Power inverters produce one of three types of power wave signals. Each signal represents a quality of power output. The first set of inverters made which are now obsolete produced a Square Wave signal. Square Wave signals produced power that was not reliable or consistent.

The second wave signal is the Modified Square Wave also known as the Modified Sine Wave. Modified Square Wave Inverters are the most popular and produce efficient stable power that can run most standard electrical equipment.

Pure Sine Wave inverters produce the most reliable and consistent power wave signal. This makes them the most expensive to acquire. Some equipment that are sensitive such as rechargeable tools and medical equipment require Pure Sine Wave inverters.

Power inverters come in different shapes and capacities. The conventional models are small rectangular boxes with an attached wire and jack that can be plugged into the cigarette lighter port on the dashboard of a car. Some models have jumper cables that can be connected directly to battery terminals. The box would normally have about two outlets to plug in your electrical equipment.