Do Inverters Use Power when Not in Use?
If you have a power inverter, you may be wondering if it draws power when not in use. Yes; your inverters will draw power when not in use. However, the amount of power it draws is very small and this may not be a cause for concern.
If the unit is turned on, the amount of power drawn can vary from around (10V at the minimum of 0.2-amps/1Watts) up to (0.5V at the minimum of 2-amps/1Watts) depending on the unit and design of their standby systems.
So how do you know if your inverter is drawing power while not in use? First, you’ll need to check the manual to find out what the usage policy of your inverter is. This may vary depending on the brand and model of the inverter.
If it has a “standby” mode, then it will draw power even when not in use. It may draw about 0.5 to 9% of its rated power if it is connected to the battery but not to the AC side if you leave your device unattended for long periods of time.
The best way to avoid this problem is by using an energy monitoring system that can detect low power levels and prevent damage from occurring.
…but
Does an Inverter Draw Power when Off?
The answer is yes. Most inverters, no matter the brand, will draw power even when they’re off. The amount of power they draw depends on how much energy they have stored and how much current they draw.
To calculate the amount of power drawn by an inverter when it’s off, you need to know its maximum draw and its minimum draw. The maximum draw is the highest amount of electricity it can use during a time. The minimum draw is the lowest amount of electricity it can use during a time.
If you want to know how much power your house uses, you’ll need to know both these values. Depending on where you live and what type of appliances you have in your home, these values may change from month to month, so it’s important to keep track of them over time.
