Before you buy and install a power inverter, it’s essential to determine what your power needs are going to be. It’s also important to avoid overtaxing your electrical system, which is mainly an issue when dealing with automotive applications. When installing an inverter in a car or truck, the amount of power available is limited by the capabilities of the electrical system, which, barring the installation of a performance alternator, are pretty much set in stone.

In order to make a good estimate of your power needs, you’ll need to take a look at all of the devices you plan on plugging into your new inverter. If you only need to use one device at a time, then that’s the only one you’ll need to look at. The situation does get more complicated as you add more devices, but it’s still a relatively simple calculation.