So, tinkering with something else that's broken.
I acquired a "can" sized modified inverter.
Now, it looks quite well made, and upon powering it up, it buzzes.
Probing inside, revealed that they take the battery input voltage, switch it with 4 fets and a TL494 switchmode controller IC, then rectify it, to get about 340volts dc.
This all works.
Then, the 340volts dc goes through 4 more mosfets, being controlled by another TL494, to get the modified 50Hz sinewave, 230volts ac output.
What I am instead getting, is a 50Hz, modified sinewave,
9volts ac.
I'll get some pics, but where does one start? could the mosfets doing the 50hz modified switching actually drop this much voltage across them?