Why no Inverter efficiency ratings?

[orbital]

+

Power supplies have efficiency ratings , there's Silver Plus~ Gold Plus~ Platinum Plus ect..
ex: Gold Plus is 87% efficient or 13% waste heat


Why are there no efficiency ratings for Inverters??
..would you spend a bit more if an inverter generated less waste heat & drew less battery?

 

[BVH]

I took a quick look at Samlex inverters. The 1500 Pure Sine Wave unit says its peak efficiency is 90.5%

https://samlexamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/12002-NTX-1500-12-0621.pdf

Same with the 3000 Watt

 

[KITROBASKIN]

Our off grid home inverter specs (3524):

https://www.solar-electric.com/lib/wind-sun/FXR_A_specsheet.pdf

 

[KITROBASKIN]

Our backup secondary inverter, the 24/1200 (won't pump water but will run washer, ebike charger, etc.)

Victron Energy Phoenix 24/1200 120V NEMA 5-15R Inverter with VE.Direct

Part Number: PIN242120500

www.solar-electric.com

 

[KITROBASKIN]

As you can see, efficiency comes in different flavors. Note the idle power/no load as well as sleep/search mode consumption, if your use will include those aspects.

Side note: really appreciating the Bluetooth connection on the Victron. We did not pay for a display, just the dongle so readings are easy to view on a phone. Definitely do not like the battery connections so close, right next to each other, though.

 

[jtr1962]

I'm actually kind of surprised at the numbers. I had assumed most inverters had efficiencies in the high 90s, like 98%. 90% sounds good at first glance, but if you're driving a 3kW load that's 333 watts of waste heat to get rid of.

 

[orbital]

+

Having a standardized certification* to be Silver, Gold, or Platinum efficiency would weed out all the really sketchy inverter units.
There is no way most of them would want it, simply because their specs are absolute fiction.

Samlex USA would be the first to step up for such a certification.


*done by UL or similar

 

[Dave_H]

Efficiencies for converters this large need to be up in the 90% or higher to keep the lost power/heat manageable.

I read that up around 98% efficiency could be achievable using Gallium Nitride transistors but depends on a lot of different factors.

Dave

 

[Lynx_Arc]

If the efficiencies are ANSI ratings.... may not be very useful as they pretty much all but useless regarding LED flashlights. I remember growing up with audio output ratings in RMS then shifting to max output and peak max output at 1Khz even.

 

[orbital]

+

Power Supply Ratings (AC to DC)
Like to see similar with Inverters (DC to AC)

Percentage of rated load	10%	20%	50%	100%	10%	20%	50%	100%	10%	20%	50%	100%
80 Plus test type[4]​	Icon	115 V internal non-redundant	230 V internal redundant	230 V EU internal non-redundant
80 Plus			80%	80%	80%						82%	85%	82%
80 Plus Bronze			82%	85%	82%		81%	85%	81%		85%	88%	85%
80 Plus Silver			85%	88%	85%		85%	89%	85%		87%	90%	87%
80 Plus Gold			87%	90%	87%		88%	92%	88%		90%	92%	89%
80 Plus Platinum			90%	92%	89%		90%	94%	91%		92%	94%	90%
80 Plus Titanium		90%	92%	94%	90%	90%	94%	96%	91%	90%	94%	96%	94%

note: the graph shifted to the right when I pasted it.. you get the idea though.

 

[turbodog]

Most are crap because people are up-converting 12/24vdc to 120vac. The 48v units are better.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

For over 20 years this inverter has been quietly doing its job. I would say cumulatively, over 12 years it has been on continuously. The Morningstar 300 watt. Does not have a fan, very quiet (barely audible with a significant load)

https://www.solar-electric.com/lib/wind-sun/SureSine.pdf

 

[orbital]

Most are crap because people are up-converting 12/24vdc to 120vac. The 48v units are better.

+

If your looking to make a 48V setup, you can get a Samlex PST 1500W in 48V for $376,, usually somewhere around $600 if you google it.
Samlex underrates their specs, so 1500W is like 2500W of any other brand, really.
The Samlex PST series are genuine pure sine & have the least interference of any 'pure sine' I'v used*

Use coupon WELCOME15

Samlex PST-1500-48 1500W 48V Pure Sine Inverter

Samlex PST-1500-48 1500W 48V Pure Sine Inverter. This high efficiency DC-AC inverter converts 48 Volts DC to 1500 Watts of pure sine-wave AC power at 120 Volts, 60 Hz.

www.boatandrvaccessories.com

*Just plugging in a FM radio is the simplest test for confirmation.

EDIT: better coupon

 

[hamhanded]

Goodhart's law states measures that become targets cease to be good measures, and from what I've seen, most measures eventually become targets.