Rygar wrote:
Okay, now that raises another question. What's the difference between a generator and an inverter?
Sorry, but the two answers already provided to this question were both a little off.
An alternator produces alternating current.
In a "syncronous generator", the AC from the alternator is regulated at high voltage, and the frequency is controlled by governing the rpm of the coupled engine/alternator. This high voltage AC is fed directly to the generator's receptacles.
In an "inverter generator", the AC from the alternator is regulated at low voltage, then fed through a rectifier to produce low voltage DC. That low voltage DC is then fed through an inverter which produces high voltage AC.
That's the difference. Think of an inverter generator as an automotive electrical system plus an inverter, but without the battery. This is why some inverter generators also have a 12v DC receptacle - they just tap the low voktage DC before it goes into the inverter.
It's inefficient to go from AC to DC and then back to AC, but by doing it this way, the frequency of the AC is decoupled from the rpm of the engine/alternator. This allows the throttle to be be controlled by a stepper motor instead of a governor, and the rpm can be reduced when there is less load, saving fuel.
Because of the inefficiency of the AC-DC-AC conversion, syncronous generators are slightly more efficient than inverter generators at full load (and a lot cheaper to build). What makes the inverter generator even worth the bother and expense, is the fact that most portable generators almost never operate at full load.
