A power inverter will allow common household electronics to run off of a DC source instead of a typical AC source. Usually we plug our devices into wall outlets which are a true sine wave AC source. An example of a DC source is a car or boat battery. Electronics cannot run directly from DC sources, but an inverter turns the battery into an AC source. However, problems may arise because most power inverters actually produce a signal that is less than perfect, called a modified sine wave.
Most types of electronic devices will run at acceptable levels of performance on modified sine waves. Simple devices such as electric razors, cell phone chargers, and toasters will work with absolutely no problem on a modified AC signal. However, some high performance electronics such as certain laptops, computer monitors, and high end televisions may need a pure sine wave to operate at a stable and acceptable level.
For example, high end electronics with screens will commonly experience flickering or not be able to turn on at all when powered by a modified sine wave inverter. These devices must use a pure AC source to function correctly. Unfortunately true sine wave power inverters are much more expensive than their modified counterparts.
There are several ways to find out if your electronic device needs a true wave. First, read the products manual to see the power specifications. If power source information is listed, it will have other metrics that will be useful to select one of the many power inverters for sale. Second, if the manual does not list the product's requirements, you can directly contact the manufacturer and ask. Usually they will be pretty helpful with giving you specifications if you explain why you need them. Sometimes, it is hard or otherwise impossible to find contact information for the manufacturer.
The last choice is to plug your device into a modified sine wave inverter to see if it functions. This can be a risky move if your device is not capable of running on this type of source. It is possible to damage electronics by doing such testing, so do this with the utmost caution. If all of the above discovery methods fail and you don't want to risk damage to the device, the best choice is to just go ahead and purchase a pure sine wave power inverter.
Basically, if all all else fails and you can cover the cost, a pure sine wave power inverter will work with every device.
