What is power inverter do, and what can I use one for?

Power inverter changes DC power from battery into conventional AC power that you can use to operate all kinds of devices  electric lights, TVs, microwaves, power tools, kitchen appliances, radios, computers, etc. You just connect the inverter to a battery, and plug your AC devices into the inverter. and you' have got portable power. whenever and wherever you need it.

The inverter draws its power from a 12 Volt battery (preferably deep-cycle), or several batteries wired in parallel. The battery will need to be recharged as the power is drawn out of it by the inverter. The battery can be recharged by running the car motor, or a gas generator, solar panels, or wind. Or you can use a battery charger plugged into an AC outlet to recharge the battery.

What is the power inverter size should I buy?

The power inverter size you choose depends on the watts consumption you want to run (find the power consumption by referring to the specification plate on the device). the recommend power inverter you buy a larger model than you think you will need (at least 10% - 20% more than load).

Example: You want to power a computer with a 17" monitor, some lights, and a radio.

Computer:	300 Watts
2 - 60 Watt lights:	120 Watts
Radio:	10 Watts
Total Needed:	430 Watts

For this application, you would need minimally a 500 Watt inverter.

How do I connect the power Inverter? What cable size should I use?

Many small inverters (450 watts and under) come with a cigarette lighter adapter, and may be plugged into your cars lighter socket (although you will not be able to draw more than 150 to 200 watts from the cigarette lighter socket). The small units also come with cables that can be clamped directly to a battery. If you want an inverter that will plug into your cigarette lighter, you must choose one that is 450 watts or less.

Larger inverters (500 watts and over) must be hard-wired directly to a battery. The cable size depends on the distance between battery and inverter.

When connecting the inverter to the battery use the thickest wire available, in the shortest length practical.