Harbor Freight inverter deal and quick review

[1krr]

Got a little bit of a score on an inverter today and wanted to pass it along to you guys. They have a 750 watt inverter on sale for 47.99 and I found a coupon code for 25% off. I was surprised they took just the code but they did. The code is 54708713. Now the good news that it was about 38 bucks out the door! Figured I've wasted more on a trip to Ted's and at least something more than a bottle of pepto to show for it! One quick note, is that there are two 750 watt inverter part numbers and they are slightly different. The 66817 is the one I bought. It has a cover for the USB charger port while the 69660 unit doesn't have a usb port cover and doesn't seem to be getting as good of reviews.

www.harborfreight.com/750-watt-continuous-1500-watt-peak-power-inverter-66817.html

So for the review, I already had one of their little 400 watt inverters that I bought to play with and it would run a few things but struggled with a good number of my basic power tools. It would run a drill and fans and such but it wouldn't start my router or sawzall (no sawzall is a mortal sin for any emergancy inverter). So I put the kill-a-watt on and found that a full power no load sawzall pulls about 575 watts. Makes sense that the little inverter barked about it. However this new 750 watt inverter ran it without a problem! The kill-a-watt reported 119.5 volts and a stead 60hz from it. It's not a pure signwave inverter so it would stress inductive loads (motors, compressors, etc) under continuous use but in a pinch it appears to be just fine to toss in the trunk and have available for the next tornado/ice storm/earthquake/wildfire/other power killing life in oklahoma event/.

 

[dennishoddy]

I love those little inverters. Great tools. I have one that runs two amps that plugs into the cig lighter in the vehicle. Runs a lap top and small tools. (very small)

Also have one that is 2500 watts. It has to be hooked up to the battery, as it pulls a ton of juice, and will drain a car battery quickly if the engine is not running. It will start a 2HP air compressor.

I don't have Electric at the farm, so inverters, and a generator is how things get done.

 

[aviator41]

Never thought I would like having an inverter in the truck, but the one built into the F250 has been a God send more than once! It's great for charging cordless drills and running a laptop.

Gonna have to check out the harbor freight deal. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Never thought I would like having an inverter in the truck, but the one built into the F250 has been a God send more than once! It's great for charging cordless drills and running a laptop.

Gonna have to check out the harbor freight deal. Thanks for the tip!

I have run an electric fillet knife off one of those built in ones.

 

[dieseltech09]

! It's great for charging cordless drills and running a laptop.
!

I dont know about the built in ones from the OEM but with the aftermarket ones I have fried several Snap-on and Ingersol Lithium battery packs by charging them on the inverter in my service truck so be careful. For my laptop we have 12v power cords from Dell that plug from the 12v outlet straight into the laptop.

 

[jrusling]

Some of the energy star electronics now require sine wave power. The modified sine wave inverters, especially the cheap ones, will not work and my fry the electronics. This is also true of some of the UPS's. Sine wave inverters will cost more, especially if you buy good quality ones.

 

[subprep]

harbor freight I love that store.

 

[Blitzfike]

One way to go is to find an isolation transformer to go between the inverter and your sensitive electronics. A 1 to 1 transformer gives a good sine wave output curing the hash that fries the digital electronics. Make sure it is rated at enough power to match the inverter.

 

[Blitzfike]

After looking at the prices of isolation transformers on the interweeb, I have come to the conclusion that it is far better for me to find two junk microwave ovens, (try to get both of them at the same power rating) being careful to discharge the capacitor inside each one before putting my sensitive little pinkies in harms way, (There can still be lethal charges on them even months after they are unplugged if the bleeder resistor across them is faulty) after removing the big transformers, carefully cut the weld holding the top of the iron laminations on the transformers, then cut away the high voltage winding (its the one with the very small wire) do the same to the second transformer, and then carefully remove the primary winding from one and stack it above the primary winding on the first transformer. You will need to use small wooden wedges to secure the windings to the core if they are loose. Replace the portion of the iron core removed to get at the windings, and weld it back in place. (Most of you don't have welders so get with those of us who do.) The finished transformer is now a 1 to 1 isolation transformer and its current rating will equal what the microwave's power rating was. 650 watts for a small one or 1100 watts for a big one. I built a pretty powerful spot welder from an 1100 watt microwave, instead of adding an additional primary winding, I wound as many turns of #6 gauge wire as I could in the core area left.

 

[1krr]

That's a good idea and if you add a relatively small capacitor (small in capacitance but appropriate for the wattage) it will help smooth the output signal even more. Hell, that said, if one wanted to do a little soldering, building an inverter with a clean output signal is pretty straight forward. Blitzfike, do you happen to have an oscope? I would be curious what the output wave form looked like after just running it through the isolation transformer you made.