Inverter clicking

[srnoth]

Dear all,

I have a couple of portable 400W inverters (Vector), and I plugged one in this evening, and when I put load on it, it started clicking. There were no other signs of a problem. The lights that it was running did not flicker (both florescent and incandecent), and I left them running for about 45 minutes (about a 180W load) and the inverter barely got warm. I noticed that when I increased the load, the clicking became more frequent.

Does anyone know what the problem could be? I originally bought this with the intention fo running a computer off of it, but I don't want to plug a computer into it incase it smokes and takes the PC down with it.

All help is appreciated,

Cheers (although not so cheerfull),

Stephen.

[bob g]

assuming that it is not a bug tangled in the cooling fan

it is likely a capacitor failing, have had this happen to me,, the inverter usually gave up soon after the clicking started.

at the price of 400 watt inverters, i would run it on some non critical loads until it puked and toss it

bob g

[Roamer195]

Even if it burns out, you still have a nice little metal project case with built-in heatsinks, right?

[srnoth]

That does not sound so good. I already destroyed another one of the iverters (accidentally) by plugging a UPS into it (seems the two didn't like eachother). That fryed the MOSPHETS, but as far as I know, the rest is still good. If it is the capacitor that's giving out on this one, could I just switch it with the capacitor on the dead one? I am not a circuit board expert but I am pretty good with a soldering iron ;-). I believe the capacitor is the cyclidrical things that look kinda like a fat AA battery. Am I right? Please don't laugh at me if i'm wrong.

Cheers,

Stephen.

P.S. Today I am going to take apart the inverter and run it for a couple seconds to see if I can locate where the clicking is coming from. By the way, does anyone know how to test if a capacitor is working properly?

[Opera House]

In all my years in electronics, I've never heard of a capacitor clicking.  Many of these inverters have two smaller seperate step up inverters.  The output has no output transformer and the fets drives the load directly .  At mediun load you are probably hearing the second inverter turning on and off as demand changes.  I wouldn't think much of it.

[srnoth]

Hmm... It definately does not seem to affect the output of the inverter in any way. IT works fine. It's just none of my other inverters 'click' (I have/had two others of the same kind), and this one never did it before. I guess I'll just have to do as y'all said and put some non critical loads on it and wait and see what happens.

I need to know though, has anyone ever had an inverter blow, and destroy the things that were plugged into it as well? That is the only thing that worries me. I do have things I can plug into it that it does not matter if it cuts out after a while (like computer monitors, I can just plug them into another inverter if this one goes bad), but I don't want my monitors to go up in smoke if the inverter goes. Has this ever happened to anyone?

Cheers,

Stephen.

[ibedonc]

if it goes , do not toss it , just send it to me

[ibedonc]

be carefull could be upto 200 - 400 volts in there

[jimjjnn]

Would the clicking possibly be a relay that starts a fan for cooling?

[srnoth]

Not likely. It's one of those cheap ones where the fan stays on all the time.

[hiker]

i blew one of my inverters a while back--was checking the output of one of

my alts --had it hooked to a electric hand drill..had the alt leads hooked to my 12v auto batt-and my inverter leads hook to the alt leads.--well my dog runs in the shop while i have the alt cranked up and knocks off the alt leads going to the battery.

so this leaves the alt only hooked to the inverter--bam-then a little cloud of smoke

pops out of the fan on the inverter...tore it apart and found what was left of a capacitor..havent bought a new cap yet but im hoping thats all that blew..

when it blew it most likly got hit with about 55 volts dc...

[ghurd]

I use and sell a ton of the 400w Vectors.

Can't recall one clicking.

The ones that blew up have never taken anything with them, but most are powering wall warts or drill batteries.

G-

[nothing to lose]

I had an older 300watt of some brand. Was running Christmas lights on my truck in a parade. Geuss it got too hot for some reason (it was HOT), was working perfect, I turned it off, it never turned on again

I had one that quite durring use once, and several UPS's I got as junk that had fried the inverter, so far haven't know of anything being damaged when they go. Not saying it can't happen, just haven't known of it happening to anyone I know.