What is Inverter?
{{for|the inverter logic gate|NOT gate}} [[File:Müllberg Speyer - 2.JPG|thumb|240px|An inverter for a solar-mounted free-standing plant in Speyer, down the Rhine.]] An '''inverter''' is an [[Electronic component|electric apparatus]] that changes [[direct current]] (DC) to [[alternating current]] (AC). It is not the same thing as an [[alternator]], which converts [[mechanical energy]] (e.g. [[movement]]) into alternating current. Direct current is created by devices such as [[Battery|batteries]] and [[solar panel]]s. When connected, an inverter allows these devices to provide [[electric power]] for small household devices. The inverter does this through a complex process of electrical adjustment. From this process, AC electric power is produced. This form of electricity can be used to power an [[Lightbulb|electric light]], a [[microwave oven]], or some other electric machine. An inverter usually also increases the [[voltage]]. In order to increase the voltage, the current must be decreased. So, an inverter will use a lot of current on the DC side when only a small amount is being used on the AC side. Inverters are made in many different sizes. They can be as small as 150&nbsp;[[watt]]s, or as large as 1&nbsp;megawatt (1&nbsp;million&nbsp;watts). Smaller inverters often plug into a car's cigarette lighter socket and provide 120 or 240 volt AC power from the car's 12 volt supply. The earliest inverters consisted of a [[Motor–generator]], a DC motor connected mechanically to an AC generator. A later design often used with vacuum tube car radios used a rapidly switching [[relay]]. Modern inverters are based on [[MOSFET]] or IGBT [[transistor]]s. == Types == * '''Sine wave inverters''' produce good-quality AC power. They use [[pulse-width modulation]] (PWM) to produce a true sine wave, which makes them expensive. * A '''modified sine wave inverter''' produces a lower quality of AC power, with strong [[power system harmonics]] but is cheaper. The output of a typical modified sine wave inverter is a square wave wit