Q. What does a car's inverter do?

Answer

Automobile power inverters are electrical transformers that turn 12-volt DC from an automobile's electrical system into household-standard AC voltage of 120 volts (AC). That will allow users to power the kind of low-power electronics that would ordinarily put into a wall outlet. When the engine is operating, power to the vehicle's electrical components comes from the battery and the alternator, creating a 12-volt direct current (DC) system. A user may use the inverter to plug in and take power from the system so that user can power 120-volt AC appliances. Most inverters have extra components that generate either a modified or pure sine wave, as this is what most consumer electronics need to function properly.