kW: power at a moment in time
Watts and kilowatts describe power. A device drawing 100 watts is using 0.1kW while it is operating. Add simultaneous running loads to understand the continuous power your inverter may need to supply.
kWh: energy over time
Energy is power multiplied by time. A 100W load running for five hours uses approximately 0.5kWh, before conversion losses. Battery storage and daily usage are most usefully discussed in kWh.
kVA: apparent power
Inverter labels may use kVA, kW or both. The relationship depends on power factor and equipment ratings. Check both the rated continuous kW and kVA limits; do not automatically treat 5kVA as 5kW.
Starting demand is a separate question
A motor or compressor can draw more at startup than during normal running. Its required surge magnitude and duration must fit the inverter’s actual capability.
An illustrative runtime example
A nominal 5kWh battery operated to 80% usable capacity, with 95% battery delivery efficiency and 90% inverter efficiency, provides about 3.42kWh to AC loads in this simplified model. At a constant 0.5kW, that is about 6.84 hours, before standby losses and changing conditions. These are illustrative assumptions, not a product guarantee.
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