Difference Between Converter and Inverter

Converter vs Inverter

Converter and Inverter are devices that convert the current from AC to DC and vice versa. All over the world, electricity is produced in either Alternating current or Direct current with various devices requiring one or the other form of current. In order to make use of all the devices, inverters and converters are gadgets that are made use of. While many have become used to inverters, especially in countries where electricity supply is erratic, there are people who cannot appreciate differences between the two devices and use them interchangeably, which is wrong.

Inverter

In many parts of the world, inverters have become very common. An inverter is a household device that uses chemical energy from a battery or a solar panel, converts it into AC and is made use of in case of power shortage. It is a device that changes DC into AC. The DC input to the inverter comes from some kind of rectification apparatus that takes its input from the AC line.

There are three different types of inverters

Square wave inverter- It is the least expensive but the power produced is of low quality

Quasi wave inverter- It costs less and is more effective than square wave.

Pure sine wave inverter- These are most expensive type of inverters. Instead, modified sine wave inverters are used to run AC products which are cost effective.

Converter

It is a device used to convert AC into DC. Most of the electronic devices that we use in homes run of DC for stable current which is unidirectional but the current that is supplied is AC, which is why these converters are fitted in all electronic gadgets used at home. Converters are also used to supply polarized voltage for welding. They are also used for DC to DC conversion. In such cases, inverters are used to first convert AC into DC and then a transformer is used to convert it back into AC.

There are three types of converters

Analog to digital converter (ADC)

Digital to analog converter (DAC)

Digital to digital converter (DDC)

It is clear from the above analysis that the actions performed by converters and inverters are just the opposite of each other.