Power inverters essentialy take one form of power and convert it to another form. This blog will feature DC to AC power inverters. Which is Direct Current (most commonly found in batteries) to Alternating Current (like what is found in a regular house outlet).
The size of the inverter, referred to in Watts generally, will indicate how much power the inverter is able to convert from the battery. When a power inverter is listed as 1000 watts, it means it can convert up to 1000 watts of power from the DC source to AC power at a time. This is also known as the continuous power on the inverter. The peak power, is the maximum the inverter can handle in a milisecond surge. Many people mistake the start up of a motor for falling under the Peak Power of an inverter. Compressors starting require more than a milisecond of power, so the startup of a motor must fall under the 'continuous' power on an inverter.
Inverters are classified as well, by the type of voltage input required to operate them. The most common are 12v and 24v. If you have a 12v inverter, the batteries powering it must also be in a 12v setup.
Power inverters are becoming more common as the pricing for alternative energy such as solar panels and wind turbines come down. Many people are finding that setting up all or some of their power needs with solar panels depending on the climate being lived in, is a good way to save on energy costs. Also, a lot of people are integrating power inverters as a power backup option. Many people who have power failures can use inverters to run pumps or fridges/freezers/tvs when they do not have utility power. Truck drivers use power inverters to run tvs/microwaves/fridges while they are on the road. As technology improves, so do power inverters and the features that come with them.
