Archive for April, 2009

Can an inverter be used to power a microwave?

Friday, April 17th, 2009

As summer approaches people are once again getting interested in road trips and travel. One question that we hear a lot at Theinvetrerstore.com is “can I power a microwave with a power inverter”. The answer to this question is, Yes! Although there are a few things that are good know before purchasing an inverter.

Microwaves need to draw extra power as they start up in order to kick on the heating element. For this reason it is important to properly size your power inverter. Be careful selecting the right inverter and make sure you have all the start up requirements for your microwave before you do.

If you use a modified sine wave inverter it may take longer to heat your food and the microwave may run hotter than normal. For this reason you may want to look into getting a pure sine wave inverter instead.

Most of the stories that you hear about microwaves being a problem on the road are caused by people not fully understanding the power source that they are drawing from.

Theinverterstore.com offers excellent customer support and we would be happy to answer any questions that you might have. We have a wide selection of pure sine wave and modified sine wave inverters and our goal is to make sure our customers are purchasing the right equipment the first time around.

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How do I pick the right Power inverter?

Wednesday, April 8th, 2009

The first step in choosing a power inverter is to determine the amount of power you require. If you are looking to purchase a power inverter you most likely have a very clear idea of what you are going to use it for. If you are not completely clear on what electronics you want to power with your power inverter then make gaining clarity your first step. When you know what electronics you want to power determine the amount of power necessary for them. The power requirement information is available on the back of most electronics and appliances.

Once you determine the power requirements of all the equipment you would like to power the second step is to determine what equipment will be running simultaneously. The more equipment you use simultaneously the more total power you need available at any given moment.

Third, add up the amps and/or watts. To calculate watts you multiply amps by 120. To get amps you divide watts by 120. Example:Let’s say you want to run a microwave and a coffee pot. The microwave is 8 amps and the coffee pot is 5 amps . You add the total amps which is 13 and multiply by 120. . You get 1560 watts. Because microwaves and coffee pots have a start up, we recommend you allow double your wattage which is 1560 * 2. You will need at least a 3120 watt inverter. Since inverters are usually sold as 2500, 3500 or 5000 watts, you will have to decide what is the best investment for you.

Now that you know what you want you can visit our site for more information about how to purchase a power inverter by clicking here.

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