What is the purpose of an inverter?
2 Answers
The function of an inverter is to facilitate the conversion of vehicle power sources. The car inverter output through the cigarette lighter can have power specifications ranging from 20W, 40W, 80W, 120W up to 150W. For higher power inverters, they need to be connected to the battery via cables. By connecting household appliances to the output of the power converter, various electrical devices can be used inside the car. When purchasing a car inverter, it is important to note whether it is a pure sine wave car inverter or a modified wave car inverter. These two types are mainly distinguished by the waveform of the output current. The pure sine wave car inverter is considered high-end, while the modified wave car inverter is considered low-end. The pure sine wave car inverter has a wider range of applications.
The inverter is actually super practical—it converts DC power into the AC power we use daily. During my long road trips, I always carry a 300-watt one plugged into the cigarette lighter to charge camera batteries and even cook with a low-power rice cooker. Since car batteries are all DC, phone chargers can plug in directly, but AC devices like laptops or small fans won’t work without an inverter. When choosing one, pay attention to power matching to avoid exceeding the cigarette lighter fuse’s load. Also, car inverters come in square wave and sine wave types—the latter is pricier but safer for sensitive electronics, making it worry-free to use.
