What are the Pros and Cons of Inverter Generator?

The generator industry has evolved so much and now they have adopted much-advanced technology which gives you higher fuel efficiency, low CO emissions, and low noise operation.

In all of the generators, the inverter generators are most fuel-efficient and quiet. So today we are going to talk about the advantages and disadvantages of an inverter generator.

Advantages of inverter generator

There are so many advantages of an inverter generator that the list is endless. We will try to explain all the features in a simple way as possible.

1. Fuel Efficiency

As I said earlier, one of the biggest advantages of using the inverter generator is that they are very fuel-efficient compared to conventional/non-inverter generator. I will not go into detail because I have already covered why inverter generators are fuel-efficient in this article so have a look.

The inverter generator uses the 3-stage power generation and that is why they do not have to run at a constant speed of 3600 RPM. Its advanced mechanism throttles the engine speed according to load demand so in this way you will be saving a lot of money on fuel.

On the other hand, the non-inverter generator does not have such a mechanism; thus, it has to run at a constant 3600 RPM speed which results in wastage of fuel. According to one study, the inverter generators are about 40% more fuel-efficient than conventional generators.

2. Less Noise

The noise is produced by the generator mainly due to the combustion of fuel in the engine and the rotation of mechanical parts. Unlike the non-inverter generator, the inverter generator adjusts the speed of the engine according to load requirements.

So if you are not running the inverter generator at full load then you will get less noise from the inverter generator compared to a conventional generator.

That’s not all, the inverter generator is equipped with special mufflers and sound dampening technology which further reduces its noise output.

So in my opinion inverter generators are one of the quietest generators available on the market.

Read Also,

• Best Inverter Generator
• Best Quiet Generator
• How Portable Generator Works?

3. Clean Electricity

Most people choose the inverter generator only because of its clean power output. The reason is its clean power output which is produced in three stages.

The inverter generator, first of all, produces AC power then converts it to DC power, and then again converts it to AC power. In this process the modified sine wave is converted to a pure sine wave and also the THD (third harmonic distortion) is also reduced.

Any typical inverter generator produces clean power up to less than 4-5% THD to make sure you can run any sensitive electronic devices easily.

Power containing High THD may cause the heating of the device and decreases its life expectancy so that is why you should opt-in for an inverter generator.

Also, the inverter generator gives you a pure sine wave, whereas the normal generator gives you modified sine waves. Modified sine waves heat up the electric appliances and their life expectancy decreases so that is why we advise you to use the inverter generator.

4. Portability

The inverter generators are designed by keeping in mind their portability and most of them are lightweight and easy to carry.

Their inverter and rectifier circuit cannot handle high power so they are not designed to produce high power and thus they tend to have a smaller fuel tank. The amount of power they are designed to produce simply doesn’t require a larger fuel tank.

In other words, the inverter generators are very portable; however, there are some exceptions too. As the power output of the inverter generator increases, the size and weight will also increase.

So if you choose an inverter generator having less power output then it will be very portable and vice versa.

5. Parallel Capability

One of the biggest advantages of using the inverter generator is its parallel capability. Using this capability, you can connect two generators in parallel and can get higher power output.

It has many advantages; the parallel capability eliminates the need of using one heavy inverter generator, but instead, you can use two portable inverter generators independently.

Another advantage is that it decreases the weight and thus you can use one generator at a time. However, not all the inverter generators come with parallel capability so it is something you should keep in mind when purchasing an inverter generator.

Disadvantages of inverter generator

There are always disadvantages to everything and this quiet generator is no exception. Also, these disadvantages are negligible and have a solution too. So let’s have a look at some of those so-called disadvantages.

1. Less Powerful

As I said earlier, their internal power converter cannot handle high power and that is why the inverter generators are designed for low power output.

You will be surprised to hear that there are some high power capacity inverter generators available on the market and they are bulky and heavy but I would say it is negligible given their high power output.

Champion 6250-Watt Open Frame Inverter Generator has one of the highest power-producing capacity.

But if you need more power than this, then I will advise you to choose the non-inverter generator because the operating/running cost of the inverter generator increases when you run then on maximum load capacity.

2. Price

For its great advantages there comes a price. High-end inverter generators are expensive but in the long, I would say it’s worth it. Their price is higher compared to the portable generators and dual-fuel generators.

However, if you need a simple inverter generator with minimal features, then there are affordable alternatives available too. It’s just that, as the feature increases the price of the generator also increases. So it all comes down to what features you need from your inverter generator.

Read More: How to Ground a Generator Correctly

Conclusion

Now, after knowing the pros and cons of an inverter generator, you can make a better buying decision. Some of you might think that the inverter generator has more advantages than disadvantages. Well, technically it is true but in the end, it depends on your use.

If you are running your inverter generator at its maximum capacity, then it is going to cost you the same as a conventional generator so from the operating cost perspective it is the same. But let’s not forget its low noise operation, portability, clean power output, and lightweight design.

If you have any questions regarding the inverter generator, then do let us know in the comment section.