Ancient_Hacker wrote:
It shouldnt fail IMMEDIATELY with a low input voltage-- low input
voltage is going to lead to higher than usual currents, and if the
design is any good... well, maybe that's the problem.

Also a TV is not a happy load-- lots of peak current draw at the top
of each cycle.

Probably should shop for a higher-quality inverter, say one with a
one-year guarantee.

Harbor Freight stuff is cheap, which often translates to "marginal
quality".

Well, I think the Harbor Freight design is good (except for the circuit
board), it's just the workmanship that needs improvement. Looking at
the circuit board, the traces are only separated by less than 1/64 inch
and there are many little solder drops laying in the groves between the
traces. I tried to pick them all out but missed a few. Also the
component leads are bent over so they almost short to the adjacient
traces. But I bet the design is good if properly built. They must have
tested this in the lab and subjected it to all the possible problems,
input voltage low, high, shorted output, over temperature, etc.

You can probably buy 5 units, and one will keep working for a long
time.

-Bill