How to Select a Car Power Inverter

Power inverters are become more and more common everyday. Most of us now take our electronic devices on the road with us and the need to have an A/C outlet in our cars has been a problem. From our iPods to our laptops, there are countless toys and work related items that we need and want in our cars. This is where the power inverter can save the day. These unobtrusive metal boxes fit easily into a glove box. They can be taken out, plugged into a cigarette lighter and presto, you have an A/C outlet. Now there are many different sizes and models to choose from and also a lot of confusion.

Selecting the right model

The first question to answer is what make and model do I need. Well, to be fair not all power inverters are created equal or priced equal for that matter. You can pick up an inexpensive model at your local big box store for under $30. However, don?t expect it to last very long. I personally purchased 2 of these cheaper models trying to save a buck and neither one lasted more than 2 months. I suspect it was because the cheap model didn?t come with a cooling fan and simply burned up. Based on my past experience, I would recommend a model that has a cooling fan. Power inverters build up heat and need to be cooled in order to function properly. Also, look for a model with metal construction as opposed to a plastic shell. I have dropped mine several times getting out of my car and the heavy duty metal construction has saved my car power inverter on more than one occasion. Another feature that the larger models have is the ability to hook your inverter directly to your car battery with a pair of cables and clamps. This is a nice option if you are camping or have a temporary power failure at the house. You won?t have to crank your car and the direct connection is superior to going through the thin cigarette lighter wire. The cigarette also limits the amount of watts you pull.

Sizing a power inverter

Power inverters come lots of sizes, ranging from small 100 watt inverters that fit directly into a cigarette light all the way to a 3,000 way model with 4 or more A/C outlets. Selecting the right size car power inverter is a relatively simple process. How many and what types of devices will you be running from your inverter? To find out, just look for a sticker or label that specifies how many watts that device will require. Sometimes only amps are given and there is a simple formula to calculate the watts. ( Amps X Volts = Watts).

Here is a quick list of common electronic devices and their watts:

Laptop computer 300 watts

Small desk lamp 20 watts

Toaster 1,500 watts

Radio 15 watts

Television 100 watts

Installing your power inverter

The smaller 100 watt models are the easiest to install. They simply plug into your 12 volt cigarette lighter plug and some models are totally self contained. This means that the whole unit fits right into the power source. This basically converts your cigarette lighter into a 110 volt A/C plug. Larger inverters are in a metal box with a cooling fan and have a cable with an adapter that plugs into the lighter. These models are generally small enough to be stored in a glove box until needed or can be mounted under the dashboard as well. The biggest models have cables that can be directly connected to your car?s electrical system or hooked directly to the battery terminals with some clamps. These large 1,000 to 3,000 watt models are great for emergency power in a blackout or on a camping trip.

Armed with this information, you should be able to select the right car power inverter for your needs and never be without 110 volt A/C power again!

Jason is the webmaster for Red Hill Supply - Online Air Tools

Car Power Inverters

 

Cheap Power Inverters

Quality is the hardest thing to evaluate from the description of a power inverter. You can go by status or by price (i.e. you generally get what you pay for). Cheap power inverters can be good value for money, but be prepared to purchase another one at short period.

Power Inverters convert DC power stored in batteries into AC power to run conventional electronic equipments. A power inverter allows you to run computers, entertainment systems, power tools and kitchen appliances.

Power inverters differ in price, power rating, efficiency, waveform and reliability. They produce three types of waveforms, square wave, modified sine or square wave, and true sine wave. The simplest and cheapest is a square wave inverter, but today it is uncommon. Many devices will not work on a square wave signal. True sine wave inverters work well, but are expensive. It is important to remember that the cheap power inverters might not be of good quality.

Cheap inverters often produce a square wave signal that has the same frequency of a modified square wave inverter, but sharp edges in place of smooth curves. They cause noises in many appliances, but they work quite good most of the time. Transformer operated appliances actually don't like this type of signal. There is really a risk of damaging the power supply running it from a cheap power inverter.

Cheap inverters are fine for light bulbs, but appliances like variable speed motors (e.g., electric drills) and sensitive electronics (e.g., computer power supplies) often get damaged. Lots of cheap inverters are available in the market these days. One way to find such inverters is to read the advertisements and special deals posted by each of the major companies. Then simply compare the prices from company to company and select one. The Internet is also a place where you can do all your cheap inverter research and purchasing.

Power Inverters provides detailed information on Power Inverters, DC To AC Power Inverters, Emergency Power Inverters, Car Power Inverter and more. Power Inverters is affiliated with How to Replace a Circuit Breaker.

 

What are Power Inverters?

The storage batteries used in alternating power systems store DC (direct current) power. But, most modern electronic appliances depend on AC (alternating current) power. A power inverter can provide the comforts and conveniences of modern living. It is an electronic piece of equipment that converts DC power into conventional AC power.

During blackouts, a power inverter can be used for emergency power. It is used to run all sorts of household equipments, including kitchen appliances, power tools, TVs, computers, and more.

Power inverters are normally small, rectangular shaped units. There are normally one or two outlets available for standard cords. Inverters normally draw their power from 12V, 24 V batteries, or several batteries wired in parallel. The batteries are discharged as the unit draws the power out of it. Automobile motors, solar panels, gas generators, and other standard sources are used for battery charging.

Power inverters are available in several models that differ in watts. The required amount of inverter wattage depends on the total draw of the devices, plus at least 50% more to account for peaks or spikes in the power draw. For example if your computer draws 100 watts and your home theater another 100 watts, a minimum 300 watt inverter is suggested.

A typical power inverter produces square wave, modified square or sine wave, and pure sine wave (true sine wave). The waves denote three dissimilar qualities of power output and three different price ranges. Owing to uneven power delivery, square inverters, the initial types of inverters, are almost outdated. Modified inverters, less expensive and probably the most common, produce consistent and efficient power. True sine wave inverters are highly expensive and they also deliver the most consistent wave output.

Always use highly rated power inverters for the devices you are running. Avoid adapters that would permit more outlets than the unit is designed to accommodate. Since improper use of a unit may lead to burning, make sure that you read and follow all safety measures listed in the user?s manual.

Power Inverters provides detailed information on Power Inverters, DC To AC Power Inverters, Emergency Power Inverters, Car Power Inverter and more. Power Inverters is affiliated with How to Replace a Circuit Breaker.

Power Inverters - Empowers Applications During An Outage

For emergency power, such as during an outage, power inverters can be used with an extension cord to plug in electric appliances. Power inverters are an electronic device that converts direct current (DC) of 12 volts to alternating current (AC) of 120 volts for operation of household appliances.

These are commonly used for energy for domestic appliances like electric lights, kitchen appliances, electric tools, microwaves, radios, and computers.

With DC AC power inverters, energy stored in a battery is transformed to AC electricity for usage in wide variety of applications. While switching from direct current to high voltage alternating current, many of these convert with a 90% efficiency.

These are available in different models varying in watts and sizes. The different capacity options should your main consideration when choosing one.

As these mechanisms normally assume that the source battery is in good condition and fully charged, it is necessary that the engine inside the source vehicle be started at least once an hour for 10-15 minutes to avoid discharge.

There are three basic types:

1. Square wave have become obsolete and are not recommended due to their inefficiency, noise and harshness.

2. Modified sine wave are most popular and are commonly sufficient to run most devices.

3. True-sine wave produce from the public utility grid system and are best for sensitive electronics. The output pattern is equivalent to 60Hz grid power.

Determining the best to suit and meet your requirements appropriately requires a careful consideration on these points:

* Would you use it daily or on an occasional basis?

* How many electrical outlets do you wish to plug in? Choose the size that best fits your needs.

* Does the entire load exceed 150 watts? If yes, a direct connection (DC) to the cell needs to be established.

* Are you planning to use heavy-draw equipment? If yes, a large-capacity unit and direct connection is required.

- Right Size for Your Needs

Deciding the best or suitable size of power inverters requires addition of the wattage requirement of all the appliances that will function at the same time. It is always recommended to consider the higher figure as this ensures that the inverter will provide for all appliances safely.

Depending on the amp-hour capacity available, the length of time an inverter functions can be estimated.

- Type of Batteries Recommended

Actual time for recharging depends on the age and condition of the battery and the demand being placed on the equipment being operated by the inverter.

For 500 watts and larger inverters we recommend use of deep cycle (marine or RV) batteries that provide several hundred complete charge/discharge cycles. Start the engine every 30 to 60 minutes and let it run for 10 minutes to recharge.

When DC to AC power inverters are operating appliances with high continuous load ratings for extended periods, it's advisable to connect to a stand alone battery - not the one in your car.

If car or truck battery is excessively used, it's possible that it will drain to a point when it has insufficient reserve, so use an extra deep cycle one. Deep cycle batteries are capable of withstanding repeated drains and have the highest reserve ratings.

For a wide variety of power inverters and battery options, visit http://www.all-battery.com/. All-Battery.com offers dependable, quality inverters, batteries, and chargers made with industry leading technologies.

A Cheap Solar Backup Power System Can Put Your Mind To Rest

There are a number of reasons why you should be considering having an emergency back up power supply system installed in your home. Today problems with sudden power failures are now becoming quite common and can affect us at any time. However, by having even a cheap solar backup power system installed in your home or office can help to avert any major crises in the future.

Certainly a lot of businesses today rely on generators or inverters to provide up emergency power if the normal power supply is loss. However although they are convenient many of these do not actually supply sufficient amounts of power to operate everything that they have. Also in many cases these will only allow them to provide power to the essential items within the office for a period of no more than 8 hours.

The other thing with using either inverters or generators as an emergency back up supply for your home is that you need too have sufficient amounts of gasoline or other fuel to run them. Yet with setting up even one of the less expensive solar powered backup energy systems can be more beneficial not just to a business or a home, but also to the environment as well.

With a backup solar powered system it can be not only much more safe than other types of emergency backup as well as being far more efficient. The other reason why you should consider having a solar powered backup emergency supply installed at your property is that it offers you a continuous supply of power for as long as it is required.

However, the system does need to be installed properly and if it is, then it will supply all your power supply needs without any kind of interruption until such time as the normal power supply is resumed. The other advantage to installing such a system in your home rather than using a generator or inverter is that it requires very little maintenance.

With generators and inverters you need to make sure that they have sufficient amounts of fuel to run them. In addition, they will need to be regularly checked over to ensure that none of the major components that make them run is not damaged and replacing such parts can be quite expensive.

Whereas with a power supply backup system that is run using solar power it leads little or no maintenance. Occasionally you may need to give the panels, which are used to draw energy into the batteries a cleaning and check that the batteries are still holding their charge. But other than these there are very few other things that you will need to ensure that the system remains working effectively.

So if you are looking for a safe, efficient as well as reliable power supply for your home or office then getting even a cheap solar backup power system could be the right kind of investment you may. Then when the time does come that you need to use it you know it is ready and waiting and can be used just at the flip of a switch.

For more information on solar power try visiting http://solarlifepower.com/ where you will find lots of tips, advice and resources about topics such as solar electric solutions.

Shanghai Zenith electric power equipment supplier is one of the world's successful

Leading China industrial power processing manufacturer Shanghai Zenith exports processing equipment, electric equipment and mining equipment to customers in Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East and North America.

Founded in 2005, Shanghai Zenith now has over 200 employees and annual sales that exceed US$8 million. All products are manufactured under ISO 9001:2000 guidelines and carry certifications for easy access to markets worldwide.

Its STM vertical mills, MTM medium-speed trapezium mills, MBM medium-speed coal mills, and diesel generator sets are sold to buyers worldwide for use in chemical, electric and steel industries.

Buyers interested in reviewing the extensive list of crushers, mills, vibrating feeders, sand-making machines and other metal-milling and mining products offered by Shanghai Zenith should visit their Global Sources homepage at http://zenithdream.manufacturer.globalsources.com/si/6008824781770/Homepage.ht

A company profile is available at http://zenithdream.manufacturer.globalsources.com/si/6008824781770/CompanyProfile.htm

Global Sources operates one of the world's leading trade sites, connecting volume buyers with quality suppliers from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and throughout Asia. It provides sourcing information to volume buyers and integrated marketing services to suppliers.

Are You Thinking About Building A Solar Power System

More and more people today are now looking for alternative ways of supplying power that they need in order to run appliances and equipment in their home. For some people because of where they live setting up a solar powered system is the ideal choice. In this article, we go through a number of factors that need to be taken into consideration if you are thinking about building a solar power system.

One of the first things that you should be doing in order to see if building a solar powered system is a viable option is to find out how much sunlight you get each day where you live. To do this you need to check out weather data for the area where you live or use a solar energy map, which you can easily find online.

The next thing that you need to do when considering building your own solar powered energy system is to calculate how much power it is you actually use. The easiest way of doing his by looking at the bills, you receive for your electricity company and then dividing the figures up so that they provide you an average of what you would use on a weekly basis. To work out what your weekly power consumption for your home is you take the total monthly figure off of your electricity bill and then divide this by 4.3.

Along with knowing how much sunlight, you are likely to get and how much power it is you will need to be able carry on running all appliances and equipment in your home there are other factors, which need to be taken into consideration. You need to make a decision on the kind of inverters you will be using, how many solar panels you will need and how many batteries you will need to store the energy in.

When it comes to selecting the inverters for your system, which is what converts the sunlight that has been collected by the solar panels in to AC power rather than DC power. All inverters will be rated according to their continuous and surge wattage. So the more power you are likely to use then the much higher these wattage ratings will need to be.

As for the batteries, you need ones that will be able to take continuous charges of electricity into them. Therefore, car batteries are not suitable simply because they are not designed to be able to collect and store large amounts of power at any time. The kind of batteries that you should be selecting to use when it comes to building your own solar powered system is say a marine or golf cart battery.

Of course, when it comes to someone actually choosing to build a solar powered system they must not forget about the solar panels. It is important that you carry out plenty of research on this item in order to ensure that you have the right ones for yours. As you will soon discover when looking for these panels there are a number of different sized panels to choose from. So take your time and look for those that will help to collect sufficient amounts of sunlight for your own particular requirements.

For more information on solar power try visiting http://solarlifepower.com/ where you will find lots of tips, advice and resources about topics such as portable solar power.