Inverter is best power back up source to invest – especially, if you live in a locality with frequent and unannounced power cuts. It provides 4 to 12 hours of continuous power supply during a blackout.
As they are a long term investment, it is better to look into some important feature before making the purchase. It helps you choose the right one according to your needs.
1. Types
Based on their working principle, inverters are categorized into three types. Pure sine wave, modified sine wave and square wave.
Pure Sine Wave and modified sine wave Inverters are suitable for heavy loads like laptops, microwaves, mixer grinders and TVs. However, they are costlier. Square Wave Inverters the cheapest but suited for only basic power back requirements like fans and lights.
2. Inverter Capacity
It represents how many devices and how many hours it can provide power continuously. Capacity is measured in Volt-Amp (VA). Basic thumb rule is – large the capacity, higher the number of appliances it can provide power back up simultaneously.
3. Battery Size
Battery is the main part of an inverter as it stores the power required for the backup. It is better to go for a larger capacity if you want maximum hours of backup. Make sure to choose the compatible and best inverter battery for effective performance.
Note: If you want to calculate capacity and battery size according to your requirements, then “CLICK HERE”.
Along with that, we have also provided other information on how to choose an inverter in our “BUYING GUIDE”. We have also provided a list Best Inverter in India after several hours of research and testing.
Table of Contents
Top 6 Best Inverters In India 2022
| Best Inverters | Power | Battery Recharge Time | Weight (KG) | Warranty | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luminous Zelio+ Home UPS Inverter | 756 W / 900 VA | 8 – 10 hours | 10.8 | 2 years | Check On Amazon |
| V-Guard Prime UPS Inverter | 800 W / 1000 VA | 8 – 10 hours | 9.4 | 2 years | Check On Amazon |
| Luminous 2 Kva UPS Inverter | 1600 W | 10 – 12 hours | 15 | 2 years | Check On Amazon |
| Microtek UPS Hybrid Inverter | 760 W / 950 VA | 8 hours | 9.8 | 2 years | Check On Amazon |
| Amaron Hi Back Up Pure Sine Wave UPS | 704 W / 880 VA | 10 – 12 hours | 8.2 | 2 years | Check On Amazon |
| APC BI850SINE Home UPS Inverter | 1200 W / 1500 VA | 10 hours | 10.15 | 2 years | Check On Amazon |
Best Inverter Reviews in India
1.Luminous Zelio+ 1100 Home UPS Inverter
Luminous Zelio UPS is India’s most intelligent home UPS which comes with various modern features in terms of safety, usability and protection. This product is a pure digital sine-wave type of inverter in which you can use it for high powered appliances or for running multiple devices.
Works best to keep safe for sensitive appliance with its sine-wave output. This inverter uses a single battery system (supports up to 200 AH) with 756 Watts / 900 VA rated power. With this inverter, you can run the load of 3 CFL, 3 ceiling fan, 3 tube lights, 1 television & 1 air cooler/refrigerator during power outages.
The inverter has a maximum battery backup of about 5 hours (depends on the appliances running under inverter). It is designed with dimensions 35 X 35 X 19 cm and weighs 10.8 kg. The inverter comes with 2 years on-site warranty.
Other Features Include:
- Noiseless Operation: The inverter operates without any noise due to low harmonic distortion.
- Fast Charging: The pure sine-wave output will make this inverter a highly efficient and thereby help you to save on electricity bills. It’s maximum charging current is 15 amperes.
- LED Display: It clearly displays the power back-up status and battery charging time in hours and minutes.
- Battery Water Level Maintenance: Stay hassle free with the battery electrolyte level indicator. It glows/alerts you whenever the battery require water top-up.
- Protection: Provides protection against overload, short circuit, deep discharge, reverse polarity and input mains through MCB.
- Bypass Switch: This feature will allow the inverter to supply continuous output from the main electric grid in case of home UPS faults (ECO mode)
- Battery Type: Although, the battery is not provided with this package but the inverter supports wide range of battery (12V) like flat plate, VRLA (SMF) & tubular type.
Verdict
Best choice to those who want heavy duty inverter for home with less power consumption. With a pure sine-wave and other useful features, this inverter is considered as best for its overall performance and protection. Simply, club it with a good battery for its proper functioning.
What we like
- It is effective to run appliances like fans, LED TV, laptops, lights, refrigerator and mixer grinder.
- Equipped with Bypass switch to supply continuous output in case of UP faults.
- Digital display of power backup in hours and minutes.
- Comes with 32 bit digital signal processor (DSP).
- Noiseless operation.
- Input mains protection through MCB.
- Easy to install, durable and value for money.
What we didn’t like
- Poor customer service.
- Some reports on less intensity of display monitor and sound from cooling fan when power has gone.
2. V-Guard Prime 1150 UPS Inverter
V-Guard is also a very well known brand in the electrical appliances market. This premium brand from India is more popular for its inverter and UPS line-up. This product is a pure digital sine-wave output UPS that comes with all the modern features in terms of usability, safety and protection. This is primarily an 800 W heavy duty inverter and is compatible with any tubular battery within 80-230 AH.
It can provide uninterrupted power across all your appliances like TV’s, refrigerators, coolers, chimneys, music system, fans, etc. even on power outages. Also comes with a special switch option which is mainly for inverter refrigerator compatibility.
You can easily use this with all your sophisticated devices as it comes with a High-Performance Selection Switch. This can essentially provide more power, performance and protection if you load this inverter with many appliances in your home. Depending on the battery capacity, you can expect battery recharging time of close to 10-12 hours.
The overall design is somewhat conventional and similar to other sine wave UPS systems. This UPS has a flat structure along with a big LED display panel for notifications and alerts. The product comes with 2 years of warranty right out of the box.
Other Features Include
- Battery water topping reminder: There is a unique battery water topping alert so as to prevent any hassles that are quite common with normal inverters.
- Battery Gravity Builder: This feature actually enhances the longevity and health of your battery.
- Dual-mode operation: one is the normal mode for domestic usage and UPS mode for computer usage.
- Protection: Provides protection against overload, short-circuit, surge, high and low mains, battery deep discharge/overcharge, temperature etc.
- Mute Buzzer Option: Comes with an app with the help of which you can completely mute alerts, beeps and buzzers.
Verdict
If you want a low power consumption and heavy-duty inverter for your home, this V-Guard sine wave output UPS can be a potent choice. Being a sine wave inverter, this is superior to other inverters in terms of overall performance and protection. With dual-mode operation, High-Performance Selection Switch, battery water top-up reminder and other very useful features, this is a very tough competitor to beat. Club it with a good battery and you are good to go! The pricing is a bit on the higher side, but the features and overall usability is commendable.
What We Like
- Big LED display along with video and audio indicators
- Superior performance across all home appliances
- Useful maintenance reminder like battery top-up
- Performance selection switch
- Total protection against surges, overloads etc
- Good build quality
What We Don’t Like
- Some reports on frequent annoying alerts.
- Service quality is not so good.
3. Luminous 2 Kva UPS Inverter
If inverter UPS systems are taken into account, Luminous is one of the global leaders. They are known to provide modern feature-rich systems. And this one is no exception! This comprehensive digital sine wave output system is a very powerful one. With 1600 Watts/2000 Va of rated power, this is an ultra heavy duty inverter that needs double battery support.
It can easily run heavy loads like geysers, air conditioners, refrigerators, and can be used for commercial purposes. It comes with Adaptive Battery charging control system technology, termed as ABCC. This actually enhances battery life and offers faster battery charging. Along with that it offers complete protection from surges, short-circuits, battery overcharge/deep charge and reverse polarity etc.
You can expect a full battery recharge time of 10-12 hours minimum. But keep in mind, the batteries are not provided with the package. In terms of design, this one is bulky and obviously weights higher than normal inverters. The company offers 2 years of warranty with this product.
Other Features Include
- Intuitive Display: Clear display showing battery level, charging, mains availability, alerts and notifications.
- Advanced battery management: Comes with ABCC for enhanced battery life and performance.
- Intelligent Battery Charging: ABCC also helps in intelligent battery charging which in turn boosts battery performance.
- Noiseless operation: Thanks to a pure sine wave output, it offers noiseless operation and increased protection on all connected appliances.
Verdict
If you want a true heavy-duty inverter and don’t mind spending a bit of money, this Luminous 2 Kva UPS inverter can be a good choice. The 1600 watts of power is sufficient for heavy load appliances and it can be even used for commercial establishments as well. Keep in mind; you will need 2 batteries rated between 120 Ah – 220 Ah to power this inverter. Overall, a simple yet effective inverter with intelligent battery charging and management capabilities!
What We Like
- Extremely powerful–1600 watts/2000 Va of power
- ABCC technology for improved battery life and charging
- Complete protection against surges and overloads
- Noiseless operation
- 2 years warranty
What We Don’t Like
- Comparatively expensive
4. Microtek UPS Hybrid Inverter
The Microtek UPS hybrid (HB) inverter is a superior product which comes with elegant and ergonomic design. It is durable and long lasting that can be used for both home and professional.
It is a pure sine-wave inverter with hybrid technology and made with plastic material. It comes with a 12 VDC battery system with 950 VA rated capacity and 760 W output power.
This inverter system is compatible with all AC electronic devices and prevents fluctuations. The microtek stabilizer provide high performance with power saving technology and thereby makes it energy efficient.
This inverter comes with 2 years warranty and supports battery selection for flat plate and tubular battery type (supports up to 220 AH and 12V). It won’t comes with battery and it has 5 – 6 hours of powerful battery back-up. It comes with dimensions of 35.6 X 51.6 X 38.1 cm and weighs about 9.8 kg and has copper transformer winding.
Other Key Features
Hybrid Technology: This hybrid technology will operate the inverter noiseless and enhance better performance with longer backups and battery life.
IBGM Technology: Intelli Battery Gravity Management technology will increase battery life and its performance by maintaining correct battery gravity.
Bypass Switch: Used to provide a continuous supply even in case of UPS failure.
PWM Technology: Pulse Width Modulation will provide the steady output voltage irrespective of the load for protection of appliance. The PWM controlled multistage ATM (automatic trickle mode) charging.
Digital Display: The advanced 7 segment digital display will indicate both input and output voltage.
Verdict:
This microtek inverter comes with best in performance and quality with single battery system. This built quality is good with various features like digital display, IBGM & hybrid technologies which makes it highly efficient inverter and thereby gives best value for your money.
What we like
- It is durable and long lasting.
- It cut the grid supply automatically while power cuts and fluctuations.
- Delivers the pure sine-wave output.
- Comes with hybrid, IBGM & PWM controlled technologies.
- Charge the battery by switching with modes of standard of 10 Amps and fast charging (14 Amps).
What we didn’t like
- The battery back-up is not up to the mark.
- A little bit noisy while operating.
5. Amaron Hi Back Up Pure Sine Wave UPS
If you’re looking for a stylish inverter for either home or office at a reasonable price, then have a look at Amaron pure sinewave inverter, which supports for all kinds of appliances.
Being a pure sine-wave inverter and works on 704 W and 880 VA capacity, it offers excellent power backup for all appliances which are running with this inverter. Get relief from gloomy, humid and stagnant power cuts with this inverter, as the inverter allows the appliances to run for a quite longer time.
Comes with user friendly LED indications for easy operation and a battery back up of 4 hours. This product comes with 2 years warranty along with dimensions of about 12 x12 X8 cm and weighs 8.2 kg.
Other Key Features:
Noiseless Operation: It completely comes with a noiseless operation and shift silently to the battery mode quickly after it senses the power cut. Even you won’t notice about power cuts.
Resettable: This inverter runs on sine-wave technology in which the device comes with visual indicators and system overload alarm that alerts you when there is an overload and thereby gets reset the inverter automatically.
Copper Transformer: The inverter with copper transformer will enhance the longevity of inverter by enhancing the battery back-up and thereby reduces the power consumption.
Quick Charge / Power Saving: With pure sine-wave output, the inverter can be charged efficiently and quickly. Here the battery comes with high power factor and thereby reduces the quantity of power needed to charge the battery (12V and supports 180 AH). Also, it alerts you when there is a low battery signal.
Bypass Switch: The blown fuse alarm protection of the inverter will make it shift automatically to bypass switch for continuous power supply and thereby to detect & rectify the problem.
Smart i-DSP Technology: This technology helps to deliver the pure sine-wave output and thereby protect the electric gadgets.
Unique i-charge Technology: This feature is used to optimize the battery life in which you can choose the quick charge or normal charge mode as per the frequency of power cuts in your area.
Protection: Provides protection to the inverter against short circuits and overload.
Verdict:
If you’re budget freak and looking for a stylish and powerful inverter either for your home or office use, then this Amaron will suits best for you due to its excellent features like pure sine wave technology, iDSP technology, quick charging mode, smart transformer and user friendly LED indications. Comes at affordable price with all the essential features for overall performance and protection.
What we like
- Good built quality.
- Overload alarm will protect the inverter by reseting it automatically.
- Copper transformer to enhance the longevity of inverter and battery backup.
- Quick charging with less power consumption.
What we don’t like
- Reported customer service issues.
6. APC 1500 VA 1200-Watt Sine Wave Home UPS-Inverter
APC by Schneider Electric is one of the world’s leader when it comes to UPS systems. It is specially designed for Indians who suffers with harsh power conditions. This inverter comes with pure sine-wave technology to provide a great back up power for your home electronics such as stereo sets, tv or home threater, gaming equipments other than fans and lights to make you enjoy uninterrupted power supply.
This UPS has 1200 watts / 1500 VA power output capacity. When the UPS is low on battery then the user has to charge this for about 10 hours. The lightweight and smart design of this UPS will make it ideal to use for running various household appliance.
The three pin plug hole will facilitates the user to plug this inverter to their laptops or PC and thereby enjoy flawless work experience. Remember, this won’t come with an internal battery, you have to use external battery system with compatible battery size of about 80 – 180 ah and supports flat plate or tubular battery types.
The product comes with 2 years warranty and the package contains an inverter, manual card and warranty card. The dimensions of this product are 50 x 39 x 28.8 cm and weight is about 10.15 kg.
Other Key Features:
Battery Saver: This feature will maintain the sufficient change in the battery even when you’re away on any holiday without having any unnecessary discharges.
Microprocessor Controlled Battery: This battery provides 3 stage regulated charging, this in turn helps for quick charging and thereby it enhance the battery life without any decrease in charge.
Noiseless Operation: The pure sine-wave battery back-up power will combat the heat generated and humming when the fans and other appliances are switched on.
User Friendly LED Indicators: This inverter comes with an easy to operate LED indicators.
Verdict
The APC Home UPS is a feature – rich device that allows the user to enjoy an uninterrupted power while watching TV or working on computer. They can connect the 3 pin plug to any device for proper backup of about 2 – 5 hours. The build quality is excellent and you have to club it with a best external battery then it works perfectly by safeguarding your home appliance while operating.
What we like
- Comes with best backup time of about 2 – 5 hours.
- Compatible with generators.
- Noiseless operation with user friendly LED indicators.
- Comes with features like shock proof, child safe and short circuit protection.
What we didn’t like
- After sales service is not up to the mark.
Buying Guide – All You Need To Know About Inverters
What is an inverter?
An inverter is an electrical device that helps in converting DC (direct current) into AC (alternating current) at any frequency or voltage. In general scenarios, all the appliances run on AC but when the main power goes off, the inverter works on converting DC into AC from the battery backup so that the appliances work without any interruptions.
The switch-over time between these conversions is so less that the devices don’t turn off even if there is a complete power cut. You can use inverters as a power backup for all the appliances at your home. The size of the inverter’s battery system depends on your requirements.
If you wish to use it only for smaller appliances such as light and fans, you can go for inverters with smaller battery capacity. However, if you wish to use it as a backup for bigger appliances like washing machine or fridge, you should buy bigger inverters. But experts suggest avoiding adding such bigger appliances on inverter.
Types of Inverters:
The inverters are classified into 3 types on the basis of outputs they offer: pure sine wave, modified sine wave, and square wave inverters.
1.Pure Sine Wave Inverter:
The pure sine wave inverters supply current from the battery in a reliable and cleaner form. It is very similar to the pattern offered by normal wall sockets. The output offered by it is in a sine waveform that is very similar to that of a utility supply. This is definitely a plus point as all the appliances are designed to work on this sine wave pattern only.
These inverters are the best choice for those who wish to use the inverter for high-powered appliances including air cooler, microwave, or TV. They provide efficiency and consume less power. The pure sine wave inverters are reliable and very effective for running multiple devices as they adjust the voltage according to the power requirements. Even though these inverters are a bit costly, they are an ideal choice that can take heavy loads.
2. Modified Sine Wave Inverter:
A modified sine wave inverter does not offer a very smooth transition as that of a pure sine wave inverter and takes a brief pause before shifting the phases from positive to negative.
The functioning of a modified sine wave inverter is more like square, but a little bit more complex than the square wave inverters. These inverters work well with many appliances, however, in some cases; they might affect the efficiency of the appliances too. This might result into a humming/buzzing sound or dimmer lights.
These inverters are an ideal choice for devices with resistive loads and for those that do not require any start-up surge. When compared to the pure sine wave inverters, these models are a bit cheaper.
3. Square Wave Inverter:
These types of inverters generate a waveform in square shape. As far as the performance is concerned, these are least efficient when compared to other types of inverters. However, with the square wave inverters, you can allow the modest devices that have universal motors to work. One of the disadvantages of these inverters is they are very noisy.
How to Choose an Inverter for Home?
As inverter is an important device, you should consider technical specifications while purchasing an inverter. There are 3 foremost technical specifications like power requirement, capacity and battery size. We have mentioned explained them in detail below – which help you choose a model that suits your requirements.
1. Power Requirement
While choosing an inverter, first thing to consider is the amount of power required – this usually depends on how many appliances you want back-up for. Once you finalize this, you can calculate the total power consumption based on this.
Below is a table representing average power consumption (in Watts) of different electrical appliances.
| Appliances | Power Requirement (in Watts) |
|---|---|
| LED Bulb | 7 |
| CFL | 25 |
| Tube Light | 50 |
| Fan | 80 |
| TV | 120 |
| AC | 250 - 300 |
| Mixer Grinder | 350 |
| Induction Cooker | 1000 - 1500 |
So, based on the above values, we are providing an example of how to calculate required total amount of power backup required.
Example – if you wish to use 1 LED bulb, 1 CFL bulb, 1 tube light, 1 fan and 1 TV on the inverter, the total power required (based on the above table) would be:
1*7(W) + 1*25(W) + 1*50(W) + 1*80(W) + 1*120 = 282 watts
Thus, if this is your requirement, you can go with an inverter that supports 300 or 350 watts.
2. Inverter Capacity
Usually, inverter capacity is measured in Volt-Amp (VA). In general conditions, total wattage is equal to the VA value. However, when it comes to Power Factor, it is not the same.
Power factors is measured on the basis of how efficiently incoming power is used in the electric system. It is also referred as ratio of Real power to Apparent power (working power to total power).
Real power (kW) is the amount of power consumed by the appliance to work productively. Reactive Power (kVAR) is amount of power consumed by equipment (like transformers) to generate magnetic field.
When it comes to general residential use, power factors is considered about 0.7 to 0.8 – in which 0.7 is super safe and 0.8 is economical. So, as per the calculation – VA value is Total load (in Watts) divided by power factor. So, according the above example calculation…
300/0.8 = 375 VA
As models with exact 375 VA are not available, you can go for an inverter that comes with 400 VA or 500 VA. It is always better to purchase an inverter that has at least few units more capacity than actual requirement.
3. Battery Size
If you choose an incompatible battery size, the inverter might not be able to deliver the best results to you. Capacity or battery size is measured in Amp-Hour (Ah) which refers to the amount of current that a battery can provide for a specific time period.
For example, a 1000Ah battery can supply 1000 amp current in an hour. Or it can also supply 500 amp of current for 2 hours. You can calculate the battery size using the following formula:
Inverter’s VA rating X usage time (in hours) / input voltage = Battery size
Now, let’s say you wish to use a 500 VA inverter for 6 hours backup, the required battery size can be calculated as follows:
400 VA X 6 hours = 2,400VAh
Battery size of capacity is usually represented in Ah value. This represents how much energy can a battery store. A basic inverter battery offers an input of 12 volts. Thus, the Ah value can be calculated as:
3000VAh/12V = 200 Ah
The Ah values of inverter batteries available in the market are: 100 Ah, 120 Ah, 180 Ah, 200 Ah, 250 Ah, and so on. As per the example we have taken, 250Ah is the right battery size for that scenario.
Further, another factors to consider while analyzing battery is its type. They are actually divided into 3 types.
- Flat plate batteries
- Tubular batteries
- Maintenance free batteries
Out of all the 3 types, the Tubular Batteries are considered as the best choice of batteries for inverters. Even though they are a bit costlier than the Flat Plate batteries, tubular batteries offer long-lasting performance. The lifespan of Maintenance Free batteries is 4-5 years whereas the battery life Tubular Batteries is 7-8 hours.
Note: If you want the batteries to last long, then you should fill it with distilled or RO water frequently. And you should also make sure the fluid levels are maintained.
4. Other Factors to Consider While Purchasing Inverters
Apart from technical specifications, you should also consider certain factors like earthing, wiring and others, especially if you are purchasing inverter for home use. Below, we have mentioned these aspects in detail…
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Bypass Switch
With an inverter, there is always a possibility that the inverter might face issues like a blown fuse or power overload, etc. These issues can affect the functioning of the inverter and this is where a bypass switch can turn out to be useful.
The Bypass switch allows the users to by-pass the normal functioning of the inverter by using the power from the main electric grid. Here, the power does not pass through the inverter and hence, this gives you some time to resolve the issue. The bypass switch allows you to do so without causing any interruption in the power supply to your home.
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Wiring of the house
Before buying an inverter, it is very important to check the wiring. You can consult an electrician and check whether the wiring of the house supports the backup facility. Providing an electric backup to all the electrical appliances of the house is not a difficult issue.
However, if you wish to exclude a few appliances such as AC or fridge from the backup, you must consult an electrician and get these appliances isolated before installing the inverter.
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Earthing and Other Issues
It is very essential to check whether your house has proper earthing facilities or not. This will help in preventing unwanted accidents such as short-circuits or electrocution. Never touch the battery terminals or the inverter with wet hands and keep it out of the reach of children and pets.
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Inverter Trolley
Placing the inverter at a safe and correct position is very important. It should always be installed on the ground level. Since these are heavier appliances, it is good to buy a trolley so that you can place the inverter and the battery together over it. You should place it near the main electric supply to avoid unnecessary wires hanging all over the place.
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Brand
It is always a wise decision to select an inverter from a well-known brand rather than going for a local brand. A branded product assures you quality, safety features, and desired warranty. Above all, it also provides great customer support to help you deal with any issues. They provide after-sale service and help you with any unexpected problems. Batteries or inverters of local brands fail to do so and thus, it is not suggested to buy them.
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Price
A regular inverter costs between Rs. 5000 – 8000. The pricing depends on the brand, technical specifications and the features it offers. While some inverter brands are more efficient than other brands – the efficiency depends on the amount of energy lost in the process of energy conversion from DC to AC. Thus, the most efficient inverters are a bit costlier than the others. Inverters that offer higher VA ratings are costlier as they are capable of handling heavy appliances such as fridge, microwave, etc.
What are the different alternate power supply solutions?
In areas where power cuts are common (more than few hours a day), checking for alternate power supply has become a necessity. Below are some of those solutions.
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Inverter
An inverter is a simple device that stores power in a battery (in the form of DC). When there is a power current, it will convert the stored DC power into AC (form used in household appliances) and supply it to the required outlets. This alternate power source form is suitable for small backup requirements like lights, fans, computers, TV and others. Few modern large inverters are capable of supporting refrigerators, washing machine, and mixer grinders. However, size of these inverters can be huge. Using air conditioners on inverters is strictly prohibited.
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DG Sets
These devices use diesel in order to generate electricity. Rather than storing, they generate electricity instantly. They are suitable for handling larger loads like motors, refrigerators and air conditioners.
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Solar Power
This alternate power solution is gaining popularity slowly. And moreover it is one of the best ways to generate electricity. In these devices, energy from sun rays is converted into electricity and stored in batteries. As sun is the main source, if you live in cities with less sunlight, then this may not be the option. And the limitation of this device is same as inverters – which makes them incapable for bigger loads.
How does an Inverter Battery Gets the Energy or Power?
Battery is the power source of an inverter. But you may wonder where does the battery gets the energy from? Most of the inverters used for home come with rechargeable batteries – so they take power from the house electric system, convert it to DC form and store it.
When the power is down, the same energy is converted back into AC form and supplied as backup. Some batteries can be charged using solar power, but they are not compatible with home inverters.
Safety measures that you must take while operating the inverter
Even though buying an inverter solves all the power supply issues at your home, you must take proper measures to maintain the device properly. It helps in increasing the lifespan of the inverter and the battery. Here are some tips that you must follow:
- The flat and tubular batteries need frequent replenishment of distilled water. This replenishment period varies between 1 – 3 months, depending on the type of the battery or the usage of the inverter. You must make a note and set a reminder for the next refilling.
- Place the inverter on a flat surface either vertically or horizontally.
- As water is a good conductor of electricity, touching the inverter with wet hands might lead to accidents such as an electric shock.
- An ideal temperature to place the inverter in safe limits is 50-80 degrees Celsius. Avoid keeping it under direct sunlight or near heating vents.
- Don’t place the inverter in a closed area and make sure it well-ventilated while in use.
- There is a fan located inside the inverter. Its placement should be in such a way that the fans should have enough space to blow out the heat. Make sure you don’t cover the fan and let the heat flow out.
- There are chances that the socket connection can form rust due to humidity or due to occasional spilling out of water. The rusting can affect the connections. Thus, to prevent rusting, you can apply grease over the connections.
- In the case of corrosion, use a mixture of water and baking soda to remove the rust.
- To rejuvenate the electrolyte solution, discharge the battery completely at least once in a month.
- Avoid connecting appliances that use heavy loads such as a water heater or fridge to prevent overloading.
- Wipe the dust over the inverter and battery using a microfiber cloth at regular intervals.
- Don’t keep any flammable product near the inverter.
What is the difference between an Inverter and a UPS?
Even though the basic functionality and the architecture of both UPS and inverter are the same, there is a slight difference between both of them.
In case of power cut, while a UPS can switch to battery power within 3-5 milliseconds, an inverter takes a little bit longer and can switch in 100 milliseconds.
The choice between the inverter and UPS depends on how critical is the switching requirement to backup for the devices that you want to support. For example, for an appliance like a computer, even if there’s a gap of a few milliseconds, there are chances that you might lose the data.
Unlike UPS, an inverter does not have an in-built battery. The inverter has to draw power from an external battery and then it makes the transformation from DC to AC. Thus, it takes a little longer to send the power from the battery to the appliances via the main supply.
Another difference between both of them is with UPS, the appliances connected directly through the plug holes whereas this is not the case with the inverters. An inverter uses the main supply line to send power from battery to the devices. Thus, this causes a relative delay when compared to UPS.
UPS offers 2 options – online UPS and offline UPS. The online UPS draws a continuous power supply from the battery, irrespective of the fact whether the power is available from the main line or not. Thus, in case of a power cut, you might not notice any difference. The offline UPS draws power from the battery only when there is a power cut and in the remaining times, it draws power from the main line.
Frequently Asked Questions?
It is suggested to keep the inverter in open spaces such as a balcony or near the window as it emits hydrogen fumes and other gases in smaller quantities. For proper ventilation, you must keep it in places so that you don’t end up inhaling them. Thus, we don’t suggest you to keep the inverter in your bedroom.
The most common reason for this continuous beeping is it is an indication that the battery level of the inverter is low and it’s time to charge it as soon as possible.
Another reason can be capacity overload. This is an indication that you must try to remove the extra load by turning off a few appliances.
Turning off an inverter can discharge the battery completely and it might not be able to provide you a backup when there is no power. This is why you should not turn off the inverter.
The only time when you should switch it off is while checking or while refilling the electrolyte or distilled water. Once you are done with refilling, remember to turn it on again.
Even though all the inverters need batteries to work, you have to buy them separately. You can choose the size of the battery according to your requirements.
While making a decision about the required size of the power inverter, it is very essential to know the difference between continuous and peak power output.
The continuous load is the wattage at which the inverter runs. The peak load is the starting load that is necessary to get the device running. Almost all the inverters have a peak wattage twice to its continuous wattage.
If you have a fridge with a start up load of 15 amps and a continuous load of 5 amps, the peak surge rating can be calculated as follows:
5 amps X 120 volts = 600 watts continuous load
15 amps * 120 volts = 1800 watts starting load
In this scenario, you will have to look for an inverter with a peak surge rating that is greater than 1800 watts.
A solar inverter converts the DC output of a PV (photovoltaic) solar panel into AC in order to provide an electric backup.
To use the solar inverter, you will have to add the solar converter or solar charge controller to the inverter. It is generally not suggested for home usage and even if you intend to do so, check if the present model of the inverter that you have supports it or not.
You can check the status of charging in the indicator display. Some models of inverters provide overcharging protection. Some models even have alarms to show that the inverter is fully charged.
Even though many brands of inverters provide service warranty, they don’t usually help you with the installation. You can get this done with the help of an electrician.
Yes. This is an indication that the inverter is converting the current from the battery.
In India, the power cut is a common phenomenon. When there is no power, the electrical appliances with which we surround ourselves will not work. Therefore, it is highly inconvenient from all aspects starting from basic living without light and fan to professional working without computers and other gadgets. An inverter with a battery can provide an instant solution to power cut by running all the electric appliances by drawing current from the battery after transforming DC to AC voltage.
Therefore, you can enjoy the benefits of the appliances even without the presence of the main power supply. Moreover, the appliances will not crash or shut down momentarily as the switchover time is in milliseconds. Not just that, the modern inverters also act as voltage stabilizers, and they will protect the sensitive appliances from voltage fluctuations and sudden surge.
Due to frequent power cut complaint in suburban and rural areas, inverters have become a must for every home. That is why there are so many brands available selling inverters with different features and specifications. But it is always better to buy from popular brands as the product will have standard features, high efficiency, superior quality, and greater durability.
Some of the best inverter brands in the Indian market are as follows:
Luminous – Known for intelligent and feature-rich inverters.
Exide – Known for its highly durable batteries as well as heavy-duty inverters.
Microtek – Known for its inverters which also act as UPS.
Sukam – Known for its hybrid solar inverters.
The cost of the inverter depends on its brand, its features, and as well as its technical specifications. The inverters that are more efficient which means there is less energy loss in the conversion from DC to AC, they will naturally be more expensive. The inverters with higher VA rating will be more costly as they can handle heavy appliances like microwave, refrigerator, computer and likewise. In general, for domestic usage, the cost of the inverters will vary from 5000 to 6000 with standard features. With smart and advanced features, the price can go up to around 8000.
The basic difference between an inverter and a UPS lies in the switch-over time when there is a power cut. The switch-over time is the time taken by the device to supply current to the home appliances when there is load-shedding. A UPS takes minimal time which ranges in between 3 to 5 milliseconds. On the other hand, the standalone inverter takes 10 to 100 milliseconds. This relatively high delay in the inverter is acceptable for household appliances such as fans and lights. But for sensitive devices such as computers, this delay may lead to system crash and rebooting and in the process, loss of data.
This delay in an inverter is due to the reason that a standalone inverter does not come with an inbuilt battery, unlike a UPS. Therefore, it has to draw power from an external battery and make the transformation from DC to AC. Secondly, in a UPS, the devices or appliances are connected directly through plug holes, but it is not the case with an inverter. The inverter uses the main supply line for sending the power from the battery to the appliances and hence, there is a relative delay in comparison to a UPS.
You can run almost all common appliances using an inverter, but it entirely depends on the rating of your inverter. In general, regular home inverters are suitable or running lights, fans, cooler, and TV. But if there are heavy appliances such as computers, refrigerators, microwave, and others, you need an inverter and a battery of higher rating than the combined load of all the appliances.
There are a few points to have to keep in mind while operating an inverter, and they are as follows.
* Do not place the inverter near a window from where direct sunlight that hit the inverter
* Do not place it near a heat vent or any other appliance that gives out hot area.
* Do not place the battery near flammable material.
* Make sure that the inverter comes in contact with water or moisture.
* Place the inverter in a cool and dry place which could be well above ground so that kids do not touch.
* Do not touch the inverter with wet hands because not every inverter has a shockproof body.
* Clean the inverter with a microfiber cloth from time to time.
* Check the water level indicator of the battery from time to time and do the needful when required.
It is important to know about the types of batteries available in the market because, with an inverter, you have to buy an external battery. Not all inverters are compatible with every type of battery.
Lead Acid Battery:
It is the most common type of battery used, and it has the capability to generate a large amount of power. However, there is a need for regular maintenance such as the distilled water needs to be recycled quite frequently. Not just that, it needs to be placed in an area with good ventilation option. It gets heated up as the load increases, and some give out harmful gases while charging and discharging. It is a commercial battery for inverters as they are economical and lightweight. The safety measures are not always up to the mark, and the lifespan is around 5 years.
Tubular Battery:
This is the most efficient inverter battery, and they have a longer lifespan which could be around 10 years. The maintenance is less than lead-acid batteries, but the design is quite complex. Due to a longer lifetime, they are costlier than lead-acid batteries, and if you have the budget, you should go for it.
Maintenance-Free Battery:
This is a relatively new type of battery where there is no headache of maintenance at all, and they are completely sealed. There is no need for topping up of electrolyte and distilled water. They are far safer than any other battery type as no human intervention is required. However, there are costlier, and the lifespan is lesser.
The lifespan of an inverter can be multiple decades without any maintenance as such. However, it is the battery that needs to be changed at least once in ten years. In general, the tubular batteries last longer than flat place lead-acid batteries. The tubular ones can last from 8 to 10 years based on usage while the flat plate ones last from 3-5 years. However, it is totally dependent on the frequency of use (charging and discharging), the load (appliances connected to the inverter) as well as the maintenance of water level
To determine the best battery for your home inverter, you have to list down the appliances you want to run with the inverter battery. If there are too many appliances or heavy current-drawing appliances, you have to buy batteries of higher rating along with the inverter. Otherwise, you need to choose a tubular battery over a flat plate battery as the efficiency is more during conversion from DC to AC. Moreover, the lifespan is almost double than that of a flat plate lead-acid battery.
Apart from running appliances during a power cut, an inverter is used in multiple other applications. For example, it is used in solar power generation as it converts the generated DC to AC for home usage. It also stores the excess power generated in the battery for future use. Similarly, you will find miniature inverter in UPS where it increases the efficiency of the UPS and helps in faster charging of the internal battery of the UPS.
Conclusion:
Our recommendation from the list is Luminous Zelio+ 1100 Inverter, it is by far the best all rounder you will get at a reasonable price. It comes with a pure sine-wave and other useful features like digital display of power backup in hours and minutes, noiseless operation, quick charging mode, battery water level indicator, UPS/ECO mode operation with longer battery backup.
All the products which are listed above are best. So, its up to your choice in selecting among them, as per your requirement.
Still having any queries in purchasing the inverter? Then feel free to share your experience with us in the below comments box.
7 Responses
very nice details provded except your recomendation should say buy sine wave or squre wave invertor for house application. If AC input is varying between 200 to 280 volts some times .we observed this phenomina is happens in villages.
Thanks for sharing your feedback and valuable information.
Also, someone has suggested me to go for Luminous 1650 with 220 AH battery. Can you suggest whether it will be good for my home or not? My home is ground plus one floor, spread across 1900 sqft.
Yes, it is good choice. With it capacity, it will sufficient to provide the necessary power backup.
Thank you. It was really informative and I think now I am ready to purchase my first home inverter
Thank you somuch for provided technical information and how choose abt inverter and batteries .definitly it helped me lot
I hv Genus company invartar Proton k 1150, can you tell how it compares to above?