What is an Inverter and do I need one?
Yes,
inverters change low voltage direct current into 110 volt alternating
current. The common household appliances run on 110 volt
ac. There are three basic types of inverters : square wave, sine
wave and modified sine wave. Sine wave is the best of the three
and is the same quality electricity that you would receive from your
utility company. Square wave inverters may not be able to run
certain types of machinery or equipment but they tend to be much
cheaper.
So
how do I select the proper size inverter?
"Inverters
are normally sized by their output wattage capability. The
inverter normally has two ratings. The first is the wattage the
inverter can sustain on a prolonged basis. The second wattage
rating is the short term basis and is called the surge capacity."
(www.solaralaska.com)
When choosing an inverter for your home you should calculate the wattage
that you will need to run all your appliances. If your not sure how many watts you will need you can look on the tags on the appliance or you can figure the amp to watts conversion. In a 110 volt ac current one amp is equal to 110 watts. If you are unsure what your total consumption might be or how to figure it I have provided a link to a down loadable worksheet.
Here is the address to the worksheet for calculating your loads
www.solarwindworks.com/worksheet/worksheet.htm
Back to PV System
When choosing an inverter for your home you should calculate the wattage
that you will need to run all your appliances. If your not sure how many watts you will need you can look on the tags on the appliance or you can figure the amp to watts conversion. In a 110 volt ac current one amp is equal to 110 watts. If you are unsure what your total consumption might be or how to figure it I have provided a link to a down loadable worksheet.
Here is the address to the worksheet for calculating your loads
www.solarwindworks.com/worksheet/worksheet.htm
Back to PV System