Inverters are the basic necessity of every household and commercial establishment to ensure regular power supply during outrages. However, the biggest question lies in whether you should invest in sine wave or square wave inverters?
And making the right choice between the two is challenging. Let’s dive in to understand all about inverters and how to make an intelligent choice.
How does an inverter function?
The electricity stored in the inverter batteries is direct current. But our home grid has an electricity supply in the form of alternating current. So the inverters convert direct current from their battery into a similar alternating current to support our power supply.
An inverter can convert the direct current into a sine wave or a square wave alternating current.
· Sine wave inverter
A sine wave inverter produces an output similar to an alternating current with minimum power loss and is the most efficient of inverters.
· Square wave inverter
It is the simplest and the most inexpensive type of inverter rarely in use nowadays. It is because it can safely power only specific equipment like motors, and it produces electronic sounds harmful to delicate home appliances.
Different wave forms
To understand the differences between these two types of inverters, let us first know the different waves.
· Sine waves
A sine wave is the best waveform produced by an alternating current in the highest quality and expensive inverters.
But due to technological advancement and increased usage, true sine wave inverters have become easily affordable.
· Square waves
It is a kind of ‘flattened-out’ version of true sine waves. And is the least desirable output produced by mostly cheap inverters.
Not many equipment operate smoothly with square wave inverters because they offer a lower peak voltage than their counterpart.
Moreover, square waves contain higher frequencies called harmonics, causing buzzing noise and other problems in some equipment.
· Modified square waves
These waves are also known as quasi-sine. And as the name suggests, these waveforms are the modified version of square waves with the shape resembling sine waves.
Also, the peak voltage produced by the modified sine wave inverters is closer to sine wave inverters. You can operate most devices with these inverters, but their cost as much as square wave inverters.
What are the differences between square wave and sine wave inverters?
These are the main differences between square wave inverters and sine wave inverters:
a) Appliances supported
While the square wave inverters can support only heavy equipment like motors, you can operate all the home appliances with sine wave inverters. For example, household devices like bulbs, fans, lights, refrigerators, ovens, etc., work well with the latter.
b) Noise interference
The sounds produced by inverters with square waves are relatively higher than the sounds of true sine waves produce.
c) Safety levels
In terms of customer safety, square wave inverters are less reliable. The appliances get heated when you run them with these inverters, making them an unsafe option. Additionally, a continuous harmonic distortion in these inverters can further harm the appliances.
On the contrary, sine wave inverters do not cause any depreciation to the appliances and are therefore safe to use.
d) Cost
Square inverters are comparatively inexpensive than sine wave inverters. But if we talk about the total ownership cost, sine wave inverters costs less. Besides, they consume less electricity, unlike others, so you can save pennies on electricity bills.
With the detailed knowledge of both types of inverters, you are now an informed customer, making it easier for you to choose between the two inverters.
Just visit Exeltech an excelling inverter manufacturing company, and bring home the best sine wave inverter. They have a team of experts to ensure you have no doubts about your inverter purchase.
