Lets talk a little bit about power inverter efficiency. What I mean is at what capacity does your power inverter run the most efficient. This is important when you are using a battery bank, you want to get the most power possible out of your batteries.
At theinverterstore.com we have the information you need to make an informed decision when purchasing a power inverter. First I would like to let you know that many companies give out specific percentages on efficiency. These numbers can be difficult to reproduce in the field, as they were done under specific controlled conditions. I am going to stick with realistic general efficiency percentages, that exist in everyday circumstances.
First, I would like to highlight that when you convert power from DC to AC, through a power inverter you should always count on at least a 10 percent loss of power in the inversion. This is a good general benchmark to calculate with when setting up a battery bank and power inverter system. You may be wondering where the lost power goes, or how it is lost. To put it simply the power is lost in the form of heat, very similar to friction.
Second, most power inverters have a peak efficiency level. What we are talking about is between 0% and 100% load, at what point is the power inverter going to work most efficiently. Generally most power inverters work at their peak capacity between 1/3 and 2/3 of the max load wattage. For example if you were using a AIMS 2500 Watt Power inverter. The peak efficiency for this power inverter would be between 750 watts and 1700 watts. I am being conservative while quoting these numbers, because everyone has different conditions on their own setup.
Lastly, the conditions I am speaking about that change efficiency of an power inverter are several. You can decrease the efficiency by using to small of wires, thus creating a bottleneck to the power inverter. The ambient temperature where your power inverter is operating, could differ from another person. The space where your power inverter is installed, could have less air flow, causing the power inverter to run a little hotter, cutting down on the efficiency. Also the voltage of your battery bank, can draw down your efficiency. For example if your battery bank is charged to 13.6 volts it will help your system run more efficiently, than if it was charged to 12.2 volts.
The main point is to recognize that when choosing an power inverter, its important to keep peak efficiency in mind. If you are running a power inverter at close to 100% load, or too low of a load you are robbing power from your system.
The best advice theinverterstore.com can provide is to get the right size cables, if you need advice on what size cable you need you can view our website or give us a call we are happy to help. Also when choosing an power inverter you might want to go one size up, from your required wattage, so that your system is running at max efficiency.
If you have any further questions about power inverters, cables or batteries. Please give us a call @ 888-417-8673.
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.
