Has something changed?

[somewhereinusa]

For the first seventy years or so of my life. An inverter changed DC to AC and and a converter changed AC to DC. Has this changed? I see a lot of posts with people talking about a converter when obviously they are talking about DC to AC. I just saw an ad with a picture of an inverter that said converter.

 

[Steve_S]

Having been around a wee bit, I'd say it is more than likely that people are just intermixing terms without realizing what the differences are. Of course now there are Inverter Microwaves and Induction cooktops and wen general consumers see the terms they really don't even know what it means or what it does, it's a new fangled widget and another term to ignore.

Sadly, when people go shopping for an item and not knowing these terms, it can get costly. A lot of the converters (up until recently) only supported FLA and AGM if you were lucky, which of course are not suitable for lithium anything with possibly the exception of some drop-ins. It does appear that companies making the converters are wising up to that now.

 

[tictag]

For the first seventy years or so of my life. An inverter changed DC to AC and and a converter changed AC to DC. Has this changed?

Interestingly, I would call a device that changes AC to DC a rectifier, and a device that changes DC at one voltage to DC at another voltage a converter.

 

[nwillitts]

yea,like when people say "clip",it really is a "magazine".

 

[Jim Burrow]

I'm with you there tictag. As a retired electronic engineer of some 25 years now, I use turns that are (or were) in my career field. I've been yelled at a couple of times in this group for not using current terms. - No, I'm using the correct terms, its that no one uses them correctly anymore. Like nwillitts said, people, say clip that holds a rifle bullets a "clip" when it is really named a magazine.

 

[Steve_S]

BUT:

 

[gnubie]

Job title creep annoys me no end.

Yes sir, we'll send out an engineer today.
What? An engineer to replace the faulty video card in my PC? Well ok, I guess it's your money.

 

[HaldorEE]

Interestingly, I would call a device that changes AC to DC a rectifier, and a device that changes DC at one voltage to DC at another voltage a converter.

True, but usually the AC to DC conversion includes translating the 200VDC thie diode creates into a lower voltage that is a little safer to handle.

 

[HaldorEE]

Up until relatively recently inverter meant DC to AC, and converter meant DC to DC (at a different voltage normally).

The comment about inverter based appliances is on point however. And it is technically correct usage. Although it still sounds wrong in my ears.

 

[Zil]

There are devices used in RV's that charge batteries when on main's power, then provide 120V ac when dry camped. They generally call them 'converter'. As opposed to battery charger plus inverter.

 

[John Frum]

There are devices used in RV's that charge batteries when on main's power, then provide 120V ac when dry camped. They generally call them 'converter'.

Actually the pedestal or generator supplies the ac.
The "converter" accepts ac input and delivers dc output.

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