Inverter generators are popular and are capturing the market. You must have heard about the inverter generator. They work like a regular generator and fulfill your power needs. But to get an answer of what is an inverter generator and how does an inverter generator work, there are some extra benefits that a regular generator won’t give you.
Do you want to buy a new generator for your home? Or are you worried about the storm, and uncertain circumstances? Definitely, you need a highly efficient generator. But the old and traditional generator won’t provide value for your money. Moreover, those generators are noisy and can harm your devices.
There is no need to waste money on such old-fashioned generators when we have a new boss in the generator market. Yes; we are talking about inverter generators.
Inverter generators not only provide power but they are highly adjustable and moveable. They work wonders in times of need. If we thoroughly analyze the inverter generator with an old one, we’ll get to know that the latest inverter technology generator is worth-purchasing.
Don’t know much about inverter generators? You do not need to be bothered; we’ll get you covered. This inclusive guide about inverter generators discusses inverter generators in detail.
After reading it, you’ll have a clear idea about these tip-top inverter generators. So, without any further, let’s check why you should choose an inverter generator over a traditional one.
Stay connected with us till the end!
What is an Inverter Generator?
For people who have no technical knowledge, an inverter, and a conventional generator work the same way. But in fact, this is not so.
Inverter generators are different from conventional generators. Inverter generators produce more clean electricity. They produce electricity in a pure sine wave; however, conventional produce power in a choppier square wave.
The traditional generator generates electricity through an alternator, and then, it will be delivered by outlets. You can power your equipment by plugging your devices into outlets.
The inverter generator has an extra step to produce clean power, especially for sensitive equipment. Traditional generators directly produce Alternating Current. But the inverter technology generator produces power in three steps. First, AC Power is produced, and then it is converted into DC. After that, AC power is provided to charge the appliances, devices, and other equipment.
This additional process of making electricity makes the power of the inverter generator suitable for sensitive devices such as mobile phones, LED, Televisions, Audio equipment, Laptops, etc.
You can connect your sensitive devices; inverter generators protect against overheating and overloads.
Not only this, inverter generators have the capability to adjust the engine speed according to the power requirements. It makes the generator fuel efficient and less noisy.
Let’s discuss the advantages and disadvantages of having an inverter generator.
Advantages Of Having an Inverter Generator
These are the few benefits that will urge you to get yourself an inverter generator and stay away from energy crises.
- Inverter generators generate clean power with less THD.
- Inverter Generators protect your sensitive devices from damage.
- Due to the low fuel requirements, inverter generators are extremely fuel efficient.
- These generators are lightweight and portable. You can move them easily.
- As they are low carbon emission, they are the most Eco-friendly generators in the market.
- Unlike conventional generators, inverter generators are quiet and do not make much noise when operating.
- Inverter generators come with parallel capacity features.
Disadvantages of Having an Inverter Generator
Although inverter generators have plenty of good features, they have some drawbacks as well. Let’s just check those disadvantages of having an inverter generator.
- Inverter generator has limited power supply or wattage.
- These generators have fewer fuel options.
- Inverter generators are more expensive than conventional generators.
- Inverter generators have expensive repair services.
How Does An Inverter Generator Work?
Before getting deep into the working system of an inverter generator, let’s understand how a general generator works.
Every generator has two main parts that play an important role in generating electricity. The first one is an Engine and the second part is an alternator.
Engines consume fuel, whatever fuel you put into your generator, and turn a shaft.
The alternator has two main parts as well. Rotor and stator. The engine shaft turns the rotor. The rotor creates power in the stator and the stator delivers it to the panel.
Through the control panel, you can plug your appliances and power them.
After analyzing the process of the conventional generator, it is clear that traditional generators directly deliver power to panels produced by alternators. It doesn’t have any process to clean the power. Thus, such power is not clean and has high total harmonic distortion.
THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) determines how clean the power is.
Let’s talk about inverter generators now. They work differently. The inverter generator has an additional feature named a rectifier. As the name implies, it rectifies the power and makes it clean.
The power produced by the alternator is sent to the rectifier. The rectifier converts AC( Alternator current) current into a DC(direct current). The process of producing clean electricity is not finished yet.
The DC is converted into AC power. After that, the clean AC power is delivered to the panel.
As the DC power is inverted back to the AC power, these generators are called inverters.
Due to the production of the clean power feature, it has less THD than traditional generators.
Less THD is beneficial for sensitive devices because these devices can only accept less THD.
Inverter generators have as little THD as 1%. On the other hand, traditional generators have as high THD as 25%.
Pros Of Inverter Generators
Inverter generators have a lot of benefits. They are best for outages and emergencies. The biggest plus point is the compact design of inverter generators.
We know that most traditional generators that offer good power capacity are bulky. They are hard to move. You can’t take them out with you. If you are camping-loving, or outgoing, the traditional generator won’t be a great choice.
In such a scenario, a portable inverter generator will work best. The portability of an inverter generator is the biggest benefit.
If you love generators that are fuel efficient, no other generators can give good fuel efficiency other than inverters. The inverter generator has the facility to adjust the engine speed. It will consume less fuel and you don’t have to refill the fuel more often. It saves you extra money on spending fuel.
You can connect phones, tablets, and other devices without any worry. The inverter protects them from any harm. The less THD feature is a thing that conventional generators don’t offer.
Are you fed up with the high buzzing noise of old-fashioned generators? Do not need to worry; inverter generators won’t disturb your neighbor. They are quite operational generators and do not produce much noise.
Inverter generators come with parallel capacity. If you want to increase the power of your generator, you can do it by connecting a parallel kit.
And last but not least, inverter generators are more energy efficient as compared to conventional ones.
Cons Of An Inverter Generator
No doubt, inverter generators offer various benefits, but they are not free from shortcomings. We have used the inverter generators and tested them fully.
The major drawback of an inverter generator is the power capacity. Inverter generators do not produce high wattage. However, 17000+ wattage traditional generators are available in the market. But inverter generators can’t deliver more power than 7000 watts.
So, inverter generators are not suitable for commercial purposes. If you need high power, conventional generators will work. But for home, and outdoor needs, inverter generators can do the job.
The second drawback of these generators is the price tag. They are expensive generators and if you have a tight budget and don’t want to invest a lot of money on a single piece of equipment, we would not suggest you go with this type of generator.
Generators need replacement when they do not work properly. The maintenance and replacement of the inverter generators are costly and above all, these generators offer limited fuel options.
Inverter Vs Conventional: Which Generator Is The Best?
Are you willing to buy a generator? You must be confused about which generator you should choose in between inverter generator and traditional generator. If yes, read these important points mentioned below. These will help you to understand your needs and the generator type that will work best for you.
Interested to know? Let’s get started.
Price of a Generator
The very first point which I am going to disclose here is price. Different generator brands like Generac, Yamaha, Champion, Pulsar, Ford and American made have different price tags. The price of a generator depends on the specifications and features of the generator.
It is clear that if a generator is offering good features, the price will be high. Like inverter generators, they will cost a few bucks more than conventional ones. Because the inverter generator delivers clean and stable power with less THD. This is a feature that increased the price of inverter generators.
Some people do not like inverter generators just because of their high prices. Even the cheapest inverter generator will be more expensive than the high-standard conventional generator. But make sure that you buy good quality generators. Such a generator will be loyal to you for decades. Always prefer quality over price.
Moreover, the Eco-friendly and fuel-efficient features of inverter generators surpass the features of traditional generators. We always prefer to go with the latest technology generators because they are more reliable.
Design and Portability Of A Generator
Inverter generators are lightweight and have a compact design. They are best for outdoor purposes. Moreover, they are easy to move around and can be taken anywhere.
But this is not so with conventional generators. Traditional generators offer good capacity but they are bulky and hard to transport. You can’t take them with you when you go outside for camping or other recreational activities.
Here, the inverter generator wins!
The inverter generators have two main types.
- Closed Frame inverter generator
- Open Frame inverter generator
Closed Frame Inverter Generator
Closed-frame inverter generators are lightweight generators with portable features. This type of generator is convenient to move. Their portability is of the next level. Mostly comes with a handle that makes it manageable to transport. Close-frame inverter generator has protective shells that include noise-absorbing insulation. It makes the generator less noisy.
Open Frame Inverter Generator
Open-frame inverter generators also produce clean power but they do not come with noise-observing features. Thus, this type of inverter generators are a bit noisier than the closed frame generators. They are a bit heavier as well compared to closed-framed generators.
Usage Of Inverter Generators
The inverter generator has plenty of usage. A few of them are mentioned below.
Power Backup: if you live in a place where power cuts are more frequent, an inverter generator can be life-saving in this case. You can keep the generator as a home backup and utilize the power whenever you need it. There is no need to wait for power to perform the task if you have an efficient working inverter generator.
Outdoor Needs: Do you love traveling? Yes? Do you often go out for recreation? A reliable power source can make your journey more thrilling and you can enjoy the adventure without worrying about the scarcity of power. Charge your phone and other devices before they are dead.
Worksites: Power cuts can affect your work as the machines run on electricity. The unavailability of power can stop your work on a construction site. It won’t be an issue anymore if you keep a backup inverter generator on a work site. Moreover, on special events, like festivals, concerts, and sports, the inverter generator will keep you powered and you can enjoy the event.
Noise Level
Noise level is another crucial factor that will help you to determine whether you should buy a specific type of generator or not.
As we discussed above, inverter generators are often less noisy. They do not produce much noise when you operate them. These inverter generators are best for peaceful residential areas. You won’t receive complaints from the people who live around you.
So, again, the inverter generator wins as traditional generators are loud and produce much irritating noise.
But if you want a generator for industrial use, you can consider a non-inverter generator too. Because noise level does not matter in industrial areas. So, it depends on your requirements and your choice.
Fuel Efficiency
There is no doubt in it that inverter model generators are fuel efficient. The inverter engine can be adjusted according to the power needs. Non-inverter generators do not have this option. That’s why they are not fuel efficient and they provide continuous power. As a result, conventional generators consume more fuel than inverter generators. Such fuel-consuming generators put an extra burden on your pocket.
This is the drawback of the old model generator. So, here we will say inverters surpassed traditional generators.
Inverter generators are also environmentally friendly.
Parallel-Ready Generators
Inverter generators are parallel-ready. If you think you need more power, connect two units with your generator and twice the power.
You can solve the low output problem with this parallel-ready feature. Some conventional might offer this feature, but it is more common in inverter generators.
Running Time Of A Generator
Running time is something that you must not ignore while checking the specifications of generators. Always go with the long-running time generators. But many things affect the running time.
For example, fuel tank, fuel efficiency, load, etc. If your generator is fuel efficient, it will consume less fuel and as a result, will provide a long running time.
Similarly, larger fuel tanks also provide longer running time.
If we talk in general, inverter generators provide 10-16 hours of running time on average. Whereas, conventional generators provide 6-10 hours of running time on average.
Quality Of Power Output
Inverter generators have a rectifier that produces clean power which is suitable for your sensitive devices.
Traditional generators produce more power but they don’t produce clean power. Power with high THD can cause voltage fluctuations and electrical distortions that can ultimately harm the devices.
So, a generator that produces power with less THD is recommended.
Why Do Inverter Generators Have A High Price tag?
This is a question that is generally asked. Inverter generators are expensive compared to standard generators.
There are a couple of reasons for this high price tag. The first reason is the quiet model with fuel efficiency features. Standard generators are not fuel efficient and they are not very quiet. So, these are extra features. You’ll have to pay extra if you want a generator with additional features.
Providing clean power is a thing that only an inverter generator provides. Moreover, inverter generators are built with the latest model technology; they are reliable, long-running, and efficient.
All these features made inverter generators expensive. You could understand your needs and requirements and comprehend whether you should buy an inverter or not.
If you think a standard generator will work best in your case, there is no need to spend extra bucks on an inverter generator.
Safety Guide For Operating Generators
While operating a generator, you need to be very careful so that you can protect yourself. There are a few important tips that you should read carefully.
- Always get an electrician for installing a generator with a transfer switch. Never do it by yourself unless you are a professional.
- Properly plug the cord of your appliances directly into the generator.
- Always operate a generator in an open area. Never put and operate generators in stores and garages.
- If you face dizziness, headache, and other such issues because of the generator, get outside of the house and have fresh air. In serious circumstances, consult a doctor.
- To avoid any serious damage, keep fuel containers away from fire and heating devices.
Conclusion
After reading the inverter generator guide, we hope that now you are clear about the feature of inverter generators.
These generators come with plenty of cool features with the latest model design. They are ideal for home backup, RV, boating, Camping, sports, and other special events.
The long-running inverter generators will keep you powered for much longer. If you are looking for a fuel-efficient, less noisy, and generator that produces clean power, no generator is better than the inverter generator.
But these are expensive generators if you are good on a budget, you can consider the inverter generator.
No matter what your need is, inverter generators always work wonders. They are a perfect fit and help you stay powered during blackouts. Try the worth-purchasing inverter generator and enjoy clean power!