12v Power Inverters

Super-charge your off road adventures with a 12V power inverter

Living the life of an off road adventurer means temporarily abandoning the comforts of home in search of something better. Just because we choose to do this, however, doesn't really mean we should have to "rough it" any more than we choose to or is absolutely necessary.

We're not, after all, living in the Dark Ages. We're living in an age where anyone can say "Let there be light" and make it so in an instant. For this to be possible, however, an energy source must be available. For most of us in an off road environment, that means batteries.

When you have electricity, you have life.  This precious resource allows you greater comfort, better utility, and – most importantly – higher safety. Having electric power allows you that opportunity to improve your ability to survive in a hostile landscape, whether it be keeping food at correct temperatures to avoid food poisoning, powering a satellite phone or GPS in the event of an emergency or if you are really fancy, making ice for the scotch!!!  That’s life preserving isn’t it?

Apart from the batteries themselves, one of the most important components in any 12V system is the power inverter. It's the link between your batteries and your ma240v appliances that allow them to run properly without any harm being done.

How a 12V power inverter works

Most 240v appliances have high power input demands and operate on alternating current (written as AC). Batteries and devices specifically designed to work exclusively with batteries, on the other hand, supply low voltage and operate with direct current (written as DC).

If an English man who does not understand the Japanese language is directed to work with a Japanese man who does not understand the English language, the only way true progress and co-operative work will occur is if a translator is introduced between them.

Your 12V power inverter is performing a similar task to the translator in the above scenario. It translates the low voltage DC output to high voltage AC power.  The AC appliances required will function almost as reliably as they would if connected to mains power.

The direct current input from 12V batteries enters the main circuit and is routed along the circuit to a transformer. The voltage is stepped up by the transformer, while special electromagnetic switches pull the current in alternating directions. The arrangement of the electromagnetic switches has influence over the resulting waveform that is generated.

The simplest inverters produce a square wave form. These inverters are not really suitable for running any kind of advanced appliances. Modified sine wave inverters are a little better, but still don't produce a very clean AC solution. The more advanced type are pure sine wave inverters, which produce a smoother waveform, which means more consistent, stable and clean voltage output.

Errors in the form of surges and spikes can be fatal to advanced electronic circuits, so devices that reduce, limit, or eliminate these problems are clearly more desirable than simpler devices.

Good quality inverters will have circuitry to achieve smoother sine waves, and also will include more protective circuitry to help guard against problems.

You will find the best 12V power inverters at Offroad Living

Offroad Living is the best supplier for off road and camping supplies in Australia. We sell only high quality equipment that is properly designed and suited for the task it is supposed to perform, such as solar panel blankets and flexible solar panels. If you want the certainty that you're buying safe and reliable equipment, then you should buy what you need from Offroad Living.

Heading into the bush with anything less than safe and reliable equipment is not a risk worth taking. Keep yourself and your family safe by choosing gear that won't let you down.
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