Inverter problems strike again
A stroke of bad luck hit me yesterday while I was working on some pictures of Rockhound State Park. While I was charging both of my computers, my brand-new inverter shut down and had a big red light on it, telling me it had overheated. That is not a good sign.
Considering it's a 2000-watt inverter, and I didn't even have half that much going on with both my computers being charged, I turned it off and started feeling around for something hot. But the box wasn't hot, and the wires weren't hot or even warm, so I couldn't find anything that would give me an overheating warning like it did.
But I turned it off and unplugged the two computer plugs from the inverter, and the computers weren't hot either. I let it sit there for a while. Turning it back on an hour later with the computers unplugged from the inverter, it still wouldn't work and had a red warning overheating sign.
So, for the rest of the day and this morning, I turned it on and checked it. It still wouldn't run and still had the overheating light on it. So, I decided to return to Harbour Freight in Deming on Monday morning to trade it for a new one.
But years of fixing computers have taught me that you can always try a cold reboot if the easy stuff doesn't work. In this case, I turned it off and disconnected the wires that ran from the inverter to the batteries, let it sit there for a few minutes so it had no electricity, and then put the battery wires back on It. And color me surprised—it actually worked.
As a test, I put everything I could plug into it, trying to overload the inverter, but it kept on running just fine. I don't know if it will continue working as it should or if that indicates an occasional recurring problem. Still, I do know that there are Harbor Freights everywhere, including just down the street from me in Denver, and they will gladly take it back if it gives me any more difficulties.
Theboondork
The moon is going down over Deming, New Mexico.
I guess land is inexpensive in New Mexico, and everyone can afford a few acres to call home.
If you zoom in and look in the middle of the picture, you can see my tiny home happily boondocking at the Rockhound State Park near Deming, New Mexico.
Rockhound State Park, New Mexico