Enough of power cuts in the region I live and it became inevitable to buy an inverter/home UPS system. So I went ahead and did some very basic research before deciding upon buying the same. I am sharing the same over here in anticipation that it would help someone 
With loads of power backup options available in the market, it becomes quite a bit of an exercise to get to the right product. More so because of the aggressive marketing of the products, which may be misleading. Before even getting into the options, one needs to figure out the needs. For example, in my case I wanted a solution which would give a back-up of 2-3 hours for the following:
|
S. No. |
Equipment |
No. of Units |
Approx. Wattage / Unit |
Total Wattage |
|
1. |
Fan |
3 |
70 |
70*3 = 210 |
|
2. |
CFL |
4 |
25 |
25*4 = 100 |
|
3.. |
Notebook |
2 |
75 |
75*2 = 150 |
|
4. |
TV |
1 |
120 |
120*1 = 120 |
|
5. |
Miscellaneous (Modem, Router etc.) |
NA |
50 |
50*1 = 50 |
|
Total |
630 W |
|||
So, I need a solution which can give me 630 W of power for 3 hours at a stretch (assuming I run all of the above for 3 hours). Now let’s do some high school physics calculations:
P (Power in Watts) = V (Voltage in Volts) * I (Current in Amperes)
Before we move ahead into the calculations, let’s clarify a couple of points:
What is the difference between an inverter and a UPS?
Well some think that these two are competing concepts, however the bottom line is that an ‘inverter’ is an equipment to convert Direct Current (D.C.) into Alternating Current (A.C.) where as an UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) is a circuitry which allows an instantaneous switch to the backup power source in case of a power failure thereby ensuring an uninterrupted power supply to sensitive equipments like a computer.
Now the only thing which needs an uninterrupted power supply in my list of equipments is the notebook, but that is anyway ensured by the notebook battery. So do I need a UPS? Well yes, I would want an uninterrupted internet connection in case of a power failure so I need the modem and router running in continuum.
Now that I know I need an inverter with UPS, do I need to look into anything else? Well yes, there are different types of inverters available in the market:
Square Wave Inverters: Popularly known as ‘Digital Inverters’ produce a Square Wave AC output which is not so great to run appliances as all the appliances are designed to run on a Sine Wave Alternating Current Pattern. Also, you would notice a humming sound in some of the appliances. Though electrical appliances would bear this, running electronic appliances over Square Wave is not at all recommended.
Sine Wave Inverters: These inverters produce the right wave pattern (Sine Wave) for which the appliances are designed. One can safely run most of the appliances on such current output.
Quasi Sine Wave Inverters: These fall somewhere in-between the above. I am not too sure about the internals. Also, didn’t find them in the market. But apparently they offer a low cost solution to run PCs and other electronic equipments on inverters.
Now what remains is the power storage medium, which, of course, is the battery. Again loads of options available which only confuse you. I didn’t think a lot over this and decided to go with an Exide Tubular Battery. Let’s have a real quick glance at the main options available relevant to inverters:
Standard Batteries: Loads of them available in the market. But they need maintenance i.e. putting in the distilled water on an ongoing basis.
Maintenance Free Batteries: While some claim they don’t need maintenance throughout their life-time, most of the maintenance free batteries need maintenance once a year or so.
Tubular Batteries: These batteries are superior in technology, construction and the quality of material used within. While you can figure out some nitty gritty here and here, they offer the following advantage:
- They are maintenance free.
- Long life (5+ years)
- Faster Charging
- More efficient
Though tubular batteries are a bit expensive, but considering their advantages I concluded that in the long-run, they actually turn out cheaper.
To wrap this up, let’s quickly get back to the calculations. So I needed a solution which could provide me with 630 Watts of power for 3 hours. Inverters available in the market are generally rated in VA/KVA.
Since, V*A=P, I need a 630 VA inverter. A very important point to keep in mind is the power factor. You would never get the rating mentioned in the inverter specifications. Considering a power factor of 0.8 (again figured out with some research) I would need an inverter with the following rating:
xVA * 0.8 = 630 VA
=> x= 630/0.8 = 787 VA
Luckily, for me we have 800 VA inverters available in the market, which perfectly fit to my needs. Note that this is a limiting factor w.r.t. the total wattage of appliances you can use. For instance I can’t run a 1000 watt appliance on an 800 VA inverter!
Now the battery. Inverter batteries are usually available in 12 V and are rated in Ampere Hours (AH). Since P=V*I and I need a backup for 3 hours,
630 W * 3 Hours = 12V * x (Ampere Hours)
=> x = (630 * 3)/12 = 157.5 AH
Again, luckily I discovered that we have batteries rated 165 AH in the market. So I decided to go with it.
Bingo! I have the details now. I need an 800VA inverter and a 165 AH battery for my needs. I just need to decide upon a brand based on the reviews.
Also, note that the above calculations are indicative. To quickly figure out how much back-up you would get while running a subset of the wattage considered at the time of buying, use the following:
Backup Time (Hours) = (Battery Voltage * Rating (in AH))/ Wattage required.
So if I just run 3 fans, i.e. 210 Watts, I would get a backup time of (on a fully charged battery):
12*165/210 = 9.4 hours
I can also run two moderate air coolers for about 7 hours. That’s sufficient for a night’s sleep
![Freakonomics [Revised and Expanded]: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Z1scnqz1L._SL160_.jpg)
123 comments ↓
Great post buddy !
I will personally consult you for this.
But the only thing that surprises me is that from where did you get so much spare time to do all this research.
cheers……
Good guide! I have a question though - is it possible to upgrade a 800VA inverter to, lets say, a 1600 VA one, just by adding another battery? Since the backup depends on the battery, shouldn’t it be possible to upgrade the same inverter? Any ideas?
@Rahul: Thanks.
@Amit: Thanks. To answer your question, it is not possible to upgrade an 800VA inverter to a 1600VA one by adding a battery. Maximum power which can be drawn depends on the inverter (it depends on battery too, but the inverter should support). So plan for the inverter keeping in mind your current and future needs.
good guide. it was very useful.
thnx
Hey thanks… a bit confusing for the mathematically challenged like myself…but also extremely useful.
this is one of the most informative post available on net. I have purchased 800VA sukam inverter and 165 AH battery based on this.
thanks for the post.
@ Marvo, Greenwood, Harish : Thanks. Glad that this helped you.
Dear Amit,
Thanks for an excellent review.
I have few queries.
Can U please tell the exact Model No of Exide Battery and the price.
2ndly, does it help anyway to go for higher rating (i.e., in your case 180 AMP battery) for better /longer service of battery?
And finally, pls tell me either I can Run my PC (not Laptop) in a square-wave inverter(UPS). Will it be harmful for my PC ? Can it be harmful for the FAN ?
Thanks
Debasis
@Debasis: Thanks.
1. I purchased Exide Inva Tubular IT 550 (165 AH) for Rs. 11,300. Buying a battery with a higher rating (AH) will increase the power backup time proportionately.
2. Square wave inverter is OK for electrical appliances like Fans, Bulbs etc, but not for electronic equipments in the long run. Also, you’d hear a typical humming sound in fans, tubes etc. when running on a square wave inverter. Since the price difference is marginal, I would suggest you go for a Sine Wave Inverter.
Hello Amit,
Following your calculations for the load of 1100W and backup time of 6 Hrs i am getting the 550 Ah battery rating. Which is the problem. How should i proceed further?
@Abhishek: You would need a battery rated:
(1100(W) * 6 (Hours))/12 = 275 Ah
So you could go for two 150Ah batteries. You can always add a battery to increase the backup time (but not the wattage)
Very informative. Thanks a lot.
Dude ur post is gr8.
But you HAVE NOT TOLD US the BRAND NAME/product id
I want a home inverter for …
1. 3 x 20watt CFLs = 60 watt
2. 1 x 21′ colour TV
3. 1 x PC with 17′ CRT
Can you suggest a good …
1. Tubular batteries
2. Sine wave
inverter ?
Thank you
@Atmanand: Thanks
@ABC: Thanks. I went for:
1. Exide Inva Tubular IT 550 (165 AH)
2. Su-Kam Falcon-i (800VA) Sine Wave Inverter
Both are working well as of now. You could go for Luninous as well.
BTW, don’t you need a fan too?
what abt the difference in electricity bill at the end of the month ?
i mean what are the changes when running your elec. appliances directly on a on-loadshedding month and running then with invterter on a load-shedding month.
and whats the price of the Su-Kam Falcon-i (800VA) Sine Wave Inverter ?
thanks for a very informative post.
in my previous post i meant ‘directly on a non-loadshedding month’
sry
nice post. i am looking for a similar system to be used when the power goes out, especially with hurricanes.
i am looking at a 6000 watt, 12000 max watt, providing 50 amp. inverter…. using it with 2 deep cycle marine 12v batteries.
could i plug a 12v battery charger into my inverter to keep my batteries charged?????
@Amit
Thank you for your reply. But ur product (http://www.su-kam.com/falcon-i-800va-12v.html) is an UPS, not an inverter
BTW, what is the diff between falcon-i and falcon-i2 and ur purchase price.
Tks a lot buddy
Great things explained with cool!!!!!
Gud job
Amit on 09.03.08 at 10:26 am
@Bajra: Thanks. Well the units consumption after installing the inverter increased by about 100-120 units/months for two reasons:
1. The increased consumption to account for the additional consumption during load shedding.
2. There’s an element of power loss involved during the charging and discharging cycle.
But if you are fed-up of power cuts, you wouldn’t feel the pinch at all!
@Trent: Thanks. 12000 watts is huge! I wouldn’t be able to suggest how such a system would fit into your needs.
@ABC: Su-Kam Falcon-i (800VA) can run in two modes, inverter and UPS. So it offers you the best of the world! It cost me INR 4200.
@Santhana: Thanks.
I HAVE PURCHASED A LOCAL MANUFACTURER INVERTER OF APPROX 700VA, BUT I WANT TO PURCHASE A EXIDE TUBELER BATTERY IT-550-165AH, WILL IT BE POSSIBLE TO SETUP THIS BATTERY INTO LOCAL MADE INVERTER, WHAT IS PRESENT VALUATION OF THE EIXDE OT550-165AH
PLEASE INFORM IMMEDIATLY
@Sudeep: Yes, it should very much be possible to setup your inverter with the Exide battery. I bought it for INR 11,300.
Hello Amit, Very good and informative post.
I have a question, I have “Su-Kam Falcon-i (800VA) Sine Wave Inverter” , now I want to purchase battery,
I want power backup for -
* 2 PC (P4 computer with 19″ LCD)
* 1 Fan
* 1 CFL
the problem is with battery, I have 2 options.
1. If I purchase “Exide Inva Tubular IT 550 (165 AH)”
then
a) how many hours back-up I will get for all these (2
PC,1 Fan, 1CFL)?
b) how many hours it will take to re-charge the fully
used battery?
c) How much it will cost (approx.)?
2. If I purchsed “SF Sonic Power Box (150 AH) 12 V”
then
a) how many hours back-up I will get for all these (2
PC,1 Fan, 1CFL)?
b) how many hours it will take to re-charge the fully
used battery?
c) How much it will cost (approx.)?
Please inform me immidietly, I am waiting for your reply.
Thanks a lot for all the great information.
Raj
Hello Amit,
I am waiting for your reply as my Inverter Dealer is asking me for the battery.
I hope you will reply soon.
Thanks a lot
Raj
@Raj: Thanks.
You will get approximate 4-5 hours of backup with any 165 Ah battery and 4-4.5 hours with any 150 Ah battery, for your suggested load. Not sure of Sonic, exide one should cost you a little over 11K INR.
For charging time, you will have to check the battery manual. Also note that the inverter you have has two modes of charging: Normal and Fast. So if you have frequest power cuts, you can set it to ‘fast’ charging mode for quicker charging.
A W E S O M E !!!!
Thanks
gr8 man . Fantastic Explanation.
Two word - Excellent Post.
@Girish, Chandru and Punit: Thanks.
@amit
bhaiya how do u manage 2 write this ????
i mean u r so BUSY………
uske baad bhi u get on time 4 all this……….
i mean it wud have taken a lot of time on your part to write this ???
isnt it ??
@Prakhar: Well somehow I have seen the more busy you are, the better you get an opportunity to manage time
Since I did enough research before buying this, it took me a couple of hours to put it up.
Genuinely, the information is of immense help.
Would be great if you can clear one little confusion.
I have one digital inverter with 650 va. I am going to replace the battery with Exide Inva Tubular. Which one i.e. 135 ah or 150 ah should be used? I mean is there any relation between VA capacity of the inverter and AH capacity of the battery?
@Soumen: Thanks.
A higher battery rating will give you more backup. So go for 150 AH for a longer backup.
hi,
I bought a APC (HI800SQ). Its output form is Sqarewave and my computer UPS is not charged when connected to the inverter mode.
Can I connect my PC directly to the inverter power instead of connecting through computer UPS?
Thanks
Suryan
Inverter batteries are rated at 10 hour or more recently at 20 hour. Battery capacity depends on discharge current. The capacity at 3 hour is only about 72% of the declared 10 hour capacity and about 64% of the declared 20 hour capacity. While selecting the battery to get expected back-up, this factor needs to be considered.
When there is a need of 150AH 12V battery, can one go for two 75Ah batteries of 12 V each for efficient recharging? Is there any change in selecting voltage in such case?
@Suryan: Well, I wouldn’t suggest you to connect your computer directly to a square wave inverter.
@S.N Patil: Thanks for your inputs sir!
@Ravi: I am not sure I know the answer to your question. Perhaps someone will answer!
Hi Amit,
First of all a wonderful and well informative post for amateurs like me…I was struggling to get information on UPS/inverters and this post is like a boon for me…
My requirements are as below:
3 lights -CFL, 3 fans, 1 pc and a laptop with uniterrupted internet connection, 1 geyser (for 30 mins), kitchen appliances(grinder/juicer/mixer)
I have a frequent power cut in my area and i would need all the above things to run for about 5-6 hours at different times through out the day…
I would need ur help in shortlisting the Inverter and UPS alongwith tentative cost for each of them…
Thanks once again for all the help that u have provided for novices like me….
Man its wonderful , very informative and it has not only narrowed my search for which brand ( inverter/home UPS and Battery ) to go for but also provided me confidence to buy one !
Robust Information -Thanks for sharing this…your effort ( for your own research ) has helped many to get an idea from where he/she can make choice.
One thing more - the way you helped people to clarify their doubts is outstanding. Hats Off !
God Bless You !!!!!
I came across a useful post ( from a online forum ) which i would like to share ( with due respect and thanks to the original person who posted this )
Link :http://www.hifivision.com/audio-video-accessories/1575-most-reliable-inverter-brand.html
Su-Kam, Falcon i , 800VA inverter (Rs 4500/-), original trolly (Rs 800/-) , 150 AH Su-Kam battery (Rs 7800/-).
[135 AH su-kam battery is for Rs 7300/-, 150 AH battery gives a little more backup time]
BACKUP-TIME:
(1) with 3 fan + 3 Tube Light + 1 TV (21”) = 2.6 Hrs, backup-time
(2) with 3 fan + 3 Tube Light = 3.2 Hrs, backup-time
(3) with 2 fan + 4 Tube Light = 3.4 Hrs, backup-time
(4) with 2 fan + 1 Tube Light + 2 CFL + 1 Computer = 3.5 Hrs, backup-time
(5) with 2 fan + 1 Tube Light + 2 CFL = 6 Hrs, backup-time
(6) with 1 Fan + 1 Tube Light = 11.1 Hrs, backup-time
CHARGING-TIME
Su-Kam Home UPS/INVERTER can charge its battery 40% faster (zero to full charge time =
2.0 hrs aprox.), which helps the product to work really efficiently and give much longer
power backup as compared to normal UPS in areas with frequent power cuts.
@Sandeep: Thanks. Well appliances such as geyser draw heavy power (1500-2000 watts!). You’ll have to do some research around that. You should also look at some of the generators available in case power cuts are very long and frequent.
If you drop geyser from your requirements, you could go for a 1000-1400 VA inverter with two 150-180 ah batteries.
Having said this, there are some heavy duty inverters available in the market as well which will allow you to run geysers, ACs etc.
@Sourav: Thanks for the comments and sharing the piece of information as well. I am sure it’ll help others.
Thanks Amit and Sourav.
Amit u r suggesting to buy 2 150/180 AH batteries and u had mentioned earlier that the Exide batteries costs u 11,300/-.Is this the cost of one battery or 2 batteries. Also what kind of wiring is required to get this installed. What could be the approx. cost of getting the wiring done. One more thing , after installing this unit do i need a seperate UPS for PC and Laptop?
Thanks once for all the help.
I think,the whole calculation is wrong.800va inverter only gives you 500 watts.so if you need to run 630 watts,you need a 1000va inverter in which you can load upto 650watts.If you load more than 500w in an 800va it will show you overload and automatically it cuts off.so please correct the calculations.
@Bob: Thanks for bringing up the point. Well it all depends on the power factor. If an 800 VA inverter gives 500 watts, the power factor is a little over 0.6, which is too less. While the actual power factor would depend upon the make and quality of the invertor, 0.8 is a standard figure to assume. Some inverters may deliver in excess (though less likely but possible) and some may deliver lesser than that.
http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/341/DocServe.aspx
I have tested my inverter with a load slightly in excess of 600 W and it worked well. I guess with time, the power factor reduces because of the wear and tear.
Wow! Fantastic!
Great information!
I will go :
1. Exide Inva Tubular IT 550 (165 AH)
2. Su-Kam Falcon-i (800VA) Sine Wave Inverter
But there is a huge price difference.
I just enquired about it and got the quotation of INR 20,000.
Anyway thanks a lot Amit!
Amit,
First of all Hats Off to you for finding time to put all this info together. I think I need your help / suggestion big time as I am frustated with what i have and the support the dealers is giving me.
I am running a small internet shop and it’s always my head ache to provide un interrupted service due to frequent power cuts. We went for a 1200VA, 24 V inverter (just to run 6 Fans (40 x 6 = 240W, 4 tube lights (4 x 40 = 160W), 4 CFL’s (4 x 25 = 100W) and an EPBX etc which altogether will be another 100W. So, total of 600W. We have 4 x 60 AH Amco Tubular Batteries (which comes with a 2 yr warranty). So, what will be expected back up?
Also, just after 2 yrs, one battery went down and when they checked they told me that other 3 are going to die soon aswell. They observed the water as very black for some reason. Now I have to change all the batteries !!
Also, we have a 96V Hycon Online UPS with 8 x 40 AH Amco Tubular Batteries (T series - with 3 yr warranty). We have 5 PC’s with 17″ TFT Monitors. What will be the expected back up?? I am really worried now about these batteries, as I have already invested a huge amount of money on them….
Thanks… Shaiju
Thanks, Amit. This is an extremely informative article.
thanks buddy i was in confusing wat to buy .. you sloved my problem! thx
It was really informative and could be understood even by a layman.
Superb job done………
Great Work
Very Much informative
I would like to know about the Inverter loss and how much our eb Bill will shoot up if i directly connect all the lighting and fan load even when there is no powercut
Aswe some post MAN!!! really appreciate ur effort and your good intentions in sharing your reasearch GOD BLESS
Hey Amit,
Thanks for the post. It is very useful. Could you let me know where you bought Exide battery and Sukam Inverter. Contact number will be helpful. I asked someone base on Just Dial and Inverter price is way lot more.
fruitful things…
Any online shopping stores?
I saw APC UPS on http://www.futurebazaar.com any website for buying batteries?
Thanks for the post. Helpful for people like me.
Great Research… Great explanation….. Great suggestions ….God bless you….
Thanks a lot.
Hello guys,
I am from bangalore.. This is a very informative comments, I need your help guys.
I have decided to but sukam 800va (6200rs) 2yrs warranty and
i am confused which battery should i buy between exide inva500-150AH (30 months warranty) this is a inverter battery life span of 4-5yrs and DOD is upto 1000 cylces
or
exide EL+(60months warranty) this is ups battery life span of 5-7yrs last upto 10yrs and DOD of 1200cycles according to exide in website.
The price difference bet IT and EL+ is 4-5k but i get double the warranty in EL+ with more DOD cycles.
so
1. what is the difference in inverter battery and ups battery.
2. Price IT500 is 11500 and EL+ is 14500rs for 130AH and 17400rs for 150AH. But the spec of EL+ is more impressive than IT500.
3.But my doubt is that do really a battery last 8-10 yrs.
4.when spec compared between EL+ and InvaIT500 EL+ is better and only in one EL+ lags that is Constant limiting current it has 20A and IT500 has 24A so is this very important in battery backup.
SO itself i am confused in buying the battery so can u people clear my doubts and Help me ti inchoosing the right battery.
Thanks Amit for putting in your research results and helping all.
I am considering going in for a 1400 VA inverter keeping in mind future needs.
I assume that I can run it on 1 165 AH battery for now, and purchase the second one later.
Hi Amit,
Thanks for the great info.
I am from Nepal.
Here we have electricity crisis since last 1 year.
Now there is 12hrs/day load shedding. 6hr in morning and 6hr in evening. In March they say it will be 16 hr / day.
Last year I bought Microtek 850 VA inverter + one 150A Exide Inverter plus battery. It used to give 5 hrs backup to run my desktop PC (17″ CRT). But now it only gives 3 hrs backup.
So my question is
1. can I install another battery in parallel connection?
2. If yes will the inverter be able to charge 2 batteries at the same time?
3. If i cannot install 2 batteries in 850 VA (12 V) inverter then will 1400VA inverter (24 V) give like 10 hrs backup for running 1 desktop PC with 19″ LCD
4. How much difference is there between 17″ LCD, 19″ LCD and 17″ CRT monitors?
5. How to calculate time required to fully charge a battery?
Waiting for your reply.
Thanks
Binay
Hi,
I think your calculation to compute AH rating of battery is not correct. You have used 630 Watts, which is the load delivered by inverter. But infact it should be load on battery, which is 787 watts. So x = (787*3)/12 = 196.75 AH.
-Avneet
I am purchasing Sukam 800VA/12A UPS/inverter with battery Exide inverter + 88AH. I want backup of 3-4 hours only with 5tube light only. Will this configuration ( 800VA/12A, 88AH) works OK. What would be the cost of Sukam 800VA/12 UPS and Exide Inverter + battery 88AH?
Pradeep Chandra
+91 9414291406
I have a 800 watts inverter and a 100ah battery, i want to increase the backup time can i add more batteries up to 400ah. pls reply soon
Hello Amit Bhai
great write up with loads of info
i plan to move to my village currently i am living in Mumbai and we dont have any laod shedding or power cuts here
but there in West bengal in summer load shedding is some times 8 hrs adayand in normal days u can expect 3-4 hrs a day
I am a trader in stock market so i need UPS for atleast 6 hrs
for my computer and LCD monitor 1 fan and and a tube light
which UPS / Invertor should i buy to run say 3 fans 3 tube light 1 computer 1 lcd monitor for 6 hrs in a strech and plz mention the capacity ie how much KV invertor / ups should i buy
thanks a lot
Amazing research work done
Hats off to u sir!!!!!!!
And also try and keep the good job goin on
Dude that was a very useful piece of info. Thanks
i am in the process of buying a inverter for home perpose. so pls. guide me & tell me about the rate difference in ups & inverter for same VA. is okaya tubular battery is suitable?
This was a really helpful post. I might just go ahead an buy the same configuration you are using
Ribhu
Hi,
Great Boss, Lot of Tips to buy another Inverter. Actually I have an assembled Inverter which I bought 3 yrs. back. but the burger gave me car battary, n I was not aware of this subject at all. I trusted him, but Now I need to go for another battary, So i am thinking of replacing the Inverter also. I was so confused which one to buy. After reading your tips I will be able to decide better.
Thanx once again.
@Everyone: Thanks for all the comments. I haven’t been able to respond to all primarily because I was a bit busy and a bit lazy too I guess. As an update, my inverter is working pretty well. It has been almost a year now. I am all geared up for the summer.
It has been a while and I have been out of touch as to what latest products are available. I suggest everyone to do a bit of research and get the right product.
dear amith,
i have decided to go for su-kam inverters(folcon / folcon i 800VA), but i need following clarifications from you
1. can i use 80AH or 88AH battery along with 800VA.
2. what is the difference between folcon / folcon i 800 VA.
A M chandraskehkar,
Mysore, Karnataka.
It’s indeed a very simple explanation to questions on home -inverter buying. Well as I want this setup for my village whre we dont have electricity supply So It would be really great help u can prvoide some information on how many solar plates and of what rating we need to charge this 165 AH battery considering six hour sunlight available.
thanks a bunch for the basic/most information. Sitting in US getting quotes for my parents is pretty stressfull as they are varying from 16k to 30k for same configuration. Finally got it down to 16K.
quick note to others asking questions:
1) take him as a guide not a sales man. he can shw the way/wisdom not feed you/sell you the systems.
2) with the knowledge in hand, sales guys can’t bullshit you.
3) get quotes from multiple vendors and let them compete with one another.
happy buying
can you please tell me that is 850 EB same as 800 VA
actually i have bought a microtek inverter which has 800 VA written on it.
and the shopkeeper says it is same as 850 EB..??
Great, useful article. Very helpful, thanks.
Is it true that tubular batteries do not require water top ups at all (or do they need top ups every 3-6 mths?)
Anyone, Please help…
Hi Amit.
Just wanted to say ‘Thanks’ for a highly informative post! Very well researched and informative…
Hi Amit..
Thanks for this great post.!!!
This page is highly informative and very useful.
Cheers.!!!
Thanks your information has helped me to clear my doubts
hi dear amit –realy wonderful job done by u — this matter is a little headache for a non techy person– u have simplified it so well that i was reading till end== congrats to u — dr vaibhav
Hi Amit,
Thanks for the detailed informative post. I have APC HI800SQ 800VA fitted at home. Lost battery during transit from one city to other. I am looking for 150AH for long backup which brand would be the best. Can i go for 165AH with the above APC model. Pls suggest.
Hi Amit,
One stop sloution to my power cut problems. Thanks a lot for a very informative post.
Thanks for sharing the information Amit!. Its very usefull. calculations are explained clearly and it help me a lot to make a decision.
Thanks again!. good job
i want to buy the inverter of 850 va and excide/okaya battery 165 ah. Kindly let me know which brand shall i purchase?
Dear
i require inverter of 850 VA and battery 165 AH. Which brand would be the best and what would be the approx cost for the inverter and the battery. i request for early reply.
well Un doutedly a great Piece of note and informative too. On that analogy I intendto purchase a luminous 800 Va ups with a luminous inverter batteroy.Look forward far such good notes in future as well.
Dear
i require inverter of 850 VA and battery 165 AH. Which brand would be the best and what would be the approx cost for the inverter and the battery
Very informative post Amit. Thank you!
i need to know how much increase will be there on my electricity bill when i install a inverter 800va?
Well hats off to you…..
was gropping in dark for what my exact power requirements are for a long time. This one resolved all that in a flash.
excellent post.
Thanks a lot
Giri
Thanks,
I am impressed with you.
I must caution you that the nominal battery capacity of say 135AH is for 10 or 20 hours discharge rate. Shorter duration will reduce the nominal capacity. For example the data for SF Tube Power 130AH battery gives the following capacities for different discharge rates.
Type 10 5 3 1 (Hours discharge)
6STP130 130 108 93 65
Further the batteries are rated at a certain number of deep-discharge cycle (normally 500 - 1500). There fore it would be prudent to factor this in while calculating the duration for full discharge.
By the way the battery last longer if discharged at a lower rate, hence for maximum battery life it would pay to have a higher capacity battery in the long run.
Excellent guide. Indeed a valuable one. I need your guidance on buying an inverter for my house which should be able to run
1. One 1.6 Tonne AC, 2 tubelights and 1 fan for 3-4 hours.
2. Only one 1.6 tonne AC and 1 tubelight
Great post !!! Been on the net for couple of days looking for answers and your post clarified all my doubts at one shot !!! Thank you.
i’m really impress the way u explain. it solve alot of query of mine.
Thanks Amit for ur informatic posting. keep it up
[...] Re: Which UPS will handle this? Also you need to check whether the UPS has cold-start capability. APC does not have it but their website lists it. I had a APC BackUPS 800RS (800VA) and it didn’t have. My current HP Premium 800 UPS has it. There is a excellent website for choosing an UPS/Inverter. The link is : The Home UPS/Inverter Buying Guide — iLog [...]
what is the cost of EXIDE INVA IT500 ,150AH ,TUBULAR BATTERY IN BHOPAL ?
I NEED IT WITH APC 800 VA INVERTER
i want to have following load during power outage
two fan,one computer and five cfl , pl suggest me
good inverter and battery
Hi Everyone, Thanks for the comments. Unfortunately I am not able to keep pace with the changes! I’ve also lost track of calculations which I did when I bought the inverter. So can’t be of much help now!
Best is to use this guide as a first step and explore further!
hii amit!really this is a good information and knowledge provided by you.I have bought exide invatubular 500 150Ah battery and an inverter of LUMINOUS 800VA for running general household appliances like fan,tubes or CFLs and one desktop also.Is it right choice to buy a LUMINOUS inverter OR Should I go for MICROTEK 800VA OR SU-KAM’s 800VA inverter? WHICH ONE IS BETTER?plz reply me soon.
Thanks a LOT Amit…..This is really an awesome guide for buying an Inverter/UPS. After reading this material I have purchased Si-Kam Falcon-i (800VA) home UPS @Rs 4600/- along with Exide Lead Acid 1500 AH battery @Rs 8100.
Thanks a LOT Amit…..This is really an awesome guide for buying an Inverter/UPS. After reading this material I have purchased Su-Kam Falcon (800VA) home UPS @Rs 4600/- along with Exide Lead Acid 1500 AH battery @Rs 7900/-. I did not purchased the tubular battery as there was not much need for the same as power cuts are very rare in our area with maximum half an hour of cut.
Difference between Su-Kam Falcon (800VA) & Su-Kam Falcon-i (800VA) is of warrenty only. Su-Kam Falcon (800VA) has 2 years warrenty whereas Su-Kam Falcon-i (800VA) has only 1 year warrenty.
Su-Kam Falcon-i2 (800VA) has graphical display.
Hi Amit,
if anyone asks me for Excellent and outstanding job , I would refer him to you.Bro, I am thankful to you as your information and suggestion has helped me to buy two home inverters.
Only one question - if any problem with LCD monitor may happen, when it is connected to Sucam - falcon 800 VA sine wave inverter. Actually at my home the power cable of LCD monitor got damaged (entirely plug to monitor got melted and blown) twice in a row, I am a bit afraid thats why asking you…..Please Help
Hi! anybody please help me.me not having a seperate UPS wiring..and getting one now is very cumbersome and destroys the aesthetics.my need is just to run 2 tubelights for an hour or two.i am looking at portable inverters.can i take computer UPS for this purpose?please throw light on these topics..
Hi Everyone, thanks for the comments.
@ Vikas: Both Luminous and Microtek are good I guess.
@ Abhi: Your LCD power plug got damaged when the power was on inverter or or mains? I have been using LCD screens and monitors without any issue. Get your wiring checked. Also as a precaution, use Spike guard for electronic equipments so that the fuse blows up in case of high voltage etc.
@Suman: You don’t really need to get a complete wiring done. Just get a good electrician and ask him to connect to the main MCB to the preferred points. Only thing is you may not have a choice of exact points which will be on backup. SO you might need to switch off a few appliances when power goes off, else the inverter will shut off on high load.
Hi Amit,
Excellent post !! Wish I discovered it earlier before my purchase. But, fortunately I purchased similar combination of Sukam Falcon-i 800 VA and Exide Invatubular IT 500.
Since u have been using the equipment longer than myself, I just want to ask something about the performance.
1. I have noticed a slight voltage drop during power cuts. For eg, the tubelights (copper ballast) goes off and then turns on. Similarly, the fan speed also slows down a bit, though TV/Laptop runs uninterrupted.
2. There is an occassional humming sound when exhaust fan runs on inverter.
3. Within a month of purchase the glass fuse had blown, now m using the spare one. Pls note: there was no additional load when that happened.
4. Of late there is a bit of topping on 1 of the nozzles of the battery, though there is no indication of refilling as yet.
Due you think the equipment is running alright ?? Have u faced any of these situations??
Thanks in advance….
[...] Re: Need new UPS Have you checked the prices of SuKam Inverter/Home UPS ? I think they are priced, without batteries, within Rs 4500-6500 (depends on your location/city/state). (Example: In Bangalore it is around Rs 6500 whereas in Mumbai it is around Rs 4500. ) If you need to calculate the consumption to select a appropriate VA UPS, here is a link: The Home UPS/Inverter Buying Guide — iLog [...]
Hi Guys, yesterday got an inverter installed after doing much research.
Su-Kam Falcon Rs.7000
Exide InvaQueen 135 mAh Rs.9000
Installation 500.
Working pretty fine, an the guys were good to respond. the wide difference in the price is mysterious. By the way, is the mild hissing noise frm the inverter is normal?
[...] Re: Need inverter suggestion For checking the required rating for UPS/Inverter rating, please visit this website: The Home UPS/Inverter Buying Guide — iLog [...]
@ Dr. Prasanna
My purchase of Falcon was at Rs. 4800, IT 500 at Rs. 10,600. (guess 3 months back). So the difference is indeed mysterious.
The mild hissing sound could be because of a small smps like fan running inside. You can feel it if you place your hand near the rear side. Otherwise it is supposed to be a quiet creature.
regards…
i have appreciated your posts. thanx. one question. what is the maximum no of batteries i should connect on an EB1400 inverteter i already have 2pairs of 12v connected ie 24v from 2 pairs of batteries can i add in parallel another pair , what are the repurcussions?
Hi!
Kudos to you for a really well put together piece demystifying domestic inverters and batteries. Really found it useful. Thanks a ton!
Sosha
please tell me what is the difference between LONG BACK UP UPS(HYUNDAI) and SINE WAVE UPS(HYUNDAI)?
Hi Amit,
Recently I have bought an inverter(SUKAM - 850 VA) and Exide tubular battery(150Ah) after seeing your article and lot of comments. Can u please tell me whether I can connect my computer directly to the inverter power supply without ups, since my UPS is not working and instead of buying new UPS.
Hi Amit,
first of all congrats your ups buying guide article was more useful informative.I have lot of question in deciding inverter and battery back up time but your resolves all my query . thanks a lot
rgds,
nivash.k
Pls Let me know the total AH rating anumber of batteries required (100 ah smf) for online UPS 30 KVA with 4 hours back up
calculation of ah rating for 4 hours 30 kva online ups
hi,
does the VA of an inverter determine the time required to recharge the batteries? Is 800VA inverter enough to recharge two batteries of 180AH and 150 AH each? power cut offs in my area reaches sometimes to 15 to 20 hours a day!!!!!
Hi,
I have a APC 800 VA inverter. Currently, the power backup is not working for more than 15 mins. The Inverter gets switched off. After checking with the Battery people, they said, we need to change the battery, as its more than 3 years old.
Can you please guide me, which 100AH battery should I buy. Some of the battery shop says, buy Exide battery which costs 5,500 RS and some of them says, buy SF Sonic battery, which costs 5000Rs.
I patiently read about 30% of the review and the complete article. I feel I am clear and I am intending to venture for parkarpower inverter and battery since I am told that it would be comfortable to go for both from the same manufacturer for some calculated advantage. Hope that come true.
I live in ggn and have frequent too many power cuts I have sukam 800va invertor with 165 AH sukam battery but the backup is not sufficent. I am planning to buy a invertor assuming we have continous powercut of 10 hrs and we have load of 1 TV plus 2 tubelight 2 Fan & 1 CFL
what is the size of invertor I have to buy ?
Invertor guys mentions I need 1400 VA invertor Sukam model smiley and 2 batteries of 150 AH and sell old 165 AH battery & 800 VA Invertor
please advice how to plan it and which battery and invertor to buy make & model & Wattage
Thank you,
May God bless you.
You made the difference,
hats off. You have very good writing and analytical skills
Keep sharing …
cheers
Anil
thanks for the guide lines great job
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