New inverter solves credit card processing problems!?
W9GFO
Posts: 4,010
Okay, it was hard to think of an appropriate subject line for this.
My parents run a mobile tool business - like Snap-On. They have recently invested in mobile broadband and a card reader so that they can process credit cards without having to use their old standalone wireless unit.
In the literature that they were provided by the franchise they were told that they may need a new inverter (pure sine wave) to be able to use the system effectively. They currently have a modified sine wave inverter which the laptop and receipt printer is plugged into.
The only way this made any sense to me is if the new credit card reader used a power supply that could not tolerate the modified sine wave.
As it turns out, the credit card reader is USB powered.
Why on earth would a new inverter be required? My parents are the type that would have just spent the extra money, plus someone to install it, if I hadn't suggested that they just wait and see. So far everything is working fine.
Rich H
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The Simple Servo Tester, a kit from Gadget Gangster.
Post Edited (W9GFO) : 3/29/2010 6:43:05 PM GMT
My parents run a mobile tool business - like Snap-On. They have recently invested in mobile broadband and a card reader so that they can process credit cards without having to use their old standalone wireless unit.
In the literature that they were provided by the franchise they were told that they may need a new inverter (pure sine wave) to be able to use the system effectively. They currently have a modified sine wave inverter which the laptop and receipt printer is plugged into.
The only way this made any sense to me is if the new credit card reader used a power supply that could not tolerate the modified sine wave.
As it turns out, the credit card reader is USB powered.
Why on earth would a new inverter be required? My parents are the type that would have just spent the extra money, plus someone to install it, if I hadn't suggested that they just wait and see. So far everything is working fine.
Rich H
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The Simple Servo Tester, a kit from Gadget Gangster.
Post Edited (W9GFO) : 3/29/2010 6:43:05 PM GMT
Comments
Rich H
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The Simple Servo Tester, a kit from Gadget Gangster.
Post Edited (W9GFO) : 3/29/2010 6:43:56 PM GMT
I think Erik was trying to say is that some one misunderstood what the true requirements needed to be and they ran with it.
Not to mention, if you *make* one customer buy a special gizmo and not the other one... some one is going to be very unhappy if they ever find out. Some times companies blindly lie to you because they are in to deep and won't admit that you probably didn't need it. If only every company was as trustworthy as Parallax...
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Alex Burke
"It is not how smart you are rather, it is how you are smart." -Jon Campbell
I didn't mean to discount what he said - I agree. I just wanted to emphasize that the suggestion to upgrade the inverter was very prominent. It was sent in a full page email, it almost seems mandatory. Especially so when you consider that the target of the ad is non computer savvy people who need to avoid processing problems at all costs.
Apparently, some peoples' problems were solved by the upgrade, that's the story anyway...
Rich H
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The Simple Servo Tester, a kit from Gadget Gangster.
Well I did a little googleing because I am curious why they would go to all this trouble. Sorry if you said this already, but I think it may be that the end devices were overheating with only a modified sine wave inverter. This is because it squares off the wave without rounded corners. This would explain why it would work for you, but it is basically a dice roll or special circumstance that would start to blow fuses or overheat your equipment. Apparently this is happening to others so thats my guess. If you are powering it through a laptop you are probably getting some extra protection through that device (As long as your laptop can take it).
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Alex Burke
"It is not how smart you are rather, it is how you are smart." -Jon Campbell
Rich H
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The Simple Servo Tester, a kit from Gadget Gangster.
I recently replaced a cheap 400w inverter because the inverter would shutdown any time I would plug in the power supply for my Dell Mini. My new not so cheap 400w inverter runs the Mini just fine.
-dan
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Arguing with myself--sometimes me, myself, and I don't always agree.
(Former) Caterpillar product support technician
I have rigged up a USB port that is powered separately from a 4 cell battery pack. We'll see if that makes any difference.
Rich H
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The Simple Servo Tester, a kit from Gadget Gangster.
Rich H
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The Simple Servo Tester, a kit from Gadget Gangster.
We will try the extension cord thing this evening...
Rich h
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The Simple Servo Tester, a kit from Gadget Gangster.
The laptop and receipt printer are plugged into the wall outlet, which is supplied by the inverter.
The receipt printer is connected to the laptop via USB and of course the card reader is connected by a USB cable.
With the laptop plugged into the house via an extension cord and the receipt printer plugged into the inverter - the card reader doesn't work. Unplug the receipt printer (either the USB cable or the power), then it does work.
With the laptop plugged into nothing and the receipt printer plugged into the inverter - the card reader doesn't work.
Essentially, if there is any connection at all to the inverter then the card reader won't work.
The solution for now is that whenever he needs to swipe a card he has to unplug both the laptop and the printer from the outlet, swipe the card, then plug them back in. I tried using a power strip so that he could just switch the power off and back on but that doesn't work - probably because there is still a path connecting the inverter to the card reader.
I guess he really does need a new inverter.
Rich H
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The Simple Servo Tester, a kit from Gadget Gangster.
Going from 12VDC to 120VAC then back to 18 to 21V DC just seems like such a roundabout way of powering a laptop.
Post Edited (kwinn) : 4/1/2010 4:46:11 AM GMT
Do I understand that the printer is asking for 120V? How is that W9GFO?
I don't know too much about internal workings on inverters, but would it work to clean up the edges with a combination of chokes and caps? Do you suppose that the sharp edges are what is causing the problems, or does it really have to be a sine wave?
I agree..
Inverters back to a brick ..is bulky RF Noisy and Inefficient ..
IMPO I would make my own DC-DC SMPS for each Device custom
Or hack the Auto/Air DC-DC for the PSU ... most If you look carfully are easy to find the V divider so you can tweak the V Out a tad to any thing you want.
As for your printer . its most likely taht the PSU is inside ..
Making a DC-DC for it might need 3.3 5 and 12 and 24 V or so to run ..
KG6LSE
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"Carpe Ducktum" "seize the tape!!"
peterthethinker.com/tesla/Venom/Venom.html
Never underestimate the bandwidth of a station wagon full of tapes hurtling down the highway. —Tanenbaum, Andrew S.
LOL
* With a square(ish) wave, does the downstream equipment have a tough time seeing the zero crossing point?
* Are we potentially looking at circutits designed to "flatten" a sine wave having issues "flattening" the square wave? (Does it require a a slightly different RCL circuit because of the longer time at full voltage, and shorter time in transition.)
* Is there potentially more power to dissapate (and hence more heat) because of the wave form of the incomming power?
* Are there unseen/unnoticed spikes at the corners of the square wave?
Without putting a 'scope on a few points, there could be plenty of questions.
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John R.
Click here to see my Nomad Build Log