What Equipment Can’t Be Used with a Modified Sine Wave Inverter?

by Kevin Smith Author

When it comes to sine wave inverters, there are two major types: modified and pure. Modified sine wave inverters are the more affordable option, but before you jump on that lower price tag, it’s essential to understand why it’s cheaper. This is primarily because modified sine wave inverters are less efficient, and the format of their sine waves can damage certain types of equipment. If you have only very simple electronics, you might be okay, but if you use any of the following kinds of equipment, you shouldn’t use a modified sine wave inverter. Stick to a pure sine wave inverter instead.

Motorized Equipment

If you have any motor attached to your inverter, you don’t want it to be outputting modified sine waves. Even though it may turn your motor on just fine, the motor is going to run hotter than average. Increased heat in any motor will shorten its lifespan, and that cheaper inverter you just bought will cost a lot more if you’re replacing all of the motors attached to it regularly.

Fluorescent Lighting

Do you have any fluorescent lightbulbs in the building? Then you probably don’t want a modified sine wave inverter. The sharper rise and fall of energy put out by this kind of inverter will cause fluorescent lights to flicker in a very irritating manner. And, in addition to making your home feel like a poltergeist inhabits it, it can also make those bulbs burn out faster.

Audio and Video Equipment

Unless you’re powering a remote cabin where you fully disconnect from technology, you probably have TVs, stereos, and other audio and visual equipment that need power—and you don’t want that kind of equipment running on a modified sine wave. This type of energy wave can create an annoying buzzing sound in any audio equipment background and affect the image quality of video equipment.

Transformer-Based Equipment

Any equipment with a transformer-based power supply shouldn’t be connected to a modified sine wave inverter. This includes things like compressors and cordless power tools. Modified sine waves don’t play well with inductors, and these kinds of equipment will get hotter than they should. Again, this means a shorter lifespan and perhaps some performance issues along the way.

Generally speaking, a pure sine wave inverter is by far the better option for modern homes. There’s simply no reason to modify a perfect sine wave! Most companies that produce solar equipment are beginning to understand that too, which is why Cotek sine wave inverters are all pure sine wave inverters.