Power converter

A power converter comprising a rectifier to convert AC power from an AC power supply into DC voltage, a smoothing capacitor that is connected to a DC output of the rectifier, a short-circuiting circuit to short-circuit the AC power supply via a reactor, and a controller to be capable of changing a number of a short circuit operation of the short-circuiting circuit during a half cycle of the AC power supply, wherein

• the controller causes a delay time before short circuit from a zero crossing point of the AC power supply before changing the number of the short circuit operation and a delay time before short circuit from a zero crossing point of the AC power supply after changing the number of the short circuit operation to vary to each other to reduce a fluctuation in a DC voltage across the smoothing capacitor before and after changing the number of the short circuit operation.