Best small, low resource inverter?

[tvd1]

I'm looking for reccomendations for a small inverter, that will be used 24/7 (in a solar shed project). Im powering one 30watt led motion sensor light and a battery tender brand 1.25 amp moto smart charger. Very small load. Right now im using a 300w pure sine inverter but i have to turn it off its drawing so much power at idle (im still working on sizing up the system, but for now its overkill). I'd like something in the 120w area that is resource light and safe to run 24/7.
Thanks for your recommendations.

 

[jbird526]

What 300w inverter are you using now and how much is the idle draw?

 

[rhino]

Samlex PST-120-12 120W, 12V Pure Sine Inverter | DonRowe.com

The Samlex PST-120-12, 12 Volt, 120 Watt Pure Sine Wave Power Inverter features a highly efficient design for powering and recharging laptops, video games, stereos, tools and other portable devices in vehicles, RVs, boats and more.

www.donrowe.com

 

[tvd1]

I'm using this amazon 300w inverter, and i'm not sure the idle draw.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082RTV7YS?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

I've seen that Samlex.. I'm not sure i need a pure sine for my application and there is only one 2 prong plug. Was hoping for two, three prongers.

 

[Supervstech]

I'm looking for reccomendations for a small inverter, that will be used 24/7 (in a solar shed project). Im powering one 30watt led motion sensor light and a battery tender brand 1.25 amp moto smart charger. Very small load. Right now im using a 300w pure sine inverter but i have to turn it off its drawing so much power at idle (im still working on sizing up the system, but for now its overkill). I'd like something in the 120w area that is resource light and safe to run 24/7.
Thanks for your recommendations.

How much solar are you running?

 

[rhino]

Go up to the 300W version then. It specs less then .5A with no load and has two 3 prong outlets.

 

[tvd1]

Right now, one 100w panel, i'm adding a second this week.

 

[Samsonite801]

I like Bestek inverters so far. I bought a 300w one for my Starlink to use for now (until I get it switched to DC POE operation), and the Bestek seems to work good, they have good Amazon reviews, and are found on several on the top 10 lists, usually like 1 or 2 on the list... Price is good on them...

Bestek Car Power Inverter, Low wattage DC to AC Inverter

Low wattage Inverter is a more economical power alternative to run items under 500 watts, suitable for small appliances, Mobiles, Laptops, DVD players and other low ...

www.bestekdirect.com

Maybe like this 150w one would be good for you? It has two 3-prong plugs on it.

150W Power Inverter Dual 110V AC Outlets and 4.8A Dual USB Charging Ports Power Converter

BESTEK power inverter provide continuous 150W power and dual 110V AC outkets, dual USB ports for various devices. Smart auto-identified USB ports charge devices at fastest speed.

www.bestekdirect.com

 

[tvd1]

I looked more at the Samex's and saw this one.. might be worth a try?

Samlex PST-150-12 150W, 12V Pure Sine Inverter | DonRowe.com

The Samlex PST-150-12, 12 Volt, 150 Watt Pure Sine Wave Power Inverter features a highly efficient design for powering and recharging laptops, video games, stereos, tools and other small electronics in vehicles, RVs, boats and more.

www.donrowe.com

 

[tvd1]

I like Bestek inverters so far. I bought a 300w one for my Starlink to use for now (until I get it switched to DC POE operation), and the Bestek seems to work good, they have good Amazon reviews, and are found on several on the top 10 lists, usually like 1 or 2 on the list... Price is good on them...

Bestek Car Power Inverter, Low wattage DC to AC Inverter

Low wattage Inverter is a more economical power alternative to run items under 500 watts, suitable for small appliances, Mobiles, Laptops, DVD players and other low ...

www.bestekdirect.com

Maybe like this one would be good for you? It has two 3-prong plugs on it.

150W Power Inverter Dual 110V AC Outlets and 4.8A Dual USB Charging Ports Power Converter

BESTEK power inverter provide continuous 150W power and dual 110V AC outkets, dual USB ports for various devices. Smart auto-identified USB ports charge devices at fastest speed.

www.bestekdirect.com

Yea those look good, i just wonder about some of the small ones, if they can (and should) be run 24/7. You keep yours on all the time?

 

[Samsonite801]

Yea those look good, i just wonder about some of the small ones, if they can (and should) be run 24/7. You keep yours on all the time?

Well, I've been running one of the 300w ones solely on a Starlink 24/7 since March and it still runs. Fan still sounds fine (usually fans are one of the first things to crap out on these style cheaper inverters, like start to squeak and whatnot)... (the 150w ones may not have fans?)

I also use another 300w Bestek to run my queen size electric blanket (through the Winter) and it still works well.

I just don't like to leave my big 2800w inverter on all the time, so the electric blanket and the Starlink I have offloaded onto tiny inverters, where most things I have just run on 12v in the RV.

 

[rhino]

I'm using this amazon 300w inverter, and i'm not sure the idle draw.

One of the comments says that one also uses about 0.5A,

 

[Supervstech]

A 100W panel likely produces around 440Wh/day
If you are consuming 180W depending on the duration of the charger, and the lighting... you could easily top 440Wh each day.

Is the charger outputting 1.25A, or consuming it@120V?
Anyway, let's assume output 1.25A@ 14V, that's around 22W with losses, add in the 30W occasionally, and you're around 1100Wh each day.
I'd say two more solar panels and you can keep up with the daytime load and keep the battery charged.
What battery do you have?

 

[Bluedog225]

I wonder why the need to invert? 12 volt system has some advantages. And lots of stuff runs on 12v.

 

[tvd1]

All good questions.. So i'm inverting because i'm running a LED motion sensor light, that i wired up to an old extension cord. (this is the model) https://www.homedepot.com/p/AWSENS-...9f04e5510d75b4881224bf92af558b301f8130e85466c

For the other port, i'm using a Deltran battery tender to charge one of my motos. I know im going from DC to AC to DC, but i couldnt figure out a better way to do it (this is the model - https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tend...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU= )

The load port on the MPPT is charging a small string of LED lights .

Lastly, im using a Harbor Freight 12v, 35 amp sealed battery : https://www.harborfreight.com/12v-35-amp-hour-sealed-lead-acid-battery-64102.html

If theres a better way to go about this, happy to try that out. I am adding a second 100w panel and im' hoping that, with a more effecient inverter will do the trick.

 

[Bluedog225]

I don’t know what a moto is. Google wasn’t helpful.

 

[tvd1]

I don’t know what a moto is. Google wasn’t helpful.

A motorcycle. I use the Deltran to tender my motorcycle battery. If they aren't maintained, they tend to not start.

 

[Samsonite801]

All good questions.. So i'm inverting because i'm running a LED motion sensor light, that i wired up to an old extension cord. (this is the model) https://www.homedepot.com/p/AWSENS-...9f04e5510d75b4881224bf92af558b301f8130e85466c

For the other port, i'm using a Deltran battery tender to charge one of my motos. I know im going from DC to AC to DC, but i couldnt figure out a better way to do it (this is the model - https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0128-Maintain-Damaging/dp/B00068XCQU/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=deltran+battery+tender&qid=1655145394&sprefix=deltran+,aps,67&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&smid=AC0UA62Z9ZBMG&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExSEpPVzY5STZKREYzJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNDkwNjI3Mlg2VUtCTFhGQkY5RSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNDQ1OTEyMlhMS1dKSE1YVEJWVCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU= )

The load port on the MPPT is charging a small string of LED lights .

Lastly, im using a Harbor Freight 12v, 35 amp sealed battery : https://www.harborfreight.com/12v-35-amp-hour-sealed-lead-acid-battery-64102.html

If theres a better way to go about this, happy to try that out. I am adding a second 100w panel and im' hoping that, with a more effecient inverter will do the trick.

You could just make a parallel cable to bridge your motorcycle battery to your Harbor Freight battery, and the charge controller will float it directly...

There are other 12v options for motion sensor lighting, or build your own out of components.

 

[tvd1]

You could just make a parallel cable to bridge your motorcycle battery to your Harbor Freight battery, and the charge controller will float it directly...

There are other 12v options for motion sensor lighting, or build your own out of components.

I've thought of this. Before i made this solar set up, i used a small 20w panel hooked up to this controller:

Battery Tender® 5-45W Automatic Solar Controller

www.batterytender.com

This would shut off at night but would properly maintain my motorcycle battery (not overcharge it, etc)

I was wondering if i could hook up this smaller controller either to the Harbor Freight battery or the load in the MPPT controller.

 

[Samsonite801]

I've thought of this. Before i made this solar set up, i used a small 20w panel hooked up to this controller:

Battery Tender® 5-45W Automatic Solar Controller

www.batterytender.com

This would shut off at night but would properly maintain my motorcycle battery (not overcharge it, etc)

I was wondering if i could hook up this smaller controller either to the Harbor Freight battery or the load in the MPPT controller.

Yeah, you can even have both charge controllers feeding the same 12v battery circuit (with the Harbor Freight battery being the default battery always connected), which you can also jump to your motorcycle battery when you want... And run any accessory load off the battery circuit.