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Explore the various types of inverters and generators and learn how to make the best choice for your home
What is the reason for the power outage? Or why does one geography bear the brunt of prolonged power failures compared to other geographies? These questions troubled me when I was buying an inverter some months ago. Just imagine, in 2024, with advanced AI, the Internet, and other modern technologies perfected, we stand in this paradoxical world of ours without steady electricity supply in many of our homes. So, in smaller cities, tier-two towns, and villages, inverters have become essential, and almost every home will have an inverter and a business establishment will have a generator. Here’s a detailed guide for you to explore:
An inverter is a device that converts direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC). In simpler words, the power supplied to us to run our home electrical appliances runs on an AC power source. A DC power source, in this context, is the power that we get from sources such as batteries, solar panels, or generators. An inverter acts as a binding device; it converts non-usable power into usable power.
Two kinds of inverters are available these days:
● Pure Sine wave
● Square wave
These types of inverters are designed in such a way that they are capable of providing a waveform that looks like the typical household AC power waveform. The sine wave is smooth and continuous, seamlessly transitioning into an interruption of power. The pure sine wave produced by these inverters is of the highest quality and supplies sensitive electronics and appliances with compatible, clean, and stable power. Always opt a Sine Wave Inverter, keeping in mind that it stays put for as long as you use it and functions smoothly. We suggest the Luminous Zelio + 1100.
These are made using obsolete technology. Inverters with square waves have a waveform where the transitions between voltages of either positive or negative are sharp and sudden. The waveforms are square pulses that flip the pulses from one polarity to another. However, such inverters are not advised to be applied when powering sensitive electronic items and home appliances that need the power to be precise. Also, due to the square waveform, one can feel a lot of variations during the power transfer from normal mode to inverter mode. It is good to buy such inverters if the budget is of utmost priority or the electrical appliances used in your house are basic. We recommend the Luminous Eco Watt Neo 1050.
Image courtesy, Aashni Kumar
Image courtesy, Spearhead Design Consultants
Awareness and comprehension of how much power is required by your home at the time of a power cut. For example, if you have a nuclear family living in a small house, the requirement would be less, 2-3 fans, 3 tube lights and basic kitchen electrical units. All electrical appliances are rated in terms of power wattage, which can help you work out the required estimated power.
When calculating the necessary power consumption for your house, it is always good to estimate the jerk load. Jerk load means that extra burst of power a machine requires when you switch it up at first. The easiest way is to add 25% of the jerk load to the total output that you are expecting from an inverter.
One of the key points that should be borne in mind, especially when you go for an inverter, be it in a home or an office set-up, is the power requirement and the subsequent voltage compatibility. Generally, a 12V voltage capacity is sufficient for small/mid-sized homes. A 24V capacity is considered for office setups or bigger homes. To make sure, check your chosen sinewave inverter for the bandwidth of 24V capacity.
Though deciding upon the right inverter is half the battle won, it is of paramount importance to decide the right kind of battery that is to be paired up with the inverter to provide an efficient combination. As inverter batteries come in various shapes and designs, one has to be aware of the requirements and needs to properly match the kind of battery with the right inverter.
This is a rechargeable battery that stores electricity and provides backup to an inverter. During a power cut or shortage, the stored electric energy is sent to the inverter, which converts DC to AC and gives backup power. While selecting the inverter battery, there are a lot of options to choose from. The most commonly found types of batteries to choose from include tubular range, gel range, and flat plate range.
Image courtesy, Purple Backyard
The preferred and most popular battery technology available in the market is the tubular range because of its efficiency. This is a type of lead-acid battery that is tubular in construction and possesses a positive plate in the tubular structure, which provides lots of strength, life span, and efficiency. The tubular batteries range in two categories:
Flat Plate Battery Inverter
● Short Tubular battery: This category consists of a battery with plates that are shorter and thicker than the other tall tubular and is suitable for areas that experience frequent but short power cuts. For this, we suggest the Luminous RedCharge RC 18000 ST.
● Tall Tubular Battery: These batteries have taller plates, providing greater surface area for a chemical reaction. They are suitable for long and frequent power cuts. We recommend the Luminous RedCharge RC 18000 Tall Tubular.
These are lead-acid batteries that use gel electrolytes instead of a liquid electrolyte. Silica is added to the sulphuric acid to form a gel and, in turn, a jelly-like substance. These batteries are sealed; and do not need water or any regular top-ups; hence they are maintenance-free, durable, and good for places where maintaining them can prove to be a difficult task. These batteries come at a slightly higher cost because of their characteristics and specifications. We would recommend using the Luminous Invergel IGSTJ 18000.
Under normal conditions, the suitability of these batteries is much less in comparison to tubular and gel range batteries, because of their characteristics and architectural designs. Specific high current and short-time applications can be carried out with these batteries as compared to deep cycles and long time. Due to its dated technology, periodic checking and topping levels are required. These batteries usually have shorter life spans than its other two counterparts. We recommend this type of battery only if cost-effectiveness is of high priority. You can opt for Exide Invaking IK 5000 150AH Flat plate battery.
Flat Plate Battery Inverter
There are abundant ways to choose the right inverter and battery for your home, as mentioned in detail earlier; however, these inverter capacities are not sufficient for large-scale operations, like a 4-story apartment building or small business operation set up as an extension of your house. In these cases, the selection of a generator can provide the necessary degree of flexibility and scale to overcome power outages.
Image courtesy, Purple Edge Designs
The most commonly used generators or gen sets are those that are meant to handle operations that need scale. These are, in other words, the generators that are meant to supply power to big building complexes, warehouses, and even small businesses. These generators run on a mix of fuels like diesel, propane, and natural gas, according to the model. They vary in size based on your requirements and the power output. Knowing the requirements beforehand is very essential before committing to the size. Here are some guidelines that will help you pick the desired generator for your needs.
Residential Standby Generators
Commercial and Industrial Standby Generators
The ironic part is when I was writing this article there was a power outage in my house that lasted for more than six hours and I had no idea about it due to the Sine Wave Inverter that's installed at my home. The wonders of an inverter helped me get my work done and research completed without breaking a sweat.
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DEC 2023
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17 Oct 23, 03.00PM - 04.00PM