The Basics Of A
Power Inverter
A power inverter is a converter of DC power or direct current electrical energy
to standard AC power or alternating current electrical energy,
allowing you to run electrical equipment off your car battery
for mobile applications or simple convenience.
A power inverter is usually a small rectangular device with a
trailing wire ending with a jack that plugs directly into the
cigarette lighter of your car or having jumper cables for direct
battery connection. Equipped with one or two outlets for
standard electrical cords, it can convert power for your laptop,
small-screen TV or portable DVD theater.
A power inverter is great when you are going camping and do
not have a standard electricity outlet. You don't have to give
up on household useful power consumers like a toaster or
blender, or entertainment means as a stereo or video camera.
During a power outage, a power inverter may be used for emergency power consumption.
Solve your power needs by running an extension cord from your
car or a charged battery into the house. Anything falling within
the inverter's limits will work during such a period, from a
radio, lights or essential medical equipment, provided you have
the alternate energy source
A power inverter can come in many models, the main variation
is the power output in watts, depending on how many devices you
want to connect to the energy source. To know what wattage you
require from you power inverter, add up the total wattage of the devices you
want to connect, then at least half more of the sum. You must
take into account peaks or spikes in the power draw that may be
harmful to your devices.
Take note and keep the engine
running for 10-15 minutes when you're using you car lighter as
an outlet for continuous consumption. This is to avoid your
battery from discharging. And BE WARNED not to start a vehicle
within closed premises, or without proper ventilation, the
carbon monoxide from the exhaust is lethal.
A power inverter operates assuming that you are connecting it
to a good condition and charged battery, so a weak battery is
easily drained, especially when connecting more consumers to it.
So make sure that you check you battery's condition before using
it as a power source with a power inverter in a stationary vehicle. On the other hand,
if you are using a power inverter during for example a road trip, provided that
the battery is in good condition, the extra draw should be no
problem.
A power inverter can produce one of these three different
types of wave output: Square Wave Modified Square Wave (Modified
Sine Wave) Pure Sine Wave (True Sine Wave)
These represent
wave signal qualities of power output and consequently different
price categories.
A square wave power inverter produces an uneven power delivery that is not
efficient for running most devices. By far the most popular
because of the price to quality ratio, a modified square wave
(modified sine wave) power inverter delivers consistent power, efficient enough
to run most devices fine.
A pure sine wave power inverter is the most expensive type, but they also
deliver the most consistent wave output. This type of power inverter is used for sensitive consumers like certain
medical equipment or variable speed, rechargeable tools. Ask
your manufacturer what type of power inverter you can use.
Be sure that you read the
instruction manual coming with your power inverter and make use of all safety regulations
regarding electrical equipment, as improper use of power inverters or work with car batteries can be hazardous
to your health.
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