They're meant to be portable, so there's no other mounting to be done. These inverters have a cable with a plug that fits into the cigarette lighter on your car or truck. Most of them are "plug and play" devices, especially smaller, low-wattage inverters.
Ac power converter how to#
On the next page, we'll explain how to install an inverter. Modified sine means that the current is run through some filtering, so it isn't a square wave, but it isn't totally smooth either. Be prepared for sticker shock - a perfect sine inverter can cost almost 10 times as much as the same wattage inverter with a modified sine output.
If you'll be powering any of the equipment that is sensitive to square waves, look for an inverter with a "perfect sine" wave output. The final specification to look for is the wave output of the inverter. In fact, if you try to pass more than about 400 watts through a cigarette lighter connection, it will fail - and it might even start a fire in your vehicle. If you plan to run your inverter through the cigarette lighter in your car, it's a safe bet that you won't be using any high-wattage devices.
Again, check the label on the device to make sure. The power wattage might be twice that amount. As an example, you may know that your microwave is a 500-watt microwave. Most inverters also have a peak rating, so make sure the inverter's peak rating is higher than the peak wattage of the device you intend to power. This is known as peak or surge, and this information should also be listed on the device's label. Devices that have electric motors, as well as some televisions, draw a higher wattage than their normal operating wattage rating when they first start up. Unfortunately, things aren't quite that simple. In the next section, we'll learn how to pick the right inverter for the job. In fact, some high-end DC to AC inverters can make sine waves that are even smoother than the AC power supplied to your house. The good news: Given a large enough budget, you can purchase an AC power inverter that produces virtually perfect AC sines. Inverters can get extremely expensive, even costing thousands of dollars, that is, if you're looking for an inverter with a smooth sine. Of course, better filtering also costs a little more. If you need a smoother sine wave, you'll need an inverter with better filtering. The alternating current they produce has a very square wave, which is fine if you just want to make coffee or run something with a simple electric motor. Inexpensive inverters have little or no filtering.
Ac power converter series#
You can see or hear the square waveform on a television as lines on the screen or a steady buzz or hum.Ĭleaning up the sine wave requires a series of filters, inductors and capacitors. Typically, these are devices that receive or broadcast some kind of signal, such as audio or video equipment, navigation devices or sensitive scientific equipment. Some devices are inherently sensitive to the signal produced by an AC wave. The output of an inverter is a very square wave, not like the smooth, round wave of a perfect sine. It's not quite as simple as that, however. AC power works well at high voltages, and can be "stepped up" in voltage by a transformer more easily than direct current can. It does this very quickly - 60 times per second in most U.S. Alternating current or AC, constantly changes polarity, sending current one way through the circuit, then reversing and sending it the other way. They're designed to run on the 120-volt AC power supplied to homes in the U.S. Many devices need more power to function properly than DC can provide. The ability to provide direct current power is inherent to the nature of batteries.ĭirect current is very useful, but batteries can generally only provide relatively low-voltage DC power. The flow is in one direction only, hence the name direct current. This means that the current flows continuously from the negative terminal of the battery, through the completed circuit and back to the positive terminal of the battery. In either case, the battery provides direct current. It's important to know your vehicle's voltage because the voltage rating of the inverter you select should match the voltage of the battery. In some cases, a heavy-duty 24-volt battery might be used. Most cars and motor homes derive their power from a 12-volt battery.
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