Inverters

[Derek]

I have just purchased a 1990 Hunter 42 with a burnt out Heart inverter. Isthis common? Should I replace it with another Inverter or just go to a goodbattery charger. Any advice would be appreaciated.

 

[Mark Johnson]

Replace the inverter

I have always been a big fan of inverters. It is nice to use some of your 110 volt accessories without having to fire up the generator if you have one. But I guess my question would be..why did it burn out? If you do decide to replace the inverter, I would certainly use the Heart 2000 watt. It has plenty of power to run stuff and also has the 100 amp charger. BTW have you contacted Heart Interface and described the problem? It may be fixable for far less expense than a new one.MPJ

 

[bob]

agree you should replace the inverter

 

[Bill Sheehy]

We did also

Last year we replaced our inverter with the biggest one Heart made. Also installed a high output alt. at the same time. The 1800 that was on the boat would over heat sometimes. When installing the new one besure to NOT use the screw on connectors that Heart supplies. I had one of the wires burn up. I had also fried the power cord around the same time. The breaker on the inverter flipped but I turned it back on. Why it still worked is kinda scary. I didn't find the burned wire for about 2 months as it has a cover over the top of it. I replaced it with a clear cover so I can check the wires. Why did it go out? The engine room can get very hot, old design plus they are getting up to 10 years old on some boats.

 

[Bob Bass]

Replace & Upgrade

I would recommend replacing the inverter with a new Hart and even go up to a next larger size. Check all the wiring and you might consider sending the old inverter back to Hart to find out what happened to the old one. When you install the new one, I strongly recommend that you also put in the Link 1000 battery monitor. I severly abused the batteries that came on our boat when new and they only lasted two years because I didn't have the Link. Also, if your current house batteries are over two years old, consider replacing them with Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) type. You will get more capacity, longer life and faster charging, which is very important when cruising. I love my inverter because it allows me to run the ice maker 24 hours a day (ice for the rum at 1700 hours and homemade ice cream on the hook). Good luck and post your final decision.