F.A.Q

About Power Inverters

1. What is the difference between 12 volt and 24 volt power inverter?

The difference is the type of battery you want to run your power inverter on. Most vehicles run off a 12 volt battery. The 24 volt are generally used in large trucks or industrial motors.

2.What can a power inverter do and what can I use one for?

A power inverter converts DC power into conventional AC power which can run all kinds of household products such as: kitchen appliances, microwaves, power tools, TVs, radios, computers and more. You just connect the inverter to a battery, and plug your AC devices into the inverter and you've got power on the go.

3.How long can I run the inverter on my battery?

The difference is the type of battery you want to run your power inverter on. Most vehicles run off a 12 volt battery. The 24 volt are generally used in large trucks or industrial motors.

4.Can I operate a microwave with a power inverter?

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 525 watts usually corresponds to almost 1100 watts of power consumption). The actual power consumption is usually stated on the back of the microwave. If the operating power requirement cannot be found on the back of the microwave, check the owner's manual or contact the manufacturer.

5.How Inverters Work?

Simply put, an inverter is an electronic device that converts low voltage DC (direct current) battery power to 115 volt (or 230 volt internationally) AC (alternating current) household electrical power. Hand-held inverters can be plugged into any vehicle cigarette lighter outlet, producing output power levels ranging from 50 to 250* watts. Larger, high output inverters can be hard wired directly to a DC battery source and deliver power from 800 to 2500 watts. * Intermittent operation only. Over 150 watts continuous requires direct connection to the 12 (or 24) volt power source.

6.Principle of Operation

Most inverters convert DC power in two stages. The first stage is a DC-to-DC converter that raises the low voltage DC at the inverter input to 145 volts DC. The second stage is the actual inverter stage. It converts the high voltage DC into 115 volts, 60 Hz AC (230 volt, 50 Hz internationally). The DC-to-DC converter stage uses modern high frequency power conversion techniques that eliminate the bulky transformers found in inverters based on older technology. The inverter stage uses advanced power MOSFET transistors in a full bridge configuration. This gives you excellent overload capability and the ability to operate tough reactive loads like lamp ballast's and small induction motors.

7.How to Calculate Wattage to Determine Inverter Size

Most inverters currently on the market range in size from 50 watts up to 2500 watts. In determining the correct size, the actual wattage draw of the products being operated from the inverter must be determined. Many appliances and power tools will have the wattage draw stamped right on their back panel. For those appliances that do not, the wattage amount will have to be calculated.

About Voltage Converters / Transformers

1.How do I choose the right transformer?

On the back of your appliance, you will find a label describing the power requirements. You should see a label describing the Wattage (W) or the Amperage (A) of the appliance. Once noted, choose a voltage transformer / converter which can handle a higher amount of wattage then your device is rated at. Certain devices which are motor based may require additional power to start up then indicated (know as Surge), in this case always add an extra 20% to the power requirements of your device. Check out our VOLTAGE CONVERTERS page.

2.What kind of converter do I need for a TV or Monitor?

To connect a television to a converter you must choose a converter more powerful that what is indicated at the rear of your TV set, because it creates a surge when it is turned on. We would recommend the VC750W for any TV or Monitor.

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