The most important function of an inverter is to provide clean, uninterrupted power with a low distortion sine wave to critical loads. It does this by converting DC power into AC power, usually from a battery that’s being charged. Inverters back up crucial processes that cannot go without power, even for a short period of time.
How do inverters work?
An inverter takes DC power, such as a battery, and switches the DC off and on to create AC power. There are two major technologies that perform this function. Pulse Width Modulated (PWM) inverter bridges and square wave or modified square wave systems that feed a ferroresonant constant voltage transformer. Power transistors (IGBT’s) switch the DC into AC. The battery provides a steady, constant source of power separate from the fluctuations that can be seen on grid power.
Why are inverters needed?
Inverters provide continuous, clean, regulated power for critical AC loads such as Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems. In the absence of a main AC power supply, which can occur during blackouts and brownouts, the inverter converts the DC current stored in the UPS systems’ batteries to useable AC power to keep the system running. Without an inverter the UPS system could go offline causing unexpected downtime and major loss.
Top 5 benefits of an inverter
- Provides a stable frequency
- Protects the grid from power outages
- Provides protection from grid brownouts
- Allows users to power down connected loads, such as servers, in a controlled way
- Provides isolation between the input and output
What kind of maintenance does an inverter need?
Always follow the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule to ensure your inverter remains in working order. We recommend annual maintenance that revolves around cleaning and inspections. The major parts that need replaced in an inverter are the fans every 5 years and DC electrolytic capacitors and printed circuit boards every 10 years. Through our testing, field experience and supplier recommendations, we have been able to determine the average aging process of these components and have developed our maintenance schedule to reflect this.
Contact us to learn more information about our ferroresonant and PWM inverters and how they can protect your critical loads.