More and more power inverters are put into use in car with increasing number of smart electronic devices, not only USB devices, but also household appliances, especially when you go traveling or camping with family. But there are few car models that can offer household power for home appliances. A car power inverter that comes with multiple charging stations can exactly help you out of this dilemma, which is even more helpful when you have to use your cellphones or tablets to deal with something urgent while the devices are draining soon.
Car battery can provide output of 20W, 40W, 80W, 120W and max 150W by car cigarette lighter. So, if you have a power converter, you’ll be able to sue your household appliances in car. Most of you may hear of something about power inverter adapters, but few people can really know how to correctly use a power inverter for car. Before using a power inverter, you also need to know how an inverter works and make sure you get a suitable power inverter for your car.
How does a power inverter work?
As mentioned in several other articles, the power inverter is an electronic device that can convert DC power into AC household power. Specifically speaking, the inverter firstly converts low DC power from car battery into high direct power, then transfers high direct power into household alternative power. So, the car power inverter is a voltage converter that can make use of car battery to meet your charging needs of some home appliances. With a DC to AC power inverter, you can use electronic devices in car just like at home.
How to choose a suitable power inverter for your car?
At present, you can find all types of power inverters online, in stores with various prices and wattages. So which kinds of inverter should you choose for your car? First of all, you should choose the right power. For common families, a 200w power inverter is enough because most of the car batteries use less than 20A fuses, which means it can allow up to 230w appliances. As mentioned above, the car battery now can offer the max output of 150w, so most of the power inverters can only support devices under 150W. But there are also car inverters now that can connect with car battery directly to supply high power. For outdoor workers or those who need to use high powered appliances, you can choose inverters with 500W, 1000W or even higher wattages. As for power inverter models, there are modified sine wave power inverter and pure sine wave power inverter. Pure sine wave power inverters are more expensive but can ensure more stable performance. Modified sine wave inverters cost less but can also ensure basic stability in most circumstances. The MSW inverters are cost-effective, more popular in public.
Correctly use power inverters in car
Cars with 12V battery can’t support too high current. Most of cars today can provide max 15A or 20A current. Some old cars even only have 10A fuses. Before you use, you need to know how many currents your car battery can support. In daily life, most electronic devices like cellphones, cameras, tablets, ipads, etc. are under 100W, so you can feel assured to use them in car. But some high power devices like electric hair drier, quick heater, electric hot water bag, etc. are above 1000W that your car can’t work with. If you still use these high power devices, your inverter and car battery may be damaged and even cause accidents. If you need to use them, you can get a backup battery in your car and connect inverters with backup battery to charge devices.
There are some notes that you need to keep in mind to avoid maloperation. When plugging your power inverter into car cigarette lighter socket, you need to check the indicator light. If the light is on normally, it means your previous step is right, then you can plug your devices into inverter outlets. If the indicator is flashing or doesn’t light up, you have to check whether it is correctly connected or whether and try again. The inverter is built-in cooling fans and the fans will turn constantly when the inverter is working. To keep device work in a normal temperature, you’d better put the inverter in a dry and ventilated place to let the heat emit in time. Electric shock or fire accidents may also happen if you use car inverter improperly. So, choose a reliable inverter with all-around protections for your car. Unplug your power inverter when your car stops because power inverter itself also needs power supply and the parked cars still supply power. Your car battery may be run out if you keep inverter connected when you don’t need it.
Car power inverter DC to AC is now popular for car users but few people know how to correctly use the device. The power inverter can help you handle many charging troubles when going out. But misoperation will also lead to damages and safety hazards. Hope you can get something here and let the power inverter be a good emergency helper on the road.
