Two inverter numbers, not one
The one people forget shuts the system down.
The one people forget shuts the system down.
An inverter turns DC battery power into AC for normal plugs. Sizing it wrong is expensive in both directions.
Continuous rating — what it runs all day. This covers everything you might have on simultaneously, not the sum of everything you own.
Surge rating — the brief spike when motors start. Compressors, pumps, power tools and microwaves all do it. An inverter that can't absorb the surge shuts down even though the continuous load was fine. This is the number people forget.
Pure sine vs modified sine: pay for pure sine. Modified sine is a rough approximation of AC — it runs motors hot, buzzes in audio, and can damage CPAPs, laptops, and anything with a microprocessor.
Oversizing has a cost too. Inverters draw idle power just being switched on, often 10–30W. Left on 24/7 that's a meaningful daily drain doing nothing.
The bigger question: do you need AC at all? Native 12V for lights, fans, fridge, water pump and phone charging skips the conversion entirely.
The Power Sizer turns your real appliance loads into a full spec — battery bank, solar array, controller, inverter and roof space — then matches it to gear that actually fits the number.
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