DC Inverter Basics

Car power inverters provide you the ability to take the DC voltage from your automobile or other DC battery and transform it into usable AC voltage for household items. The possibilities are nearly endless simply by plugging the inverter into a DC plug (cigarette lighter port) on your car's dash. Whether you are building a fence away from the house and you need a power source for the compressor that runs your nail gun or you would like to power a flatscreen TV and DVD player while you are camping, you have the means to do so.

Car Tv Monitor

There are a couple of things to keep in mind however when using a DC inverter. It needs to be properly sized for the device you plan to use. For instance, a 1000 watt hair dryer is simply not going to run on a 100 watt inverter. There are various charts around the web that will give you an idea of how much wattage you will need to run various devices. Something else you will want to keep in mind is anytime you are drawing power from your automobile's battery, you will need to monitor your battery's charge. If you take too much power from your battery without running your engine to recharge it, you may end up having to get someone to give you a start with jumper cables.

Car Tv Monitor

DC inverters are also commonly used in solar power systems. The battery which powers the system is kept charged by one or more solar panels (or a windmill) and kept from being overcharged by a charge controller. The inverter takes the power from the battery and sends it to power outlets and lighting. Sometimes these systems are sold in kits.

This gives one the ability to be totally "off the grid". This is a great solution for remote cabins, backyard sheds, or homes that have important devices or appliances that need supplementation in the event of a power outage. In these situations, thought and research will need to go into the capacity of the battery or batteries, the output of the solar panels and the wattage of the inverters. Systems can be designed to power a single remote light all night or to completely power an entire home.

I hope this has given you some ideas on the possibilities a DC inverter can provide. Remember to properly size it for your device and keep your batteries charged and you can have AC voltage whenever you need it.

DC Inverter Basics
Car Tv Monitor

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