Best home inverter with battery - Review and Buyer's Guide

Why home inverter required:

if you are looking for an alternate power supply for your home, such that you can use your electrical appliances during a power cut. The most efficient solution to this problem is using a home inverter. A home inverter can provide uninterrupted power supply to you during the power cut

What is a home inverter and how it works?

A home inverter is a device that converts direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC). Usually, all our appliances at home run on AC. The home inverter comes with a battery that stores electricity in DC. During a power cut, the inverter system starts converting the stored DC from the battery into AC and resumes the electricity supply. 

Editors Choice - best home inverter
Home Inverter Name	Home Inverter Battery Capacity	Home Inverter Capacity	Home Inverter  Warranty Period	Home Inverter Price
Luminous Zelio 1100 + Rc18000 150 Ah Tubular Battery+ Trolley	150Ah	1100VA	Warranty: Inverter - 2 Years warranty, battery - 3 years warranty
Luminous Zolt 1100 Inverter + RC 25000 200 Ah Tall Tubular Battery + Trolley	200Ah	1100VA	Warranty: Inverter - 2 Years warranty, battery - 3 years warranty
Luminous Cruze 2KVA Inverter with RC 18000 Battery (2 Batteries)	300Ah	2000VA	Warranty: Inverter - 2 Years warranty, battery - 3 years warranty

How to install a home inverter?

To install a home inverter you need to buy the below items. Then you can call an electrician to connect the home inverter with your 5amp power supply connection.

Mostly every house has 2 types of power supply - a 5amp power supply and a 15 amp power supply. The 15 amp power supply connection is used mostly for large appliances having more wattage, like AC, Dishwasher, Geyser, washing machine, fridge. The 5amp power supply is used for other appliances, having lower wattage.

1. Inverter 
2. Battery
3. Battery Cover (optional)

Some Basic Terminologies to understand home inverter

Battery: Battery that stores electricity in direct current (DC)

Inverter: An inverter is a device that converts direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC).

Direct Current (DC): To explain DC in simple terms. This kind of current mostly available in the batteries and battery run appliances.  This current can be stored in batteries.

Alternating current (AC): To explain AC in simple terms. This is the current that we get from the power supply companies and is used to run most of the home appliances. This current can not be stored.

Ah (Ampere Hour): Ah is a unit that measures (electric) power over time. It is commonly used to measure the energy capacity of a battery. In general, the more mAh and the longer the battery capacity or battery life.

Amp Hour (Ah) = Current (I) x Discharge Time in an hour (T)

100Ah = (5 Amperes) x T (Time in hour)

T = 100Ah / 5 A

T = 20 Hours

Thus this battery will power your system up to 20 hours. This is the easiest way to predict how long your battery will last.

Inverter specifications VA: Inverter specifications VA refers to Volts x Amps. Volts x Amps is the electrical formula that gives you Watts. Since Watts = Volts x Amps the terms Watts and VA should be interchangeable in some cases.

e.g inverter capacity 1100VA means. maximum up to 1100watt of appliances combined can be used 

Watt: Watt is a unit of power. All the electrical appliances are mentioned how much watt power they use.

5 amp and 15 amp power supply: In-home mostly 2 kinds of wiring is done, 5 amp wiring for small watt appliances and 15 amp wiring for large appliances (like AC, geyser, microwave, dishwasher ), having more watt.

Top brands for Home Inverter

1. Luminous
2. V-Guard
3. Microtek
4. Amaron
5. Exide

Inverter

How much VA (inverter capacity ) required for your home?

How much inverter capacity in VA you should buy depends on what is the maximum wattage of the appliance that you will use. Suppose you want to use a 750-watt grinder. Then you need the inverter capacity of 750 / 0.7=   1071.42. So you require around 1100 VA inverter, such that you can run a 750-watt grinder.

So the formula is 

Watt of the appliance/ 0.7 = The capacity of inverter in VA

e.g If you want to run 1000watt, water heater

1000/0.7 = 1428

So you require around 1500 VA inverter, such that you can run the water heater.

What are the different types of the inverter?

There are below two types of the inverter.

• What is a Sine Wave inverter?:

Sine inverters are highly safe to use,  produce normal sound only. Sine wave inverters are more efficient than square wave inverters. This ensures that the power loss is minimized, due to greater efficiency. As a consequence, your electricity bill does not shoot up. Costs more than the Square wave inverter.

• What is a Square Wave inverter?

Square wave inverters are less reliable, produces more sound, and also unsafe to use for appliances. Costs less than Sine wave inverter.

Battery for Home Inverter

How to calculate what capacity battery is required for your home inverter?

The battery’s capacity is calculated in ‘AH’, which means Ampere Hour.  Instead of going into detail, I will give a simple formula that will help you to calculate how much battery capacity required for you. Note the below formula will give an approximate value not the exact one.

((Total watt of all the devices) * (Number of hours of usage))/12= AH of battery required.

Here 12 is the voltage of the battery. 

For example, you want to use 4 bulbs of 10watt, 2 fans of 100 watts, 1 TV of 100watt, for 4 hours. Then 80 Ah battery is sufficient for you. Below is the calculation using the above formula.

Total watt of all the devices = 4*10+2*100+100 = 250

Then the battery capacity required for you = (240*4)/12 = 80Ah 

What are the different types of batteries used for a home inverter?

Mainly below 3 different types of batteries are used for a home inverter.

• Lead Acid Batteries

Lead-acid batteries are the most common inverter batteries in a home inverter. These are rechargeable in nature and produce a large amount of current. They are light in weight and most economical. They usually last for 3-4 years. But they require regular maintenance. The electrolyte level check and topping up has to be done regularly. They also release harmful gases during charging and discharging. So they must be installed at a well-ventilated place at home.

• Maintenance Free Batteries

Maintenance-free batteries are the sealed lead acid batteries that do not require electrolyte level check and topping up. They are fit and forget type batteries that are safer compared to normal lead-acid batteries. But they are costly compared to normal lead-acid batteries and have a shorter life.

• Tubular Batteries

Tubular batteries are the most popular and efficient inverter batteries in a home inverter. They have a complex design, great efficiency, longer operational life (8+ years), and low maintenance. Because of so many advantages, they are costly.

Battery Cover for home inverter

Instead of keeping the battery in open, it is advised to keep the battery in the battery trolly or batter cover. This is will prevent accidental touch by children, avoids any kind of accident, and also looks good.

Things to consider before buying a home inverter

1. While buying the inverter give preference to the inverter having a longer warranty. 
2. If you are replacing the old battery then you can sell the old battery back to the vendor or dealer and can get an additional 10% to 20% off on the original new battery price.
3. Ask the dealer about transporting and installation of battery cost as well, is it included in the battery cost or excluded?
4. Calculate how much capacity of battery and inverter is required for your home.
5. Check for the proper wiring is there or not, if not do that setup.
6. You need a 15 amp, 3 pin plug, and socket, with wire for 15 amp connection to connect with your battery and inverter. 

How to take care of your a home inverter?

1. The tubular and the flat batteries require regular replenishment of distilled water. Depending on the type of the battery and the usage of the inverter, the replenishment period can vary between one and three months.  Maintain a calendar, preferably on your smartphone that alerts you to replenish the water.
2. The socket connections can rust as the water can spill out at times. Applying grease on these connections can help prevent rusting. 
3. Discharge the battery completely at least once a month and charge it again. It will rejuvenate the electrolyte solution.
4. Do not connect heavy loads to the inverter. Avoid connecting refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines, and water heaters.
5. If you need to use the mixers and grinders, it is better to switch off all the other appliances to prevent overloading.
6. Place the inverter on a flat surface, either horizontally or vertically.
7. Never place it near the engine compartments like your motor. Keep it away from moisture and water. Do not keep the inverter in direct sunlight. Ensure that there is ample ventilation in the room where you place your inverter.
8. Clean your inverter from time to time. Dust can stick to the connections and affect the performance of your inverter.
9. Do not place flammable materials near your inverter as you increase the risk of fire.
10. If you go out of your home for more than 1 month and you have switched off the battery. Then the battery might be get fully discharged, and when you on that, it may not work. In this scenario, you need to take your battery to nearby charging stations and need to charge that there such that it will work again.
11. Change faulty batteries. If your battery gets damaged or starts malfunctioning, then don’t attempt to use it or combine it with a new battery. Such could damage the whole inverter or even cause an explosion. The best thing you can do in such a situation is to get the faulty battery replaced with a new one.

FAQs

• Is extra energy used for the home inverter?

Inverters are not 100% efficient and thus running the same appliances on an inverter would cost you about 25% more. Inverters use some energy to drive their electronics and cooling fan. The battery uses additional energy during the process of charging and discharging. All this energy is wasted as heat energy. 

• Can we connect refrigerators and ACs to the home inverters?

Technically, there should not be an issue because the modern-day inverters and batteries can handle heavy-duty loads. However, refrigerator and AC compressors consume a high volume of current when they switch on. The inverter battery might not be in a position to handle this load. Hence, people avoid connecting ACs and refrigerators to home inverters.

• Which is the best type of home inverter available in the market?

The Sine Wave inverter is the best because it can withstand heavy loads. They are expensive compared to other inverters, but worth the money you spend on them.

• Which is the better battery for home inverter, flat plate, or tubular?

The tubular battery is a better option because they last longer and require less maintenance.

• What is the difference between a home inverter system and UPS?

Both inverter and UPS provide similar services but with a small difference. The inverter takes 100 milliseconds to switch from the mains line to battery power, whereas the UPS takes approximately 3 to 5 milliseconds. Thus, UPS is a better option to have for connecting electronic equipment like computers.

• Can I keep the home inverter in one of my rooms?

We advise you to keep the inverter in open places, such as near a window or a balcony. That is because it emits hydrogen fumes and other gases. To make sure you don’t inhale these gases, you should keep the inverter in somewhere with good airflow.

• Can I power off the home inverter?

Turning an inverter off discharges its battery completely. Thus, it won’t be able to provide you with backup when there’s no power. As such, you shouldn’t turn the inverter off. However, if you want to check it or refill it, then you can turn it off. If you do, then make sure to turn it back on once you’re done refilling.

• Why does my home inverter make continuous beeping noises?

A beeping inverter generally means that the battery levels are running low. So you should make sure to charge it as soon as you can. Although, it might also be happening because of a capacity overload. In such a case, you should try to remove the extra load by turning some appliances off.

• How do I install my home inverter?

Although a lot of inverter brands offer a warranty, that doesn’t include installation services. To install your inverter, you can get the help of an electrician.

• Is there any way to know if the battery has been charged fully?

Yes, each and every inverter model comes with an indication system, which can hint you about the charging status of the device. Most times, the green light indicates that the battery is still replenishing itself. Conversely, the blue one suggests that the whole reinvigorating process has been completed. A few products also come with an alarm system that will pipe up whenever the whole recharging procedure is completed.

• Is it okay to keep the home inverter plugged in all the time?

Yes, otherwise, the battery will start self-discharging. Moreover, when you plug it in the morning, it will begin replenishing itself again. So, this recharge-discharge practice can affect the overall quality of the battery and lower its overall lifespan.

• How much power will my home inverter draw? 

The power required to run an inverter is approximately 8-10% more than the power load of the appliances being run. This is due to the efficiency of the inverter. 

• What happens if someone plugs an appliance in that they shouldn’t have?

If the load is too large for the power output then the inverter simply shuts the power down. Depending on the inverter, an audible alarm will sound, or the inverter will simply restart to try the load again.