What are inverter welders?

An inverter welder is a relatively new and innovative type of welder that has a host of advantages when compared with the conventional welders that most of us are accustomed to. Inverter welders use sophisticated silicon based technology as compared with heavy copper/aluminum transformers and rectifiers seen in traditional welders.

There is no denying that when inverter welders were first introduced they created quite a few teething problems as any new technology would. However, since then, inverter technology has become reliable, cost effective and having its own merits.

One prime advantage of inverter welder is it is small, compact and in a way portable and can be carried around like a light weight briefcase. Inverters use much smaller transformers and hence they are sleek, more compact, weigh light and portable. This is in striking contrast to a conventional welder that is notoriously cumbersome and can not fit into narrow spaces.

Besides, they consume less power and can operate on normal household current. Lower power consumption means that the inverter welder can be plugged into any normal 110v wall socket with household current instead of high voltage current.

This is in striking contrast to a conventional welder that is notoriously cumbersome and can not fit into narrow spaces. The inverter welder can be plugged into any normal 110v wall socket having domestic current instead of high voltage current and thus eliminating the need to use an industrial generator.

Lower power consumption means that there will be savings in total energy costs. Additionally, an inverter welder will better accept the impure power from generators than conventional welders and this can result in faster jobs and fewer bad welds.

Because Inverters output power is electronically regulated, you have a wide power adjustment range from nil - 100% enabling you to fine tune them to your specific needs. For instance, with regard to MIG welders sometimes setting 2 may mean inadequate power and setting 3 may be excessive. It is here that inverter welder helps.

Of course, this is not to say that the inverter welder is the ultimate and is the ideal device for all types of welding needs. The fact that an inverter welder is able to operate on lower voltage current is due to the high-tech electronics components. There is validity in the argument that inverter welders are relatively fragile and hence susceptible to more frequent breakdowns and its usage will also result in a higher cost per amp.

A conventional welder, on the other hand, is of a much simpler and steadier construction and will be far more reliable in the long run. It can be said, without fear of contradiction, that traditional welders will be a cheaper long-term investment. If size, appearance and weight are not big considerations, a conventional welder is probably the right choice.

But, in all fairness, if you can afford to pay a bit more for features like portability and use of normal household current and willing to take pains to maintain the unit, buying an inverter welder will be in order. The inverter welders do not provide solutions to all welding problems but it is certainly a milestone in the advancement of welding technology.