An AC/DC power inverter is a device used to convert AC, or alternating currency power, to DC, or direct currency power. These types of devices are commonly used to convert energy from a car battery to allow electronic devices to be powered. In general, there are two types of energy: alternating currency and direct currency.

Alternating currency flows between the negative and positive electrical poles, and direct currency flows from the positive to the negative electrical pole with no break. Direct current is naturally occurring and is re-created in batteries. Alternating current is artificially generated and is used in the public utility system.

An AC/DC power inverter is used to allow AC-powered devices to work from a dc power source. A common example of this is a car battery. The battery operates on a DC current, but people want to plug in devices such as music players, seat warmers and satellite radios, all of which operate on AC power.

The AC/DC power inverter was invented to address this specific need. The power inverter is built into the car's electrical system and works by modifying the wave type from alternating currency to direct current. This conversion must be contained within a specially constructed container to ensure that the inversion does not impact on other devices or systems.

There are two key components to an AC/DC power inverter: wave and wattage output. The wave is a description of how electrical signals look on an oscilloscope. Sine waves or true sine waves appear as waves on a screen, and square waves appear as squares.

An AC/DC power inverter that modifies the sine wave work much better than a square wave inverter. New AC/DC power inverters can now work with either modified square or sine waves to create the required power switch. In practical terms, the difference between the two types of waves are very minor and only impact on very high end equipment with very specific requirements.

The wattage of the AC/DC power inverter is critical in determining how many devices can be used simultaneously without risk of overloading the power inverter. Check the watts value listed on the product packaging before making your selection. The difference in price for more watts is minor, and is outweighed by the benefits.