Electrical systems based on 12-volt batteries can be used to supply 110-volt AC (alternating current) through the use of a voltage inverter. These devices can provide normal house current from a variety of 12-volt DC (direct current) sources, including your automobile cigarette lighter. When coupled with a bank of batteries, voltage inverters are used in battery backups for computers and other electronic equipment. When using voltage inverters, care must be taken not to overload the capacity of the 12-volt circuit supplying the power. There are several types of inverters. If your power requirements are 100 watts or less, units are available which plug into to an automobile cigarette lighter. Inverters with a larger capacity are available, but they require a direct wired connection to your battery. As a general rule, every 10 watts of power consumption will require one amp of DC current to be supplied. Verify that your batteries can supply this much current and the circuit breakers or fuses are sufficiently sized. Batteries are rated based on maximum current supplied, or amperage. This specification will be provided by the battery manufacturer. Multiple batteries may be connected in parallel to increase the current available. Connect batteries in parallel by wiring the positive terminals from one battery to the other, and repeat with negative terminals. If connecting to batteries, use battery terminal connectors appropriate for the battery type you have. Use your wire strippers to expose an inch of bare conductor at the ends of the power inverter’s DC input wires. Connect each wire to the proper battery terminal, being careful not to mix positive and negative connections. Tips Warnings Writer Bio
