Pricing and Costs of Power Inverters

A look into the pricing and costs of power inverters
By Phillip Galey When you need to derive alternating current (AC) power from direct current (DC) sources like solar panels or batteries, then you need to use power inverters. AC power inverters find uses in numerous applications, from switching power supplies in computers to large-scale, high-powered DC applications in municipal power plants that deliver bulk electrical power to customers.

Transformers allow AC voltage to be converted to any other voltage, though at the same frequency. Inverters (including rectifiers for direct current), however, can convert from any voltage, DC or AC, to any new voltage, also DC or AC, at any required frequency. The power out is limited to what the input power is, but operation is very efficient, with negligible amounts of waste heat. If you're looking for DC to AC inverters, consider the following:

1. Get pricing on solar power inverters.

2. Find out how much it will cost for industrial power inverters.

3. Find the most cost-effective car power inverters.

Compare the wares and prices of solar DC AC power inverter providers

Solar panels provide DC energy, which needs to be converted to AC to assist in providing 110 amp electrical power to a house or other building.
Try:  MrSolar, from Online Solar, provides competitive prices for a lengthy list of solar DC to AC power inverter units that you can buy online. Their prices range from about $245 for a 300-watt unit to $3,580 for a 6,000-watt unit. SunPower also has a good selection of power inverters for sale at reasonable prices, ranging to 7,000 watts. Call for prices.

Ask about prices from a few competing vendors of industrial power inverter models

If you need to supply AC power to large equipment or to facilities from a DC source, then an industrial DC to AC inverter is required. Prices are not generally available online for industrial power inverters as they are for solar and other types of inverters. You have to call them for pricing information.
Try:  Longtime Electronic is a manufacturer and exporter of industrial power inverters. Clayton Power, another industrial DC to AC power inverter manufacturer, has units with inputs ranging from 12 to 36 volts of continuous direct current (VDC) and outputs ranging to 230 volts of continuous alternating current (VAC) at 2,300 watts. Outside Supply's 150-watt units cost $219.95 while their 3,000-watt units are $1,531.25.

Price car power inverters to find the most economical unit for the devices you wish to power

DC AC power inverters come in very handy in vehicles, to power laptops and PDAs and so on. And if you don't have an auto adapter for your cell phone, then an auto inverter will allow you to use your phone adapter that's designed to plug into a wall outlet.
Try:  Wagan makes a whole line of car DC-to-AC inverters for powering everything from PDAs to color TVs and printer/copier combos. Power inverter distributor Sports Imports has a unit that's the size of a travel cup to fit conveniently into a holder, plugs into a lighter socket and provides a 110 VAC outlet. OnlineCarStereo sells a 140-Watt inverter for $24.95 while a 350-watt inverter will cost $39.95.

• Some AC inverters might not give you a perfectly clean AC signal and there can, in some cases, be high frequency noise present. Some power inverter manufacturers include sine wave output circuitry. Most devices will operate fine, but some might be sensitive to the noise. If you're worried about damaging an expensive piece of equipment, determine the characteristics of the AC power generated by the inverter before using it to power the equipment.