How do I get 240v from batteries and an inverter

Healeyjet

Explorer
I am looking for a way to make 240v power from batteries and an inverter.

Right now we have
3 290 amp hour batteries
Samlex EVO-3012 inverter

What is the easiest (read cheapest) way to step up the power from 12v to 240v?

I want to be able to run a 240v Induction cook top and am wondering if there is an fairly easy way to do it.

1) I have read about the Outback autotransformer and wondering if this will do the job.
2) Another suggestion was the Victron Energy Autotransformer.
3) A third suggestion would be to add a 240v inverter right?

Thanks in advance !!!

Ward
 

zelatore

Explorer
Yes, the only simple way is with a 240v inverter. No magic involved.

Fwiw, although you have a good deal of battery, keep in mind that anything with a heating element, e.g. a cook top, uses a ton of power so make sure you have a plan to recharge those batteries.
 

Healeyjet

Explorer
Thanks guys.
Don, since the induction cook top doesn't actually create heat but excites the iron molecules in the pot, could it be that it uses less power than a heating element?
Ward
 

verdesardog

Explorer
Induction stoves use just as much power as any other electric stove. It's all about power! A true sine wave inverter will work with a transformer to step 110 up to 220 without much loss. but a one burner induction cooker will need over 1000 watts no matter what voltage it runs at.
 

Healeyjet

Explorer
Since our Samlex EVO -3012 is a pure sine wave inverter wouldn't a transformer setup of some kind be cheaper than a second inverter? (If the second inverter needs to be of the same quality/cost as the one we already have.)

Ward
 

Healeyjet

Explorer
DiploStrat, in total honesty, I wanted to surprise Annie with a high end Wolf cook top. It was the one splurge I was doing for her. Now the hole is cut in the counter to fit the Wolf and the installers realized it is 240v not 120v. I am trying to find a way to salvage the use of the Wolf cook top we have rather than making a new counter top and buying the True Induction units.
If it get's overly complicated I will just have them switch to a new counter and put in the True Induction single burner. (I don't like the large size of the True Induction double and the way the controls are they would run up the side of the unit in our counter. If I cannot find a simple way to run 240v we will switch to the single True Induction inset and have a second counter top unit that we can pull out if we need to or even use outside if we are cooking bacon. We will still have a propane cook stove for outside use that will get most of the work.
I was trying to push the envelop a bit with the Wolf and it looks like it wont work now.

I truly appreciate everyone's help on this one!!

Ward
 

IdaSHO

IDACAMPER
Is there any way the unit can be converted to 120v?

Is the unit also offered in a 120v model?

Many devices these days are voltage sensing, some simply require rewiring, or possible swapping components to work on the voltage you want.
 

Healeyjet

Explorer
IdaSHO, unfortunately not.

It seems I may have a resolution though.

Using a step up transformer. Outback Power was suggested and it looks like their model FW-X240 may be exactly what we need. I spoke with a tech at the inverter manufacturer as well and it was the same model he suggested. We are just waiting on pricing and availability.

http://www.outbackpower.com/outback-products/integration-hardware/item/autotransformer

As an aside, during my conversation with the tech at Samlex, he said that he uses an induction cook top on his boat. He said there is not a more efficient way to cook than the induction due to the fact that there is no pulsing (I believe he said).

He uses a Salton on his boat and loves it.

Ward
 

DiploStrat

Expedition Leader
... in total honesty, I wanted to surprise Annie with a high end Wolf cook top. ...

Ouch! The road to the infernal regions is paved with the best of intentions!

FWIW, I do not have my Tru Induction cooktop mounted; we keep it in a drawer. This allows a lot of flexibility in placement and, should it fail (and one of mine did), it makes replacement easy.

You can use a step up transformer, but 1000w will be heavy and you will lose some power - 10%?? Given how you are going to be hammering your batteries anyway, I would avoid a
transformer.

Good luck!
 

chromisdesigns

Adventurer
You can stack inverters to produce 240 volts by connecting outputs in series. Check with inverter manufacturer as some models do not like the floating ground on the top inverter. Also you need to carefully insulate any exposed "grounded" metal on the top inverter as it will be live at 120 volts.

You are going to need a hell of a big battery bank to run that cooktop for very long, though!
 

Healeyjet

Explorer
Will this setup with the transformer draw any more power than using two single induction plug in 120v cook tops? Will it draw my battery bank any fast using a 240v?

Ward
 

verdesardog

Explorer
You can stack inverters to produce 240 volts by connecting outputs in series. Check with inverter manufacturer as some models do not like the floating ground on the top inverter. Also you need to carefully insulate any exposed "grounded" metal on the top inverter as it will be live at 120 volts.

You are going to need a hell of a big battery bank to run that cooktop for very long, though!

You cannot stack inverter outputs! There is no way to control the frequency and insure that they are always in phase with each other.
 

verdesardog

Explorer
Will this setup with the transformer draw any more power than using two single induction plug in 120v cook tops? Will it draw my battery bank any fast using a 240v?

Ward

110 or 220 at 1000watts is the same. The inverter will draw the same current from your 12v source if using 1000 watts at 110v or using a transformer to make 220v. (there will be a very minimum power loss due to hysteresis losses in the transformer)
 

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