Used inverter on battery and now radio light comes and goes

[JcsMI]

We had a power outage and I have aquariums. I hooked up an inverter to my battery. This morning I had no radio lights. No backlight. Nothing. Then on the way to work it came on. Its just the lights. The radio is working. Then after work it wasnout again. Any thoughts?

 

[NETim]

How old is your battery? Maybe get it tested with one of those toaster type battery testers regardless.

 

[JcsMI]

I can try that. But everything works on the truck. It starts fine. Everything works.

 

[RamDiver]

I can try that. But everything works on the truck. It starts fine. Everything works.

Everything but the radio display functions, correct?

You could try pulling the radio fuse for an hour. It's all on its own, below the master cylinder.

Which radio is in your truck?

@SitKneelBend is our resident radio expert.

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[Wild one]

We had a power outage and I have aquariums. I hooked up an inverter to my battery. This morning I had no radio lights. No backlight. Nothing. Then on the way to work it came on. Its just the lights. The radio is working. Then after work it wasnout again. Any thoughts?

You need a small generator,cheaper then fixing your truck if you screw up it's electronics. You can pick up a small 1200 to 1800 watt generator for cheap if you buy used or watch for sales.

 

[RamDiver]

You need a small generator,cheaper then fixing your truck if you screw up it's electronics. You can pick up a small 1200 to 1800 watt generator for cheap if you buy used or watch for sales.

Maybe a generator with a smart charger.

Why fool around connecting anything else to our rolling microcomputers?

I like the temperature controlled low-current chargers designed for the engine bay.

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[SitKneelBend]

Everything but the radio display functions, correct?

You could try pulling the radio fuse for an hour. It's all on its own, below the master cylinder.

Which radio is in your truck?

@SitKneelBend is our resident radio expert.

.

Possible that fuse is just blown if the screen is black.

 

[RamDiver]

Possible that fuse is just blown if the screen is black.

According to the OP, the display going dark is intermittent.

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[SitKneelBend]

According to the OP, the display going dark is intermittent.

.

Ah, thanks for that. "Might" be fixable with a firmware update BUT I'd be wary of what else might be occurring if it happened after hooking up external electronic equipment.

 

[NETim]

I ordered of these doodads for low power use. I like the idea that I can use Milwaukee batteries with it.

Is it any good? Dunno. Haven’t got it yet.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/18151603606?sid=A9DD6334-F563-4573-B478-C411FD598A8C

 

[Wild one]

I ordered of these doodads for low power use. I like the idea that I can use Milwaukee batteries with it.

Is it any good? Dunno. Haven’t got it yet.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/18151603606?sid=A9DD6334-F563-4573-B478-C411FD598A8C

That's intriguing Tim,keep us updated on how it works when you get it.I'm kind of curious on how long a pair of batteries will last when using it

 

[RamDiver]

That's intriguing Tim,keep us updated on how it works when you get it.I'm kind of curious on how long a pair of batteries will last when using it

I'm confident that the runtime will be directly related to the load and A/hr of the battery pack used, less the efficiency loss characteristics. I'm curious too.

As you likely know, inverter systems usually suffer from unpublished losses.

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[Wild one]

I'm confident that the runtime will be directly related to the load and A/hr of the battery pack used, less the efficiency loss characteristics. I'm curious too.

As you likely know, inverter systems usually suffer from unpublished losses.

.

I agree they'd probably last for a couple days running a small portable radio,but die with-in an hour if you tried to run a fridge or something bigger with them.

 

[JcsMI]

Its workong now. I liveinnan apartment and tried having a generator but its not allowed. Not sure what happened or why an inverter would mess up the electronics.

 

[RamDiver]

Its workong now. I liveinnan apartment and tried having a generator but its not allowed. Not sure what happened or why an inverter would mess up the electronics.

Do you have a link for the inverter?

.

 

[Wild one]

Its workong now. I liveinnan apartment and tried having a generator but its not allowed. Not sure what happened or why an inverter would mess up the electronics.

If you live in an apartment,how were you using the truck to run an invertor in the apartment,must of been a long extension cord. If that's the case,why not buy a spare AGM battery and AGM battery charger and have it where you can get at it easily.If you're bucks up,you could even spring for a Lithium battery and charger.
Be alot cheaper then messing up your trucks electronics

 

[RamDiver]

If you live in an apartment,how were you using the truck to run an invertor in the apartment,must of been a long extension cord. If that's the case,why not buy a spare AGM battery and AGM battery charger and have it where you can get at it easily.If you're bucks up,you could even spring for a Lithium battery and charger.
Be alot cheaper then messing up your trucks electronics

This is why I asked for a link.

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that it was something more like this portable power station unit.

It contains a Li battery that can be charged with AC or DC, and provides an AC output to run a small battery charger or laptop, etc.

Charge it silently in the apartment, then deposit it under the hood with a traditional, AC-powered battery charger.

The flaw in the system, as you may know, is that the creation of a sine wave signal using SCRs or other solid-state devices can be marginal at best. You get what you pay for when it comes to creating a clean and functional signal.

The marginal sine wave signal could be problematic for anything but an old school dumb charger. If using a more recent smart charger, the dirty sine wave could scramble the charger's brain, resulting in a garbage signal into the battery and all standby modules.

https://www.amazon.com/EF-ECOFLOW-Portable-Charging-Generator/dp/B0B8MXPRDB/ref=sr_1_5?adgrpid=1353499044139061&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.jNL14oYVlFH94fhs5fhypZOlnMTbsMrP7N7fXKycYtEN4lxU6SQsGJTO4IRTaCQNVJKL5Wn0GVILdDNKTE6oPOBf0PKTQSfFRMHYzn5ZtQqPPfAh6boNo4TZfqiyngUhCFT_t8CxwcdKqIMhgYRICsVKH9gs0COoXKQwtA7G8agU5g_FRn7uVIrJs2bvxqCgdbSKRDk4HxhhPweg334ZzIHDJ5gIffpyB0axj7QPL-udTkoK9BMgv1zBpDdFqCO5GJNEIfr4vZearM0dgMrGOpfnSm01ECL9Ehd84daYRd0.ijIyRtTjGhs3VEuOghcXynKWOIYjM_8wycElBmPXa0c&dib_tag=se&hvadid=84594230170485&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=5254&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-84593860504697%3Aloc-32&hydadcr=1529_13638487&keywords=inverter%2Bwith%2Bbattery&mcid=8f8e295756d534e2bc31a0fedb36fc83&msclkid=a7e569f0ecee1aa13f4b0006d137921c&qid=1777745381&sr=8-5&th=1

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[Wild one]

This is why I asked for a link.

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that it was something more like this portable power station unit.

It contains a Li battery that can be charged with AC or DC, and provides an AC output to run a small battery charger or laptop, etc.

Charge it silently in the apartment, then deposit it under the hood with a traditional, AC-powered battery charger.

The flaw in the system, as you may know, is that the creation of a sine wave signal using SCRs or other solid-state devices can be marginal at best. You get what you pay for when it comes to creating a clean and functional signal.

The marginal sine wave signal could be problematic for anything but an old school dumb charger. If using a more recent smart charger, the dirty sine wave could scramble the charger's brain, resulting in a garbage signal into the battery and all standby modules.

https://www.amazon.com/EF-ECOFLOW-Portable-Charging-Generator/dp/B0B8MXPRDB/ref=sr_1_5?adgrpid=1353499044139061&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.jNL14oYVlFH94fhs5fhypZOlnMTbsMrP7N7fXKycYtEN4lxU6SQsGJTO4IRTaCQNVJKL5Wn0GVILdDNKTE6oPOBf0PKTQSfFRMHYzn5ZtQqPPfAh6boNo4TZfqiyngUhCFT_t8CxwcdKqIMhgYRICsVKH9gs0COoXKQwtA7G8agU5g_FRn7uVIrJs2bvxqCgdbSKRDk4HxhhPweg334ZzIHDJ5gIffpyB0axj7QPL-udTkoK9BMgv1zBpDdFqCO5GJNEIfr4vZearM0dgMrGOpfnSm01ECL9Ehd84daYRd0.ijIyRtTjGhs3VEuOghcXynKWOIYjM_8wycElBmPXa0c&dib_tag=se&hvadid=84594230170485&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=5254&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-84593860504697%3Aloc-32&hydadcr=1529_13638487&keywords=inverter%2Bwith%2Bbattery&mcid=8f8e295756d534e2bc31a0fedb36fc83&msclkid=a7e569f0ecee1aa13f4b0006d137921c&qid=1777745381&sr=8-5&th=1

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This one might be even better as you could stick the solar panel in the sun,and charge it right in a window.
Good find Michael.
Damn i can't get Amazon.Com to link to them,but i'd guess they'll be alot cheaper on it,then Canuck Amazon.

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CH8GT437?hvlocphy=5254&hvnetw=s&mcid=8f8e295756d534e2bc31a0fedb36fc83&keywords=inverter%2Bwith%2Bbattery&hvadid=84594230170485&hvbmt=be&hydadcr=1529_13638487&th=1&dib_tag=se&hvdev=c&hvqmt=e&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.jNL14oYVlFH94fhs5fhypZOlnMTbsMrP7N7fXKycYtEN4lxU6SQsGJTO4IRTaCQNVJKL5Wn0GVILdDNKTE6oPOBf0PKTQSfFRMHYzn5ZtQqPPfAh6boNo4TZfqiyngUhCFT_t8CxwcdKqIMhgYRICsVKH9gs0COoXKQwtA7G8agU5g_FRn7uVIrJs2bvxqCgdbSKRDk4HxhhPweg334ZzIHDJ5gIffpyB0axj7QPL-udTkoK9BMgv1zBpDdFqCO5GJNEIfr4vZearM0dgMrGOpfnSm01ECL9Ehd84daYRd0.ijIyRtTjGhs3VEuOghcXynKWOIYjM_8wycElBmPXa0c&hvtargid=kwd-84593860504697%3Aloc-32&adgrpid=1353499044139061&sr=8-5&linkCode=gg2&tag=ramforum-20

 

[Marshall]

I have seen the Milw. inverter thing in the stores, I have a couple large 9 or 12amp batteries that came with one of the saws, could be a good back up for small stuff, but I have a generator, so never really checked in to it.

 

[RamDiver]

This one might be even better as you could stick the solar panel in the sun,and charge it right in a window.
Good find Michael.
Damn i can't get Amazon.Com to link to them,but i'd guess they'll be alot cheaper on it,then Canuck Amazon.

I've been having endless grief trying to link to A.com these days.
Between obnoxious ISPs with their manipulative DNS servers, and Amazon itself playing some redirect games lately.

Just wait until we start experiencing the new and improved, government-approved version of the internet.

Sometimes you have to get creative.

This is the larger version at .com for less money. This unit is $200 US versus the smaller one on dot CA for $359 Canuckian.

IIRC, the solar charge time is 3 hours as opposed to 1 hour on household AC.
Solar charging for camping would rock.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B8MXPRDB?hvlocphy=5254&hvnetw=s&mcid=8f8e295756d534e2bc31a0fedb36fc83&keywords=inverter%2Bwith%2Bbattery&hvadid=84594230170485&hvbmt=be&hydadcr=1529_13638487&th=1&dib_tag=se&hvdev=c&hvqmt=e&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.jNL14oYVlFH94fhs5fhypZOlnMTbsMrP7N7fXKycYtEN4lxU6SQsGJTO4IRTaCQNVJKL5Wn0GVILdDNKTE6oPOBf0PKTQSfFRMHYzn5ZtQqPPfAh6boNo4TZfqiyngUhCFT_t8CxwcdKqIMhgYRICsVKH9gs0COoXKQwtA7G8agU5g_FRn7uVIrJs2bvxqCgdbSKRDk4HxhhPweg334ZzIHDJ5gIffpyB0axj7QPL-udTkoK9BMgv1zBpDdFqCO5GJNEIfr4vZearM0dgMrGOpfnSm01ECL9Ehd84daYRd0.ijIyRtTjGhs3VEuOghcXynKWOIYjM_8wycElBmPXa0c&hvtargid=kwd-84593860504697%3Aloc-32&adgrpid=1353499044139061&sr=8-5&linkCode=gg2&tag=ramforum-20

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