On Fri, 3 Aug 2012 16:36:53 +0000 (UTC), gregz wrote:

" wrote:
On Fri, 3 Aug 2012 02:42:31 +0000 (UTC), gregz wrote:

"Stormin Mormon" wrote:
Might come in handy, for the next power cut. Run the furnace, and some
lights.


Some little generators are not for electronic equipment. Don't want to fry
the controller. I'm in process of looking at voltage and waveforms from
mine.

Most electronic equipment today uses SMP supplies which are quite tolerant of
poor waveforms - actually a lot better than older transformer input stuff.

There was recently a long thread in electronic group recently. Reported
distorted waveforms, and problems loading on side of the 240 split.

Distorted waveforms, within reason of course, aren't a problem for most SMPSs.
PC power supplies, for instance, will take just about anything. They have a
rectifier right in the front end and switch that voltage up to a few hundred
volts and step down from there. This isn't at all uncommon in electronic
appliances anymore. Anything with a transformer in the front end will balk at
crappy waveforms, though.