Idling the car with the inverter attached used about a third of a gallon of gasoline per hour we idled ours for 14 hours one day with no apparent ill effects. But unless you have an extra battery lying around, you'll need to keep your car running so the alternator can keep its battery charged. For instance, we used a fully charged, spare car battery to run a refrigerator for roughly six hours before the battery ran down. Still other inverter caveats are worth considering. or consider stepping up to a full-fledged generator. That means you may have to lower your expectations with an inverter. But when a device first starts up, its starting load can be two to 10 times that of its continuous load, particularly for sump pumps and refrigerators. The rule of thumb for continuous-load wattage is to multiply the amps-as stamped or printed on the device-by 110 volts. What's more, knowing both the starting (peak) watts and continuous-load wattage for what you're powering is especially important with inverters. These systems are hard-wired and need to be connected to a transfer switch, installed by an electrician, to power on. A forced-air system might require a larger inverter, and an inverter might not work at all with other heating options. But for other heating systems, you'll need to weigh your options. Fortunately for him, only one of two installed sump pumps needed to come on, and it could do so even when a refrigerator or freezer was also running.Įither inverter supplies enough power to run most circulating hot-water home heating systems. But you'll need to prioritize: Even the smaller, 900-watt PW900-12 was able to run a freezer, two refrigerators, two sump pumps, lights, and chargers for various electronics for our staffer at home-but not all at once. We found that inverters can keep at least some of your home's essentials energized. We also consulted the manufacturer and other industry experts. We tested the inverters both in our labs and in the home of a staffer who had lost power-one among millions of northeast homeowners following a Halloween snowstorm. The reason: The inverter can't draw more from your car's battery than the alternator can replenish without draining the battery. But unless you're just charging iPods and cellphones, it probably won't work and wouldn't be a good idea. Once you've powered a couple of devices, you might be tempted to plug a half-dozen more into a power strip and then plug the strip into the inverter to increase your options. Because many inverters don't supply a pure sine wave-and those that do typically cost as much as a more-capable generator-anything you power with an inverter is likely to run less efficiently. AC-powered devices are designed to run on current that alternates smoothly. That DC to AC conversion isn't as simple as it sounds, however. An inverter takes in direct-current (DC) power-in this case, from your car's 12-volt system-and converts it to the alternating-current (AC) power required by refrigerators, sump pumps, and most other household devices. At one end are wires for connecting to a power source at the other are AC receptacles. Both have two three-prong receptacles and claim to be safe for powering laptops, televisions, gaming consoles, and other electronics.Īn inverter resembles a rectangular box about the size of shoe box. We tested two models from PowerBright, a brand sold in home centers, warehouse clubs, and other retailers such as Sears and Walmart. These devices start at under $100 and essentially use your car as a generator, which was the premise for our tests during a freak autumn snowstorm that caused broad power outages along the nation's northeast coast. Suppose all you want to do is keep the sump pump in your basement going or keep your food cold during short-term outages: You might get by with a power inverter. The price goes up if you want your generator to kick in automatically when you lose power: Figure on at least $2,500-plus before installation for a standby, or stationary, generator that can also handle larger needs. Portable generators for home use start at about $300 and can power selected devices using multiple extension cords or, using a transfer switch, a single plug-in connection you make when the main power goes out. Once you've decided you've had enough and start researching generators, you'll find two clear choices. Looking for some low-cost power backup? Even without a once-in-a-century event like Superstorm Sandy, every major storm results in blackouts and, for many of us, fresh memories of spoiled food, a flooded basement, no heat or air conditioning and (if you have well water) no water for bathing or household chores.
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