openinverter forum

Up to now I’ve only played with gen2 inverters but see the gen3 is the one everyone is repurposing to run just about anything... so what are the fundamental differences or improvements of the gen3 does It have higher current capabilities?

The Gen3 are slightly smaller so they package better, the Gen2 are oddly shaped. Another factor is availability, in the USA Gen2 stuff is very inexpensive and Gen3 double or more, mostly because the failures on the Gen3 are a lot more common, driving up demand.

Prius Gen2 = 50kw, Gen3 = 60, so the latter is more powerful in theory, but a famous member has demonstrated Gen2 power well in excess of it's nameplate, so I doubt there is a "real" or practical difference.

Gen3 supports "tristating" where you switch between high on and off or low on and off with the diodes conducting as needed during the "off" time, that's not necessary for motor control but for other purposes like building a grid tied inverter, it can make a big difference.

Cool thanks guys

There are differences in voltage limits in each. In particular there are two gen3 models, the cheaper one has 300V battery side capacitors while the more expensive one has 400V. Both gen3s have a higher voltage rating on the motor HV side than the gen2 if I remember right.

Personally I think if gen2 is capable enough and small enough for a given use case, it should definitely be used as it is cheap and it seems to be the most reliable.

celeron55 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 23, 2021 7:17 am There are differences in voltage limits in each. In particular there are two gen3 models, the cheaper one has 300V battery side capacitors while the more expensive one has 400V. Both gen3s have a higher voltage rating on the motor HV side than the gen2 if I remember right.

Personally I think if gen2 is capable enough and small enough for a given use case, it should definitely be used as it is cheap and it seems to be the most reliable.

Is there any way to distinguish between the 300v gen3 and the 400v gen3?

invokeperformance wrote: ↑Tue Feb 23, 2021 3:19 pm Is there any way to distinguish between the 300v gen3 and the 400v gen3?

Not sure, but all that have the sloped bottom casting are 300V. I have one with a straight bottom casting that's 400V, but I'm not sure if all of them are. If you google "Yaris inverter" you'll see what the sloped one looks like.

Of course keep in mind the 300V one can deal with 600V for driving motors and you can use the boost converter to keep the DC-DC converter's input at a suitable voltage nevertheless. You just can't plug your 400V battery to the "battery side".

invokeperformance wrote: ↑Tue Feb 23, 2021 3:19 pm Is there any way to distinguish between the 300v gen3 and the 400v gen3?

The Toyota Yaris Hybrid is renamed Prius C in the US, or Toyota Aqua in Japan.

The sloped top allows it to fit in the small engine bay

celeron55 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 23, 2021 7:17 am In particular there are two gen3 models, the cheaper one has 300V battery side capacitors while the more expensive one has 400V.

Hi, do you mean the capacitors in a dcdc converter? And are these gen3 inverters both Prius or do you have in mind that the other one is Auris/Yaris? Thanks