What is a 12 volt inverter?

An inverter is a device that turns the power from a 12 volt DC battery, like the one in your car or truck, into the 120 volt AC power that runs all of the electronics in your house. You can use one of these devices to power all sorts of devices in your car, but it's important to figure out how big of an inverter you need first.

What size inverter do I Need?

The right size inverter for your specific application depends on how much wattage your devices require. This information is usually printed somewhere on electronic devices, although it may show voltage and amperage ratings instead.

Is a 12V or 24V inverter better?

As a result, asking if a 12V or 24V inverter is better becomes a question that cannot be answered. The reason being is each system has its own set of unique variables that makes it impossible to provide a single answer. Therefore, we find it is much more efficient to provide the answer to: Why would one choose a 12VDC, 24VDC or 48VDC power system?

What is a power inverter?

A power inverter is a small box-looking gadget that inverts DC power into AC power by clamping onto the terminals of a battery. You can supply power to whatever is attached to a normal cord by plugging it into the inverter. It may seem straightforward to buy one, but with that being said...

What is a 120 volt inverter?

This is referring to the nominal DC voltage that the inverter will invert to AC voltage (i.e., 120VAC or 240VAC). There are multiple other AC supply voltages and configurations, but we will be generally referring 120VAC as it is the most widely available.

How many watts can an inverter power continuously?

It’s a common misconception that an inverter advertised as being 800 watts can power devices up to that amount continuously. In reality, companies advertise their inverters based on their peak outputs, not the output they can support over the long-term.