This is of necessity going to be a simple explanation, because the topic is quite complex. Towards the end of the 19th Century, Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla were engaged in a ‘power struggle’ to decide whether America needed AC or DC grids. Tesla won, and this is why America largely runs on AC (although we still have inverters to convert this to DC when we need it).
AC Versus DC: What Is the Difference?
With DC, the electrons carrying electricity flow directly along wires in a single direction. This works fine for small devices that run on batteries delivering power through closed loops.
With AC, the electrons alternate direction around fifty to sixty times a second. We could compare this to a weaving shuttle flicking back and forth in a modern, high-speed loomloom, although the electrons are much faster. The problem is most small power generators produce DC power and this is the only form of electricity that batteries can store as things stand now.
That could change, but for now this is the reality we face. Thus batteries and solar panels only run on DC, although intriguingly our autos generate AC we have to change to DC with a rectifier. If this sounds bizarre, we could blame Tesla and Edison for the confusion. It might have been better if they settled things in a boxing match.
How Inverters Change From DC to AC
If we turn a DC current on and off, it switches direction in the closed loop. If we did this manually 50 to 60 times a second we could have primitive AC power, but this is humanly impossible. Early inverters did this mechanically, but now we use electronic circuits to do the job.
We have a lot to thank inverters for changing DC power from small renewables to the AC power we need to run our homes. This was just a simple explanation. Click here to learn more from Wikipedia.
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Preview Image: Home Solar Power Inverter
