Re: RC: Those Damn Generators

[Jim Holland <lanconn@tds.net>]

Merryben..

Is it connected to a 12 volt battery?  or a solar cell array?  If so,
it's an "inverter". Do you put gasolin/diesel in it? If you do, it's a
generator, not an inverter....in spite of what they "call" it. 

"Juice" is not free....  Ya gotta "generate" it somewhere. In the case
of an inverter, the "generator" is the battery, which has "stored"
electricity. You simply invert it. (Convert it to 110) If you don't want
the to eventually "run down", you keep it up with a solar cell array. 
In the case of a generator, you "burn" gasoline to turn the armature
which provides the 110 volts. When you run out of gas you run out of
juice.

Think about your car. When you start your car, you use voltage stored in
the battery.  When the car starts, the "generator" (actually an
alternator...we won't go into the differences here) is turned by the
engine, which keeps the battery charged. You could now plug an
"inverter" into the cigarette lighter socket and use 110 volt
appliances. 

The engine on a portable generator does the same thing as a car
engine...runs the generator. 

Nothing's free! <grin>

Jim, Sun of Dimanche, and Mahada Magic.

Merryben@aol.com wrote:
> 
> An "inverter" simply converts DC to AC.  Lets you run 110 volt
> appliances from a 12 volt battery.  No moving parts. It's not very
> efficient, however.
> 
> I am not sure I understand this.  My inverter looks just like a generator and I plug the camper, hair dryer, clippers, whatever, into it just like a generator and the stuff works.  mb

-- 
Richard T. "Jim" Holland                 Phone:  (706) 258-2830
LANCONN, Inc.                            FAX:    (706) 632-1271
Three Creeks Farm			 INTERNET:  lanconn@tds.net
175 Hells Hollow Drive                   
Blue Ridge, GA 30513