love the solar panels on my Campervan it's only 400 Watts but the batteries are always charged up and i can run everything i want. Just two T105 Trojan 6V Batteries as 12V. I mainly only use a light at night a few hours and fridge, charge laptop and have rarely used a TV but it will run it no worries. I don't bother with a TV or miss it and can run a lead into a granny flat if i need it. Simple and easy should have been living this way for years.

Anyhows i've been using a cheap $24 or so inverter i bought from deals extreme gadget shop in china and i can tell you it's been a little beauty i've used this thing to charge my laptop and or a tablet when i had that every day for three years so now. Not a problem. Though last couple days the charge light on the charger doesn't seem to come on and when it does is spasmodic, charges a bit, turns off, sometimes won't at all but the inverter keeps running. I'm guessing the inverter is about done it's days. Though just thinking now i should see if it runs something else while it's not bringing a charge light on the laptop.

But my question is and i should buy one of these anyway. This MorningStar SureSine Inverter 300 Watts how is it wired up? From the images on there web site it appears they get plug wires screwed straight into the side of it separate. I'm not real keen on that but since they are supposed to be the most efficient and well known was wanting to get one next. I would rather have a unit with the plug already in them so i can simple move it around anywhere and plug the power cord in anywhere as i do!

This is them in the link!
http://www.morningstarcorp.com/products/suresine/

Guess i'm just seeking clarity of how the power cord plug into them from anyone that has and uses one?

Jaffasoft

Senior Member

Joined: 03/11/2010
Location: Australia
Posts: 102

Posted: 02:58am 02 Sep 2014

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

OK on a bit closer reading it's become obvious that it's all hard wired!

Mmm, surely this is a product line opportunity that seems odd MorningStar has not bothered doing as yet! And wouldn't be all that hard for them to do since it's not reinventing the wheel.

Personally i'd much prefer a plug en play inverter option, into a cigarette lighter holder rather then the wiring and stuffing around i'd have to do with this to achieve the same result and the extra money/time involved!

powerednut

Senior Member

Joined: 09/12/2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 221

Posted: 03:21pm 02 Sep 2014

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

300 Watts is a little hefty for the cigarette lighter socket. I seem to recall they are only rated at 3 or 5 amps or something like that. That works out at 60 watts (assuming 12v@5 amps). I'd expect smoke if you ever got close to your rated load on the inverter. I suspect that is why MorningStar hasn't done it.

It looks like the MorningStar inverter is designed with a fixed install in mind, and you'd probably (legally) need an electrician to wire the 240 side for you. Anybody know what the regs are for screw terminals like that?

You might be better off with a different inverter if you want plug and play. Many come with 240V sockets, which makes it all fairly quick and easy. I'd do battery ===> fuse / breaker ===> anderson plug. then Anderson plug===> inverter and plug whatever your running into the inverter. That would give you a plug and play option.

Print this page

To reply to this topic, you need to log in.