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A recently purchased 12 volt to 120 volt pure sine wave inverter produces to a standard 3 hole 15 amp receptacle, 2 hot legs of 60 volts each with 120 volts measured across them. The third leg of the standard plug (usually the ground) is neutral (or grounded) with 60 volts between it and both hot legs.

This is an unusual power output. Will it harm ordinary appliances to use the output described?

Steven Schang
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This is actually normal for inverter generators. They derive 120V by producing +60V on one leg and -60V on the other. Honda and other small inverter generators are known for this.

For example: https://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-how-s-kerno-memorial-forum/555711-portable-generator-shore-power-issue.html

I think most small inverter generators like this have a floating neutral, which gives a difference between neutral and ground.

It's not defective, but it may not be exactly what you need depending on your use case.

For the record, I've powered a hefty desktop computer and a refrigerator (at the same time) off my knockoff Yamaha 2000W inverter generator clone, with no issues except for fuel consumption ;)

supertanker13
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    Refrigerators take ~1000W for 1 second during startup, then almost nothing (100-ish W) during the refrigeration cycle, then only a watt or two of electronics vampire load (if any) between cycles (until you open the door, then the light obviously). So your load is basically the PC. – Harper - Reinstate Monica Oct 22 '22 at 20:57
  • Very true. My computer is one of the most sensitive loads I can think of (aside from maybe equipment that needs really clean power, like some audio gear), so I wanted to point out that it operates fine on the power derived from the inverter in the generator. – supertanker13 Oct 24 '22 at 23:37
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Would return it.

Should have 120 between hot and neutral and hot to ground. 0 between neutral and ground.

Standard 15 amp receptacle has short slot hot, long slot neutral and round/D hole ground

crip659
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