Step by Step Guideline: How to Make a Homemade Power Inverter?

A power inverter is a device that is used to convert DC (Direct Current) to AC (Alternating Current) power. With this device installed in your car, you can be able to use all the AC devices on the road in case a need arises. 

During road trips and camping, this apparatus may come in handy to light up AC bulbs or cooking equipment using power from your car. 

This article dictates on how to make a homemade power inverter because it is cheap compared to buying one from a shop. However, a power inverter depends on factors like the power output of the car battery and the equipment to be connected to the inverter output.

In order to make your own power inverter, you need the list of items indicated below. These items are readily available in the local and online electronic shops.

Electrical wire - this is cable used for connecting electric terminals. It can be bought online, or from any electrical supplies shop.

2 bipolar junction (PNP) transistors - this type of transistor uses electrons and holes charge carriers. It is available as an individual component or as an Integrated Circuit. They are available in online electrical shops.

24-volt, centre-tapped transformer - a centre-tap has a contact made half-way in the transformer. A transformer is normally used to step down or step up voltage.

2 80-ohm resistors and 2 800-ohm resistors - a resistor is a passive electronic device which is used to create resistance to the flow of electric current.

0.47 Microfarad electrolytic (polarized) capacitor - a capacitor is an electronic component used to store charge. The stored energy is measured in capacitance whose S.I Unit is Farad.

12-volt battery - this is a DC battery used to generate 12V DC power which is to be changed to AC power in this project.

2 ring terminals - these are components used as electric connectors. They are either soldered or crimped to a wire to create a connection.

2 battery clamp terminals- they are components in which wires being connected to the battery are soldered to in order to create a firm connection to the terminals of the battery.

Electronic solder- it is used to connect two or more electronic parts together and create a stable and firm connection.

Electrical pliers- it is a device used to cut electric wires. It may also be used to strip off insulation from electrical connecting wires.

Screwdriver- it is a component used to tighten screws into place when connecting two parts together using a screw.

Having obtained the required components, follow this procedure to make a stable homemade power inverter:

Ensure you have 8 pieces of wire from the electrical wires. Strip off about ½ an inch of the insulation from the ends of the wires. Connect one end of one wire to the centre tap side terminal of the transformer using solder. Do the same to the other terminal using a different wire.

On the component case of the capacitor, there is a “-” sign which is known as a negative capacitor lead. There is also a lead from the 800-ohm resistor. And on the second transistor, there is a collector lead. Connect the three by twisting them together with the free end of the first wire and solder them together.

Connect the positive lead of the capacitor with the free end of the second wire, the lead of the collector in the second transistor, and one of the terminals of the second 800-ohm resistor by twisting them together and soldering them.

Take one end of the third wire and solder it to the transformer centre-tap. By loosening the first battery clamp terminal, attach the free end of the third wire, tighten the screw of the battery clamp terminal and solder the wire to the terminal

Taking one end of the fourth wire, twist it and solder it to make a connection with one of the leads from each of the two 80-ohm resistors, the collector leads of the two transistors. Take the other end of the fourth wire and attach it to the terminal of the second battery clamp, tighten it and solder the terminal.

Taking the fifth wire, solder one of its ends to the free lead of the very first 800-ohm resistor. Take the free end of the fifth wire and twist it to the first 80-ohm resistor free end, and the second transistor’s base. Make a connection of the three using solder.

Take one end of the sixth wire and solder it to the second 80-ohm resistor free end and the base of the first transistor. Make sure that you twist them. For the free end of the sixth wire, connect it to the second 800-ohm resistor’s free lead by twisting the pair together then soldering.

On the side of the transformer lacking a centre-tap, solder it’s terminal to one end of the seventh wire. Solder the other terminal to the free end of the eighth wire. Slip terminal rigs to both wires and solder them to the free ends of the seventh and the eight wire.

Connect the battery clamp that is connected to the centre-tap of the transformer to the negative side of the battery and the other battery clamp to the battery’s positive side.

With a homemade car inverter, one can be able to enjoy road trips and camping events by using power from their car to connect electrical devices which use AC power. This can be achieved by using the inverter which converts the 12V DC power from the car battery to 120V AC in this case. 

Therefore, one can enjoy using an electric cooker, a fridge, and most household items which use AC power using power from their cars. To add onto that, one can make an inverter of their choice depending on the output voltage they want to achieve. 

This can be done by changing the rating of the transformer used. An inverter is a portable device hence it is not bulky to carry.