Инверторный кондиционер что это, чем отличается от обычного, преимущества и какой лучше, отзывы и видео

Евгений Седов

Когда руки растут из нужного места, жить веселее 🙂

3 авг. 2015 г.

В последние годы в магазинах бытовой техники начали появляться новые образцы кондиционеров – инверторные. Продавцы предлагают потенциальным покупателям остановить свой выбор на них: по заверениям работников торговых сетей, они существенно лучше, но во многих случаях продавцы не могут ответить на вопросы: что означает инверторный кондиционер, в чем конкретно заключается отличие инверторного кондиционера от обычного? Рассмотрим подробнее, в чем разница между инверторными и обычными сплит-системами.

Статьи по теме

Что такое инверторная сплит-система

Как и любая другая сплит-система, эта разновидность климатического оборудования состоит из наружного и внутреннего блока. В наружном блоке располагается компрессор, фильтр фреоновой системы, конденсатор и вентилятор, осуществляющие охлаждение фреона, и плата управления и штуцерные соединения. Во внутреннем блоке располагаются испаритель, при помощи которого производится охлаждение воздуха, вентилятор, горизонтальные и вертикальные жалюзи, фильтр и поддон для конденсата.

Чем отличается инверторный кондиционер от обычного

Основное конструктивное отличие этой модификации настенных климат-систем – это главным образом наличие в наружном блоке платы управления, которая регулирует работу агрегата так, что он включается и выключается гораздо реже. Обычная сплит-система работает по следующему принципу: после того, как температура в помещении поднимется на 3-5 градусов, происходит ее включение, а после того, как прибор охладит температуру до установленных пределов, прибор полностью отключится. Далее цикл включение/полное выключение повторяется.

Принцип работы инверторного кондиционера несколько иной. После первого включения сплит-система охладит помещение до требуемой температуры, но сразу после этого не отключится, а продолжит свою работу, но уже с пониженной на 25-75% (иногда на 5-90%) мощностью. Это достигается за счет использования в конструкции агрегата инвертора. Что означает инверторный? Это значит, что агрегат комплектуется инвертером – устройством, способным плавно менять мощность прибора.

По достижению заданного температурного режима снижаются обороты агрегата, он продолжает работу уже на пониженной мощности, которой хватает для поддержания нужной температуры. Большинство бюджетных инверторных сплит-систем все же полностью отключаются, но гораздо реже, чем обыкновенные модели охладителей воздуха. Только дорогие агрегаты, мощность которых изменяется в пределах от 5 до 90%, способны почти не отключаться.

Согласно паспортным данным, обычные сплит-системы не рассчитаны на непрерывную эксплуатацию, время от времени его нужно отключать. Такие агрегаты в режиме обогрева работают при температуре внешней среды не ниже минус 5 градусов. В отличие от охладителей воздуха обыкновенной конструкции, агрегаты с инвертором приспособлены к круглосуточной работе, они способны работать в режиме обогрева при уличной температуре до минус 25 градусов.

Преимущества и недостатки инверторной технологии

Главное преимущество этой технологии – плавное регулирование температуры в жилом помещении. Сплит-системы с инвертером способны точно поддерживать заданные температурные параметры, колебания температуры в помещении составляют всего 1-3 градуса, что обеспечивает максимальный комфорт для находящихся в жилой комнате людей. Обычную сплит-систему в жаркую погоду приходится настраивать на поддержание 18-20 градусов.

Включаясь, внутренний блок такого агрегата начинает создавать резкий и холодный поток воздуха, создавая дискомфорт. Любой человек, находящийся под воздействием этого воздушного потока, рискует простудиться. По достижению заданных параметров охладитель воздуха отключается, и в следующий раз включится, только когда в комнате снова станет жарко. Сплит-система с инвертером по достижению нужных параметров не отключается, она поддерживает заданную температуру нерезким потоком воздуха, устраняя основной недостаток обычных кондиционеров.

Преимущества

Недостатки

Какой из кондиционеров с инверторным приводом лучше

Многие бренды производят данную категорию бытовых климат-систем. Самыми качественными считаются изделия японских марок – Daikin, Toshiba, Panasonic, Mitsubishi и других. Данные производители постоянно совершенствуют конструкцию своих изделий, которые становятся все совершеннее: более экономичными и менее шумными. Большинство моделей японских производителей способно менять производительность в диапазоне от 25 до 75%, а топовые модели от 5 до 95%.

Корейские компании выпускают неплохие кондиционеры с инверторным приводом, по качеству немногим уступающие именитым японским маркам. В сравнении с японскими аналогами корейские приборы не намного хуже, зато они несколько дешевле. Китайские производители выпускают недорогие сплит-системы с инвертером, но они способны уменьшать собственную мощность только в пределах от 35 до 70%, что заметно хуже, чем у агрегатов производства японских и корейских брендов.

Инверторные сплит-системы Daikin

Японская компания Daikin специализируется исключительно на выпуске климатической техники. Все изделия, выпускаемые на заводах компании, проходят обязательное тестирование. Агрегаты производства Daikin отличает большой срок службы (как настенных, так и напольных модификаций), низкая шумность (22-27 дБ, у топовых моделей – 19 дБ), отличная эргономичность и экономичность, наличие множества функций, в том числе функция самодиагностики. Популярностью пользуются 2 линейки – FTX и FTXN.

Mitsubishi Electric

По соотношению цена/качество кондиционеры «Митсубиси электрик» не имеют себе равных. Изготовление и сборка агрегатов и узлов производится с использованием современных технологий. Каждый собранный охладитель воздуха проходит 20-минутную проверку, а некоторые изделия проходят глубокую выборочную проверку. Некоторые модификации сплит-систем этой марки приспособлены к работе на обогрев при внешней температуре от минус 10 до 25 градусов. Компания выпускает изделия с инвертером серий MCZ-GE и MSZ-HJ, имеющих несущественные отличия.

Toshiba

Компания «Тошиба» занимается выпуском сплит-систем всех модификаций, в том числе инвертером. Изделия этой компании выгодно отличаются от изделий других японских марок своей ценой: она несколько ниже, чем у охладителей воздуха «Панасоник», «Митсубиси» и «Даикин», а качество не хуже, чем у них. Компания выпускает несколько линеек инверторных кондиционеров – SKV, PKVP (с увеличенной длинной трассы), SKVP-ND (приспособленные для работы при температуре на улице до минус 10 градусов).

Fujitsu

Сплит-системы с инвертером этой марки отличает высокое качество сборки, неприхотливость в работе и обслуживании. Особо популярны модели небольшой мощности для дома, мощность которых составляет от 5 до 8 киловатт. Оборудование для охлаждения производства японской компании «Фуджитсу» обладает всеми необходимыми функциями: таймером сна, режимом самодиагностики, системой перезапуска, и т.д.

Samsung

Изделия корейской компании «Самсунг» считаются продукцией эконом-класса, они отличаются от продукции японских брендов своей доступной ценой. Инверторные кондиционеры Samsung, невзирая на свою приемлемую цену, отличаются высоким качеством: все узлы и агрегаты охладителя воздуха отвечают стандартам качества. Снижение стоимости изделия достигнуто за счет снижения срока службы (7-9 лет), и уменьшения полезных функций.

Инверторный кондиционер LG

Продукция корейской компании LG относится к эконом-классу, цены сплит-системы с инвертером LG существенно ниже, чем на изделия японских компаний. Инверторные кондиционеры производства LG обладают достаточным качеством и надежностью, и пользуются популярностью у покупателей. Отличный дизайн, наличие многих функций, в том числе автоматическая очистка, плазменная очистка воздуха, ионизация делают продукцию LG привлекательной для покупателей, ограниченных в средствах.

Видео: какой кондиционер лучше – инверторный или обычный

Обе разновидности бытовых приборов для охлаждения воздуха имеют свои достоинства и недостатки, поэтому при выборе конкретной модели и разновидности следует руководствоваться особенностями помещения, где он будет установлен. Инверторные кондиционеры идеально подойдут для спальных комнат и других помещений с постоянной температурой. Если же в помещении время от времени будут открываться двери и окна, включаться бытовая техника, выделяющая тепло, нет смысла переплачивать: покупайте обыкновенную сплит-систему. Подробнее вопрос выбора раскрыт в тематическом видео:

Что такое «Инверторный кондиционер» Смотреть видео

Отзывы

Сергей, 25лет: Установил у себя в офисе инверторный кондиционер Daikin. Доволен им, он работает отлично, охлаждает хорошо, правда, никакой экономии электроэнергии не заметил.

Алексей, 33года: Приобрел инверторную климат-систему LG взамен обычного кондиционера. Установил ее в спальне. Все отлично, шум почти не ощущается, поток воздуха не такой сильный, спится ночью отлично.

Ирина, 48лет: Пользуюсь инверторным кондиционером «Тошиба» уже второй год. Отдаю предпочтения бытовой технике этого бренда, он меня никогда не подводит. Кондиционер вполне устраивает, работает тихо, нет привычных сквозняков.

Нашли в тексте ошибку? Выделите её, нажмите Ctrl + Enter и мы всё исправим! Рассказать друзьям: 90000 What is a Power Inverter? (With pictures) 90001 90002 A power inverter is a device that converts DC power (also known as direct current), to standard AC power (alternating current). Inverters are used to operate electrical equipment from the power produced by a car or boat battery or renewable energy sources, like solar panels or wind turbines. DC power is what batteries store, while AC power is what most electrical appliances need to run so an inverter is necessary to convert the power into a usable form.For example, when a cell phone is plugged into a car cigarette lighter to recharge, it supplies DC power; this must be converted to the required AC power by a power inverter to charge the phone. 90003 90004 Power inverter with DC plug. 90005 How Inverters Work 90006 90002 DC power is steady and continuous, with an electrical charge that flows in only one direction.When the output of DC power is represented on a graph, the result would be a straight line. AC power, on the other hand, flows back and forth in alternating directions so that, when represented on a graph, it appears as a sine wave, with smooth and regular peaks and valleys. A power inverter uses electronic circuits to cause the DC power flow to change directions, making it alternate like AC power. These oscillations are rough and tend to create a square waveform rather than a rounded one, so filters are required to smooth out the wave, allowing it to be used by more electronic devices.90003 90009 Power inverters are used to operate electrical equipment from the power produced by a car battery. 90002 Want to automatically save time and money month? Take a 2-minute quiz to find out how you can start saving up to $ 257 / month.90003 90002 Most electronic devices require AC power to work correctly because they are designed to be plugged into a standard wall outlet, which supplies AC power. These devices need a specific amount of low, regulated voltage in order to operate. AC power is easier to step up or down, or change from one voltage to another, than DC and easier to regulate. In many cases, when a power inverter is in use, DC power is being converted to AC power, which is then stepped down and turned back into DC power inside the device.90003 90014 Virtually every home in the world relies on AC current for power. 90005 Types of Inverters 90006 90002 Most modern power inverters produce either modified square (or modified sine) waves, or pure sine (or true sine) waves.Modified square wave inverters do not provide the smooth peaks and valleys that AC power from a home’s electrical outlet does, but it can deliver power that is consistent and efficient enough to run most devices. This type of inverter is relatively inexpensive, and probably the most popular type. 90003 90019 Large power inverters are used to convert the DC power that is generated by wind turbines into AC power that can be used in a home.90002 Pure sine wave inverters are the most expensive, but they also deliver the smoothest and most even wave output. Any device will run on a pure sine wave, but some sensitive equipment, like certain medical equipment and variable speed or rechargeable tools, requires this type of inverter to operate correctly.Radios, for example, work better with pure sine wave inverters because the modified square wave inverter’s less-smooth waves disrupt the radio’s reception, causing static and other noise. 90003 90005 Inverter Uses 90006 90002 Basic power inverters are often small, rectangular devices that plug directly into the cigarette lighter or DC outlet on the dashboard of a car or other vehicle.This size inverter is usually sufficient to run a laptop, a small television, a portable DVD player, or similar equipment. These devices do not draw a lot of power and can be used continuously while the vehicle is running; they may even be used for a half-hour to an hour while the engine is off, such as while camping or during a power outage at home. 90003 90002 Other power inverters come with jumper-like cables so they can be connected directly to a battery.This type is required to run more powerful equipment, such as power tools at a remote work site or a larger TV. Inverters can also be hard-wired into a battery to make them easier to use with larger pieces of equipment. 90003 90002 Larger inverters are used to convert solar or wind energy into AC power that can be used in a home. Called a grid-tie inverter, this device links into the utility grid to allow power to be delivered along the same wires that supply energy from a electric utility.It even allows any excess power produced to be fed back into the grid, where it can be sold to the utility company. 90003 90005 Inverter Capacity 90006 90002 Different models of power inverters vary in how many watts of power they can supply.The capacity of an inverter should equal the total number of watts required by each device, plus at least a 50% addition to account for peaks or spikes in the power draw. For example, if a DVD player draws 100 watts and a small TV another 100 watts, a minimum 300-watt inverter is recommended. Getting an inverter with more capacity than what is immediately needed is a good idea for many people, as it means that different or new devices can be added without the need for a new power inverter. 90003 90005 Safety 90006 90002 When using a power inverter continuously inside a vehicle that is not turned on, the engine should be started at least once an hour for 10 to 15 minutes to keep the battery from running down.A vehicle should never be started in a closed garage, as the carbon monoxide in the exhaust is fatal. 90003 90002 Power inverters should only be used with batteries that are in good condition and fully charged. A weak battery will be drained easily if demand is too high. If used in a car, this could leave a driver stranded, so the battery’s condition should be checked before using an inverter in a stationary vehicle.If the inverter is being used while the vehicle is running, as in the case of a road trip, there should be no problem with the extra draw as long as the battery is in good condition. 90003 90002 Working with large batteries can be dangerous, and when not done properly, can result in serious injury. Improper use of a power inverter can even lead to electrocution.For safety reasons, someone attempting to hook an inverter directly to a battery should be sure to read and follow any and all safety precautions listed in the inverter’s instruction booklet. 90003 90002 It is important for people to always use a power inverter that is rated high enough for the device that needs to be run. If a heavy-duty power saw is plugged into a cigarette lighter, for example, the lightweight inverter might overheat and cause a fire in the dashboard.Adapters that allow more outlets than the unit is designed to accommodate should be avoided, and proper ventilation around the inverter is required to prevent overheating. 90003 90044 A power inverter takes DC from solar panels and converts it to AC power..90000 How do inverters convert DC electricity to AC? 90001 90002 90003 90004 90005 90006 90007 90008 90002 by Chris Woodford. Last updated: June 11, 2019. 90003 90011 One of the most significant battles of the 19th century was fought not over land or resources but to establish the type of electricity that powers our buildings. 90003 90002 At the very end of the 1800s, American electrical pioneer Thomas Edison (1847-1931) went out of his way to demonstrate that direct current (DC) was a better way to supply electrical power than alternating current (AC), a system backed by his arch-rival Nikola Tesla (1856-1943).Edison tried all kinds of devious ways to convince people that AC was too dangerous, from electrocuting an elephant to (rather cunningly) supporting the use of AC in the electric chair for administering the death penalty. Even so, Tesla’s system won the day and the world has pretty much run on AC power ever since. 90003 90002 The only trouble is, though many of our appliances are designed to work with AC, small-scale power generators often produce DC. That means if you want to run something like an AC-powered gadget from a DC car battery in a mobile home, you need a device that will convert DC to AC-an inverter, as it’s called.Let’s take a closer look at these gadgets and find out how they work! 90003 90002 Photo: A selection of electricity inverters that can be used with renewable energy generating equipment, such as solar cells and micro-wind turbines. Photo by Warren Gretz courtesy of US Department of Energy / NREL (DoE / NREL). 90003 90019 What’s the difference between DC and AC electricity? 90020 90002 When science teachers explain the basic idea of ​​electricity to us as a flow of electrons, they’re usually talking about direct current (DC).We learn that the electrons work a bit like a line of ants, marching along with packets of electrical energy in the same way that ants carry leaves. That’s a good enough analogy for something like a basic flashlight, where we have a circuit (an unbroken electrical loop) linking a battery, a lamp, and a switch and electrical energy is systematically transported from the battery to the lamp until all the battery’s energy is depleted. 90003 90002 90003 90002 Diagram: When we think of electricity as a flow of electrons, we’re usually picturing DC (direct current) in our minds.90003 90002 In bigger household appliances, electricity works a different way. The power supply that comes from the outlet in your wall is based on alternating current (AC), where the electricity switches direction around 50-60 times each second (in other words, at a frequency of 50-60 Hz). It can be hard to understand how AC delivers energy when it’s constantly changing its mind about where it’s going! If the electrons coming out of your wall outlet get, let’s say, a few millimeters down the cable then have to reverse direction and go back again, how do they ever get to the lamp on your table to make it light up? 90003 90002 The answer is actually quite simple.Imagine the cables running between the lamp and the wall packed full of electrons. When you flick on the switch, all the electrons filling the cable vibrate back and forth in the lamp’s filament-and that rapid shuffling about converts electrical energy into heat and makes the lamp bulb glow. The electrons do not necessarily have to run in circle to transport energy: in AC, they simply «run on the spot.» 90003 90019 What is an inverter? 90020 90002 90003 90002 Photo: A typical electricity inverter.This one is made by Xantrex / Trace Engineering. Photo by Warren Gretz courtesy of US Department of Energy / NREL (DoE / NREL). 90003 90002 One of Tesla’s legacies (and that of his business partner George Westinghouse, boss of the Westinghouse Electrical Company) is that most of the appliances we have in our homes are specifically designed to run from AC power. Appliances that need DC but have to take power from AC outlets need an extra piece of equipment called a rectifier, typically built from electronic components called diodes, to convert from AC to DC.90003 90002 An inverter does the opposite job and it’s quite easy to understand the essence of how it works. Suppose you have a battery in a flashlight and the switch is closed so DC flows around the circuit, always in the same direction, like a race car around a track. Now what if you take the battery out and turn it around. Assuming it fits the other way, it’ll almost certainly still power the flashlight and you will not notice any difference in the light you get-but the electric current will actually be flowing the opposite way.Suppose you had lightning-fast hands and were deft enough to keep reversing the battery 50-60 times a second. You’d then be a kind of mechanical inverter, turning the battery’s DC power into AC at a frequency of 50-60 hertz. 90003 90002 Of course the kind of inverters you buy in electrical stores do not work quite this way, though some are indeed mechanical: they use electromagnetic switches that flick on and off at high speed to reverse the current direction. Inverters like this often produce what’s known as a square-wave output: the current is either flowing one way or the opposite way or it’s instantly swapping over between the two states: 90003 90002 90003 90002 These kind of sudden power reversals are quite brutal for some forms of electrical equipment.In normal AC power, the current gradually swaps from one direction to the other in a sine-wave pattern, like this: 90003 90002 90003 90002 Electronic inverters can be used to produce this kind of smoothly varying AC output from a DC input. They use electronic components called inductors and capacitors to make the output current rise and fall more gradually than the abrupt, on / off-switching square wave output you get with a basic inverter. 90003 90002 Inverters can also be used with transformers to change a certain DC input voltage into a completely different AC output voltage (Either higher or lower) but the output power must always be less than the input power: it follows from the conservation of energy that an inverter and transformer can not give out more power than they take in and some energy is bound to be lost as heat as electricity flows through the various electrical and electronic components.In practice, the efficiency of an inverter is often over 90 percent, though basic physics tells us some energy-however little-is always being wasted somewhere! 90003 90019 How does an inverter work? 90020 90002 We’ve just had a very basic overview of inverters-and now let’s go over it again in a little bit more detail. 90003 90002 Imagine you’re a DC battery and someone taps you on the shoulder and asks you to produce AC instead. How would you do it? If all the current you produce flows out in one direction, what about adding a simple switch to your output lead? Switching your current on and off, very rapidly, would give pulses of direct current-which would do at least half the job.To make proper AC, you’d need a switch that allowed you to reverse the current completely and do it about 50 & dash; 60 times every second. Visualize yourself as a human battery swapping your contacts back and forth over 3000 times a minute. That’s some neat fingerwork you’d need! 90003 90002 In essence, an old-fashioned mechanical inverter boils down to a switching unit connected to an electricity transformer. If you’ve studied our article on transformers, you’ll know that they’re electromagnetic devices that change low-voltage AC to high-voltage AC, or vice-versa, using two coils of wire (called the primary and secondary) wound around a common iron core.In a mechanical inverter, either an electric motor or some other kind of automated switching mechanism flips the incoming direct current back and forth in the primary, simply by reversing the contacts, and that produces alternating current in the secondary-so it’s not so very different from the imaginary inverter I sketched out above. The switching device works a bit like the one in an electric doorbell. When the power is connected, it magnetizes the switch, pulling it open and switching it off very briefly.A spring pulls the switch back into position, turning it on again and repeating the process-over and over again. 90003 90002 90003 90002 Animation: The basic concept of an electromechanical inverter. DC feeds into the primary winding (pink zig-zag wires on the left side) of a toroidal transformer (brown donut), through a spinning plate (red and blue) with criss-cross connections. As the plate rotates, it repeatedly switches over the connections to the primary winding, so the transformer is receiving AC as its input instead of DC.This is a step-up transformer with more windings in the secondary (yellow zig-zag, right-hand side) than the primary, so it boosts a small AC input voltage into a larger AC output. The speed at which the disk rotates governs the frequency of the AC output. Most inverters do not work anything like this; this simply illustrates the concept. An inverter set up this way would produce a very rough square wave output. 90003 90019 Types of inverters 90020 90002 If you simply switch a DC current on and off, or flip it back and forth so its direction keeps reversing, what you end up with is very abrupt changes of current: all in one direction, all in the other direction, and back again.Draw a chart of the current (or voltage) against time and you’ll get a square wave. Although electricity varying in that fashion is, 90068 technically 90069, an alternating current, it’s not at all like the alternating current supplied to our homes, which varies in a much more smoothly undulating sine wave). Generally speaking, hefty appliances in our homes that use raw power (things like electric heaters, incandescent lamps, kettles, or fridges) do not much care what shape wave they receive: all they want is energy and lots of it-so square waves really do not bother them.Electronic devices, on the other hand, are much more fussy and prefer the smoother input they get from a sine wave. 90003 90002 This explains why inverters come in two distinct flavors: 90072 true / pure sine wave inverters 90073 (often shortened to PSW) and 90072 modified / quasi sine wave inverters 90073 (shortened to MSW). As their name suggests, true inverters use what are called toroidal (Donut-shaped) transformers and electronic circuits to transform direct current into a smoothly varying alternating current very similar to the kind of genuine sine wave normally supplied to our homes.They can be used to power any kind of AC appliance from a DC source, including TVs, computers, video games, radios, and stereos. Modified sine wave inverters, on the other hand, use relatively inexpensive electronics (thyristors, diodes, and other simple components) to produce a kind of «rounded-off» square wave (a much rougher approximation to a sine wave) and while they’re fine for delivering power to hefty electric appliances, they can and do cause problems with delicate electronics (or anything with an electronic or microprocessor controller), so, generally, that means they’re unsuitable for things like laptops, medical equipment, digital clocks, and smart home devices.Also, if you think about it, their rounded-off square waves are delivering more power to the appliance overall than a pure sine wave (There’s more area under a square than a curve). This makes them less efficient and the wasted power, dissipated as heat, means there’s some risk of overheating with MSW inverters. On the positive side, they tend to be quite a bit cheaper than true inverters. 90003 90002 90003 90002 Artwork: A modified sine wave (MSW, green) more closely resembles a sine wave (blue) than a square wave (orange), but it still involves sudden, drastic changes in current.The more steps in a modified sine wave, the nearer it approaches the idealized form of a true sine wave. 90003 90002 Although many inverters work as 90072 standalone units 90073, with battery storage, that are totally independent from the grid, others (known as 90072 utility-interactive inverters 90073 or 90072 grid-tied inverters 90073) are specifically designed to be connected to the grid all the time; typically they’re used to send electricity from something like a solar panel back to the grid at exactly the right voltage and frequency.That’s fine if your main objective is to generate your own power. It’s not so helpful if you want to be independent of the grid sometimes or you want a backup power source in case of an outage, because if your connection to the grid goes down, and you’re not making any electricity of your own (For example, it’s night-time and your solar panels are inactive), the inverter goes down too, and you’re completely without power-as helpless as you would be whether you were generating your own power or not.For this reason, some people use 90072 bimodal 90073 or 90072 birectional inverters 90073, which can either work in standalone or grid-tied mode (though not both at the same time). Since they have extra bits and pieces, they tend to be more bulky and more expensive. 90003 90002 90003 90002 Caption: Nikola Tesla. Although he won the war of the currents, his rival Thomas Edison is still remembered as the pioneer of electric power. Wood engraving of Tesla by Sarong, c.1906, courtesy of US Library of Congress.90003 90019 What are inverters like? 90020 90002 Inverters can be very big and hefty-especially if they have built-in battery packs so they can work in a standalone way. They also generate lots of heat, which is why they have large heat sinks (metal fins) and often cooling fans as well. As you can see from our top photo, typical ones are about as big as a car battery or car battery charger; larger units look like a bit like a bank of car batteries in a vertical stack. The smallest inverters are more portable boxes the size of a car radio that you can plug into your cigarette lighter socket to produce AC for charging laptop computers or cellphones.90003 90002 Just as appliances vary in the power they consume, so inverters vary in the power they produce. Typically, to be on the safe side, you’ll need an inverter rated about a quarter higher than the maximum power of the appliance you want to drive. That allows for the fact that some appliances (such as fridges and freezers or fluorescent lamps) consume peak power when they’re first switched on. While inverters can deliver peak power for short periods of time, it’s important to note that they’re not really designed to operate at peak power for long periods.90003 .90000 What is an Inverter Generator 90001 90002 90003 Let’s Start with the Battery Inverter 90004 90005 90006 So exactly what is an inverter generator? To understand the portable inverter generator and how it compares to the common portable generator, we’ll first look at inverter technology in its simplest form. 90007 90006 You might be familiar with a common 12 volt battery inverter which is an electrical device that converts 12-volt DC power into 120-volt AC power. 90007 90006 Typically you run this type of inverter off of your car’s battery or off of a deep-cycle battery that you buy specifically to power the inverter.Although fairly inexpensive, the shortcoming is that typically an inverter is a useful solution if you can keep your power demands in the 200-watt range. 90007 90006 You could get one with a more useful 2,500 watts, but it will cost close to $ 1000. and that’s not including the bank of deep-cycle batteries and a charging system. For more demand than that, you should consider a fuel powered inverter generator. Unless the «clean» AC power that an inverter provides is important to you. 90013 90007 90006 Consider a car’s battery has a reserve capacity rating.A typical rating is 80 minutes, which means the battery can supply 25 amps at 12 volts for 80 minutes. Without going into the math, if you draw 120 watts continuously, at 10amps, this might last three hours, possibly eight hours on a deep-cycle marine type battery. But then you have to recharge the battery. 90007 90006 The reason I mention that is, some will opt for a portable generator for most of the daytime duties of a power outage, then run a couple of lights at night off of an inverter.You can run a couple of 15 watt bulbs (2.5 amps) for about 12 hours on a car battery. 90007 90006 In addition, your car’s alternator can generally only supply 700 watts. So to run more than a 300watt inverter from a car, you’ll need to connect it directly to the car’s battery with cables, and then you will need to run the car’s engine continuously. So that’s where a gas powered portable generator makes sense. 90007 90006 So why not use the inverter to power anything it can? Then when the batteries are depleted, or you need large loads to turn on, run a standard generator for a long time (at least an hour) to power the heavier loads.Meanwhile let the battery charger then re-charge the battery to give the inverter its efficient power once you’re ready to shut the generator down. This one-two punch allows the most efficient use of fuel (only using a pollutant when you’re getting the most effectiveness out of your fuel). You’ll run the noisier generator less, and equally important, you’ll save money since you’ll use less fuel for the same used kilowatt hours. 90007 90006 It may take some math and some planning, but you can partner a good inverter with a small generator and reap the benefits of a light-weight, highly efficient, usable system.90007 90006 Honda 90007 90006 Both common portable generators and portable inverter generators use fossil fuels to run an internal combustion engine. 90007 90006 Generators convert mechanical energy to electricity through to a phenomenon called electromagnetic induction. Voltage is induced by the movement of a conductor, typically coils of wire, inside a magnetic casing. 90007 90006 In a conventional generator, each engine rotation produces one block wave of AC power. For the electricity to produce the standard 120-volt, 60-Hz electricity commonly used in the US, the engine must run at a constant speed of 3,600 rpm, regardless of the load, or how much electrical power you ask of it.90007 90006 But a decade ago, Honda introduced a new type of machine known as an inverter generator. It was smaller, lighter, quieter and more efficient than conventional models. 90007 90006 An inverter generator is designed to produce more AC electrical energy per engine rotation but not in a form that can be used directly The raw electricity must first be transformed into DC power. 90007 90006 See the article on this site explaining DC (direct current) and AC (alternating current). Basically you get DC from a battery and AC from your wall outlets.Understanding Electricity 90013 90007 90006 An electronic inverter module then turns the DC power back into standard 120-volt, 60-Hz AC power. The resultant AC is no longer in block waves but in sine waves. This is measured in Total Harmonic Distortion (THD). To be safe with your microprocessor enabled electronics, the THD should be less than 6%. Inverter generators accomplish this whereas standard portable generators run in 9% or more THD .. This power from inverter generators is ultra-clean and in a form that can now be used in sensitive electronic equipment like medical devices.90007 90006 In an inverter generator, the engine speed varies depending on the electrical demand being asked of it, which significantly reduces noise and fuel consumption compared to a standard portable generator. The end result is a portable generator with reduced weight and size, and power that is ultra-clean. 90007 90002 90003 Drawbacks of Common Portable Generators 90004 90005 90006 One of the major drawbacks of a standard portable generator is they can be terribly inefficient and waste a lot of fuel if they’re not used at full (or at least heavy) load for a long period of time.90007 90006 They can unnecessarily pollute the environment for a small benefit when not being used at or near its capacity. For example, running a 4,000 watt generator to run a light bulb at 100 watts, you waste fuel running that big engine for little benefit. Remember a continuous 3,600 RPM? 90007 90006 Additionally, common generators are heavy and do not surge very well. So they are often over-sized to meet load demands. The larger, heavier generators are used so there is an available large surge capacity, necessary for the starting watts needed for an electric motor (think power tools, refrigerator / freezer, air conditioner).Otherwise during surge the generator would bog down. 90007 90002 90003 Benefits of the Portable Inverter Generator 90004 90005 90006 Hyundai 90007 90006 Inverter generators have some real advantages over conventional generators. First and foremost, they’re quiet. Standard portable generators are infamous for the noise during operation. Offending neighbors or fellow outdoor enthusiasts is always a concern. 90007 90006 In addition, these new units are a lot lighter and smaller: 1,000-watt inverter generators weigh about 30 pounds and are about the size of a small cooler.90007 90006 Inverter generators are also about 20 percent more fuel efficient than regular generators. A typical 2,000-watt unit can run at its rated load for nearly four hours on a gallon of fuel. 90007 90006 And finally, as previously mentioned, inverter generators produce electricity that’s somewhat safer for sensitive electronic equipment, such as laptops. 90007 90006 You will however, pay more per available kilowatt in a portable inverter generator. That is, a 2Kw inverter will cost you much more than a 2Kw standard generator.This has not stopped consumers from making these nearly a must-have household appliance. The portable 1000 watt inverter generator is becoming commonplace for those who see the value of portable power and understand the limitations of powering one device at a time. 90007 90002 90003 Typical Uses of Inverter Generators 90004 90005 90006 Generac 90007 90006 From the outset, inverter generators were marketed to the thousands of campers, hunters and fishermen who wanted to bring the comforts of home into the great outdoors, while being less cumbersome and quieter.90007 90006 Think of the great outdoors. You’re «roughing it» under the stars. But for necessity, convenience and safety you have your cell phone with you, right? The inverter generator will safely keep your phone charged. 90007 90006 They are popular in the construction industry because workers can power up at 7 a.m. or in a quiet zone without the rumble of a standard portable generator. Inverter generators produce about the same level of noise as a normal conversation (50 to 60 dBA) — that’s quieter than a household vacuum cleaner.Conventional generators can be as noisy as 65 to 75 dBA (decibels), about as loud as a lawn mower or chain saw. 90007 90002 90003 Features to Consider 90004 90005 90006 Champion 90007 90006 Small differences in the design of various inverter generators can make a big difference in how easy they are to use and maintain, but also affect price. Keep these factors in mind: 90007 90006 • Control panels on better units include a display that allows you to monitor voltage output, frequency (Hz) and hours of operation.They also include LEDs that warn of over-load conditions. 90007 90006 • Many units include controls that allow you to switch from automatic power saving to a power-boost mode when short surges of power are required. 90007 90006 • Weight and size depend largely upon watt output. Depending on weight you may opt for some sort of wheel transport apparatus. 90007 90006 • Noise levels can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, even for units with the same output. When evaluating noise, be sure you’re comparing apples to apples — especially in regard to how far the unit was placed from the sound-level meter and the load at which it was running.90007 90006 • Some units include a battery-charging cable, a spark plug wrench and a generator cover. Units that are designed to connect with another generator (for twice the power) come with parallel cables. 90007 90002 90003 The Bottom Line 90004 90005 90006 Yamaha 90007 90006 Although inverter generators are less costly to operate than conventional generators, they are more expensive to purchase. A 2,000-watt inverter generator could cost between $ 600 to $ 1,200, whereas a conventional unit with similar capacity might cost as little as $ 200.Higher-capacity inverter generators get very pricey. 90007 90006 If you use your generator frequently, you will recoup some of that in fuel savings. But more important, generator noise will no longer be a nuisance to your neighbors or to you. 90007 90006 There are portable inverter generator reviews on the Generator Grader site. Check out the handy table below to compare the popular portable inverter generators in the 2000 watt range. They are available in less watts and available in more watts.Less watts in the 300 to тисячі watt range have limited use. More than 3000 watts are more versatile but you can expect to pay close to $ 2000. and more. Ultimate versatility is achieved when the unit has parallel capability where you can hook two units together for nearly double the power, and still use them separately when you need. 90007 90006 90002 Compare Portable Inverter Generators 90005 This table compare portable inverter generators in the more popular power range of 2000 watts. Some models have parallel ability to hook two units together to nearly double the watts.Decibel readings generally taken at less than full load. 90013 $ = Less than $ 500; $$ = Less than $ 900; $$$ = more than $ 900 90007 90006 90118 Filed under: 90119 Inverter Generators 90007 .90000 What is an inverter and how does it work? 90001 90002 90003 90004 90005 See also: 90006 90007 90004 What are the different types of solar inverters? and What does a solar inverter do? 90007 90010 90002 90003 Inverters play a crucial role in any solar energy system and are often considered to be the brains of a project, whether it’s a 2-kW residential system or a 5-MW utility power plant. An inverter’s basic function is to «invert» the direct current (DC) output into alternating current (AC).AC is the standard used by all commercial appliances, which is why many view inverters as the «gateway» between the photovoltaic (PV) system and the energy off-taker. 90010 90003 90015 Inverter technologies have advanced significantly, such that in addition to converting DC to AC, they provide a number of other capabilities and services to ensure that the inverter can operate at an optimal performance level, such as data monitoring, advanced utility controls, applications and system design engineering.Inverter manufacturers also provide post-installation services that are integral to maintaining energy production and a high level of performance for the project, including preventative maintenance, O & M services and a quick mean time to repair (MTTR). 90010 90003 As the price of modules fall, inverters and additional system components have become a focus in price reduction for EPCs looking for a new competitive edge. As a result, inverter manufacturers are continually trying to drive down the cost curve of products.90010 90003 Some companies have been able to do that successfully with modifications to manufacturing strategies and building additional manufacturing facilities within emerging solar markets. Additionally, companies have taken the core concept of «design for manufacturability» -meaning they design a product with ease of manufacturing in mind-to design inverter products that are quicker and cheaper to produce, without sacrificing performance. Inverter manufacturers have also been able to achieve lower-cost success through well-maintained partnerships with vendors.90010 90003 The continued challenge of providing higher and higher value at lower cost is something the industry must work to overcome. 90010 90003 90024 Grid integration and inverters 90025 90026 High PV penetration and the impact it will have on our aging electric grid is another challenge the entire solar industry faces. The challenge itself is not specific to inverters, but the solution may be entirely inverter-driven. Because inverters serve as a gateway to the system, advanced utility controls, such as low-voltage ride through, can help mitigate the issues that stem from higher PV penetration on the grid, such as predictability of output and distributed generation.These functions help ease the transition as more solar is built, without the need for major and expensive infrastructure upgrades. Utilities are keen to support the development and use of inverters with the most proven functionalities when it comes to grid interconnection. 90010 90003 90024 Design flexibility 90025 90026 Given the growth in distributed generation projects along with continued development of utility-scale projects, solar project developers are seeking inverter manufacturers that can provide a robust suite of commercial products and technology topologies.A flexible inverter manufacturer can offer a centralized and decentralized inverter design, referring to an architecture that uses multiple inverters throughout a project to achieve the lowest levelized cost of energy (LCOE) possible. Although there’s still growing demand for a common system architecture using a centralized inverter, designing in three-phase string inverters for a decentralized PV system design is gaining in popularity. This is particularly true in commercial applications where space is at a premium or in an odd form.90010 90003 Inverters have evolved from much more than simply inverting the electrical currents of a solar energy system. Inverters must continue to innovate and bring down cost, while maintaining key attributes for a solar energy system (reliability, efficiency and features such as data monitoring), in order to drive more PV penetration. 90010 90003 90005 This story was originally contributed by Mike Dooley, Vice President of Marketing at Advanced Energy. It was updated to reflect current guidelines on May 1, 2018.90006 90010 90003 90005 90004 Find the right inverter for your project by glancing through our easy-to-use inverter database. 90007 90006 90010 90003 90004 For more articles, see: 90025 90007 What do solar inverters do? 90025 What are the different types of solar inverters? 90025 Q & A: Common questions about inverters and storage 90025 What are the advantages of using string inverters in commercial and small utility projects? 90025 What are some benefits of a centralized approach in small utility solar projects? 90010 .