What Is Power Inverter?

Power inverter is a device  that turns your vehicle battery’s direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC) – the kind of electricity you have in outlets in your house, that are connected to the energy grid.

Having a power inverter means you can plug in your appliances and devices, and power them like you would through an electricity outlet in a house.

Features of Power Inverters

• Power inverters are especially useful if you are setting up a solar power system – they convert energy from the sun into electricity you can use to power your gadgets within your vehicle. This is renewable energy that isn’t a drain on your best car battery.
• Power inverters aren’t just for vehicles – if you have a small cottage or outhouse, they’re very useful for setting up a small power source there.
• Many (but not all) power inverters come with USB outlets, useful for charging on the road without having to cart around adaptors and large plugs. For ease of use, get one compatible with USB.
• Many power inverters have digital screens which show you how much energy has been consumed and information about battery voltage. It’s useful to know these things at a glance, so consider getting one that has a screen.

Modified or Pure Sine Wave Inverter?

There are two main types of inverter – the modified sine wave, and the pure sine wave.

• Modified Sine Wave(MODIFIED SINE WAVE) Alternating Current: These tend to be cheaper, and less powerful. However, they’re good for most everyday electronics you will want to use, just not very large ones.

• Pure Sine Wave (TRUE SINE WAVE) Alternating Current: These are compatible with pretty much all electronics, gadgets, and appliances, and produce a powerful current most like the one supplied by the electric grid. These are the most common choice, because they’re more likely to be compatible with anything you need to plug in.

What is the difference between Pure Sine Wave and Modified Sine Wave?

Pure sine wave depicts the waveform shown in Figure 1. It is an exact sine wave. There may be some distortion at the crests and troughs, but that is insignificant. Modified sine wave, on the other hand, is a distorted version of a pure sine wave. It still is a sine wave as it is repetitive and oscillatory in nature. It produces instantaneous peak voltage for a few milliseconds and then goes down to zero for a few milliseconds. This pattern, as shown in Figure 2 is repetitive in nature. There is certain equipment that runs well on modified sine wave current, such as a digital clock. However most other equipment requires a true sine wave. One important thing to remember is that it is extremely easy to convert True Sine Wave to Modified Sine Wave, by clipping off certain parts. The reverse is extremely difficult.

Pure sine wave inverter is the best but price is much higher. Biggest advantage of Modified Sine Wave inverters is their low cost compared to True Sine Wave inverters. Also, for simpler induction loads, like a motor, or a resistive load, such a light bulb, the Modified Sine Wave utilizes DC current more efficiently. For simpler household needs, Modified Sine Wave offers high efficiency at a lower cost.

XINCOL XCHC High Capacity Power Inverter 1500W (Modified Sine Wave) With 2 Universal Plugs

This 1500W DC-AC Power Inverter with one USB charging port, a male plug cable and universal plug is designed for all major brand laptops,digital portables such as video camcorder,digital camera, iPad,iPod,cell phone,PSP, DVD player etc.

Features

• POWERFUL OUTPUT: Convert power of DC 12V to AC 110V 60Hz. Provides 1500 Watts continuous modified sine wave power and 2000 Watts peak power. Featuring 2 AC outlets for multi-purpose charging. Great High efficiency.
• HEAVY DUTY AND DURABLE ALUMINUM HOUSING: Compact and Durable Aluminum Housing -5.5lb weight is heavy duty and durable aluminum body provides advanced protection and easier to cooling. Also come with 2pieces battery clamp cords as its accessories.
• MULTI-PROTECTION: 6 kinds of protection to against: Overload / Short Circuit / Over heat / Reverse Polarity / Under or Over Voltage protections. Make your batteries and appliances safer. And we provide 12-Months Warranty.
• SPECIAL DESIGN: Built-in temperature control cooling fan. Isolated Ground Neutral. 2pcs battery clips come along with the power inverter, they make the power inverter can be plugged into almost any vehicle. Durable aluminum body provides advanced protection and quick to cooling.
• WIDE APPLICATION: The sockets are designed to easily insert two large size plugs at the same time. Dual 110V/220V AC Outlets ideal for charging laptop, fan, game console, kindle, TV, Christmas lights, Breast Pump. Ideal for use on vacations, work trips, home or outdoors for emergency, outdoor activities and camping.

Optimal Use / Precautions:
1.Always make sure that the total rated power of the connected devices does not exceeds 1500W.
2.Always tighten the Positive (+) and Negative (-) terminals when the inverter is in use otherwise a loose connection will lead to overheat protection.
3.Avoid placing the inverter in a location that receives prolonged direct sunlight or near to heat sensitive materials as the inverter can become warm during use.
4.If the rated input of any connected AC devices exceed 150W ,please use the included battery clamps to directly connect to your vehicle’s battery as most vehicles 12V ports are rated and fused for 150W.
5.This is a Modified Sine Wave series inverter, NOT applicable for air conditioners, refrigerators and microwave ovens, please choose our Pure Sine Wave inverters.