Now it's Aldi (UK)'s turn to offer an inverter generator - Page 2

 On Thu, 05 Jul 2018 00:24:52 +0000, Johnny B Good wrote:


 Just refreshed the web page and my 'review' has disappeared. I guess  
they must have reviewed it and didn't like what they saw (or maybe it was  
because of my invalid email address).

 Looks like I'll have to submit another review with my real email  
address. I certainly need to refresh it seeing as how I decided on trying  
out a third generator which, apart from the rather pronounced bogging  
down to a 900W load, seems to behave like an inverter genset should.  
However, it does drop quite a bit of voltage going from no load to 900W  
(235 down to 225 volts with an initial dip down to 206 volts before  
recovering to 225 volts - quite shit really, compared to the Parkside  
1/1.2KW unit).

 I'm undecided about whether it's worth keeping hold of. I noticed three  
cermet multi-turn pots poking out of the inverter module's potting  
compound which may allow it to be properly fine tuned if I can find the  
adjustment info on the 'net.

 Incidentally, I took some SPL measurements and obtained a 65dBA SPL at  
23 feet (7 metres) when driving the 900W test load. It was maybe 1dB  
quieter on no load. Unfortunately, I don't have anything to make up a  
full 1800W test load to hand right now so couldn't run the SPL test at max  
loading. I suspect it'll only increase by a dB or two on the half load  
figure.

 It seemed a little quieter than the Parkside unit and I was going to  
fire the Parkside genset up to collect comparative figures but SWMBI  
started complaining about the noise (on behalf of, but unrequested by,  
the neighbours) so that test will have to wait for another day.

--  
Johnny B Good

  On Thu, 05 Jul 2018 17:22:14 +0000, Johnny B Good wrote:


====snip====

 I'm currently testing my third Workzone inverter genset...


 I found a "Big Clue" in the form of workshop manual, not for this  
generator but for a similar one. The example inverter genset in question  
being a Powerhouse PH2700PRi. The "shop manual" shows a schematic of the  
wiring which represents the inverter module as a reasonable facsimile of  
its physical form (topologically speaking).

 Zooming into the page reveals a total of four multiturn pots (the same  
number as used in the Workzone inverter module). The trimpots' functions  
are handily labelled as "voltage", "balance", "current" and "overload".  
Presumably the four trimpots on the Workzone inverter module apply to the  
same adjustments. The only snag is that the modules are far from  
identical in layout so any further progress will be a 'suck it and see'  
exercise. I've already cleaned the sealing compound from the trimpots (RTV  
silicone?).

 My first test will be to locate the "voltage" pot followed by the  
"balance" pot which I guess relates to the shoddy response to a 50% load  
increase from no load eco-idle state (compared to the Parkside unit, the  
response is execrable - The Parkside unit doesn't bog down to a 90% load  
from zero load before increasing the revs - it just does the right thing).


 Well, I finally got my chance to run the Parkside this afternoon and log  
some SPL readings. At about ten foot away, I was getting 65dBA no load  
and 74dBA at 865W (86%) load. The corresponding figures for the Workzone  
unit were 69 and 70 dBA (zero and 860W (48%) load).

 TBH, after mulling over the SPL figures, I'm more inclined to just get  
my money back... Again! However, I think it might be worth experimenting  
with those presets - after all, I can hardly make it much worse than it  
already is!

 Well, I found the "voltage" pot ok[1] but couldn't find the "balance",  
which I think must be to set the eco-idling speed, so it's going back as  
"Unfit for Purpose" for a full refund tomorrow. I'm not going to try a  
fourth unit. "Three strikes and you're out!" seems so appropriate in this  
case. :-(

 I have to say that if I didn't have the Parkside inverter generator to  
demonstrate how an inverter genset is supposed to behave, I might have  
convinced myself that such transient load behaviour was simply a normal  
feature (downside) of an inverter genset always running in eco-throttle  
mode for lack of an eco-throttle option switch.

 I can well imagine how anyone new to the operation of a backup generator  
might not realise just what a piece of junk this Workzone inverter genset  
really is. Thankfully, that little 1KW Parkside unit just about suffices  
for my essential needs so I can afford to wait for Lidl to put a larger  
Parkside inverter genset on 'special offer' over the next year or so. :-)

[1] For anyone interested in adjusting the AC output voltage on their  
1800/2000 watt Workzone inverter generator, the pot in question is the  
topmost of the four (revealed by undoing the four screws that fix the  
control panel to the case). Trust me, the engine vibrations make such  
adjustments rather tricky to say the least of it.

--  
Johnny B Good

 Aldi and Trader Joe's are separatestores with mostly different items on the shelves. They are owned by the same parent company.  

 On Wed, 23 Jan 2019 10:43:02 -0800, seibelhouse wrote:


 Thanks... I think.

 I'm guessing you're referring to the US of A located stores (that post  
was made so long ago that it's now expired in my newsreader).

 AFAICR, I landed up recommending that the Aldi Workzone 2KW inverter  
genset was best avoided as it turned out to be a stinky piece of  
excrement best not touched, not even with the proverbial 10 foot barge  
pole.

--  
Johnny B Good

 On Thu, 5 Jul 2018 07:30:22 +0100 (GMT+01:00), Jim K


There's one a couple miles from me but I've never seen any power
equipment there.  However, we're getting a Lidl's (alsoGerman, maybe
one step up from a direct competitor to Aldi's) so they've been closed
for a few weeks to expand the the Aldi's store.  The lidl's is still
under construction and I'll guess 3 to 6 months before it opens.

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