How we supply it: Inverters and batteries are arranged through a partner electrical dealer who quotes, supplies, installs and bills them and pays us a referral commission. Plan the inverter circuits with your electrician during wiring, so the dealer only connects the unit at the end.
In one line: A home inverter is a unit that charges a battery from the mains and, during a power cut, converts the battery's DC into 230 V AC for the circuits wired to it.
Working out the backup
Typical estimate: backup hours = Ah × V × 0.8 ÷ watts. Ageing batteries and deep discharge give less.
- Example load: 6 LED lights × 10 W + 3 BLDC fans × 30 W + router 10 W + TV 60 W = 220 W
- 150 Ah, 12 V battery on 220 W: about 6.5 hours
- The same rooms with 75 W induction fans: about 355 W, roughly 4 hours
- Inverter size: 220 W ÷ 0.8 ≈ 275 VA; the smaller common units leave headroom
What a home inverter is
A home inverter is a unit that charges a battery from the mains and, during a power cut, converts the battery's DC into 230 V AC for the circuits wired to it.
It powers only the circuits your electrician connects to it. Planning those inverter circuits during wiring is what makes it useful.
Inverter and battery types
| Type | What it is | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Pure sine-wave inverter | Smooth output like the mains | Fans run quietly; safe for electronics |
| Square-wave inverter | Stepped output | Avoid: fans hum, electronics suffer |
| Flat-plate lead-acid battery | Lower cost | Shorter life under frequent cuts |
| Tubular lead-acid battery | Deep-cycle design | Longer life; needs distilled-water top-up |
| Lithium (LFP) battery | Sealed, light | No top-up, long cycle life, higher upfront cost |
Choosing the battery
Frequent, long cuts favour tubular or lithium batteries, which tolerate deep cycling. Occasional short cuts can live with flat-plate batteries.
Placement and upkeep
- Install in a ventilated spot; lead-acid batteries release hydrogen while charging.
- Keep the battery on a stand, off the floor and away from water.
- Top up tubular batteries with distilled water when the indicator shows low.
- Keep children away from the terminals.
Checks on purchase and installation
- Inverter: pure sine wave, VA rating, charging current and a bypass switch.
- Battery: Ah rating with its rate (C10 or C20), type and manufacture date; avoid old stock.
- Read the warranty: full-replacement period and pro-rata period.
- Switch off the mains and confirm only the planned circuits stay on.
- Note the electrolyte indicator and top-up schedule for tubular batteries.
Inverter mistakes
- Square-wave inverters that make fans hum.
- Geysers, irons or ACs connected to a home inverter.
- No dedicated inverter wiring, so extension cords run everywhere.
- A battery shut in a closed cupboard.
- Old battery stock bought at a discount.