Modified or true sine wave inverters

[windancer1]

Anyone out there have any trouble using laptops with a modified s/w inverter? I want to use my new dell with digital chartplotting and am worried that my Heart unit will damage either the laptop,charger or batt.

Thanks
Dave R.

[WHOOSH]

Dave:

Our Freedom 10 presented no problems to our Gateway laptop, no matter what the application was. We used it to charge every type of battery known to man (and woman!) - from shaver to toothbrushes to camera/CD player/etc. batteries without a hiccup.

Jack

[peterpan2k]

Question???
Why would you use an inverter for a power source that''s being driven by 12 volts to begin with. ie. cigar lighter socket.
Jim

[windancer1]

Thanks Jack, I also have a heart unit and hopefully will not have any problems.

Jim, not all laptops ar 12volts. My new dell is 14.8

Dave R.

[peterpan2k]

Really! That''s certantly something to consider when I look into lap tops. for now, I use a desk top.
Thanks, Jim

[GordMay]

Many consumer batteries, chargers, & adaptors, such as computers, battery drill motors etc, require a true sine-wave input for safe/effective long-term reliability.
On the other hand, most electronics will operate adequately with a 20% voltage drop - so you should be able to use your 14.4V lap-top directly off your (nominal 12V) house battery bank (14.4 x 0.80 = 11.52 minimum required).
Try it.
Gord

[WHOOSH]

Gord & the group:

"Many consumer batteries, chargers, & adaptors, such as computers, battery drill motors etc, require a true sine-wave input for safe/effective long-term reliability."

I have heard this for the last 5 years, yet have not found it to be at all true. We use a Freedom 10 modified sine wave inverter/charger and, over the last 3 years, have relied on it full-time to operate an amazing breadth of chargers & motors plus 2 laptops - how DID all these things get on my boat!? - and have had zero problems. My guess is that this is heritage advice based on earlier designs. Our Freedom is now 5 years old, so it''s certainly not state of the art...but we find it truly good gear, and quite versatile.

Jack

[jklewissf]

I would assume that the freedom inverters are at least as good as a $30 autoparts store inverter. I used the $30 model for years on my NorSea and never found it to fail. It ran several different laptops over the years, charged the toothbrush, charged the batteries for the blender (aka, margarita machine), and also charged my Makita drill.

Virtually everyone I know from the Oakland Yacht Club who went cruising in Mexico in the last few years has installed one of the freedom inverters. I have never heard a complaint and have heard lots of praise for the product.

I intend to put one on my new boat because its cheaper, and more efficient than the true sine wave models.

The reason I would not plug my computer into the 12 volt system on my boat is because of the rf interference that is usually present on the 12 volt side of a boats electrical system and because the computer would be one more thing to put at risk if someone switches off the batteries while the alternator is running.

[GordMay]

Re "WHOOSH"Jack:
Experience talks - use what has worked for others /w similar set-ups.
re: "jkewissf"
Again, experience talks
BUT
Battery power (engine/alternator ''off'') is the CLEANEST power available. Any inverter is inherently ''noisy''!
Switching the load ''off'' while alternator running causes a back EMF that can dammage the alternator - the ''spike'' is not likely to dammage any other loads (plugged-in computer) HOWEVER (as above) suggest using computer when engine at rest.
Nonetheless, others have indicated good experience /w cheapo inverters so ...
Regards,
Gord

[Nereus32]

When researching inverters, I found many rave reviews of the Freedom line of inverter/chargers, but couldn''t find any real accolades for true sine wave units, which are a lot more expensive and much more sensitive in a marine environment. I just bought a Freedom 15 and am waiting for sailnet to deliver it! Yippee!