A couple of years ago we fitted a LiFePO4 battery and a ‘cheap’ (“Carrybatt”) 1500w pure sine wave inverter. We’ve also added a couple of LED strip lights in various places, which normally work well.
When the inverter is used with a heavy load (hairdryer), drawing about 900w/85A, the LED strip works normally. However, when used with a much lighter load (but one with some electronics) - GHD hair straighteners specifically - the LED strip has a very slight flicker to it.
I’d never noticed it but my other half pointed it out on our current trip and apparently it’s been the same since fitted.
The flicker is very slight but certainly there, and affects multiple pieces of LED strip in different parts of the van.
I assume this must be some kind of interference - but I’m struggling to think why a 240v load is having an effect on the 12v system on the other side of the inverter? If anything, I’d have understood it better if the heavy load was causing a voltage drop etc on the battery, but the issue doesn’t happen at all in that scenario.
Interestingly, today we’ve been on EHU for the first time in over a year, and the LED lights did not flicker when the hair straighteners are used.
I’ve yet to try other loads other than the straighteners, but if anyone has any ideas what may be causing this in the meantime, I’d be interested to hear!
Cheers!
James.
When the inverter is used with a heavy load (hairdryer), drawing about 900w/85A, the LED strip works normally. However, when used with a much lighter load (but one with some electronics) - GHD hair straighteners specifically - the LED strip has a very slight flicker to it.
I’d never noticed it but my other half pointed it out on our current trip and apparently it’s been the same since fitted.
The flicker is very slight but certainly there, and affects multiple pieces of LED strip in different parts of the van.
I assume this must be some kind of interference - but I’m struggling to think why a 240v load is having an effect on the 12v system on the other side of the inverter? If anything, I’d have understood it better if the heavy load was causing a voltage drop etc on the battery, but the issue doesn’t happen at all in that scenario.
Interestingly, today we’ve been on EHU for the first time in over a year, and the LED lights did not flicker when the hair straighteners are used.
I’ve yet to try other loads other than the straighteners, but if anyone has any ideas what may be causing this in the meantime, I’d be interested to hear!
Cheers!
James.