Charging a shaver using inverter socket

GaryLynn · Sep 26, 2021

Looking for some advice here.

Had a bad experience recharging an electric toothbrush using the inverter socket - two plug in chargers failed to work when used this way and subsequently failed to work when plugged in to a house socket. Browsed these forums and found others have had similar problems. I’m no electrical expert but this seemed to attributed to the ‘quality’ of the AC voltage - apparently not a true sine curve or anywhere near it. Seems the inductive charging technology used for toothbrushes is sensitive to such things.

I’m now contemplating charging a rechargeable electric shaver using its supplied cable plugged into the adaptor plugged into the inverter socket. I’m a little apprehensive given my experience with the toothbrush but appreciate the shaver does not use inductive charging.

What experience to folks on here have of recharging electric shavers this way?

Cheers!

Mowbotman · Sep 26, 2021

Would be interested it what people say as we are going away for the 1st time this week and intend to charge up toothbrushes Mmmm

Stu@rt · Sep 26, 2021

Hi Gary, not the shaver answer, but these would be better to charge your toothbrushes.....much better to keep USB voltages, rather than converting to 240v and then back again. Much more economical too. Cheaper options out there....the Amazon link was just for speed of finding a link.

Electric Toothbrush Charger for Oral-B Toothbrushes, Universal USB Port Connection https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07FH7M2P1/?tag=eliteelect-21

Mowbotman · Sep 26, 2021

Thanks ordered one, comes Tuesday hopefully just before we go away , got no USB plugs in my Cali ? but will have to use cigar adapter

seasiders1 · Sep 26, 2021

Have broken 3 Oral B toothbrush chargers over the years using the inverter!

Stu@rt · Sep 26, 2021

Not sure what shaver you have but looks like there could be 12v charger options. Again keeping you away from the invertor. Check for quality and compatibility but you could investigate something like this as an alternative....but please check before purchasing.....

Pardon our interruption...

Mowbotman · Sep 26, 2021

Panasonic, will try and find something

Stu@rt · Sep 26, 2021

Mowbotman said:
Panasonic, will try and find something

USB possibility for some models.....

USB Cable Lead Charger for Panasonic Es-lv65 Arc5 Wet & Dry Electric Shaver for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for USB Cable Lead Charger for Panasonic Es-lv65 Arc5 Wet & Dry Electric Shaver at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

Mowbotman · Sep 26, 2021

Not my model thanks , but did find one on flebay

MeltedGoldfish · Sep 26, 2021

The inverter socket is a EU plug. It’s not the same as a UK shaver socket - they look similar, but are different dimensions, so I wouldn’t expect it to work if you’re trying to force a shaver/toothbrush plug directly into the inverter.

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GaryLynn · Sep 26, 2021

Thanks to all for your comments.

A bit of clarification of my plans and concerns........

I have a Braun foil rechargable shaver which I’m concerned could be ‘blown’ if I charge it using the inverter socket when not on EHU. It comes with a conventional cable, one end of which has a standard UK 2 pin plug. I intend plugging this into the adapter that fits into the inverter 2 pin socket (adapter required since pin spacing on inverter socket differs from pin spacing on shaver cable plug). As far as I can tell, there is no 12V DC or USB option for my shaver.

Has anyone experience of successfully or unsuccessfully recharging a shaver this way?

Stu@rt · Sep 26, 2021

GaryLynn said:
Thanks to all for your comments.

A bit of clarification of my plans and concerns........

I have a Braun foil rechargable shaver which I’m concerned could be ‘blown’ if I charge it using the inverter socket when not on EHU. It comes with a conventional cable, one end of which has a standard UK 2 pin plug. I intend plugging this into the adapter that fits into the inverter 2 pin socket (adapter required since pin spacing on inverter socket differs from pin spacing on shaver cable plug). As far as I can tell, there is no 12V DC or USB option for my shaver.

Has anyone experience of successfully or unsuccessfully recharging a shaver this way?

Pardon our interruption...

vmaxkiddy · Sep 28, 2021

I keep these for van use, worked perfectly for over 8 years. AA rechargeable batteries or standard.

pluc99 · Sep 28, 2021

Am I correct in assuming that the inverter socket is always powered via the battery, whether you on EHU or not, which implies that it always delivers block wave?
What can you use the socket for when so many gadgets can be damaged by it?

WelshGas · Sep 28, 2021

pluc99 said:
Am I correct in assuming that the inverter socket is always powered via the battery, whether you on EHU or not, which implies that it always delivers block wave?
What can you use the socket for when so many gadgets can be damaged by it?

I have a low wattage mains fan and a mains powered insecticide dispenser.

GaryLynn · Sep 28, 2021

pluc99 said:
Am I correct in assuming that the inverter socket is always powered via the battery, whether you on EHU or not, which implies that it always delivers block wave?
What can you use the socket for when so many gadgets can be damaged by it?

Pluc99 - ‘block wave’ - I think that was the sort of term I was searching for as the alternative to sine wave, thanks!

I believe your are correct in saying the inverter input of nominal 12V DC is always delivered by the leisure batteries when on EHU. So, on EHU we have one 240V AC socket in the kitchen area delivering a sine wave output and one 240V AC socket (the inverter) delivering a block wave output. Am I right?

Regards your second question about gadgets being damaged by the block wave output from the inverter, I think it would be useful to have a list of items or type of items that can and cannot be used with the inverter socket. Coming back to my original post, I know rechargeable toothbrush chargers are damaged by the inverter but I don’t know (but would like to know) if a rechargeable shaver would be damaged.

GaryLynn · Sep 28, 2021

WelshGas said:
I have a low wattage mains fan and a mains powered insecticide dispenser.

WG, thanks for your comments. Very useful. Perhaps the start of a list of gadgets I mentioned above, that do and do not get damaged by the inverter.

Keith Smith · Sep 28, 2021

For anyone interested I’ve looked at the waveform produced by the inverter and it’s not a pretty sight for any sort of electronic equipment. It’s fine for heating elements, we use it for a heated blanket for instance, but otherwise it’s of limited use. My advice would be to never plug anything electronic into it. This is the waveform that it produces;

For reference this is the 240V mains supply on hookup, as you can see it’s a completely different waveform to that from the inverter.

Stu@rt · Sep 28, 2021

Keith Smith said:
For anyone interested I’ve looked at the waveform produced by the inverter and it’s not a pretty sight for any sort of electronic equipment. It’s fine for heating elements, we use it for a heated blanket for instance, but otherwise it’s of limited use. My advice would be to never plug anything electronic into it. This is the waveform that it produces;

View attachment 85003

For reference this is the 240V mains supply on hookup, as you can see it’s a completely different waveform to that from the inverter.

View attachment 85004

Oh wow - That's interesting for sure. Thanks. Anyone able to do something similar on the 6.1's newer unit? Be interesting to see if it's any better eh?

GaryLynn · Sep 28, 2021

Keith, many thanks. Interesting observations and valuable comments. I guess, based on your recommendation of not plugging in anything electronic, that you wouldn’t use the inverter to recharge a rechargeable shaver when not on EHU?

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Keith Smith · Sep 28, 2021

GaryLynn said:
Keith, many thanks. Interesting observations and valuable comments. I guess, based on your recommendation of not plugging in anything electronic, that you wouldn’t use the inverter to recharge a rechargeable shaver when not on EHU?

Absolutely not. It would probably make a buzzing noise, then smoke would come out of it and it would be goosed!

This type of inverter is of little use these days as so many appliances have some electronic circuitry built into them. There are inverters which claim to produce a true sine wave and it may be possible to swap the existing inverter for one of those if you absolutely need to use the inverter supply to charge anything.

Mowbotman · Sep 28, 2021

Glad you told us , 1st time out tomorrow was going to use to charge phones and ipads , shaver and tooth brush , will now use USB Pheeeew not a lot of use that socket then !!

marchugo · Sep 28, 2021

For years I topped up my electrical Philips cord shaver in the inverter socket in the B pillar. The shaver still works.

Once I grilled a Braun toothbrush in the same inverter, so we never use that socket anymore for induction toothbrushes.

Hope this answers your original question.

Regards from Amsterdam,

Marc.

Keith Smith · Sep 28, 2021

marchugo said:
For years I topped up my electrical Philips cord shaver in the inverter socket in the B pillar. The shaver still works.

Once I grilled a Braun toothbrush in the same inverter, so we never use that socket anymore for induction toothbrushes.

Hope this answers your original question.

Regards from Amsterdam,

Marc.

Older appliances generally used a transformer to drop the mains voltage and then a diode bridge with hefty capacitor to smooth out the ripples, this made them more tolerant to this sort of inverter output. Modern appliances rarely use a transformer and now use electronic circuitry to reduce the mains to the required dc voltage.

So if you have an old shaver with a heavy adapter, denoting it’s got a transformer in it, it may work with the inverter but I still wouldn’t risk it if you value the shaver.

brooodie · Sep 29, 2021

It this plug socket breaks everything you plug into it - what is it useful for? Good to know though - I've bought USB cables for my toothbrush and oneblade from Aliexpress just in case.