What is Inverter: Definition and 174 Discussions

A power inverter, or inverter, is a power electronic device or circuitry that changes direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC). The resulting AC frequency obtained depends on the particular device employed. Inverters do the opposite of "converters" which were originally large electromechanical devices converting AC to DC.The input voltage, output voltage and frequency, and overall power handling depend on the design of the specific device or circuitry. The inverter does not produce any power; the power is provided by the DC source.
A power inverter can be entirely electronic or may be a combination of mechanical effects (such as a rotary apparatus) and electronic circuitry.
Static inverters do not use moving parts in the conversion process.
Power inverters are primarily used in electrical power applications where high currents and voltages are present; circuits that perform the same function for electronic signals, which usually have very low currents and voltages, are called oscillators. Circuits that perform the opposite function, converting AC to DC, are called rectifiers.

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  1. Q

    US Split-Phase to EU Heat Pump Not Working

    Hi, I've ordered and received an advanced heat pump from Jiangsu Micoe in Red China. It is a full inverter-driven air-to-Water heat pump, IOW the fan motor, compressor, etc, are all PWM driven. The power supply takes in line voltage and immediately converts it to DC for moderation by the...
  2. PhysicsTest

    Engineering Difficulty in Understanding Inverter Terms

    I have a great difficulty in understanding the current and voltage ratings of the inverter, at the input of the inverter the ratings are different compared to the output side. What are the formulae of those conversions example, If i check the above diagram, power supply is 24V, 1.6APk a. Does...
  3. mohammadmaaz789

    Understanding Dead Time Compensations in Electric Machine Drives

    https://i.stack.imgur.com/hSOU2.png https://i.stack.imgur.com/wE2Iy.png https://i.stack.imgur.com/R7FKK.png cannot understand this deadtime compensation method. So I have provided the whole cut out of the section of this book. BOOK: Control of Electric Machine Drive Systems Book by Seung-Ki...
  4. amazingjoe

    Could you use Solar to power a DC to AC Inverter? (Description below)

    I'd like to take Solar Panel power output and use it to power an AC outlet on the ultra-cheap. I know a lot of people use Solar to connect to a purpose built inverter and also have a battery somewhere in the mix to provide a stable output but wondering if the following (using the assumptions...
  5. PainterGuy

    Why digital electronics section start with analysis of inverter?

    Hi, Both NAND and NOR are considered to be universal gates. For example, NAND gates can be used in combination to perform the AND, OR, and inverter operations. The same could be said of NOR gate. Then, why the digital electronics section of electronics textbooks almost always start with the...
  6. P

    Three-phase voltage inverter (some questions)

    I have no idea how to answer to these questions. Our teacher has given it to solve, but i don't know where I sholud to search informations. Could somebody recommend me valuable sources of knowledge?
  7. C

    Delaying/shifting the start of a square wave inverter

    I am trying to create a two phase type setup where I have a square wave in the multi-gigahertz frequency. However, I want the second wave to start once the first one reaches 90 degrees. How can the circuit be configured to do this? Will a phase shifter do or can a square wave be phase shifted at...
  8. C

    350W car power inverter vs tiny generator

    I need to power a 350W thing inside the car. And I googled about it. What I learned was that there was a 100W fuse inside car lighter jacks so you can't run a 350W inverter. So I have some questions. 1. If you remove the 100W fuse and put a 400W fuse. Can the 350W power inverter sucked up the...
  9. bob012345

    Understanding an Inverter Simulation

    As a step to a solar powered battery backup system I wish to get a better grasp on how DC to AC inverters work. This circuit shown below is a 12V DC to 120V AC inverter. I am doing ltspice simulations first and I am working from a circuit diagram included below I found online here...
  10. cnh1995

    Engineering Single Phase Inverter Waveform

    The answer given is d). Seeing the problem statement, it can be concluded that the load has some inductance, and when the switches S1, S2, S3 and S4 are off, conduction takes place through the anti-parallel body diodes (freewheeling action). Seeing the triggering pulse waveforms, S1-S4 ON...
  11. cnh1995

    Switching scheme in an inverter

    I am studying single phase and 3-phase inverter circuits and I have a few questions. In textbooks, while explaining how the inverter functions, they specifically mention the type of load on the inverter (R, RL, RC or RLC). The switching duty of the transistors changes according to the type of...
  12. khalil977

    Do I Need Freewheel Diodes for My H Bridge Mosfet Inverter Circuit?

    i am designing H bridbe mosfet inverter with gate driver HCPL3120 i need help in circuit
  13. Anand Sivaram

    About Inverter Compressor: Starting Current

    If we would like to go completely off-grid with a Solar inverter: Normal refrigerators use induction motors for compressors and these induction motors do require around 5x starting current. So, if we use a refrigerator with rated power of 200W, we would require an inverter/power supply rating...
  14. L

    Connect grid tied solar inverter to DC+ Bus of VFD?

    What solutions are there to feeding a high DC voltage rated (eg 1000VDC) certified grid tied solar inverter such as a Yaskawa Solectria PVI23-480; from an alternate DC+ bus supply. For instance the 670 VDC input from a solar string; might be replaced by a a 6 pulse rectifier; (possibly from a...
  15. T

    Is anyone familiar with the IR2304 MOSFET driver?

    Hi All, I'm not sure if this is the correct foray to discuss my questions about the specific IR2304 IC chip. However, I've run into some difficulties making my first inverter and I've asked a range of questions on another website...
  16. B

    Gaming PC in my 2018 Kenworth T680 Truck -- Power Issues?

    Hello I'm trying to set up my gaming computer in my 2018 Kenworth T680 but having power issues. Both with the monitor and the tower. But mostly the monitor. I realize the power inverter is likely incompatible with monitor and tower PSU. I need a workaround. Issue: Monitor works interminitly for...
  17. Wrichik Basu

    A question about inverter technology in air conditioners

    Recently, the inverter ACs have become quite famous. I got to know that in inverter ACs, the compressor is never actually switched off. The compressor speed is varied in accordance with the temperature of the room. This keeps the room temperature constant, unlike the previous technologies, where...
  18. G

    Experienced with PQ Control and PI Tuning for Inverter Power Control?

    Does anyone have experience modeling active/reactive management in an inverter? I'm working on it for a project, more precisely I'm trying to implement that PQ control with references of voltage, as is seen in this image: Problem is I've tried many PI regulators, and my I_dq doesn't want to...
  19. A

    Modified sine wave vs pure sine wave inverter

    i was desigining a simple ( simple as in no MPPT) PV-pump standalone system, and we decided on using an AC-pump, so while i was searching for inverters i noticed the remarkable difference in price ranges, so i started to read about the difference between the two, so far the disadvantages of the...
  20. J

    Engineering Inverter Circuit Turn Off Time

    Homework Statement Solution in Book#1 Solution in Google: [/B] 2. Homework Equations I don't know which solution is correct. I am struggling to remember this formula. The Attempt at a Solution This was a solved example so I didn't attempt.
  21. T

    Possible Line Power Conditioner hobby project

    Hi All, [This thread has been re-started to accommodate modification of the project for the benefit of anyone that isn't a qualified Professional. Specifically the use of a Low Voltage isolated Source.] I want to get the opinion of people with more experience than me, regarding a project I was...
  22. J

    Full Bridge Inverter: Got the answer by 1 method, but not by another

    Homework Statement Homework Equations Fourier and then V(output) = 4Vs/(n*3.14) * sin (nwt) where Vs is battery here it's 400V Current = V(output) / X(L). Here X is 2*3.14*100*0.2 The Attempt at a Solution I got V(output) = 4*400/3.14 = 509.55V This is fundamental Peak output voltage. So...
  23. ESMAT 1995

    Constant current source Inverter

    i was reading about CSI and the first paragaph said "A constant current source is assumed here, which may be realized by using an inductance of suitable value, which must be high, in series with the current limited dc voltage source. " and it says nothing else about it , so clearly it's a basic...
  24. J

    Alternator With Inverter (Basic)

    Hi everyone I am currently working with diesel railcars. To power the electrical systems, we have engines connected to alternators, which then connect to static inverters. The auxiliary power system runs off the static inverters, initially at 415V AC but distributed throughout the railcars at...
  25. C

    Upgrade Your RV Inverter: Choosing Between Inverter or Generator

    Hi my name is Clay and I'm thinking of increasing my inverter in my RV ,from 160w to at least 1800w Invertor...($900) so I can run a oil heater at 750w drawing 2.3 amps or a Nutri bullet juicer rated at 900 watt, not sure what amps this draws, I have four solar panels on the roof and each one...
  26. G

    Diagnosing and Repairing a Faulty Inverter: Tips from a Scientist

    Hi all, 1500W 12Vdc to 110Vac modified sine inverter. Two output MOSFETs shorted and took some of the driver components with them. I removed all the MOSFETs, and fed in some power carefully - once the voltage rose to 12V, I could see the large output caps were being charged to over 200V, and...
  27. bbbl67

    How does a variable rate inverter work in a Tesla car?

    So I recently learned that Teslas use AC induction motors rather than DC motors. Now I always assumed that DC motors would be easier to control the speeds of vs. induction motors, so it surprised me that they used an induction motor in the Teslas. Now in my old days I had heard that induction...
  28. cnh1995

    Inverter for 3-phase fully controlled Thyristor converter

    I am helping a group of my friends for writing microcontroller code for their final year project in EE. They are building a small model of HVDC system (fed from 3 phase supply), with microcontroller based converter and inverter. We are done with the coding for firing of the SCRs in the...
  29. C

    DC-AC Inverter for light loads

    I have an alarm system that I would like to put on a UPS. Problem is the UPS that I've tried aren't very happy on the light load presented by the alarm. The power consumption is virtually zero unless the alarm is sounding. I think this is causing the UPS I have to generate a lot of noise that's...
  30. Stavale8099

    Solar power, battery charging, and inverters

    Hello, I'm trying to teach myself ...still learning...but I'm stumbling. I have a 15W solar panel whose output is 5V and 2.1A. I wish to charge a 12V battery (98Wh/8800mAh), but am unsure how to do this calculation as approximate time it would take (Assume sunny days - I know it's an...
  31. B

    What materials do I need to wire a VFD?

    Hi everyone, I am part of a senior design group that is building a dynonameter to test shocks. We are ordering parts tomorrow morning and so I want to make sure that I am not missing anything. I do not have any experience with VFD's or three phase motors but I am doing my best to research and...
  32. T

    Design choices for running an Electric train (and network)?

    Hi, I'm going to pose my questions with a number of assumptions, so please pick me up on any that are wrong. I want to know the design choices behind electric trains historically and current, this will mostly require some context of induction motors and inverters. I don't know exactly how EMUs...
  33. srinaath

    Generating SPWM using arduino-simulink environment

    hi all...am trying to generate sinusoidal pulse width modulation using arduino-simulink for my inverter board...I simulated the SPWM logic in simulink, then installed the required support package for arduino-simulink...but i am facing some problems...I started from basic...like linking arduino...
  34. T

    AC Mains Inverter Refresher: exotic advantages?

    Hi, Could I please get some conformation and clarification: So the more phases an inverter has, the less ripple will be on the DC bus, and the higher the switching frequency the inverter is operating at, the closer the approximation is to a sine wave. These are the advantages? But what are the...
  35. D

    Question about PWM inverter output

    So, this is what I know so far, please correct me if I'm wrong. The amplitude of the output of a PWM inverter depends on how long the sinusoidal modulating signal is greater than the carrier. If you subtract the output (scaled down) from a reference signal in order to get some error and use...
  36. D

    Help with determining transfer function for a single phase inverter

    Hello everyone. So I have been tasked with an interesting take on what seems to be a classic problem, that is, designing a PWM controller for a single phase inverter. Now, in all the books I've read this problem has two control loops, an inner current loop and an outer voltage loop. The...
  37. G

    Battery life using 6000 watt inverter

    I have four 125 ah batteries powering a 6000 watt inverter. The inverter is supposed to have a no load draw of 2 amps. I have a 12 amp 120volt Ac load. How long should I be able to operate before drawing my batteries to 50%
  38. T

    Quick question about inverter TX order wrt mains

    Hi, I should know better, but I'm having a mental blank. I was just wondering, if you're doing something using non-linear components on the mains, could be anything, maybe bucking to make a DC supply, whatever. Is it common practice to use an isolation transformer between mains and the...
  39. S

    What happens to input power when inverter switched off?

    In a PV system, what happens to input power when an inverter is switched off? I noticed that voltage does not change much but the current does. Does this mean the resistance increases?
  40. P

    Microwave on capacitors battery power

    I live in an rv. My power comes from solar and ocassional boost from my generator. I have 3600wh in battery power. But i know its really bad for my batteries to draw lot of power fast. So i would like to create a capacitor bank that would stay charged. Ive done some calculations but not...
  41. J

    Subharmonic noise in DC-AC H-bridge Inverter

    I have a design for a DC-AC full H-bridge inverter implemented with IGBTs that is functioning quite well, but there is one problem that I am having trouble solving. I am seeing spikes in the FFT of the output noise floor that appear to be subharmonics of the PWM frequency. I am measuring the...
  42. srinaath

    Driving three phase induction motor with single phase supply

    hi guys, am working on variable speed drive system. My aim is to make a low cost drive system for three phase induction motor. Current system employs three phase AC-DC and DC-AC converters, which has 12 switches in total. I have one idea...i found three phase inverter topology which has 4...
  43. H

    Inverter equivalent circuit?

    Homework Statement [/B] I am studying a book related to digital integrated circuits and there is something I cannot understand. The book starts by explaining two basic building blocks of digital integrated circuits: the inverter and the non-inverter. My question is about the inverter. It...
  44. T

    Clean way to run 3 phase induction motor

    Say you wanted to run an induction motor from a battery without putting dirty harmonics into it. Would a really clean way to do it, to be by using a higher phase number inverter, then transformer, then into the motor? For instance, a 6 phase inverter, into a 6 phase to 3 phase transformer, then...
  45. srinaath

    Digital scroll vs inverter driven scroll compressor?

    hi guys...am not that versed in thermal engineering...am learining different VRF(variable refrigerant flow) systems...is there is fight between digital scroll vs inverter driven scroll compressor...then who will win? in terms of efficiency (EER/ and IPLV), modulating capacity...
  46. nunuwishnu

    What is the step for designing a 3 Phase Inverter?

    I have troubles for designing a 3 phase inverter, and I cannot find the formula everywhere...
  47. T

    Exploring the Benefits of 6 Phase Inverters: A Scientist's Perspective

    Simple question, What's the advantage of having more phases in an inverter? Like why have 6 or twelve phases? Is it something to do with harmonics? I know that the higher the switching frequency the further off in the freequency spectrum you can push the harmonics, but I can't see that being...
  48. I

    NMOS Loaded NMOS inverter

    Homework Statement Given Vdd = 5v, Vgg = 10v, Kn' = 20uA/V^2 (For both transistors), (W/L)o = 10um/5um, (W/L)L = 5um/20um, Vt = 1.1V (for both) My question is what would be the Vgd, and Vgs of the load NMOS? Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution So far, what i have is: The NMOS Load...
  49. Bhend449

    Cascading Multilevel Inverters

    I'm curious if anyone can validate the efficiency of a multilevel inverter. I've been thinking about them as a better solution for PV conversion. They seem to have many advantages, but when I look at it, a single phase output can seemingly only draw power from, on average, around half of the...
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