About Inverters

[Dave M]

Hello All,

Running an enviro Max-M multifuel stove with no issues. Great help with the choice I got here at this forum. Preparing for a blackout here, I'm looking for an inverter. I need something that can run this stove overnight. I have a generator, a 10000 watt generac. I'm figuring I can run the stove off that, but I need something quiet for nights. Do I need a pure sine inverter, or will a regular inverter be ok? And how big? I'm confused because I dont think a generator puts out "pure" power. Obviously, I dont want to fry my stove! Can anyone recommend something to suit my needs? Any help would be appreciated.

-Dave

 

[imacman]

Dave, I have a Generac (12kw) that I have used with my stove w/ no problems at all....yours should be just fine also.

But if you need to shut it off at night due to noise, then, YES, you need an "pure sine wave" inverter. You need to figure out what your typical running watts are for the stove, and get a power source and inverter that will last that long. Might be a challenge for an overnight run, unless you use big 6v truck/rv batteries run in series.

EDIT: Maybe buy a small 1kw Honda for the overnight? VERY quiet.

 

[ekarlis]

Dave:
Max power is 432watts. So you will need a 500watt inverter-pure sine wave for theMaxx-M
Ed

 

[Dave M]

Ah, a whole bank of batteries. That would kinda suck. Guess I gotta bite the bullet for the honda. Thanks very much-

Dave

 

[imacman]

Dave:
Max power is 432watts. So you will need a 500watt inverter-pure sine wave for theMaxx-M
Ed

Is that continuous running wattage, or including start-up with ignitor? Sounds high for plain running wattage. Most stoves run at 125-200 watts.

EDIT: Enviro website states 350w continuous/600w startup

 

[Dave M]

Run time on a Honda 2000 watt is only 4 hours. What could do better and stay fairly quiet at night?

 

[Woody1911a1]

a honda 2000 w/ aux fuel tank

 

[Dave M]

That cant be right, another as says a 1000 watt has an 8 hour run time. Sorry.

 

[Harvey Schneider]

You could also have a Honda, running a battery charger, running an inverter running the stove. To get through the night you have four hours of run time on the Honda and enough battery to keep the stove running for another four to six hours. Or get a stove that is designed to run on battery directly. The Mt Vernon AE can be run for a couple of days on a 100Ah battery. Charging during the day would give you continuous coverage.

 

[imacman]

Run time on a Honda 2000 watt is only 4 hours. What could do better and stay fairly quiet at night?

That figure may be at full load....you'll only be running about 1/3 load if the stove is the only thing connected.

From Honda website: "3.8 hrs @ rated (full) load, 8.3 hrs at 1/4 load"

My guess is that you'd get about 6 - 6 1/2 hrs on a full tank.

 

[Dave M]

Thanks for clearing that up imac, that makes sense now. The more i think about this, the more I think I'm better off with a separate backup heating system. I still have my old wood stove. Crappy, but better than gas and generators.

 

[ekarlis]

imacman:
The ignitor on aEnviro Maxx-M is 400 watts, so that is startup. The book staes
432watts on start up. That ignitor is an expensive one, but I did find on woodheatstoves,
price of $206.I think I will buy one now before prices go up

 

[kinsmanstoves]

This is what Harman is preaching. Generators are not endorsed.

Eric

 

[briansol]

I bought that cheapo $89 HF 800/900peak genny and it would NOT ignite my stove. When the convection blower kicked on, with the ignitor glowing, it was too much for it and stalled it out. Even though my manual states 700 watts max draw. So, be weary of getting something close in watts that you need, as you likely need something more than what it is rated for.

 

[Harvey Schneider]

When the convection blower kicked on, with the ignitor glowing, it was too much for it and stalled it out. Even though my manual states 700 watts max draw.

The instantaneous current pull of the fan motor at startup can be 10 to 20 times it's normal draw. That's what the generator (or an inverter) needs to handle as a peak. The label plate rating is the steady state current draw.

 

[Stevekng]

Run time on a Honda 2000 watt is only 4 hours. What could do better and stay fairly quiet at night?

I have a Honda 2000eui and it has run 10 hours on a gallon of gas under a half load(1000w). I ran it every day for 4 months last year and it still runs like new. It has a built in inverter.

 

[sandpipe]

That figure may be at full load....you'll only be running about 1/3 load if the stove is the only thing connected.

From Honda website: "3.8 hrs @ rated (full) load, 8.3 hrs at 1/4 load"

My guess is that you'd get about 6 - 6 1/2 hrs on a full tank.

What about a Honda EU3000? That has run time of 7.2 hrs. @ rated load, 20 hrs. @ 1/4 load. And it can't hurt to have the extra 1000 watts of power for other important electrical devices such as internet and hd tv.

 

[moey]

The instantaneous current pull of the fan motor at startup can be 10 to 20 times it's normal draw. That's what the generator (or an inverter) needs to handle as a peak. The label plate rating is the steady state current draw.

The motors have a pretty low inertia to get them initially spinning I would be amazed if they even drew 1.5 times their rating at startup. Just my 2c

 

[Harvey Schneider]

The motors have a pretty low inertia to get them initially spinning I would be amazed if they even drew 1.5 times their rating at startup. Just my 2c

And yet they stalled the generator. Hmmm.
Until they produce some back emf the motors have a low impedance. It may happen in a second, but that little generator has no mass to carry it through. Most modern inverters are designed to be so self protective that they give up at the slightest load surge.

 

[Stevekng]

And yet they stalled the generator. Hmmm.
Until they produce some back emf the motors have a low impedance. It may happen in a second, but that little generator has no mass to carry it through. Most modern inverters are designed to be so self protective that they give up at the slightest load surge.

I ran a 21 cubic ft. refridgerator, an Enviro VF100 pellet stove, and a 500w micro wave with the Honda 2000eui. Ididn't run the microwave for more than 5min. at a time. But I ran this set up for 5 hrs. during a power outage last year and I had gas to spare in the 1 gal. tank. The Honda increases or decreases the rpms as the demand changes. Anyone who makes a review of this generator should do so with some level of ownership or usage experience.

 

[Harvey Schneider]

I ran a 21 cubic ft. refridgerator, an Enviro VF100 pellet stove, and a 500w micro wave with the Honda 2000eui. Ididn't run the microwave for more than 5min. at a time. But I ran this set up for 5 hrs. during a power outage last year and I had gas to spare in the 1 gal. tank. The Honda increases or decreases the rpms as the demand changes. Anyone who makes a review of this generator should do so with some level of ownership or usage experience.

Calm down. First of all I was commenting on the little Harbor Freight 700W two stroke generator not the Honda. Briansol commented that it stalled when the convection fan kicked in and the heater was still on. I have that same generator and I am not surprised that it stalled. The engine is a fly weight and has no momentum to carry it through load surges.
Second when it comes to motor dynamics I feel qualified to speak about their properties from years of hands on design experience.
Before you criticize get your facts straight.
Peace.

 

[Stevekng]

Calm down. First of all I was commenting on the little Harbor Freight 700W two stroke generator not the Honda. Briansol commented that it stalled when the convection fan kicked in and the heater was still on. I have that same generator and I am not surprised that it stalled. The engine is a fly weight and has no momentum to carry it through load surges.
Second when it comes to motor dynamics I feel qualified to speak about their properties from years of hands on design experience.
Before you criticize get your facts straight.
Peace.

I'm not upset about the comments people post about different products. I's just that to me, using something you post about trumps talking about but not using, every time. I just know that this critter works because I have used it for two years when camping or during power outages. I don't know what's under the hood, so to speak, but if you read the instructions and maintain it, it'll git'r done.

 

[boosted3g]

You can easily run a pellet stove overnight with either the 1k or 2k honda on a tank of gas. My pellet stove didnt even take the honda off an idle on eco mode which is far less than the 50% rated power output run time.