Generally anything with a motor or heating element wont work correctly in Canada. I wouldn't buy an inverter; why go 12v to 240v when you can use a transformer, most things are not frequency sensitive ( unless it has a motor). A cheap modified sine wave inverter is no good for inductive loads anyway.

I'd see what you need a transformer for, write down the current/Watts info from the applience label and scour the internet to see how much a 110/240 transformer is going to cost or to have a single phase 240v supply installed.

When I emigrate I intend to take only the items that will work out the box.

Not sure what your source is for this information but modified sine wave inverters are perfectly good for inductive loads such as motors

That really isn't born out by experience. I've used the following with no problem (via a step up transformer):

- coffee maker
- electric whisk
- food processor(s)
- hair dryer
- various convection heaters

No doubt the extra hertz will be placing more load on some of them but, after 2 years without trouble, you have to assume it's within the design tolerance of most items.

You have no idea what your talking about !!

Some things wont work on an invertor because of the square nature of the AC generated, but they are few and far between. Things like electric blankets that use a simple electronic controlled (like a dimmer switch triac) to control the heat cycle tend to get overwhelmed, and although the light comes on and blinks, the blanket itself doesnt heat up.

But as a general rule, if you are shipping a container with furnature, you may as well fill it.

If you are travelling light, then sell up and just bring money to get replacements for stuff. Kijiji and the countless yard sales are good for that, no need to buy new.

But if it was purely a resistive system that was controlled by a bi-metallic strip you wouldn't need an inverter or a transformer, it would actually function on 110v… just like a kettle will work but it’d just be slower

Not that I would recommend using an electric blanket outside of its specified operating range

The items that spring to mind are those that depend on converting the sinusoidal frequency into a clock pulse used in timing circuits.

Its the triac ones that chop up the AC signal to control the load to the heating elements that cant cope with a square wave... post edited...

Ah, that makes sense.

If it's a simple to modify circuit the trac could be replaced with a diode (so the thing would operate on 50% power and not be adjustable).

My guess is that as the voltage switching from full +120 to full -120 ever few mSec it simply doesnt have time to heat up. Either that or the triac controller gets fried by the sudden 240V in 0ms swings. just a guess though, Im not that sort of engineer.

As far as I remember the triac will switch on upto 90 degrees into the alternation based on the input at the gate, then remain on until 180 degrees (the end of the alternation). So basically giving variable control between half power and full power.

So my guess is it's either not switching on at all or it's fried.

Loving the new signature btw

Im glad People read so much into them

All I can tell you is that almost everything we brought with us works fine - either on the regular 110v or with a transformer.