How Many Amps Does an Inverter Draw?
Summary Understanding the current draw of an inverter at different powers is an important part of designing and selecting a power system. This article provides current
12V system: 300 ÷ 10 = 30 Amps 24V system: 300 ÷ 20 = 15 Amps Notes on wattage rating vs load: It is the actual load watts, not the inverter rating or (inverter size) that counts. A 1500 watt inverter with a 500 watt load would be 50 (25) Amps, not 150 (75) Amps.
A 2000w 12v pure sine wave inverter draws power based only on its load. Current (Amps) = Load Watts ÷ (Battery Voltage x Inverter Efficiency) Inverter efficiency is typically 85% (0.85). Example (12V system):
If you're working with kilowatts (kW), convert it to watts before calculation: Inverter Current = 1000 ÷ 12 = 83.33 Amps So, the inverter draws 83.33 amps from a 12V battery. Inverter Current = 3000 ÷ 24 = 125 Amps So, a 3000W inverter on a 24V system pulls 125 amps from the battery. Inverter Current = 5000 ÷ 48 = 104.17 Amps
The same inverter with a 1200 watt load would draw 120 (60) Amps, which would be the same amount as a 1200 watt inverter at load capacity. A 2000w 12v pure sine wave inverter draws power based only on its load. Current (Amps) = Load Watts ÷ (Battery Voltage x Inverter Efficiency) Inverter efficiency is typically 85% (0.85).
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