I think the community would gladly accept you doing reviews Andy. No shame in that with your experience. If it makes you happy? Go for it. You have created a great channel and an even better resource for knowledge of battery technology and more. You work hard and have earned any wealth you may get from your channel. Don't forget to sit down every once in a while and listen to the birds chirping ... : )
Hi Andy, based on your great review of this device I have ordered myself, only as a 48V version (by asking nicely the factory shop). The delivery was in amazingly 7 days from the order (CN - AT). The build quality is very good. Thank you for pointing me to this Inverter. 👍👍
using 1800w (12v->220) model for almost 2.5 years now. for me it's not fun, but a necessity (located in Ukraine). works stable and on small loads - silent (up to 500w fans are off) thanks for the interesting channel and materials!
Thank you so much for your review, Andy. What a great testing!!! 🥰 hahah...but we are not "peter", we can read our brand like letters F C H A O has no word pronunciation. Welcome to pay attention to our new brand and new products. 👍
Recently bought the 48V 3000W version blindly off AliExpress, and was most impress. Came here and found you had similar favourable experience. Peter starts making beeping warnings when you stray into peak power > 3000W loading, but keeps on going while you sort out the overload. Happy to have found your channel through this product.
another great video thanks. Would be VERY interested to see what we can do on the RS485 bus. Can we connected to the venus system???? Think you're a little harsh on the "multi" function display.... it does show a lot of information that could be considered "multi" :). . It seems that the standby current on this is very reasonable. 10W is much better than inverters like Giandel which is about twice this. Showing the output sinewave is a great test (thanks). Would also be interesting to show efficiency at different loads. Maybe an idea for a future video?
We don't know the protocol of this port unfortunately. I can reach out to them and ask if they make it public. Someone should be able to figure out how to connect it to Victron.
What a timing, was investigating on pure sine inverter. Up here in the north hemisphere we’re in the period of RV (travelling and living on solar energy, it’s summer and it’s hot!) and your channel is … pretty entertaining and very knowledgeable. Thanks for your enthousiasme and time. 👍
I have watched so many of your videos I actually forgot about this one... I have a green Peter inverter on the way to me. Thanks again for your great channel and the service you provide to the community.
Hi Andy - It was great to see someone actually test the inverter fully. Not everyone shows the pure sine wave as you have on your display. Yes I also love the display, and the info it gives you. I recently bought a (pure sine wave Inverter) with great specs. It actually has PURE SINE WAVE on the front panel. When I tested it, it turned out to be a modified sine wave. I got my money back, but there are units being sold as Pure, and are far from it! Thanks - I can now purchase a FCHAO with confidence.
Thank you of sharing experience. I bought three Powland 5000W inverters from Aliexpress. Now after couple of weeks two of them are burned for overload even I didn't use more than 2300W. Now we bought couple of these Peter inverters and lets see if they are working. My plans are to charge my car (2220W continuous load) and drink some coffee (1550W).
I was wondering why there was a massive influx of member requests on our Facebook group, this video gives me the answer! 😄 Thanks Andy, another funtertaining video!
Hi Andy, great video as always. I bought a 12v 2300w Peter inverter on the back of your testing and at first I thought it is great! However mine shuts down when the batteries reach just over 13.5 volts with low battery warning beeping etc. the inverter displays a DC input voltage of 13.5 volts; the BMS and Smartshunt confirm this voltage so I assume the cut-off voltage is set incorrectly. Not so good quality control at FCHAO I guess. Trying to work with FCHAO to resolve this issue but not having much luck, they are just pointing finger at batteries every time. PS. this is happening when only running refrigerator and freezer which is a really low load for such an inverter so voltage is not being dragged down suddenly or anything like that and it doesn't reset either. Hardware: Lifepo4 200ah prismatic cells JK BMS, Vitron MPPT, Smartshunt and AC Charger + RasPi Keep up the good work Dave W
Oh, wow, that is not good. Shoot me an email and I can probably give you some email addresses at FCHAO to contact. Keep pushing, they have to replace or fix it! Thanks for sharing.
@@dino5002 They said I could return it for a full refund but the shipping was too costly. We came to an arrangement on a discount rather than full refund. I have since changed some components and have it working satisfactorily now.
I noticed the Tesla app was showing only 207v. I’d bet it’s based on the esg200 inverter riser card. They’re fine until under load because they don’t feedback properly to bring the voltage up. That distortion is because at the zero voltage crossing they’re one step ahead of themselves which is a bug in all esg100/200 inverter controllers. The older inverter definitely has the esg100/200 control board so it will sag badly and have noise as the zero crossing.
I really liked that you ran a bunch of landscaping equipment with the battery and inverter. Real world usage tests are so useful for us ordinary people. Thank you!
I was looking for an inverter to make an air conditioner solar powered instalation for my van and since 12v compressors are crazy expensive and low power too. I think I will try with the Peter inverter since It looks to take well initial peak of current. Thank you again for the fun of learning!!
I enjoy watching you Andy regardless of topic. I seem to learn something new from every video. I am emailing you my 24v system soon with the fridge and freezer 24 hour consumption in kwh as you asked. 😀
Hello, great video! Also thanks to your tests I decided to buy this inverter which is doing great so far. However, I wanted to bring the inverter data to Home Assistant using the inverter's 485 interface and a 485/lan elfin EE11A interface. I tried but I can't connect and communicate. Didn't you write something somewhere or make a new video about how to be able to interface with the “Peter Inverter” to get the data to Home Assistant!!!??
Thank you Andy! Considering buying this inverter. Here in Kyiv, Ukraine we have now regular electricity turn off after russian rocket shelling: 4-5 hours AC on and 4 hrs off every day. So this inverter (in my case 1500W) + some 12V car battery is really solution to keep light, internet router and charge phones, notebooks. Just needed review to choose proper inverter among many on Aliexpress. So thanks for detailed review with tests, oscillograph and disassembling!
Hi! I'm in Kyiv oblast and was researching this exact thing! Did you choose the 220v or 230v model?Ukraine now has 230v as ГОСТ but I think it's better for the batteries if it's 220? Also what type of batteries will you use? Did you buy from aliexpress? I checked and the shipping is 110$ :( How long did it take to be delivered?
@@yuriythebest , actually both 220V and 230V would be Ok. All equipment works well in wider range. Only if battery is drained or if the load is too high - voltage may drop till 200V (whatever version 220V or 230V you choose), and this is not good for some equipment, e.g. for electric motors - they would be heated more. Equipment with impulse power supply (e.g. notebooks) are very tolerate to voltage. So do not bother with choosing 220V or 230V, better choose proper battery.
@@yuriythebest , concerning battery: I had experience with lead batteries (with normal acid filled starter battery and with gel-filled). These batteries tolerate high Amp discharge and works good if not discharged deep: if you never go below 11.8-11.9V (30-40% charge) they will work well. But if you go lower - the battery will degrade irreversibly. Once you go under 11V - lead-acid battery will loose substantial part of it capacity. Gel battery more tolerate to low voltage, but much more expensive. LiIon battery in this sense is theoretically much more applicable. But price is too high. I do not have experience with such voltage invertor and LiIon battery usage, only used to small 18650 cells. Maybe others can comment better. So my choice is high-capacity lead-acid battery + this invertor. Such batteries are still available in Kyiv. Only important to keep eyes on battery Voltage to stop invertor when it close to low 11.8V value. I have CTEK charging device to recharge lead-acid batteries, so hope this combination would be OK.
How does the Renogy inverter sinewave look like with different loads? Mine 3000W inverter got a bit similar issue. Under load it dropped out and could not power things correctly. It turned out it had a turn on relay that was soldered in thruehole instead of crimped in correctly. And it only got some connection just to trigger that it was alright with light loads. With some extra wirecrimp and new solde I fixed it.
Ah, thank you. I had it open once and could see all the relays inside. I thought they are more for the MEN link when not running on grid power. I'll have a look. Weird thing is, it only freaks out under certain loads.
@@OffGridGarageAustralia It can handle steady load as you’ve proven before I recall Andy, but in my opinion, just can’t handle the very short surge start up current- even though it’s only a fraction of a second. It’s certainly enough to make me reconsider buying a Renogy inverter. I have Giandel 12v inverters in the van (a 1.2kW and a 2kW) and have had no issues, … touch wood.
Love the review. I live in the US so we run mostly on 110 VAC. With that potentiometer I would assume that I could lower the voltage to that, considering that We have options of 50 and 60 hz output frequency when buying the inverter..
The renogy stops because it’s reached its plug limit per single plug, it’s a safety feature. If you hard wire both outlets into a consumer unit and work from that it should work ok for bigger loads.
Unsure why it'd be limited to under 10A on a single outlet. 10A is the standard outlet amperage in Australia, allowing 2.3kw. The chainsaw is only drawing 1.1kw. It may have a high inrush current, but that being only momentary, should not trip out an inverter that is adequately designed.
Hi Andy maybe i missed a comment below but looking at the Peter Inverter i did not notice any earthing /equal potential bonding at the outlets and the exposed metal case , this would be considered a IT earthing system if it were fitted and if they are missing then this is a safety issue for class 1 appliances , can you confirm the earth pins are connected to each other and the exposed metal of the Inverter , In the meantime i have also sent an email to ask if the output L2 can be bonded to Earth /Frame but i have not heard back as of yet
LOL😅 pronounced the name before renaming it. I like how you do the real world test. I heard the renogy inverter are not that good but I did not know why they did not explain what the problem was .. So thank you for the comparison . I thought the Peter inverter was going to scrap but it surprised me. To bad they do not make for my country. Keep doing the good videos and how we say on the radio 73's
Good experience video - thanks for sharing. It seems to make the Renogy look bad. The only thing I think could be added might be a quick mention of price compared with the other inverters you showed.
I was going to do that price comparison but it is wildly varying between currency. The Renogy is cheaper than the FCHAO in Australia but more expensive in the US 🤷♂️
Great Video, and channel, you have given me precious info that has helped me set up my FV system. About inverters, I am using an EPever 4kw 48V IP-Plus series Inverter. It has an anti spark feature which I have never seen on other products. The inverter has a series resistor inside which remains connected until the Input Caps Reach a high enough charge. I have tried it and it works great, with only a tiny tiny spark. I have had my cable lugs literaly welded to the terminals with other brand 4kw inverters!
Hi Andy, this may be a noob question but.....can you please explain how you tested for voltage drop across those wires? I've never seen that done before.
I bought the 1800W Inverter based on your review directly from the FCHAO shop in december 2023. Unfortunately the device released its smoke 8 months later with a load under 250W and i don't use it every day. It was in use for around 30 hours total. Of course no reaction from FCHAO Shop.
My guess is Andy got a good one (particularly as they sent it to him, they would have checked it to make sure it worked properly). Also guessing the rest of us have to make do with pot luck and their poor quality control as the one I got had multiple problems and there was no response from support. In future I would only trust a product review where the reviewer blindly buys the item, NOT where the company knows who the recipient is. (This is not a criticism of Andy).
On the contrary. It's a jungle to find a relaible and trustworthy products. Some are easily spotted when you can get a 8kW inverter for 100USD. But finding the product that is good enought for the money is hard. And even you found this one behaving better than the old one, despite they are same power range. Thank you for your work. I bought 4x Seplos DIY kit and Qishou cells because of you. No wonder China wants you to review their products.: 😀
good test and review. I think for your outdoor equipment it would be less costly to make a nice heavy extension cord 😂. thanks Andy for the practical testing.
I'm really keen to take the battery and inverter out in the bush to cut firewood with the electric chainsaw. It is so much more powerful than the petrol saw I have which is just disgusting with all the fumes.
@@OffGridGarageAustralia Electric chainsaws are far more dangerous than petrol because PPE works by tangling the chain and stalling the motor. This is much more difficult because torque curves are completely different. Electric motor torque is at maximum at zero revs; ICE have zero torque at zero revs so they stall.
Hi Andy!! I just tried running my garden mulcher from my Renogy 3000w and it sounded like your chainsaw, barely moved then inverter shut down. Love your videos. Keep it up 👍
Based on your experience with the 'Peter' Inverter, I have ordered both a 3000W and a 1200W in the 24V version. I decided to go with 'Peter' instead of Renogy, partly based on your review, and partly because I wasn't happy getting 3000W out of 12V (requiring 275A at 90% efficiency - up to 330A when the battery is low) and I couldn't find a fuse bus for the fuses I was happy with. But at 24V, it all halves! I've got 200A continuous at 24V to play with, so at 4200W (4667W@90%) I just get there at 194A. Yes, I know, that jumps to 230A at 20V when the battery is low, and the inverters may not give 90% efficiency, but I'm also very unlikely to be asking for peak power continuously out of both inverters. I just want to be able to run power tools and lights in my workshop, which is currently (and may remain) unpowered.
Always good to see a 3,000Watt converter, but' from a 12Volt "WOW"!! Like it on the heavy side!! Needing "BIG" batteries!! I am more for a 50 to 60Volt battery, working with a smaller current would not need a wheel-barrow thenLOL All you need next is a cast ion stove, to burn all your waste wood in, while keeping a pan of water on the boil for a cuppa now and again. Interesting video again thanks, regards George.
Consider getting a growatt inverter which does nt need a fan, no cooling noise and a very reliable power house. We got the second one, just 3000W for 500€ for a Growatt mic 3000 with up to 3800 Wp on the module side. No need for such 380€ inverter not having proofed anything close to reliability . You simply get the noise of a hair dryer.
What about to make longer test, we can trust:) Cooking a whole meal (1700-2200w) for 20-30min plus some microwave and let see if we want that for our RC home
Great Review, AWESOME... You have someone watching you though. @28.21 , You have a black cat sitting on the shelf behind you, right above your right shoulder. He is watching every move you make. CCHHEERRSSSSS ( the Off-Grid Garage mascot. ) :-)))
Thanks for this review Andy. Is there a way to program the Low Voltage Disconnect and reconnect for this inverter or is it fixed? And if it is fixed, at what values?
@@OffGridGarageAustralia Thanks a lot Andy, we are using lead-acid batteries in Zambia. Would you agree that 10.8V is way to low and will damage the batteries? We normally set Low Voltage Disconnect (LVD) to 11.8V. I am even thinking to use the DC load output from our programmable PWM controllers to activate a relay and switch of inverters that don't have the correct LVD. Do you have any thoughts about this?
Thanks for that Andy, I need a new inverter I will have a look at there site. Just a question how much power or energy would you get in to the tesla from that battery, (how many kilometers) also do you know what price they are going to be brining that batter out for.
Hi Paul, the battery has a bit over 2.1kWh of energy stored. Considering the efficiency of the 12V inverter and the Tesla charger, you probably end up with 1.5kWh in the vehicle's battery. That gives you a range of around 10km. You can already buy the Muller Battery here but maybe wait for their 2.0 version and included improvements: mullerenergy.com.au/
Totally agree with you about the naming of these products. They need some marketing help with names for these products. haha. Not so sure about "Peter" being the best but I agree with your desire for a name the world can pronounce
Someone told me to use the terminal block connections for max-load applications on the Renogy, or others like it. I have an inverter that won't start a small air compressor on the outlets, but it runs just fine on the terminal block wiring. With no terminal block on the Fchao Peter, the outlets appear to be more sturdily wired and with soldered connections. Are the 40A fuses soldered into the circuit boards here, also? That's a pain in the ass.
Same! I also want to use it in my garage, connected to a 12v battery run on solar power, with remote display. So, standby current should be as low as possible:-)
Hello . Please tell me if I can use a welding machine with this inverter? (my welding machine used 2.4 mm electrodes and a welding current of ~ 90A ... but I can't say what voltage it uses on the output, probably somewhere around ~50v in operation and probably more when starting)
I'm using the twin pair cables which came with the inverter and they work OK. Running my garden tools with 1.5-2.5kW does not cause any problems. If you are planning to run higher loads for a long time, the cable diameter depends on the the length and voltage drop you may receive for your specific installation.
Another great video. @14:21 I see 11.4Vdc on the display when the load is 1963W, the Daly shows 12.6V on the battery, so you have Vdrops of each wire = 12.6V -11.4V = 1.2V/2 = 0.6V on each wire. Too bad FCHAO do not make for 120VAC US market.
My Epever and my Chins don't seem to like each other. The batteries shut off at high voltage 28.2 voltage. Is the manufacturer suggested setting correct
What are the actual dimensions of this inverter? Im tight for room and kinda need exact figure's. Is it 26.5cm wide from side to side or is it 26.5cm from the outside edge of mounting points? Thanks
Hi Andy! do you know if it works or have tried to connect the peter inverter to the victron vrm system? Trough this 2 small bus wires you showed in the video. Really great videos which helped me alot building my pv systsm. Lg aus Südtirol
If you did a peak current test, that would be nice. Also can you overload it?> Dos it work/fault? I just received a 24vDC US unit. it's a 220 output, is there an internal dipswitch to make it 110VAC? Good video, if you tested further, you might give it four frogs. Curious for more testing. Thanks!
All of these inverters have the same Problem, no adjustable low voltage cut off, can you use the rs something serial connector to turn it on or off through a charge Controller or battery shunt?
Any chance of doing a video comparing Modified sine wave vs Pure sine wave inverters running inverter appliances including efficiency? I mean appliances that turn the AC input into DC internally. Most of my house now runs these including fridge, washing machine. aircon with 500w input, ceiling fans, battery chargers etc. Also suspect all of them have basically no measurable inrush current. There seems a good number of older quality inverters for sale that are MSW. Inductive loads I think there would be a big difference in efficiency.
I think the community would gladly accept you doing reviews Andy. No shame in that with your experience. If it makes you happy? Go for it. You have created a great channel and an even better resource for knowledge of battery technology and more. You work hard and have earned any wealth you may get from your channel. Don't forget to sit down every once in a while and listen to the birds chirping ... : )
Thanks a lot, Dan. This made my day!
@@OffGridGarageAustralia Frogs. He means frogs, not birds. Remember to listen to the frogs chirping. Or croaking. Or whatever frogs do. Haha
I do agree with Dan, German quality reviews are always useful
Fully agree with Dan. Your “reviews”are well balanced and objective. Your credentials are outstanding. Please continue. Cheers Kevin H
I approve this message .
Hi Andy, based on your great review of this device I have ordered myself, only as a 48V version (by asking nicely the factory shop). The delivery was in amazingly 7 days from the order (CN - AT). The build quality is very good. Thank you for pointing me to this Inverter. 👍👍
Thanks for your support.😀😀😀
using 1800w (12v->220) model for almost 2.5 years now. for me it's not fun, but a necessity (located in Ukraine). works stable and on small loads - silent (up to 500w fans are off)
thanks for the interesting channel and materials!
Thank you so much for your review, Andy. What a great testing!!! 🥰 hahah...but we are not "peter", we can read our brand like letters F C H A O has no word pronunciation. Welcome to pay attention to our new brand and new products. 👍
You seriously need to give your products/company a much better name internationally. You can retain your old name within China.
"Ef See Hach Aye Oh" is a mouthful and makes zero sense, I actually prefer "fe-chow!" - and that's pretty terrible!
How about "F-Chao"?
@FCHAOPOWER
I see there is now a green KST model of your inverter. What is the difference between Green and Orange models?
Best channel on TH-cam that I have found!
Wow, thanks!
Recently bought the 48V 3000W version blindly off AliExpress, and was most impress. Came here and found you had similar favourable experience. Peter starts making beeping warnings when you stray into peak power > 3000W loading, but keeps on going while you sort out the overload. Happy to have found your channel through this product.
It has orange colored ends. Which makes it outstanding.
You're onto something here...
Got up, opened Off-Grid Garage on PC and the day can come =)
The "Peter inverter"... i throw myself away 😂😂
Thanks a lot. I'll make more video for you then 😂🤡
🤣🤣🤣 nice name peter inverter
another great video thanks. Would be VERY interested to see what we can do on the RS485 bus. Can we connected to the venus system???? Think you're a little harsh on the "multi" function display.... it does show a lot of information that could be considered "multi" :). . It seems that the standby current on this is very reasonable. 10W is much better than inverters like Giandel which is about twice this. Showing the output sinewave is a great test (thanks). Would also be interesting to show efficiency at different loads. Maybe an idea for a future video?
We don't know the protocol of this port unfortunately. I can reach out to them and ask if they make it public. Someone should be able to figure out how to connect it to Victron.
What a timing, was investigating on pure sine inverter. Up here in the north hemisphere we’re in the period of RV (travelling and living on solar energy, it’s summer and it’s hot!) and your channel is … pretty entertaining and very knowledgeable. Thanks for your enthousiasme and time. 👍
Thanks John.
Andy!!!!!!!!! You continue to amaze me!!! Absolutely AWSOME work and information! Thank You!
Thanks a lot Phil and thanks a lot for your support here on the channel!
Thanks!
Oh, wow, thanks a lot Phil. That is very generous from you. Thankyou so much for your support!
I have watched so many of your videos I actually forgot about this one... I have a green Peter inverter on the way to me. Thanks again for your great channel and the service you provide to the community.
Are you in Australia? Am interested 8n knowing price 8ncl7ding shipping in au dollars
Hi Andy - It was great to see someone actually test the inverter fully. Not everyone shows the pure sine wave as you have on your display. Yes I also love the display, and the info it gives you. I recently bought a (pure sine wave Inverter) with great specs. It actually has PURE SINE WAVE on the front panel. When I tested it, it turned out to be a modified sine wave. I got my money back, but there are units being sold as Pure, and are far from it! Thanks - I can now purchase a FCHAO with confidence.
Thank you of sharing experience. I bought three Powland 5000W inverters from Aliexpress. Now after couple of weeks two of them are burned for overload even I didn't use more than 2300W. Now we bought couple of these Peter inverters and lets see if they are working. My plans are to charge my car (2220W continuous load) and drink some coffee (1550W).
5000w is surge, its rated 2500w
I was wondering why there was a massive influx of member requests on our Facebook group, this video gives me the answer! 😄
Thanks Andy, another funtertaining video!
Hi Muller Energy, nice to meet you here😁 thanks Andy for letting us know each other.🤝
I love like you name everything Peter
Great video Andy i have just got my cells so will start my channel soon
Hi Andy, great video as always.
I bought a 12v 2300w Peter inverter on the back of your testing and at first I thought it is great!
However mine shuts down when the batteries reach just over 13.5 volts with low battery warning beeping etc. the inverter displays a DC input voltage of 13.5 volts; the BMS and Smartshunt confirm this voltage so I assume the cut-off voltage is set incorrectly. Not so good quality control at FCHAO I guess.
Trying to work with FCHAO to resolve this issue but not having much luck, they are just pointing finger at batteries every time.
PS. this is happening when only running refrigerator and freezer which is a really low load for such an inverter so voltage is not being dragged down suddenly or anything like that and it doesn't reset either.
Hardware: Lifepo4 200ah prismatic cells JK BMS, Vitron MPPT, Smartshunt and AC Charger + RasPi
Keep up the good work
Dave W
Oh, wow, that is not good. Shoot me an email and I can probably give you some email addresses at FCHAO to contact. Keep pushing, they have to replace or fix it!
Thanks for sharing.
how did you go. I was just about to order one until I read this
@@dino5002 They said I could return it for a full refund but the shipping was too costly. We came to an arrangement on a discount rather than full refund. I have since changed some components and have it working satisfactorily now.
@@davidwilde4896 thanks. do you mean components in the inverter or in your setup?
@@dino5002in the inverter
I noticed the Tesla app was showing only 207v.
I’d bet it’s based on the esg200 inverter riser card. They’re fine until under load because they don’t feedback properly to bring the voltage up.
That distortion is because at the zero voltage crossing they’re one step ahead of themselves which is a bug in all esg100/200 inverter controllers.
The older inverter definitely has the esg100/200 control board so it will sag badly and have noise as the zero crossing.
Thanks for the explanation. Never had any problems using the Xijia inverter and could discharge the battery with full 3kW for a few hours.
I really liked that you ran a bunch of landscaping equipment with the battery and inverter. Real world usage tests are so useful for us ordinary people. Thank you!
Your "review" made me decide to purchase this. Seem like a good buy. Thanks.
I'm using it almost every weekend with the chainsaw out in the bush. It works really great with this large load and has not let me down.
I was looking for an inverter to make an air conditioner solar powered instalation for my van and since 12v compressors are crazy expensive and low power too. I think I will try with the Peter inverter since It looks to take well initial peak of current. Thank you again for the fun of learning!!
That is interesting. I occasionally recommend that renogy inverter and nobody complained about it. I will now need to recommend the Peter inverter :)
I enjoy watching you Andy regardless of topic. I seem to learn something new from every video. I am emailing you my 24v system soon with the fridge and freezer 24 hour consumption in kwh as you asked. 😀
perfect report, clear spoken, very helpful and a lot of informations! Great!
Hi Andy...
Great review.
Can you please demonstrate that how to adjust output voltage of xia inverter?
It's pretty much the same. If you open it up, there is a potentiometer right in the middle of the PCB. It's the only one, so you can't miss it.
24 or 48V just makes more sense, we need more portable batteries working at these voltages.
Hello,
great video! Also thanks to your tests I decided to buy this inverter which is doing great so far.
However, I wanted to bring the inverter data to Home Assistant using the inverter's 485 interface and a 485/lan elfin EE11A interface.
I tried but I can't connect and communicate.
Didn't you write something somewhere or make a new video about how to be able to interface with the “Peter Inverter” to get the data to Home Assistant!!!??
Can you do a video explaining how to calculate the wire gauges with drop of electricity when using long cables. It's a good thing to learn.
OK
@@OffGridGarageAustralia yes. I second this. I still get confused mm2 and AWG
Thanks Andy 👍👍👍
Thank you Andy!
Considering buying this inverter. Here in Kyiv, Ukraine we have now regular electricity turn off after russian rocket shelling: 4-5 hours AC on and 4 hrs off every day. So this inverter (in my case 1500W) + some 12V car battery is really solution to keep light, internet router and charge phones, notebooks. Just needed review to choose proper inverter among many on Aliexpress. So thanks for detailed review with tests, oscillograph and disassembling!
Hi! I'm in Kyiv oblast and was researching this exact thing! Did you choose the 220v or 230v model?Ukraine now has 230v as ГОСТ but I think it's better for the batteries if it's 220? Also what type of batteries will you use? Did you buy from aliexpress? I checked and the shipping is 110$ :( How long did it take to be delivered?
@@yuriythebest , actually both 220V and 230V would be Ok. All equipment works well in wider range. Only if battery is drained or if the load is too high - voltage may drop till 200V (whatever version 220V or 230V you choose), and this is not good for some equipment, e.g. for electric motors - they would be heated more. Equipment with impulse power supply (e.g. notebooks) are very tolerate to voltage. So do not bother with choosing 220V or 230V, better choose proper battery.
@@yuriythebest , concerning battery: I had experience with lead batteries (with normal acid filled starter battery and with gel-filled). These batteries tolerate high Amp discharge and works good if not discharged deep: if you never go below 11.8-11.9V (30-40% charge) they will work well. But if you go lower - the battery will degrade irreversibly. Once you go under 11V - lead-acid battery will loose substantial part of it capacity. Gel battery more tolerate to low voltage, but much more expensive. LiIon battery in this sense is theoretically much more applicable. But price is too high. I do not have experience with such voltage invertor and LiIon battery usage, only used to small 18650 cells. Maybe others can comment better. So my choice is high-capacity lead-acid battery + this invertor. Such batteries are still available in Kyiv. Only important to keep eyes on battery Voltage to stop invertor when it close to low 11.8V value. I have CTEK charging device to recharge lead-acid batteries, so hope this combination would be OK.
Peter needs 48V for sure. Also it should have an adjustable low voltage shutoff.
i agree
None of these inverters have usually anything adjustable. Not in this price class...
How does the Renogy inverter sinewave look like with different loads? Mine 3000W inverter got a bit similar issue. Under load it dropped out and could not power things correctly. It turned out it had a turn on relay that was soldered in thruehole instead of crimped in correctly. And it only got some connection just to trigger that it was alright with light loads. With some extra wirecrimp and new solde I fixed it.
Ah, thank you. I had it open once and could see all the relays inside. I thought they are more for the MEN link when not running on grid power. I'll have a look. Weird thing is, it only freaks out under certain loads.
@@OffGridGarageAustralia It can handle steady load as you’ve proven before I recall Andy, but in my opinion, just can’t handle the very short surge start up current- even though it’s only a fraction of a second.
It’s certainly enough to make me reconsider buying a Renogy inverter.
I have Giandel 12v inverters in the van (a 1.2kW and a 2kW) and have had no issues, … touch wood.
That remote display is multi-function.
1. Displays all the info
2. Remote on/off switch
Argh... 🤭
Love the review. I live in the US so we run mostly on 110 VAC. With that potentiometer I would assume that I could lower the voltage to that, considering that We have options of 50 and 60 hz output frequency when buying the inverter..
Love the usable power! Chain saw.
Yeah, this inverter works great with all my heavy power tools, no problem.
@@OffGridGarageAustralia my Renogy 3000w won’t rub my garden shredder. Just beeps
The renogy stops because it’s reached its plug limit per single plug, it’s a safety feature. If you hard wire both outlets into a consumer unit and work from that it should work ok for bigger loads.
Unsure why it'd be limited to under 10A on a single outlet. 10A is the standard outlet amperage in Australia, allowing 2.3kw. The chainsaw is only drawing 1.1kw. It may have a high inrush current, but that being only momentary, should not trip out an inverter that is adequately designed.
Hi Andy maybe i missed a comment below but looking at the Peter Inverter i did not notice any earthing /equal potential bonding at the outlets and the exposed metal case , this would be considered a IT earthing system if it were fitted and if they are missing then this is a safety issue for class 1 appliances , can you confirm the earth pins are connected to each other and the exposed metal of the Inverter , In the meantime i have also sent an email to ask if the output L2 can be bonded to Earth /Frame but i have not heard back as of yet
David Poz has a good load, he uses a hot water element in a barrel of water as a heatsink.
Yeah, I've seen that. I usually use the vehicle charger for that so I get the energy partly back. I'll test again.
LOL😅 pronounced the name before renaming it. I like how you do the real world test. I heard the renogy inverter are not that good but I did not know why they did not explain what the problem was .. So thank you for the comparison . I thought the Peter inverter was going to scrap but it surprised me. To bad they do not make for my country. Keep doing the good videos and how we say on the radio 73's
Good experience video - thanks for sharing. It seems to make the Renogy look bad. The only thing I think could be added might be a quick mention of price compared with the other inverters you showed.
I was going to do that price comparison but it is wildly varying between currency. The Renogy is cheaper than the FCHAO in Australia but more expensive in the US 🤷♂️
Great Video, and channel, you have given me precious info that has helped me set up my FV system. About inverters, I am using an EPever 4kw 48V IP-Plus series Inverter. It has an anti spark feature which I have never seen on other products. The inverter has a series resistor inside which remains connected until the Input Caps Reach a high enough charge. I have tried it and it works great, with only a tiny tiny spark. I have had my cable lugs literaly welded to the terminals with other brand 4kw inverters!
Hi Andy, this may be a noob question but.....can you please explain how you tested for voltage drop across those wires? I've never seen that done before.
Sure
It looks like he put a test lead on each side of the wire with a current running across, it should show the voltage drop
I bought the 1800W Inverter based on your review directly from the FCHAO shop in december 2023. Unfortunately the device released its smoke 8 months later with a load under 250W and i don't use it every day. It was in use for around 30 hours total. Of course no reaction from FCHAO Shop.
My guess is Andy got a good one (particularly as they sent it to him, they would have checked it to make sure it worked properly). Also guessing the rest of us have to make do with pot luck and their poor quality control as the one I got had multiple problems and there was no response from support.
In future I would only trust a product review where the reviewer blindly buys the item, NOT where the company knows who the recipient is. (This is not a criticism of Andy).
I prefer the EPEVER Inverters, they are also very robust. But I never tested the Peter Inverters, possibly I also should test this one ......
I'm using it for the last 2 weeks and it seems to be great.
On the contrary. It's a jungle to find a relaible and trustworthy products. Some are easily spotted when you can get a 8kW inverter for 100USD. But finding the product that is good enought for the money is hard. And even you found this one behaving better than the old one, despite they are same power range. Thank you for your work. I bought 4x Seplos DIY kit and Qishou cells because of you. No wonder China wants you to review their products.: 😀
good test and review. I think for your outdoor equipment it would be less costly to make a nice heavy extension cord 😂. thanks Andy for the practical testing.
I'm really keen to take the battery and inverter out in the bush to cut firewood with the electric chainsaw. It is so much more powerful than the petrol saw I have which is just disgusting with all the fumes.
@@OffGridGarageAustralia Electric chainsaws are far more dangerous than petrol because PPE works by tangling the chain and stalling the motor. This is much more difficult because torque curves are completely different. Electric motor torque is at maximum at zero revs; ICE have zero torque at zero revs so they stall.
Hi Andy!! I just tried running my garden mulcher from my Renogy 3000w and it sounded like your chainsaw, barely moved then inverter shut down. Love your videos. Keep it up 👍
Based on your experience with the 'Peter' Inverter, I have ordered both a 3000W and a 1200W in the 24V version.
I decided to go with 'Peter' instead of Renogy, partly based on your review, and partly because I wasn't happy getting 3000W out of 12V (requiring 275A at 90% efficiency - up to 330A when the battery is low) and I couldn't find a fuse bus for the fuses I was happy with. But at 24V, it all halves!
I've got 200A continuous at 24V to play with, so at 4200W (4667W@90%) I just get there at 194A.
Yes, I know, that jumps to 230A at 20V when the battery is low, and the inverters may not give 90% efficiency, but I'm also very unlikely to be asking for peak power continuously out of both inverters. I just want to be able to run power tools and lights in my workshop, which is currently (and may remain) unpowered.
Nice video thanks for sharing, questions, 1) can this inverter also connect directly on solar panels ? 2) Has it MTTP ?
No it needs a battery to connect to. There is no solar charge controller included.
Andy, YOU are a great display... Also without peter (inverter)...
Always good to see a 3,000Watt converter, but' from a 12Volt "WOW"!! Like it on the heavy side!! Needing "BIG" batteries!! I am more for a 50 to 60Volt battery, working with a smaller current would not need a wheel-barrow thenLOL All you need next is a cast ion stove, to burn all your waste wood in, while keeping a pan of water on the boil for a cuppa now and again. Interesting video again thanks, regards George.
Consider getting a growatt inverter which does nt need a fan, no cooling noise and a very reliable power house.
We got the second one, just 3000W for 500€ for a Growatt mic 3000 with up to 3800 Wp on the module side.
No need for such 380€ inverter not having proofed anything close to reliability .
You simply get the noise of a hair dryer.
Hey, nice review.
Can you tell this inverter turns fans under 600W?
What about to make longer test, we can trust:) Cooking a whole meal (1700-2200w) for 20-30min plus some microwave and let see if we want that for our RC home
Great Review, AWESOME... You have someone watching you though. @28.21 , You have a black cat sitting on the shelf behind you, right above your right shoulder. He is watching every move you make. CCHHEERRSSSSS ( the Off-Grid Garage mascot. ) :-)))
Oh, yeah. it really looks like a black cat 🤭
Great review Andy. I will shout you a Öttinger in the German club
Thanks for this review Andy. Is there a way to program the Low Voltage Disconnect and reconnect for this inverter or is it fixed? And if it is fixed, at what values?
Thanks Rik, it is a fixed value and cannot be changed. In my tests, it cut out at around 10.8V under load (2.7V/cell).
@@OffGridGarageAustralia Thanks a lot Andy, we are using lead-acid batteries in Zambia. Would you agree that 10.8V is way to low and will damage the batteries? We normally set Low Voltage Disconnect (LVD) to 11.8V. I am even thinking to use the DC load output from our programmable PWM controllers to activate a relay and switch of inverters that don't have the correct LVD. Do you have any thoughts about this?
How about the rs485 interface, did it work? Truthful review, thanks, again!
Hi Andi, why ddo you don't have test RS485 Port, what can you do with it?
Thanks for that Andy, I need a new inverter I will have a look at there site. Just a question how much power or energy would you get in to the tesla from that battery, (how many kilometers) also do you know what price they are going to be brining that batter out for.
Hi Paul, the battery has a bit over 2.1kWh of energy stored. Considering the efficiency of the 12V inverter and the Tesla charger, you probably end up with 1.5kWh in the vehicle's battery. That gives you a range of around 10km.
You can already buy the Muller Battery here but maybe wait for their 2.0 version and included improvements: mullerenergy.com.au/
Hi Peter,
Did get any information on the RS485 communication please ?
Totally agree with you about the naming of these products. They need some marketing help with names for these products. haha. Not so sure about "Peter" being the best but I agree with your desire for a name the world can pronounce
Plz sir .. do u prefer fchao inverter or eafc inverter ?
Thnx❤
How was inverter pulling over 200amps but that anderson was rated to 175a??
Someone told me to use the terminal block connections for max-load applications on the Renogy, or others like it. I have an inverter that won't start a small air compressor on the outlets, but it runs just fine on the terminal block wiring. With no terminal block on the Fchao Peter, the outlets appear to be more sturdily wired and with soldered connections. Are the 40A fuses soldered into the circuit boards here, also? That's a pain in the ass.
What's the efficiency and idle consumption, please?
Same!
I also want to use it in my garage, connected to a 12v battery run on solar power, with remote display. So, standby current should be as low as possible:-)
Nice review Andy. How did you get around the earthing issue when in the bush with the wheelbarrow. I didn't see a grounding rod?
Hello . Please tell me if I can use a welding machine with this inverter? (my welding machine used 2.4 mm electrodes and a welding current of ~ 90A ... but I can't say what voltage it uses on the output, probably somewhere around ~50v in operation and probably more when starting)
Hey Andy, would you be kind to show us where on the board is connected RS485? I cannot google any details about it.
The little sticker says 12 volt!!! By the connection lugs. Waow
I don't think that shredder is very "Silent"! 🤣
It actually is. It has a gearbox and runs very slowly. If you hear these high speed shredders in comparison, this one is almost silent.
Since the provided cables are inadequate, what gauge would you recommend for this inverter at 12v 3kW?
I'm using the twin pair cables which came with the inverter and they work OK. Running my garden tools with 1.5-2.5kW does not cause any problems.
If you are planning to run higher loads for a long time, the cable diameter depends on the the length and voltage drop you may receive for your specific installation.
Another great video. @14:21 I see 11.4Vdc on the display when the load is 1963W, the Daly shows 12.6V on the battery, so you have Vdrops of each wire = 12.6V -11.4V = 1.2V/2 = 0.6V on each wire.
Too bad FCHAO do not make for 120VAC US market.
You need to talk with their stuff. I guess their main market is the EU and they are opening the AU market.
Hi Sir , would you please tell me if we can connect two of this inverter in parallel . Thank you in advance.
My Epever and my Chins don't seem to like each other.
The batteries shut off at high voltage 28.2 voltage. Is the manufacturer suggested setting correct
lol you’re so funny it makes learning the things I need to learn so much better
Great Test - Could you please test the RS485 Andy ? Is it somehow possible to integrate it into the victron environment ? Liebe Grüße aus München
La vidéo commence à 2"... 🙄 So long...😁 Thanks for this good job. 👍
I like stuff that (just) works.
Seeing the comment section, I am very thankful to all of you for your support trust and understanding of our products! ，I am the FCHAO brand factory
Shame you don't answer support emails and provide no warranty for Australians.
Couldn't find 120V version
@@user-re3ys2le4z i m sorry，my company do not 110v-120v
Could you say something about proper grounding/earthing for this inverter? Thanks!
Real great video ^^
Thanks a lot
btw: in french "Peter" ... is the verb "to fart" ... not sure if its a real good choice ... :D
These inverters are hard to purchase in Australia.
How is this going 1 year on? I have inverters that keep breaking down so looking at swapping a few out. Thanks!
Link for 48V are not working anymore 😥
Slightly concerning how smaller the internal FCHAO heat sinks are compared to the other model, which would indicate a shorter life due to heat?
What are the actual dimensions of this inverter? Im tight for room and kinda need exact figure's. Is it 26.5cm wide from side to side or is it 26.5cm from the outside edge of mounting points? Thanks
Hi Andy! do you know if it works or have tried to connect the peter inverter to the victron vrm system?
Trough this 2 small bus wires you showed in the video.
Really great videos which helped me alot building my pv systsm.
Lg aus Südtirol
Hi, bekommt man eine Anzeige hin wenn der FCHAO mit dem cerbo verbunden wird?
If you did a peak current test, that would be nice. Also can you overload it?> Dos it work/fault? I just received a 24vDC US unit. it's a 220 output, is there an internal dipswitch to make it 110VAC? Good video, if you tested further, you might give it four frogs. Curious for more testing. Thanks!
12V & 24V inverters you can get for an apple. 48V ones are rare 😕
Great display!
Yeah, it is! 😂
All of these inverters have the same Problem, no adjustable low voltage cut off, can you use the rs something serial connector to turn it on or off through a charge Controller or battery shunt?
Will it run home load like fridge washing machine iron lights fans?
Can I use this as offgrid inverter for home appliances for 24h operation? Or this is only for emergency uses ?
Can a gel battery be connected to this inverter?
inductive loads are difficult
Yes, they are. They are a great test for these inverters.
Any chance of doing a video comparing Modified sine wave vs Pure sine wave inverters running inverter appliances including efficiency? I mean appliances that turn the AC input into DC internally. Most of my house now runs these including fridge, washing machine. aircon with 500w input, ceiling fans, battery chargers etc. Also suspect all of them have basically no measurable inrush current. There seems a good number of older quality inverters for sale that are MSW. Inductive loads I think there would be a big difference in efficiency.