What is a "connecting starter"

[ericmark]

The inverter has following warning:-

Attention:

Fluorescent Lamps:

When switching on fluorescent lamps or tubes the inductive tensions can develop some of thousand Volt.

Therefore you must let insert a connecting starter.

What is a "connecting starter"? I will have a guess it's a HF ballast but by no means sure.

 

[ColJack]

what inverter?

and where is this warning written and in what context?

 

[matt1e]

My money is on it means "use an electronic starter"

Matt

 

[ericmark]

My son had a 3000W with 6000W inverter on his boat modified sine wave and it burnt out.

There was nothing plugged into the inverter which in theory should have caused the inverter to burn out so although it has been returned for repair we are rather worried that it could burn out again.

Talking to the manufacturer seems like banging ones head on a great wall. Who ever is answering emails does not know what I²t is or what a B6 MCB is and wanted us to explain what sort of machine they are.

My consideration is using a 10LCT fuse on output rated 10A with a I²t of 22A would likely provide the protection required. The inverter has a bank of the blade type car fuses protecting the input. It is designed to sound a warning beeper when the voltage drops to 10.5v and switch off if below 9.5v it has short circuit protection and overload protection built in and over temperature protection plus two thermostatically controlled fans. So in theory should not need the fuse.

The 13A fuse provides very little protection to blow in 30 minutes it needs between 1.6 to 1.9 the rated current but the inverter is only ratted at double rated 3000W for 5 minutes so may as well fit a nail for all the protection a 13A fuse gives. What is really required is a B3 MCB with the thermal bit short circuited so it would trip at 15A on magnetic part.

The reference to "connecting starter" made me wonder if there was such a device? And if it protected the inverter from florescent lamps could it also protect against other loads which may produce a back EMF. Maybe a filtered socket is all that is required.

Although we has tried and failed to run a 2200W washing machine on the inverter that's 2000W heating and 200W inverter drive soft start motor this was tried two weeks before the failure. And at the time of failure it was running a battery charger for a DeWalt 18v drill, which was using less than half an amp. It was however a hot day and the sun on the steel shell of the boat can raise the temperature.

 

[aptsys]

They are trying to say only use electronic gear for fluorescent lamps, as the combination of the inverter's squarewave output and the inductor in a switch start fluorescent fitting will damage the output stage of the inverter.

Best thing to do would just be to buy a sinewave output inverter

 

[ericmark]

They are trying to say only use electronic gear for fluorescent lamps, as the combination of the inverter's squarewave output and the inductor in a switch start fluorescent fitting will damage the output stage of the inverter.

Best thing to do would just be to buy a sinewave output inverter

At three times the price! And also manufacture has same warning on true sine wave model. All fluorescents are 12vdc with own built in inverter but wondered if same protective device would work with other items.

Trying to work out a way so if anyone does plug in an unsuitable device a protective device will protect inverter at £70 carriage don't want to send it back again.