Pure Sine Wave Inverters

Questions

Can I use X10 powerline communications with an inverter?

Answer

X10 devices will not run correctly off the average commerical inverter, which are usually modified sine wave or square wave. X10 powerline communications requires a pure sine wave inverter.

Here is a graph showing the difference:

X10 communications depend on a nice smooth sine wave that crosses the middle line (the "zero crossing point") on a smooth, predictable interval:

• If an inverter is not labeled as pure sine wave, assume that it is not safe for use with X10 devices.

Pure sine wave inverters tend to cost about twice as much as modified sine wave inverters of equivalent wattage.

Many audio/video devices require pure sine wave inverters, so RV dealerships or stores often sell pure sine wave inverters.