How to choose an inverter for your house?
Now more and more people will choose to use inverters to power their home appliances. But can an inverter power a house? Here's how to choose the right inverter for your home. Before buying an inverter, you need to know what your home needs and which devices will best meet your needs.
- What is an inverter?
- What are the two types of inverters?
- How do I calculate how much power I need for my inverter?
What is an inverter?
You can use an inverter to survive extended power outages.
In simple terms, an inverter is a device that converts direct current into alternating current. Batteries store energy in the form of direct current, whereas appliances in our homes require alternating current. Thus, the inverter converts the stored energy into AC power when needed to power the house. Inverters can power appliances when there is a power outage in your home.
What are the two types of inverters?
1. Pure sine wave inverter
Pure sine wave inverters have relatively little interference with radio communication equipment and are more widely used in practical applications. The load connected to the inverter can be divided into resistive load and inductive load. Resistive loads such as light bulbs, TVS, etc. Inductive loads are high-power electrical products made using the principle of electromagnetic induction, such as motors, compressors, relays, fluorescent lamps, etc. When the inductive load is switched on or off, the generated power is 5-7 times greater than the rated power and exceeds the rated voltage of the inverter. Such appliances require a higher power supply waveform, pure sine wave inverters is better.
2. Modified sine wave inverter
As modified sine wave inverters, they are perfect for 90% of the applications of the average user. It is able to work with most electronic devices, such as fans, lights, ovens, water heaters, etc. It is not expensive to produce and deliver the same amount of power as a pure sine wave inverter. Therefore, it is an affordable and adaptable alternative to pure sine wave inverters.
How do I calculate how much power I need for my inverter?
Just add up the necessary wattages for the desired power items. To find an inverter of the right wattage, you need to know the power rating and peak power of the device. If your equipment has inductive loads and starting requirements, you need to provide additional peak power and use a sine wave inverter to avoid damaging the inverter.
Rated power of commonly used electrical appliances:
1. Light bulb: 7-60W
2. TV: 120W
3. Fan: 75-90W
4. Computer: 150W-250W
5. Air cooler: 250W-300W
Total: 60W+120W+90W+250W+300W=820W
So the proper rated power of the inverter is 1000W
If you need extra features like remote control, digital display, you can find more options. As long as you calculate the power of the required electrical appliances, the load type (inductive load and resistive load), and then derive the power and waveform of the inverter (pure sine wave and modified wave), the inverter can supply power to you.
