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Guide to Power Inverters

What does a power inverter do, and what can I use one for?

A power inverter changes direct current (DC) power from a battery, usually 12V or 24V, into

conventional mains alternating current (AC) power at 230V. This means that you can use one to

operate all kinds of devices ... electric lights, kitchen appliances, power tools, TVs, radios, computers,

to name just a few.

Just connect the inverter to a battery, and plug your AC devices into the inverter and you've got

portable power whenever and wherever you need it.

The inverter draws its power from a 12V or 24V battery (preferably deep-cycle), or several batteries

wired in parallel. The battery will need to be recharged as the power is drawn out of it by the

inverter. The battery can be recharged by running the car or lorry motor, or a generator, solar

panels, or wind turbine. Or you can use a battery charger plugged into an AC outlet to recharge the

battery.

Summary of content (10 pages)

PAGE 1
Guide to Power Inverters What does a power inverter do, and what can I use one for? A power inverter changes direct current (DC) power from a battery, usually 12V or 24V, into conventional mains alternating current (AC) power at 230V. This means that you can use one to operate all kinds of devices ... electric lights, kitchen appliances, power tools, TVs, radios, computers, to name just a few.
PAGE 2
Types of Inverter There are 2 types of inverters available for use in consumer applications. These are: Pure Sine Wave Inverters: The name pure sine wave inverters come from the wave form of its output. They have pure sine wave form output as show in above diagram. This is identical or to replicate as close as possible to general mains.
PAGE 3
d) Prevents crashes in computers, glitches and noise in monitors. e) Reliably powers the following devices that normally won’t work with modified sine wave inverters: • Laser printers, photocopiers, magneto-optical hard drives. • Some fluorescent lights with electric ballasts. • Power tools running on AC motor and variable speed control. • Sewing machines with speed/microprocessor control. • Charger for rechargeable battery.
PAGE 4
Example: You want to power a computer, some lights and a radio with power as below. Computer: 2 x 60W lights: Radio: Total Power Needed: 300W 120W 10W 430W For this application, an inverter with minimum power of 600W is recommended. As 600W is twice the power of the highest power device and the total power of 430W is still within the maximum power rating of the inverter.
PAGE 5
To work out current/battery capacity requirement (for 12V system): Power (Watts) / 12V = Current hour (Ah) This is the rough calculation for the size of a vehicle alternator you would need to keep up with a specific load, as an inverters efficiency is only rated around 90%, the current requirement will need to be 10% higher; for example, to keep up with a continuous draw of 1000W, you would need: (1000 ÷ 12) × 1.1 = 91.67Ah Therefore an alternator with minimum output current of 91.
PAGE 6
What type of battery should I use (automotive or deep cycle)? Small Inverters (up to 500W) Most leisure and marine batteries will provide an ample power supply for 30 to 60 minutes even when the engine is off. Actual time may vary depending on the age and condition of the battery, and the power demand being placed on it by the equipment being operated by the inverter.
PAGE 7
How do I connect two or more batteries? It may be advisable to operate the inverter from an array of 12V batteries of the same type in a "parallel" configuration. Two such batteries will generate twice the Amps/hour of a single battery; three batteries will generate three times the Amps/hour, and so on. This will lengthen the time before your batteries will need to be recharged, giving you a longer time that you can run your appliances.
PAGE 8
Microwave Ovens & Power Inverters The power rating used with microwave ovens is the "cooking power" which refers to the power being "delivered" to the food being cooked. The actual operating power requirement rating is higher than the cooking power rating (for example, a microwave with "advertised" rating of 600W usually corresponds to almost 1200W - 1500W of power consumption). The actual power consumption is usually stated on a label located at the back of the microwave.
PAGE 9
NOTE: Some inexpensive audio systems may experience a slight "buzzing" sound when operated with a modified sine wave inverter. This is caused by deficient filters in the audio system. Pure sine wave inverter can be used to reduce the buzzing noise. Appliance Cautions: DO NOT use an inverter to directly recharge nickel-cadmium batteries through appliances. Always use the charger provided with that appliance.
PAGE 10
General Safety Precautions and Installation Tips: • • • • • Place the inverter on a reasonably flat surface, either horizontally or vertically. The inverter should not be installed in the engine compartment, due to possible water/oil/acid contamination, and excessive heat under the bonnet, as well as potential danger from petrol fumes and the spark that an inverter can occasionally produce. It's best to run battery cables to a dry, cool mounting location. Keep the inverter dry.