Inverter
The Inverter premiered in 1998 by Chance Rides in partnership with A.R.M Rides Ohio plant. A.R.M built the main structure and Chance, the passenger vehicle. At the time of Inverter’s debut, it sold for around USD$500,000.
Standing 48ft tall, Inverter’s structure consists of a counterweighted arm bearing a 24 person gondola with riders seated in six rows of four. As the arm rotates back and fourth, the gondola is geared to flip opposite, and at twice the rate, of the main boom. The structure is similar to A.R.M’s Ali Baba but with a different gear ratio to the gondola attachment, creating a completely different ride.
Inverter’s arm turns up to 8 RPM using 2 460 volt DC variable speed motors.
While the ride has lots of midway appeal; and is a stunning ride to watch, it has proven a far less remarkable experience to ride. Unfortunately the counter-direction of the gondola decreased the sensation of movement for the rider while the general sensation proved a head-achy yawn to a lot of its thrill-seeking target market.
With disappointing earnings for owners, A.R.M USA launched a conversion kit whereby the inverting gondola was replaced with an upright row of seats, that could be angled outwards. Re-branded as ‘Full Tilt’ it has proven considerably more popular. Alternatively Inverter can be retrofitted with a standard Ali Baba gondola.
Approximately 20 single-arm Inverters were manufactured and 2 permanent double-armed till production was discontinued in 2001. The number of unconverted Inverters currently operating is unknown, with the vast majority found in North American parks and carnivals.
Sounds like an okay ride, especially the newer models. This ride had just been launched when I first visited America and people were very excited about it at the time. Unfortunately I’m yet to ride one myself!
Ben - November 16th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Nice review Dave! I don’t think Inverter is that bad myself, however it depends on where you sit. The middlemost seats have barely any forces, but the outermost ones provide a cool slingshot type of motion that are really enjoyable. The harness design isn’t too great though as it digs into your thighs a bit.
DoD3Brian - November 18th, 2009 at 2:10 am
I ran N.A.M.E,s allstar devision inverter for 3 years its a great ride but the incoder on the bottom of the drive moter is very suseptable to moister and is suggested needs to be taken off before transporting down the road. because the ride is DC driven if the incoder lies to the drive cumputer and tells it its going slower than it really is the cumputer compansats and she will fly a whole lot faster than it was ever ment to.so when you cut the main power to the ride ther is know power coming in but because of DC she will keep flying until it disapates.makes for an exciting ride for the opperater.
tim - December 31st, 2009 at 2:33 am
Hi, I am going to Las Vegas in April for My Grandmas birthday and The Adventuredome has this ride its called The Inverter. I have never been on one before and this is my first time going on.
Jen - February 5th, 2010 at 10:51 am
This ride is awesome
Tony - June 6th, 2010 at 4:27 pm
Too bad Clementon Park and moreys piers sold their Inverter and Blue Diamond Park closed.
mb - July 21st, 2010 at 12:33 am
I went on the ride expecting it to be fun. It was kind of a disappointment. The thrill really isn’t that great. It crushes your legs and just hangs you upside down most of the time. The seats are tight and too close together — cramped.
I was thankful for the opportunity to ride it though because they are kind of hard to find. It does provide a great inverted view :P
jt - August 29th, 2010 at 3:22 pm
want to ride this
wavymouth - September 10th, 2010 at 7:19 am
once again my bff rode this too :) and i didnt! :(
Angel - December 21st, 2010 at 6:30 am
Our company owned one for three years, and it spent most of it’s time as a colorful light fixture than a ride.
Chuck - October 31st, 2011 at 2:42 pm
AT ALTON TOWERS THERE IS 1 LIKE THE INVATER. ITS CALLED THE SUBMISSION AND IT IS DOUBLE!!!!
oliver - December 4th, 2011 at 1:30 pm
These rides they had to stop making they had a massive recall on alot of these things because the locking clip that controlled the flipping movement malfunctioned crushing people at the bottom and killing others.
James - August 27th, 2012 at 1:34 pm
I want o buy a ride like the Inverter ride. If You sold it please tell me. And i want to know price and location. And how is the ride, about the operación condition. I’m from México.
Thanks for the info.
José Antonio gallardo - April 20th, 2014 at 11:54 am
Hi guys I go to kemah boardwalk they replaced their inverter with a ride called the flare. :c
Green Ninja - July 17th, 2014 at 1:38 pm
I think that hurricane ike was why they sold it at kemah boardwalk cuz it broke 4 times!!!!!!!
Green Ninja - August 5th, 2014 at 10:03 am
My friend rode it and his cousin, Terry, was screamin’ so loud when they were on board!!!!
Green Ninja - August 23rd, 2014 at 7:39 am
Rides at kemah:
Carousel (42″ without adult)
Jungle Bounce (36″)
Century Wheel (42″ without adult)
Aviator (42″-48″ with adult)
Inverter (48″)
Flare (48″)
Fire Ball (48″)
Rockin’ Rocket (42″ without adult)
Balloon Wheel (36″ without adult)
Train (42″ without adult)
Wipeout (42″)
Pharoah’s Fury (48″)
Boardwalk Bullet (48″)
Boardwalk Tower (42″)
Green Ninja - August 31st, 2014 at 11:31 pm
Wade Shows sold all of their inverters from these fairs:
Berrien County Youth Fair
Kalamazoo County Fair
South Florida Fair
Dearborn Homecoming
Gilbrater Trade Center
Tulsa State Fair
Green Ninja - January 12th, 2015 at 11:14 am
They now use the rock star ride instead and also every chance inverter that exists will one day be turned into an ali baba ride
Green Ninja - January 12th, 2015 at 11:15 am
And also the rock star has better restraints becuz they are metal, but the inverter can’t have metal restraints becuz someone could fall out
Green Ninja - January 12th, 2015 at 11:18 am
It sounds like this is nearly an extinct ride. They seemed to be very complicated to maintain, very contrary to what most operators want, let alone customers. I know there is still one operating at Adventureland in Iowa. Not sure if any others still exist???
RideRocker - June 19th, 2015 at 6:03 am
hi, this ride does not exist anymore.
OllieTGS - June 19th, 2015 at 3:48 pm
Yes its extinct becuz every fair ive visited with wade shows theyve had the A.R.M. SkyRider (Kamikaze), then the Inverter, and now the A.R.M. RockStar
Green Ninja - July 1st, 2015 at 7:38 am
The Inverter was replaced at the South Florida Fair in 2014 by the A.R.M. Rock Star. In fact, most all Inverters have been replaced by an A.R.M. Ali Baba-style Ride.
South Florida Thrills - February 13th, 2016 at 11:36 am
The Inverter was very popular at Wade Shows in 2012 and 2013, then it was sold in 2014
South Florida Thrills - February 13th, 2016 at 11:37 am
Iowa’s Adventureland still has the Inverter, but it’s rumored to be going away. Interesting about the conversion to Full Tilt. That might be an interesting option for the park if they didn’t already have Falling Star.
Allen Huffman - August 18th, 2016 at 4:02 am
I like the Inverter ride that I went on. I rode that ride four times, more than any other ride. I miss that ride, it was my favorite ride. They ought to improve it better and remake it again.
John-Michael Mahnke - February 20th, 2017 at 2:37 pm
rip submission
Terra Verso - May 29th, 2017 at 8:49 am
shame this ride doesn’t exist anymore.
Terra Verso - October 22nd, 2017 at 6:38 pm
This ride still exists, there is an Inverter at the “Adventuredome”, an indoor themepark in Las Vegas.
John Smith - January 7th, 2019 at 5:47 pm