5 Best Inverters

Buying Guide for Best Inverter for Home

That was the list of the best home inverters. Now, let us take a look at all the factors you need to consider before buying an inverter. But before considering the essential factors, it is best to know the types of inverters available in the market and how they differ.

Types of Inverters for Home Use

Inverters available in the market are generally of 3 categories.

A. Sine Wave Inverter

The Sine Wave contains a rotating Alternating Current machine. This machine helps in generation of AC power, which is the common power requirement for the majority of the electrical appliances at home.

That’s why these are considered an ideal choice for home inverters. Although sine wave inverters are costly, they can withstand heavy loads.

B. Modified Sine Wave Inverter

The waveform in these modified sine wave inverters is like a square. This is capable of working with most electrical appliances but its efficiency of the power output may not be as good as other inverters.

So, you may frequently get annoyed by the buzzing sounds and dimming lights. However, these inverters are affordable when compared to sine wave inverters.

C. Square Wave Inverter

Square wave inverters are the cheapest among the three types of inverters. However, their efficiency is the least as compared to the other two types. Moreover, not all home appliances would work perfectly with the square wave inverters.

How to select the best inverter for Home?

You must be in a great dilemma while deciding the best inverter to buy for your home. If you are having trouble choosing the best inverter, consider this inverter buyer’s guide. The essential points mentioned in it will surely help you out to select the right inverter for your home.

Here is a list of the vital information that is needed to select the best home inverter.

1. Power Requirement

The most important thing while selecting an inverter is to make sure that it meets the power requirements of your home. After all, you will be using the inverter to compensate for the power supply. If the right power rating is not selected, then blackout will be common, even when you use an inverter. So, an underpowered inverter is of no use.

Here is how you can calculate the power consumption of your house.

Firstly, make a list of the electrical appliances that you wish to run with an inverter when there is a power cut.

As every device at home will have a different power rating, it is recommended to make a note of every equipment and its particular energy consumption.

Here is an example for your understanding to determine the power rating of your inverter.

Consider a fan with 70 watts rating and a tube light with 40 watts rating. If you use 2 fans and 3 tube lights while there is a power cut, then your power requirement will be the following

For two fans: 70 watts x 2 = 260 watt

For three tube lights: 40 watts x 3 = 120 watt

Total: .260 watt + 120 watt = 380 watts

Similarly, you can calculate the power ratings for all the appliances. This will give you a perfect idea of the inverter capacity which is discussed in the next section.

2. Inverter Capacity

Knowing the inverter capacity will give you an idea to choose the best inverter for your home.

In general, the inverter capacity is denoted by Volt-Amp (VA). This VA rating denotes how much voltage and current does the inverter supply to the home appliance.

Most inverters, available in the market, function with efficiency from 60 % to 80%. This efficiency, otherwise known as the power factor of an inverter, ranges from 0.6 to 0.8.

Hence,

VA rating of the inverter = Wattage of an appliance / Its power efficiency.

Let us consider an average power factor value of 0.7 and power consumed by the appliance is 450 watts

Power of inverter (VA) = 260/0.7 = 375 VA (approximately)

Usually, models with an exact 375 VA may not be available in the market. So the next best thing for you is to choose an inverter of 400 or 500 VA. Also, it is good to purchase an inverter that has capacity at least a hundred units more than the actual requirements.

3. Battery Capacity

Having a battery with the wrong capacity will not give the performance you expect. So, it is essential to choose the right battery capacity. The battery capacity is measured in Amp-Hour (Ah). Ah is the amount of current provided by the battery in a certain period, which is counted in hours.

For example, a 1000Ah can supply around 1000 amp current within an hour. Similarly, it can provide 500 amp of current if it runs for two hours.

Here is a formula to calculate the battery capacity:

Imagine you are using a 400 VA inverter for 6 hours. Then the required battery capacity will be:

400 VA x 6 Hours = 2400 VAh

“Ah” represents the battery size or capacity. In other words, it is the amount of energy that a battery can store. A standard inverter battery is rated 12 volts.

Now, the Ah value will be:

2400VAh/12V = 200 Ah

Beginning from 100 Ah, there is an extensive range of battery capacity available in the market.

4. Battery Type

Choosing the right type of battery is an essential factor before you buy an inverter for home use in India. There are mainly three types of batteries.

Flat plate batteries

Tubular batteries

Maintenance-free batteries

Out of the three types, Tubular Batteries work the best with inverters. Although these batteries cost a little more than Flat Plate batteries, they offer long-lasting performance up to 6-7 years in a single investment. On the other hand, Maintenance-Free Batteries come with a life span of 3-4 years.

Note: You must fill these batteries with distilled water regularly. Maintaining fluid levels enhances the longevity of batteries.

5. Brands

Combining the right battery with the inverter is essential, considering the frequent power cuts that are a common sight in some parts of India. All the inverter brands in India promote their features-rich inverters. Hence, choose the right brand that offers all the suitable features, high efficiency, excellent quality, and exceptional durability, with after-sale customer support.

Here are some of the top inverter brands India with their specialities:

• Luminous– best known for the intelligent inverters, with the essential features.
• Exide– Inverters from Exide are usually suitable for heavy-duty. Apart from Inverters, Exide is known for the high-quality batteries it manufactures.
• Microtek– Microtek’s inverters are preferable for households. This is because they work as both inverters and UPS. Moreover, they are comparatively more affordable than other inverter brands.

6. Price

Price of the inverter is a major concern, however, this should not be compromised with quality. Price varies based on the brand, technical specifications and the features.

Inverters with a high VA rating will have more cost than the one with less VA. This is because they can handle heavy appliances like ACs or refrigerators too.

For domestic use, inverters ranging from Rs 5000 to Rs 7000 are ideal. They have standard features that are fit into your requirements for uninterrupted power supply. However, with smart or advanced features, the price may rise to Rs 8000 or more.

7. Warranty

It is always advisable to opt for an inverter that comes with a warranty period of at least two years. However, a longer warranty period may cost you extra at the time of buying an inverter. However, you can compensate for this extra cost by cutting down the maintenance costs in the long run.

Remember, buying an inverter and battery combination is a long term investment for your home. So, go for the one with the best quality although it may cost a little more in the beginning.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q. Is it ok to connect refrigerators or ACs to the home inverters?
A. These days most home inverters and batteries are capable of managing heavy load. However, refrigerators and AC have compressors that consume a lot of energy as soon as they are switched on. Even the best home inverter battery may not handle such a heavy load for a long time. So, it is best to avoid connecting refrigerators and ACs to your inverter.

Q. Which is the best inverter type that is available in the market?
A. The Sine Wave inverter is the best. This can withstand heavy loads. Although expensive when compared to other inverters, it is worth the money you spend to buy a sine wave inverter.

Q. Which is a better battery among the two, flat plate or tubular?
A. Tubular batteries are better than the flat batteries because these batteries last longer and require very less maintenance. Also, they are the most suitable batteries for inverters.

Q. What’s the major distinction point between an inverter system and UPS?
A. There is just one difference between a UPS and an inverter. Otherwise, they have similar working procedures. It approximately takes 100 milliseconds for switching from the mains to the battery in case of an inverter, whereas a UPS takes only around 3-5 milliseconds. Hence, it is better to connect electronic devices like computers with a UPS for protection from the current fluctuation.

Q. Which is the best inverter available in India?
A. The best inverter may be different for everyone. The inverter which fulfils your requirements is the best one for you. However, in general, you can consider any of the renowned brands like Exide, Luminous, Microtek, V-Guard or ZunSolar.