Inverter Definition and 174 Threads

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. P

    Why Is the Transition Region Between Slopes of -1 Significant in Inverters?

    Regarding the transfer function of the inverter,why do we take the transition region between the slopes of '-1'.Is there any special significance for this slope in this context of inverter. Thank you all
  2. C

    Transistors for 3.6 kW inverter circuit

    Hello all I have a fairly straight forward question about transistors. I am an engineer focusing in power generation systems, and currently working on designing a test inverter for a new type of DC generator. I have extensive knowledge of DC circuits and power systems, however this is my first...
  3. A

    Does the inverter can be used as a power sourse

    Hello I want to a device to change 50Hz to 60Hz, and found the inverter can do it. but the output wave is not sine wave, does it can be used as the power source to power like computors & lights?
  4. M

    How Long Can a 12V Battery Power a 220W Appliance Using a 300W Inverter?

    Hello, I have a question, I've googled to find the answer but I didn't find any. I have 12v 100amp battery, 12v-220v 300watt inverter and 220w 220v appliance. I want to run the 220w appliance on the 12v battery by using the inverter. My Question is: How long will it last until the...
  5. N

    Calculate Delay of inverter in LTspice

    Homework Statement I am trying to calculate the delay of the inverter. Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution I tried to build the circuit in LTspice, but seems like I couldn't get anything useful from the plot. So I am hope somebody good in LTspice take a look with this and hope they...
  6. C

    Inverter low voltage high current 5-12v in 13.8v out 30 amps

    I am looking for a design to achieve the following. I have an off road camping trailer with a second deep cycle battery installed. The second battery never reaches full charge because of the voltage drop from the alternator in front to the battery in the rear of trailer To charge the second...
  7. E

    Why use inverter and not correct ac source to ac drive directly?

    Hi all, I have a question with regards to why should we use an ac-dc, dc -dc, dc-ac converter to an ac drive? Why not connect an ac source through a transformer directly to the ac drive? Isn't it the same? What equations can prove that the use of converter is a better choice?
  8. T

    Question on current draw from an inverter

    Hey everyone, I have a slight question regarding the current draw from an inverter If you had a 100W pump running on 230V obviously it's current draw is 100/230 which is 0.43 Amps but what if you were running the water pump from an inverter connected to a 12V battery. Would the current...
  9. H

    Square wave and sine wave inverter

    Hello, Suppose we have a square wave inverter, and at the output we put a low pass filter with cut off frequency of 50 Hz, then the output is sinusoidal with frequency 50Hz. Now let's take a sine wave inverter and at the output we have a low pass filter with cut off frequency of 50Hz, then we...
  10. S

    PSPICE error message when simulating CMOS inverter circuit.

    Hi. I receive an error message once simulating in PSPICE. I have attached a file that explains the problem in details. Will be glad to know the source of the problem. Thanks! :redface:
  11. I

    Why does the CMOS inverter operate in triode mode in static operation?

    Hello, I have a question about how to analyze the CMOS inverter (this circuit: http://www.cs.umass.edu/~weems/CmpSci635A/Lecture2/image10.gif ). Just to clarify, the input voltage is connected to both gates, and the PMOS on top has its source connected to Vdd. The NMOS on the bottom has its...
  12. H

    IR2110 H-Bridge Inverter for Induction Heater

    Hi, I was designing a High Power High frequency Induction Heater inverter. I've choose H-bridge configuration for the inverter and IR2110 gate drivers to drive the bridge. As the IR2110 is a half-bridge driver i'll use two of them to drive the both sides. I've done a rough circuit(just...
  13. J

    Cannot find decimal number inverter site

    Hi, There is a website that does a reverse conversion of a decimal number to symbolic representations. For example, if I were to supply the approximate number 1.4142135623730951 the site would give me a list of possible symbolic expressions which in this case, would probably include...
  14. S

    How to design dc to ac inverter

    how to design dc to ac inverter
  15. S

    Engineering CMOS inverter circuit, spike in simulation

    Hello, I am hoping someone can give me a little bit of help. I have been simulating a CMOS inverter circuit. When I add in a pulse source at the input, and simulate it, I get an output which has a bit of a spikle on the transition. I am hoping someone can help my understand why this is...
  16. L

    How to measure inverter efficiency

    set up 12v bat. to 150w inverter to a tower pc. so i put a amp meter between 12v bat and inverter .times the volts by amps get wattage? then get the wattage of computer using a mains socket(because the inverter produces modified sinewave and my wattage meter may not work...
  17. H

    Exploring CCFL Inverters: Risks of Short Circuits & Current Limitation

    1. When the CCFL tube lights up does it become a short circuit? 2. Are all CCFL inverters short circuit current limited? Thanks for the help!
  18. J

    How does the Pseudo NMOS inverter use Qp as an active load?

    Hi in the Pseudo NMOS inverter below I don't understand how Qp acts as an active load, what I understand is that with this configuration Qp's Vgs is -5V which means that this transistor is always on (short circuit), now if the input to the circuit is low this means that Qn is off but Qp is...
  19. C

    How Does Replacing NMOS with PMOS Affect the VTC Curve of a CMOS Inverter?

    Heres an interview question which I am having trouble with: Consider a CMOS inverter. Replace the NMOS in it with a PMOS. How would the VTC curve look like? I was told that one PMOS would always be in saturation. Since the source voltage of the lower PMOS is tied to Vout, how can we...
  20. T

    Dc to ac inverter circuit debug please

    Hello I am a EE student and was wondering if anyone had some suggestions on how to fix my inverter it's for a capstone project we are using a twelve volt battery and trying to get 120vac 60Hzs we can get 59Hzs from the curcuit intill it goes into the transformer then it changes to 177Hzs and...
  21. K

    The SN74HC14 hex inverter Oscillator

    Have any of you seen the Expert village you tube vids? I saw that they only explain how to build a square wave Oscillator. Do any of you know of a simple circuit that will creat an adjustable sign wave? I have been through many circuits and had success in learning from project kits. I know...
  22. M

    DC to AC inverter using 555 timer

    I want to know the function of the two power amplifier ?
  23. D

    Graphical Method for Determining BJT Inverter Characteristics

    Hi I'm having some problems with using the graphical method to determine the output characteristics, the question and the answer are all included in the document attached. I understand the process of putting the load line on the graph but for this application i have no idea what to do. Many...
  24. P

    Problem with design of inverter.

    Hi there, I have been working on the design of an inverter board which has to be capable of power ratings of up to 3KW for my final year project. The inverter is to be used for input and output in three phase. I have completed basic hardware, that is three phase diode bridge, optocoupler...
  25. O

    Is it safe to run laptop and router on modified sine wave inverter?

    Hi! I recently bought an inverter that connects to a 12 volt battery and gives out 220volts AC current. It is rated at 1200W and it produces modified sine wave. The main question I am trying to solve is: Is it safe to run my laptop and dsl router on this modified sine wave? I have done a...
  26. V

    Engineering Calculating Generator Field, Motor Torque & Inverter Voltages

    Homework Statement [PLAIN]http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/4753/examproblem1ece320.jpg A Y-connected synchronous generator with a wound field is used to provide pure sinusoidal voltage of 240V, 50Hz, to a variable electrical load. The generator is powered from an induction motor, fed fropm...
  27. N

    How Can I Convert a Variable DC to an AC Inverter for Off-Grid Use?

    So here is what I am trying to accomplish. I am trying to take an old Jacobs wind turbine controller that was designed for a grid tie application and make it off grid. There is a 3 phase "wild" ac input from the turbine that is rectifyed but not clipped by the internal SCR's to variable DC...
  28. T

    Determining transistor sizes equal to a single inverter

    Homework Statement Determine transistor sizes for (lets say a 2 input nand gate, my actual question is more complicated but i want to know the basic idea so i can do it myself) so that the worst case pull down and pull up is equivalent to a single inverter with Wn = 1 micro m and Wp= 2 Micro...
  29. D

    How Can I Make a Pure Sine Wave Inverter with Limited Voltage and Current?

    Hi i am a 3rd year electrical student, i have a limited knowledge about inverters. i am trying to make a pure sinewave inverter, my intial spec was to create a 1) boost converter dc to dc 2) 3 stage pwm using a bubba oscillator etc 3) using a filter. my supervisor for the project said i could...
  30. S

    Exploring Inverter Topologies for Low Power Induction Motor

    Hi folks, I'm new to both the forums and the concept of inverters. For my project, I've been told to look up various inverter topologies. I've read inverters in a textbook, course notes, over the web, with PLECS, and I'm still confused. Maybe, I just need a good place to start. I...
  31. B

    How Does an Inverter with Electromechanical Switch Work?

    Hi guys Could someone explain to me how does an inverter (with electromechanical switch) works? Based on the following diagram from wikipedia, Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverter_%28electrical%29 I understand that (on the above diagram not the bottom) a spring is placed...
  32. H

    Choosing the Right Transistors and Drivers for a 1200w DC/AC Inverter Project

    Hello... i have a small project in the university concerning sine wave dc/ac inverter. i want to run a small induction motor, so the maximum power of the inverter is 1200w. i did the control part and i generate a sine pwm signal from pic18f2331 microcontroller, but my problem with the IGBT...
  33. Z

    Can renewable energy be used to power a ship with onshore safety considerations?

    Inverter help ! Regeneration Im a current mechanical engineering student working on a project that utilizes solar panels and a wind helix. We will have roughly 50kW of electricity coming in from the solar and wind systems on the roof. That will then be sent to a SatCon Grid Tied 480VAC 60Hz...
  34. H

    Can a 5V DC to 100V AC Inverter Power a Television?

    The guy uses the inverter to power a light bulb, would the 5vDC to 100vAC be able to power a television, or other electronic devices that require about 110v to 125v.
  35. R

    Using an inverter to run a camping fridge

    Take an average portable fridge that one would use for camping. It can run off 12Vdc/220Vac. Would it be wise to run an inverter off a battery and the fridge at 220vac off the car battery or would it be better to just run it straight off the 12V( Assuming all wiring, fuses and etc have been made...
  36. H

    Creating a DC/AC Inverter with Pure Sine Wave Output

    Hello, Am trying to make dc/ac inverter with pure sine wave output, while am searching i found an IC which is SG3524 which can generate a pwm signal. Is it a good choice for pure sine wave output, and what is the difference between the pwm signal generated by micro controller and the pwm...
  37. M

    Explain the basic concept of IGBT inverter ?

    Hi friends is there anything that can explain the basic concept of IGBT inverter for ac motor drives..? Help me please... Hery
  38. D

    Dc to AC inverter inductor calculation

    Hi all, i am working on an 110W inverter (Dc to AC) project that the input voltages varies from 700Vdc-1000Vdc and the output voltage is 220Vac. The system operates, however i have problem with output choke. The output choke temperature increases instantly even in no load operation. My...
  39. S

    Problem in deciding dc generator conecting to an inverter

    Hi, Its great to see a forum like this thanks for your efforts and thinking that PF can help me a lot. I Am ANANTH pursuing 3-2 B.TECH under J.N.T.U.H i am working on a project of wind energy to electrical energy. but the problem is what type of dc generator(rating) should i use? first I've...
  40. M

    How Can I Build My Own Inverter to Convert Car Battery Voltage to 220V AC?

    Hey all .. i happy to join this forum because of the amount of information that it has .. In our city , the electricity cut down for long time may be 10 hours in a day .. I want to make a device so i can convert the car battery voltage ( 12V DC) to (220V AC) this device called Inverter .. i...
  41. W

    What to do with a DC to AC power inverter?

    I recently acquired by accident a 750 watt DC to AC power inverter, designed for powering AC appliances off of a car battery or other 12V power source. I have no need for such functionality. I am really interested in high voltage projects and I was wondering if there are any interesting...
  42. W

    What to do with a DC to AC power inverter?

    I recently acquired by accident a 750 watt DC to AC power inverter, designed for powering AC appliances off of a car battery or other 12V power source. I have no need for such functionality. I am really interested in high voltage projects and I was wondering if there are any interesting...
  43. C

    Generator output to Grid Tie Inverter

    Guys, I have a Lister generator that is capable of producing approx 5KW of power from an attached ST alternator. I am in australia so our standard power is 240v at 50hz I have a grid tie inverter for my solar panels - this unit accepts between 150v dc into 500vdc It has a single input...
  44. M

    Engineering CMOS inverter circuit question

    [SOLVED] cMOS inverter circuit question Hey guys I have the following circuit; its an inverter using transistors http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/7609/circuit.jpg Im trying to figure out what the voltage value of Vin should be WHEN both transistors are in saturation mode. I have...
  45. K

    How to Design a Pure Sine Wave Inverter for Motor Applications?

    I would like to design a Pure Sine wave inverter for DC to AC rectification. I want to drive motors with this applicaiton. (At most 120VAC .5HP) I don't want to specify too much, because the main point here is design basics. With the right information, I should be able to design accordingly. I...
  46. S

    Can you show me schemes of simple back-forward motion inverter.

    Can you show me schemes of simple back-forward motion inverter. It means if something move in one direction device should move another part in the opposite direction on the same axis. I need it to build wood-lathe pantograph. Interesting in jointed line work mechanisms
  47. F

    Inverter circuit shoot-thru HELP

    Hey everyone, I am working on a project right now and am having some problems with it. It is an inverter consisting of a tl494 PWM IC running at 50 to 200Khz, discrete gate driver, gate drive transformer made with 6 turns of cat5 cable, and an H-bridge of mosfets, irfp840s I think. Anyways, my...
  48. A

    PhotoTransistor and Hex Schmitt trigger Inverter

    Hello forum , i would like to ask you about this circuit in the attachment , i don't have any voltage on Vout , could you tell me where is my mistake. Thank you in advance,:cool: Anita
  49. A

    Need Suggestions to Control the Position of an AC Motor Using an Inverter

    Hi, I'm new in this forum. Nice to meet you all. I'm currently working on a project that uses AC motor. The goal is to make a position control system for the motor. Currently I'm using the Altivar 16 Square D inverter to control the speed of the motor. It uses a logic voltage to control the...
  50. S

    How can I convert 12V DC to 14AC 50Hz for my guitar synthesizer?

    Hi there :) I need to build or buy an inverter that transforms 12V DC to 14 AC 50Hz. It's for my guitar sinthetizer, i need to play with it in the street with my 12V batteries. I've tried with an 12V->220AC inverter pure sine (from Velleman) but it introduces to much noise in the guitar. Any...
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