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.