Is the Renogy 3000 W pure sine wave inverter worth buying?
Short answer for this review: the Renogy 3000W 12V Pure Sine Wave Inverter ranks #1 of 5 here on watts per dollar, at 7.23 W/$. It costs $414.99 at Renogy.
The others cost $461.99 for the 3000W 12V Pure Sine Wave Inverter with UPS Transfer Switch, $769.99 for the 3500W 48V Solar Inverter Charger, $2,527.44 for the VFXR3648A Inverter/Charger and $2,538.95 for the MSH3012RV-L RV Inverter/Charger.
| Power and capacity | |
|---|---|
| Continuous AC output | 3000 W |
| Surge output | 6000 W |
| Size and moving it | |
| Weight | 12.5 lb |
| Product | Best current price | Watts per dollar | Value rank |
|---|---|---|---|
 Renogy 3000W 12V Pure Sine Wave Inverter | $414.99 at Renogy | 7.23 W/$ | #1 of 5 |
 Renogy 3000W 12V Pure Sine Wave Inverter with UPS Transfer Switch | $461.99 at Renogy | 6.49 W/$ | #2 of 5 |
| Magnum Energy MSH3012RV-L RV Inverter/Charger | $2,538.95 at A1 SolarStore | 1.18 W/$ | #5 of 5 |
 Renogy 3500W 48V Solar Inverter Charger | $769.99 at Renogy | 4.55 W/$ | #3 of 5 |
| OutBack Power VFXR3648A Inverter/Charger | $2,527.44 at A1 SolarStore | 1.42 W/$ | #4 of 5 |
What does it offer on paper?
Renogy rates it at 3000 W of continuous output and 6000 W of surge, with the surge held for 1 s. It runs from a 12 V nominal battery input.
Its output places it in the large-load class, at 2000 W or more of continuous AC output. A longer surge hold helps loads that start hard.
How does its surge hold compare?
Its 1 s surge hold is the shortest listed here, against 2 s for the 3000W 12V Pure Sine Wave Inverter with UPS Transfer Switch and 5 s for both the MSH3012RV-L RV Inverter/Charger and the VFXR3648A Inverter/Charger. If your biggest load is a pump or an air conditioner, check its starting draw before you pick.
How heavy is it?
It weighs 12.5 lb and falls in the easy to carry (under 30 lb) class. The MSH3012RV-L RV Inverter/Charger weighs 55 lb and the VFXR3648A Inverter/Charger weighs 61 lb, and both are in the heavy (over 50 lb) class.
Weight matters most when the inverter has to go on a wall or in a tight bay.
What does each watt cost?
It leads this group at 7.23 W/$, against 6.49 W/$ for the 3000W 12V Pure Sine Wave Inverter with UPS Transfer Switch, 4.55 W/$ for the 3500W 48V Solar Inverter Charger, 1.42 W/$ for the VFXR3648A Inverter/Charger and 1.18 W/$ for the MSH3012RV-L RV Inverter/Charger. Watts per dollar sorts inverters by price efficiency.
It does not account for features such as a built-in charger or a transfer switch.
Who is it for?
It takes a 12 V nominal battery input, as do the 3000W 12V Pure Sine Wave Inverter with UPS Transfer Switch and the MSH3012RV-L RV Inverter/Charger. Match any inverter to the voltage of your battery bank before anything else.
The 3500W 48V Solar Inverter Charger and the VFXR3648A Inverter/Charger take 48 V. If you only need AC power from a battery, a built-in charger is not required.
What changes with the UPS transfer switch version?
Next to the 3000W 12V Pure Sine Wave Inverter, the 3000W 12V Pure Sine Wave Inverter with UPS Transfer Switch holds its surge for 2 s instead of 1 s and costs $461.99 instead of $414.99. The 3000W 12V Pure Sine Wave Inverter with UPS Transfer Switch has the same 3000 W rating and the same 6000 W surge according to Renogy.
Going by its model name, 3000W 12V Pure Sine Wave Inverter with UPS Transfer Switch, it has a UPS transfer switch; no switchover time is listed for it. It weighs 14.8 lb and sits #2 of 5 at 6.49 W/$.
Where does the Renogy 48 V inverter charger fit?
The 3500W 48V Solar Inverter Charger is built around a 48 V battery. Renogy rates it at 3500 W continuous and lists an IP20 enclosure.
For $769.99 it ranks #3 of 5 at 4.55 W/$, and it weighs 23.8 lb.
What does the OutBack inverter charger offer?
OutBack Power rates the VFXR3648A Inverter/Charger at 3600 W continuous and 5400 W of surge for 5 s. It lists a CEC efficiency of 91 % and allows up to 10 units in parallel.
The maker gives an operating range down to -40 C and a warranty of 5 years. It costs $2,527.44 at A1 SolarStore and ranks #4 of 5 at 1.42 W/$.
Why consider the Magnum RV inverter charger?
Consider it if you want a built-in charger: Magnum Energy lists the MSH3012RV-L RV Inverter/Charger as able to charge a battery at up to 125 A. Magnum Energy lists battery types of lithium iron phosphate (LFP), gel, flooded or AGM. Its rating is 3000 W continuous, with 3500 W of surge for 5 s.
At $2,538.95 from A1 SolarStore, it is last on value: #5 of 5 at 1.18 W/$. Its warranty runs 3 years.