Inverters

Inverters

Power inverters are a vital part of mobile power systems for boats, caravans or even some larger trucks. They are also seeing more and more use in home or office power systems which convert power from photovoltaic solar panels into a form that air conditioners or other home appliances can use. As you’ll see below, we offer a wide range of power inverters from Victron Energy and other fine manufacturers.

In essence, a power inverter takes DC current – such as comes from a marine or automotive battery or a solar panel – and turns it into the high voltage AC current that televisions, computers and anything else that ‘plugs into the mains’ needs to operate. As caravan and boat owners enjoy their mobility, they cannot be permanently tethered to the national power grid. Instead, they depend on battery power generated from a petrol engine or recharged via solar panels and use power inverters to plug in their ‘home electronics’.

So, it’s like a USB charger?

Not really. It is nothing like the USB charger you plug into the ‘lighter’ or ‘accessory’ socket in your car. That simply changes 12 volt DC current into 5 volt DC current. A power inverter is more like the exact opposite of the USB charger you plug into the mains socket. That turns 220-240 volt AC power into 5 volt DC power. An inverter does the much more technically sophisticated task of turning DC power into high voltage AC.

Are there different types of power inverters?

Yes, indeed there are.

• Which output voltage do you need? Almost all ‘home electronics” and electrical appliances in the UK use 220-240 volt AC power. However, many European or American appliances and electronic equipment operate on 110-120 volt AC power. Some appliances are clever enough to work on either voltage, but not all. Make sure you know what output voltage you need before choosing a power inverter. Most of our Victron Energy power inverters operate at the 220-240 volt range, for example.

• How many watts do you need? A small inverter might only be capable of putting out 800 or 1000 watts at any one time. Now, a desk fan might only need 20-50 watts. An LCD lightbulb might only need 7. However, an electric kettle can easily draw 3000 watts when it is turned on. Write down the wattage of all the appliances or devices you’ll be ‘plugging in’ to the power system on the other side of the inverter and using at once. That is the minimum size of inverter you need. Inverters that output as much as 5000 watts are easy to find, and large ones are available as well. Again, we offer power inverters from Victron Energy and other manufacturers at both high and low wattage output levels to suit any home solar power system, mobile home, caravan, or vehicle.

• Pure Sine Wave or Modified? Pure sine wave inverters are the more expensive option, as they can run virtually all types of appliances you can think of (subject to the voltage and wattage factors we already talked about), and they tend to come in higher wattages than the alternative. Modified sine wave power inverters are an inexpensive alternative that can run most everyday electronics without issue. Just make sure that everything you hope to run off the power system can use modified sine wave power before you buy one.

• Does it come with extra features? Many power inverters have USB charging plugs built in. Several high-end models (like our Victron Energy Multiplus-II) are specialised for efficient, high-wattage home use. These can serve as the brains of a modern solar power system which charges high-capacity batteries during the day and runs your home off them at night, only taking expensive power from the national grid when they run dry. A wonderful thing, but probably more than you need to run a TV and a minifridge in an RV.