Mecer 2400VA Inverter (Community Support)

[MightyQuin]

I'm looking to supply one of these Mecer solutions to a client to keep a "server" and Fibre ONT running for 2 hours at a time.

Are these things reliable? They are cheaper than a UPS for sure and easier to source than a UPS with an extended battery pack for longer run time, like I use at my home office.

But it seems they break down easily and readily, or is that a misconception I have developed from this thread?

 

[TheChamp]

So 2 minutes after midnight and mine decides to turn into a pumpkin. A loud bang, a bit of smoke and a lekker electric burning smell. The fuse has popped and it seems to be stuck in a reboot cycle, I've disconnected the negative cable for now. Joy.

How old is yours? What was plugged on 2 minutes after midnight? Was it on mains or backup?

 

[TheChamp]

I'm looking to supply one of these Mecer solutions to a client to keep a "server" and Fibre ONT running for 2 hours at a time.

Are these things reliable? They are cheaper than a UPS for sure and easier to source than a UPS with an extended battery pack for longer run time, like I use at my home office.

But it seems they break down easily and readily, or is that a misconception I have developed from this thread?

They are very reliable, but just like every bad thing, the few exceptions do tend to overshadow everything, so safe to say it's just a misconception from a few stories of units having issues, some of the issues being created by the users and not as a fault of the unit.

 

[AlphaJohn]

I'm looking to supply one of these Mecer solutions to a client to keep a "server" and Fibre ONT running for 2 hours at a time.

Are these things reliable? They are cheaper than a UPS for sure and easier to source than a UPS with an extended battery pack for longer run time, like I use at my home office.

But it seems they break down easily and readily, or is that a misconception I have developed from this thread?

They are very reliable, but just like every bad thing, the few exceptions do tend to overshadow everything, so safe to say it's just a misconception from a few stories of units having issues, some of the issues being created by the users and not as a fault of the unit.

Well to date most if not all seem to fall under 2 categories so far:

A) PEBKAC - Plugging in high power devices or cables/devices that have dead shorts.
B) Batteries - so far it seems to be old or cheap/crap Lead acid batteries. <- I am leaning on getting proper Lithium Ion to eliminate these but wanna be sure before I invest here.

@Captain Beer have little info so would like to know if it falls under the 2 main ones or if its something else?

 

[crysis]

Finally got mine fully installed, only to find out the plugs I bought for my extension leads are too wide to support three plugs at a time. They seem to make the outlet section very narrow on the device. Will need to look for thinner plugs.

 

[TheChamp]

Well to date most if not all seem to fall under 2 categories so far:

A) PEBKAC - Plugging in high power devices or cables/devices that have dead shorts.
B) Batteries - so far it seems to be old or cheap/crap Lead acid batteries. <- I am leaning on getting proper Lithium Ion to eliminate these but wanna be sure before I invest here.

@Captain Beer have little info so would like to know if it falls under the 2 main ones or if its something else?

It doesn't have to be lithium, just decent lead acid batteries.

 

[dotcat]

It doesn't have to be lithium, just decent lead acid batteries.

Problems I've had 1: gecko blew the transformer and caused a dead short over battery terminals. 2. On the 24v model if your 1 battery starts to go it will destroy both of them - smoke and smell.....

That's why I went with the 12v version now. Uses 11amps DC to power the loads at 12v vs 11amps DC at 24 volts with the 24v version. So it's more power efficient and now have the 2 x 12v batteries in parallel. Also wired in a PC 12v case fan to cool the batteries over long charge cycles. Now they nice and cool even after hours of charging.

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

How much will you spend on lead acid?

So it appears it may be the inverter that's at fault here. The battery voltages tested fine so decided to connect up the known good batteries from my other inverter and it won't charge those either.

Looks like I'm SOL with warranty as it's older than a year, so will find a repair place somewhere nearyby.

 

[Captain Beer]

How old is yours? What was plugged on 2 minutes after midnight? Was it on mains or backup?

Got it in Jan last year and it's been running flawlessly since. I have it permanently connected with several devices attached, the load meter hardly ever reaches the second bar. As soon as loadshedding hit last night, poof. I've now bypassed the unit and everything that was attached to it is running fine.

 

[Pineapple Smurf]

So 2 minutes after midnight and mine decides to turn into a pumpkin. A loud bang, a bit of smoke and a lekker electric burning smell. The fuse has popped and it seems to be stuck in a reboot cycle, I've disconnected the negative cable for now. Joy.

Damn, what was all connected to it? Mine is 11 months old now and I run maximum 130 Watts on it

 

[Captain Beer]

Damn, what was all connected to it? Mine is 11 months old now and I run maximum 130 Watts on it

2 x 40" LEDs, 2 x Exploras, 2 x routers, a low end PC with 3 x 24" screens. The PC wasn't even running at the time. Can't even check the batteries, my multimeter was nicked when they raided my braai area last year

 

[Pineapple Smurf]

Ive been running these all over my apartment for many years now.
5 to 10 years
Cant remember

Anyways, I have 1 in lounge where my Mecer2400VA plugs directly into it.

Not sure if it helps or not but so far nothing has blown up. Ever. Touch wood

takealot.com

www.takealot.com

 

[JAP]

Dismantle it, it will probably be a quick fix, it has fuses inside, sure one of them popped.

Thank you again for all the advice a few days ago. The inverter went back to Mustek and they fixed it under warranty. Apparently the main board went/died. Don't know why...but it is a happy ending!

 

[Lupus]

Okay so the inverter goes into charging mode when you unplug it from the wall? I literally only unplugged it for a few minutes while swapping plugs. Don't remember if that is normal.

 

[Vuilhaas]

Okay so the inverter goes into charging mode when you unplug it from the wall? I literally only unplugged it for a few minutes while swapping plugs. Don't remember if that is normal.

Mine does that too

 

[Lupus]

Mine does that too

Oh okay thanks, I'd forgotten if it did or didn't.

 

[TheChamp]

Okay so the inverter goes into charging mode when you unplug it from the wall? I literally only unplugged it for a few minutes while swapping plugs. Don't remember if that is normal.

It goes into battery backup mode, that's why you hear a fan coming on.

 

[Lupus]

It goes into battery backup mode, that's why you hear a fan coming on.

but it also seems to take about an hour before the online light stops flashing? With the fan on

 

[TheChamp]

but it also seems to take about an hour before the online light stops flashing? With the fan on

That sounds unusual, I know it takes a couple minutes but an hour sounds excessive.

 

[Lupus]

That sounds unusual, I know it takes a couple minutes but an hour sounds excessive.

That's why I raised it, it was odd. Normally if I leave it off for a couple of hours it does that, but just unplugging it shouldn't have. Oh well it is getting on in years.