The inverter
converts direct
current stored in batteries to alternating current that can be
used to power conventional appliances and electrical equipment. Inverters
are rated in terms of both their input DC voltage as well as their output
capacity wattage. So, a 24-volt 2.5 kilowatt inverter is for use with a
24-volt battery bank and produces a maximum of 2500 watts at 110 volts for
routine household household usage. Contemporary digital
architecture makes it possible to fully automate power supply
through programming of the inverter(s), and sine wave inverters
typically allow for configuration of up to four charging sources to
contribute power to the household.
Grid-tie inverters have the
capacity to transmit electrical power from the power grid as one of the power
inputs described above.
Internal sensors are able to detect power failures and to revert to alternative
power supplies sufficiently fast that a power outage will not cause disruption
in electrical service to appliances that are in use at the time. Inverters
also provide surge protection and prohibit power supply at suppressed voltage,
so inverters actually protect equipment attached to the power distribution
network.
While 220 volt
inverters are available, prevailing convention is to simply stack
two 110-volt inverters to achieve 220-volt power supply.
Osa Power's inverter of choice is Outback, which allows for stacking of up to 10 of their highest
power inverters. Doing so with the powerful Outback 3648, for
example, provides for a power supply of 36
kilowatts at 110 volts, 18 kw at 220 volts, or some combination of
the two. For commercial and larger applications, other
products may prove more appropriate in certain cases.
