The size of inverter you choose will ultimately depend on your application. Our inverters are sized by Wattage (Voltage x Amperage) and you can generally figure out what size you will need by looking at the devices you intend to use. Inspect near the power cord or in the user manual for most devices and you should locate a label which lists the continuous wattage or an amperage value (For example, it may say 115v 50/60hz 1.4a 200 watts)

It is generally a good idea to go with a larger sized inverter to reduce the strain and to account for unexpected energy draws. Heating appliances and motorized appliances tend to have a very large starting surge which lasts for several seconds which is longer than the peak power of an inverter is designed to last. For heating and motorized devices, we recommend choosing a model with at least double the continuous rating. For example, a 700 watt freezer may draw up to 1400 watts or more during startup and the wattage should be counted towards the continuous rating of the inverter, not the peak.

Modified sine wave inverters are the most common style of inverter on the market. They generate a simulated AC current that is tuned so that it works with as many devices as possible, but there are some devices which we do not recommend using a modified wave inverter with.

• Laser Printers
• Sensitive Electronics (testing equipment, meters, precision tools)
• Medical Equipment
• Nickel based battery chargers

If there is any doubt, you can contact the manufacturer of the device in question and ask if it will work on a modified sine wave inverter.

Pure sine wave inverters produce a higher quality output which is similar or better than the power you receive from your wall outlet. These models are more expensive and less common as most applications will work fine on modified sine wave inverters.

A vehicle DC port is usually rated to 10-15 amps @ 12v. This means that the port is limited to about 120-180 watts. We provide a cigarette lighter plug (DC port Adapter) with our smaller units rated at 500 watts or less. In order to use more than 120-180 watts, you would need to connect the inverter directly to a battery. For larger sized inverters, you would need to install the unit using battery cables with ring connectors.

Our modified sine wave inverters produce non-sinusoidal AC waveform which average responding multi-meters have trouble reading. You must use a “True-RMS meter” (which uses the Root Mean Square method) to get an accurate readout of the output voltage of a modified sine wave inverter. More information available here.