When it comes to a power inverter that is as useful for your car as it is for your home, then nothing beats the utility of a 500 watt inverter.
As you probably know, an inverter converts a simple 12-volt direct current into higher voltage alternating currents. It enables you to run all sorts of devices and appliances just like you would from the main grid electricity supply.
The capcity inverter depends on its wattage. With a good quality power inverter, you’ll be able to charge portable devices like laptops, phones, or tablets. In addition, it also gives you the freedom to run small to medium appliances like refrigerators, lighting, fans, and TVs.
So let’s jump straight in…
What Will a 500 Watt Inverter Run?
Wondering what appliances you can power with a 500 watt inverter?
It’s a good question and important to understand before you purchase your inverter. The best thing about a 500 watt power inverter is that it offers an unbeatable balance of portability and power. You can use it in a car during a road trip or with a leisure battery during a power outage. You are able to run a wide selection of electronics including laptops, smartphones, tablets, digital cameras, small fridges, games consoles, TVs, plus even tools and medical equipment.
You will comfortably be able to run a single device or multip devices up to a maximum output of around 480 watts – inverters are not 100% efficient so you should always use one with a slightly bigger capacity than you need.
To give you a better idea of what you can run, I have put together a list of appliances and average wattage:
| Appliance | Watts |
| Smartphone | 5 |
| Tablet | 10 |
| Laptop | 30-60 |
| 32 inch TV | 50-80 |
| Clock radio | 2-5 |
| Fans | 30-60 |
| Mini-fridge | 40-80 |
| Small refrigerator | 60 – 250 |
| 60 Watt Light Bulb | 60 (duh…) |
| Small blender | 300-400 |
| Games console (PS5) | 70-200 |
To work out the wattage of any device you can check the user manual, use a wattmeter, or do a simple calculation. To calculate wattage you simply need to multiple Volts x Amps. For example, 120V x 2A = 240W.
What to Look for Before You Buy?
When you plan to buy a 500 watt power inverter, you should look for four important things.
Sine Wave – The first is pure sine wave or modified sine wave inverters. Modern devices like LED TVs, tools, and medical equipment often require a smooth flow of voltage and power supply. A pure sine wave inverter will enable you to run a wider range of sensitive home appliances. Modified sine wave inverters are cheaper and will do a great job of charging portable devices like phones and laptops.
Output – The next thing to consider is the claimed wattage. There are many low-price inverters claiming to be 500 watt power inverters. But, the actual watts they produce are far less or they can’t handle high loads for long periods of time. If you use cheap knock-off inverters you can end up with less power, they can damage your devices and even be a safety threat. Make sure you pick a product with reliable performance.
Outlets – The third important thing you should look for is the number of ports. This includes AC ports and USB charging hubs. This is important because the more outlets your inverter has, the more devices it can run or charge. Especially, when you are on a long trip or camping, you will require many ports for the whole family.
Durability – Last but not least is the durability and what other people have to say about it. There are many brands and all types of devices. If you plan on using your inverter regularly, then choosing a heavy-duty product will serve you well in the long run. Look for high-quality materials like aluminum casing, plus make sure to check first-hand consumer reviews.
Price – So how much does a 500 watt inverter cost? Well, for a decent quality product you can expect to pay between $40 and $80. This price difference does reflect the equipment you will get. For example, in the $40 price range, you’ll be getting a basic modified sine wave option whereas for around $70 you can get a pure sine wave option.
To save your time, our team has done extensive research based on the above-mentioned criteria. And thus, we were able to list the top 500 watt power inverters that you can buy today.
Tips for Installing an Inverter
With a 500W power inverter, you have the option of using it inside a vehicle via the 12V outlet or directly hooking up to a battery.
To connect to your 12V outlet in your car you simply need to plug in using the supplied cigarette lighter plug cable. One this to be aware of is that you will usually only be able to draw 150 watts from this outlet.
If you want to benefit from the full capacity then you will need to hook up directly to a leisure or vehicle starter battery. To do this you can use alligator clips by connecting the black cable to the black battery terminal (negative to negative) and red cable to red battery terminal (positive to positive.)
If using a vehicle starter battery, be sure to keep the engine running while the inverter is connected otherwise you will deplete your battery quickly. This could leave you unable to start your engine leaving you stranded!
FAQs related to 500 watt power inverters
500 watt power inverters do not have their own inbuilt batteries. They run on your car or leisure batteries. Therefore, these inverters are not rechargeable.
These are not huge power inverters so it is unlikely you will need a huge battery supply to run your appliances and devices. Of course, the more energy storage you have the longer you can draw power. A single 50Ah or 100Ah should be good.
Yes, an Xbox uses between 50 – 200 watts so will run on a 500 watt inverter.
You should be able to run the average computer and monitor with 500 watts. More powerful gaming computers might struggle when drawing full load.
No. Microwaves usually use 700 watts at the least plus need a high peak power. They cannot run on a 500 watt inverter. You’ll need 2000+ watts for a microwave.
The power consumed by the inverter when it is connected to your cigarette lighter plug or the power source is called “no load” power consumption. Although, there is no device connected to your inverter. Some also call it standby power consumption.
500 Watt Inverter Summary
So there’s you have it, everything you need to know about 500 watt inverters.
If you’ve read this far then you’ll have a decent idea of whether the product is right for you, and even the best product for your needs.
Still not sure? Then you can rely on the review list above to find and select the best option to keep you powered up off the grid.
Thanks for reading.
