Power Inverters Selection Guide

Which power inverter do I need to power my equipment?

This is intended only as a very general guide to the type of appliances that can be powered using the various ratings of power inverters available from Quasar Electronics.

Please refer to the table below for guidance in choosing the correct size inverter for your needs. For example, a 20 Watt fluorscent light will require an inverter rated at 1,500 Watts output.

The reason for the disparity in the equipment's quoted wattage and the minimum recommended inverter rating is that fluorescent lights (like many of the other items in the table) are highly inductive loads that draw massively higher start-up currents.

Appliances with heating elements also require an inverter considerably larger than their rated wattage would suggest.

Please do NOT ignore this information. It is very easy to damage your inverter beyond repair by connecting inappropriate appliances.

You should check the power rating (Watts = VA = Volts x Amps) marked on the appliance you intend to use. It might be worth checking with the product manufacturer to confirm if their equipment can run from a modified sine wave inverter or if a pure sine wave inverter is required.

It is always worth adding a generous safety margin to the power rating of the inverter you select. We normally add at least 50% to the rated power requirement so the inverter has a little extra capacity in reserve. Also note that appliances will draw power when in "standby mode".

Whilst considerably superior to the old square wave models, you may find that a few voltage critical items may not run successfully on a modified sine wave inverter and one of our pure sine wave power inverters might be needed (SWI Order Code prefix). If in doubt, please check with the equipment manufacturer.

If you need advice on product selection please ensure you have information about the power (Watts, VA or Amps) drawn by the equipment before you contact us.

!!PLEASE NOTE!! We do NOT ship power inverters outside the UK Mainland!

Regulated Power Inverter Models (RPI Order Codes)

 Our range of Regulated Leisure Power Inverters are suitable for light domestic use with a wide range of equipment including laptops, games consoles, DVD players, etc. We do not recommend these for equipment with high inductive loads like fluorescent and energy bulbs, motor based appliances (drills, pumps, fridge/freezers, etc). Please see the Soft-Start Power Inverter models below.

Soft-Start Inverter Models (SSI Order Codes)

Our range of Soft-Start Power Inverters (SSI Order Codes) are ideal for most everyday applications and include special Soft Start circuitry that minimises inverter shutdown when used with equipment that have high inductive loads like motor driven equipment (electric drills, sanders, pumps, fridges, freezers, etc.). These items draw considerably higher start-up load current demands than their rated value would indicate. Such equipment can draw 3 or more times their rated Wattage when first turned on. Our soft-start inverters are rated to cope surge loads 2-3 times their rated value (check individual model specifications for details).

Pure Sine Wave Inverter Models (SWI Order Codes)

Our range of Pure Sine Wave Power Inverters (SWI Order Codes) are recommended for powering products that cannot be run from a modified sine wave inverter. Examples include voltage sensitive equipment, some switchmode power supplies and certain AC motors (please check with the equipment manufacturer for their recommendation). They can also be used in everyday applications. They also include special Soft Start circuitry that minimises inverter shutdown when used with equipment that have high inductive loads like motor driven equipment (electric drills, sanders, pumps, fridges, freezers, etc.). These items draw considerably higher start-up load current demands than their rated value would indicate. Such equipment can draw 15-20 or more times their rated Wattage when first turned on. Our soft-start inverters are rated to cope surge loads 2-3 times their rated value (check individual model specifications for details).