Do you need a 220V outlet in your car?
Imagine that you and your family are going on a long journey to the sea and plan to use various household appliances along the way. But here's the problem - the interior of the car is equipped only with a standard 12 V socket, and it will not work for ordinary, non-automotive "devices". Unfortunately, not every modern car is equipped with a 220 V outlet. What to do?
As a rule, manufacturers install standard 220 V sockets in cars, designed for a power of 150 watts. So neither an electric kettle, nor an iron, nor a hair dryer can be connected to them. And, you see, when traveling by car "savage" all this may be needed. There is only one way out: purchase an inverter (converter) - a compact electronic device that converts low voltage into a higher one.
The device is connected to a car battery. It is supplied with a constant voltage of a standard value (12 or 24 Volts, depending on the modification), and the usual 220 V AC is removed from the output. The car inverter is connected to the battery using terminals so as not to damage the on-board electrical wiring.
Only a low-power device up to 300 W can be connected through the cigarette lighter socket. Most of the converters are rated at 100-150 watts for the use of low-current equipment, mainly laptops, cameras and other light electronic gadgets.
A high-quality inverter is equipped with special built-in systems that protect devices from overheating and overloads. Some models are equipped with a special sound signal that turns on when the battery voltage drops.
In any case, the converter should be selected based on the expected power of the equipment used, while in order to avoid overloads, it is necessary to add another 20-30% in reserve. For example, to connect a camera (30 W), a laptop (65 W) and a printer (100 W) at the same time, 195%, that is, 30 W, should be added to the total power of 60 W. Therefore, the power of the inverter must be at least 255W, otherwise it will burn out. Models of such devices are divided into groups - up to 100 W; from 100 to 1500 W; from 1500 W and above. The price range is from 500 to 55 rubles.
The most powerful ones are suitable for the operation of microwaves, multicookers, electric kettles, tools, etc. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that inverters up to 2 kW reduce the life of the battery and generator, and you should not abuse them.
The optimal mode of operation of a powerful converter is ensured when the engine is running, when its speed is not lower than 2000 rpm, that is, in motion. At idle at 700 rpm, the generator may not be able to maintain the required charge, and this must also be taken into account.
