You may have clicked on this blog and thought to yourself, what are inverters? Why is it important to me? How does an inverter impact my life? What is this anti-sliding protection I keep hearing about? We’re here to give you a rundown on what an inverter is, how it impacts your life and how EcoSmart is using it in your smarthome.
What is an inverter?
An inverter is a device in your home that converts DC (direct current) power to your household’s AC (alternating current) power. This allows you to operate everyday household appliances and electrical equipment using power produced by your car, solar panels or even your boat battery! They are nifty in your everyday life and in an emergency situation.
How are inverters used?
Inverters provide a source of household electricity as well as for your electrical equipment. Inverters also provide emergency backup power to essential equipment during a power outage. Some of these essentials include phones, freezer, sump pumps and medical devices.
How does an inverter work?
Imagine you flipping your light switch on and off 2000 times every minute. In the same way, this is essentially the basic function of how your inverter works. The converter circuit converts your AC coming from the power source into DC. Then the inverter circuit changes the converted DC back into AC. They work together to get the job done in a timely manner.
What is Anti-Islanding Protection?
All inverters in the United States are equipped with a protection system for Anti-Islanding – which is designed to disconnect the Solar PV system from the grid during an outage. An inverter is capable of doing so by detecting grid instability, as it’s current must match that of the grid current in order to function safely. This means that the home cannot be powered by solar generation during an outage unless the home is equipped with a battery storage system with an ATS (Automatic Transfer Switch). If a home were to remain grid-connected during an outage without a battery storage system with an ATS, there is a threat of serious injury or even death to the energy provider linemen that are working to repair any damaged connections. The result of having anti-islanding protection is a safer and more reliable energy grid.
How does an inverter impact my EcoSmart life?
An inverter’s job is diverse, as we have talked about. Inverters are a critical component to a solar PV system and without them, the solar array doesn’t contribute any value. Inverters are necessary for a healthy EcoSmart ecosystem. At EcoSmart, we strive to provide you with the best tools to save energy and help you in times of emergency. Looking to learn more about energy and EcoSmart? Read some more of our recent blog posts!
