A power inverter is an electrical device that can convert Direct Current (DC) to Alternating Current (AC). It is mostly used in battery power sources for vehicles such as trucks, buses, cars, boats, and airplanes, which enables them to start their engine and other accessories in particular.
Why Do We Need Power Inverters?
People might ask, why do we need power inverters? What purpose does this electronic device serve us? The answer is quite simple. A lot of people nowadays travel abroad overseas and buy stuffs, such as electrical appliances and other electronic devices. Some of these require AC high power source (110VAC for European and Western Country, 220VAC Asia and Middle East County), and that's why we need power inverters.
Some Of The Uses Of Power Inverters:
Camping - Power inverters can provide electricity when you are camping With Your Rover “RV”s at parks that do not provide electricity. A TV, toaster, Blender, Refrigeration unit For your Food and Beer, needs AC power Sources.
Emergency Units - Power inverters can run medical equipments that require electricity in emergency situations, such as blood pressure cuff or oxygen monitor. Examination rooms may also have medical equipment such as digital thermometers and nebulizer machines, mostly found on an ambulance.
Power Failures - In black outs or power failures, just plug the power inverter in your vehicle. Start the motor and it can run a radio to tune into important alerts, watch TV, play video games and can even run your PC or laptops.
Car Gadget’s Power Source - You can also use this kind of inverters in a custom vehicle, some of the examples of a custom vehicles are featured on MTV Pimp My RIDE (it’s a reality TV show with rapper, Xzibit and the good people at West Coast Customs where they make people’s cars go from dirt to pimped in this 30 minute show that airs weekly on MTV last year).
Making your car a one of a kind luxury vehicle should have all sorts of gadgets needed. Some of these gadgets are Flat-screen portable TV, DVD players, Desktop PC, Game Consoles like Xbox, Sony Playstation and Sega Dreamcast, a refrigeration unit and you can even include a sing along system.
All of the things mentioned above need an AC power line so that you can use it. Since the vehicle only provide a 12 VDC to 24 VDC maximum voltage source, you need to provide an AC power source, and the only reliable and most compact ways to implement this kind of sophistication is a Power Inverter.
You could also plug your inverter to a cigarette lighter on the dashboard and there’s your standard power source.
Choosing A Good Power Inverter
In choosing a power inverter with good qualities, there are some features that we must look into. One good feature is an efficiency of 90%, obtained from this formula: power output / power input * 100%. Another feature is that it should have a temperature protection mechanism such as an embedded cooling fan, overload protection, and battery over- and under-voltage protection. Power inverters should also be portable, economical, and silently operate. Aside from these, the maintenance for a power inverter should just be low.
Another important factor in choosing a good power inverter is having a regulated output to protect sensitive equipments. Pure Sine Wave inverters, Pure Sine Wave Output and Modified Sine Wave all have Phase Corrected Output which produces a better and cleaner current.
Power inverters doesn’t have to be expensive as long as it is safe and efficient to use. Choosing the best quality but inexpensive power inverter products would be a wise move for buyers.
Choosing The Power Inverter That Matches Your Needs
Choosing the right power inverter that matches what you need is possibly one of the most important thing that you have to do first before buying anything in you typical electronic store or your favorite online electronic shop.
Example:
- TV that Have 75 watts require a 100 watts Power inverter
- 400 watts Toaster Require at least 500 watts Power inverter
- DVD Player Require 100 watts Power inverter.
Do’s and Dont’s When You Have Power Inverters At Home
* Don’t put your power inverter to wet surfaces. It’s pretty self-explanatory actually, a power inverter is an electrical device and in physics 101, water conducts electricity. Putting any electrical devices near wet or watery surfaces may cause electrocution to anyone near the device.
* Do not plug a 1500 watts appliances to a 1000 watts power inverters.
* Put your power inverters to stable position. Vibration will shake the component of your power inverter and eventually malfunction due component break down.
* Use standard and insulated wires in wiring your power inverter. Poor wiring may lead to short-circuit and may cause fire outbreaks.
* Overloading the power inverter beyond the maximum power limits. It isn’t a good idea for it may cause explosion.