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2. Which type of inverter (squarewave, modified sinewave or pure sinewave) will suit me? 3. How much inverter capacity do I need to run the desired loads? 4. How long can I run the appliances on the inverter? (This depends on the battery size (in ampere-hours) and the type of batteries used.) 5. Protection and other features such as battery level (in per cent) display, load display, auto-adjustment to battery and no-load shutdown Here is the way to go.

BeSt

for YoUr Home

Inverters are today more intelligent and user-friendly than ever before. Bring home one that fits your power-backup requirement and budget

Inverter

How different are todays inverters?

The concept of inverter has been replaced with home UPSinverters that run computers too along with home appliances. Home UPS are basically the inverters with built-in UPS featuring over- and under-voltage protection. So your PC isnt affected by wide voltage fluctuations. Also, your PC doesnt re-boot as changeover time from mains to battery is fast. Inverters have also become more efficient and user-friendly with LCDs fitted on their front panel. Su-Kam has a range of generatorcompatible inverters that are claimed to not only save power and reduce pollution but also cut down on the diesel cost. Luminous inverters come loaded with an intelligent software that adapts its functionality according to the power-cut frequency as well as the climatic conditions. The size of home UPS is shrinking to fit in minimal home space. upsInverTer.com claims its 800VA Hi-Lite to be the smallest home UPS with just 3 kg of weight.

Uma BanSal

oday, you need an inverter not just to light up bulbs and run fans but lifestyle products like air-conditioners and LCD TVs too. Keeping in sync with the consumer expecta-

tions, the technology has evolved and now the inverters are more featurepacked than ever. Given the many options available, selecting the right inverter for your home has become a tough task. There are several things to consider, like: 1. Do I need a built-in UPS?

Do I need a UPS or inverter?

UPS and inverter terms are used interchangeably, though these are not exactly the same. A UPS (uninterrupted power supply) is just a system which allows instant switchover to the power back-up source in the event of a
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power failure. So if you want to run a computer load, select a UPS. Its better to go for a home UPS because even if you dont have a computer at home, you may buy one tomorrow. If you are budget-conscious, you need not worry too much about the added cost. An inverter with UPS will cost you more or less the same as a standalone inverter. quency. High-frequency inverters use a smaller transformer and hence are more efficient and much lighter. Low-frequency inverters use a big transformer. These are generally lower in efficiency and higher on reliability. Inverters can also be classified based on their output waveforms. Inverters convert AC into DC and then DC into AC, which can be created as square wave, modified sine wave or pure sine wave based on the filtering process. All squarewave inverters today are more or less modified sinewave type. Modified (quasi) sinewave inverters are somewhere in between squarewave and pure sinewave. For sensitive loads like home

Guide

Buyers

Peripherals for Industrial Automation

?SMPS

Price and types

The 600VA and 800VA inverters (without batteries) start from as low as rs 2500 and rs 4000, respectively. Battery usually costs one-and-a-half times the inverter. Two types of inverters are available: High-frequency and low-fre-

?Interface Modules

mark on selected models

APC By SCHNEIdEr ElECtrIC

BI850SINE Home UPS (850VA)

Features Wide input voltage window UPS-inverter switch lets you use your home UPS to power computer systems as well as lights, fans and televisions Battery input fuse for protection against reversed polarity of battery cables when connecting your home UPS and battery Charger output selector allows you to match the home UPS battery charger output to your specific battery size Generator compatibility; recharge your battery while on generator power Home or away switch keeps your battery charged when youre away for extended periods without needless discharges Battery charging indicator lets you know when your battery is charging and when it is fully charged Audible alarms provide notification of changing flywheel conditions Sinewave output Microprocessor-controlled, 3-stage regulated charging Resettable circuit breaker allows easy recovery from overloads Audible alarmsprovide notification of changing utility power and UPS conditions LED status indicators

?Signal Converters ?SSR Modules

?Dedicated Controllers

Email: shavison@shavison.com

21, Amar Ind. Estate, Shankheshwar Nagar, Manpada Road, Dombivli (E) 421204, MH, India Tel : +91-251-2870546, 2871374 Cell : +91 98 203 62980 Fax : +91-251-2870834

ELECTRONICS

www.shavison.com

| Price: ` 7900
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Ahamadabad: Integrated - 09825438015 Aurangabad: Mogo-09423774040 Baroda:Seemaco-09909969979 Bharuch: Anil - 09879061845 Chennai: Eagle-09382228868 Coimbatore: Suriya-09843356058 Delhi: Powertech09212260995 Karnal: Powertech-09416473781 Kolhapur : Kedar-09850041672 Kolkata: Automation- 09903428082 Mumbai: Lohar Chawl : A. Harilal - 09321085554 Goregaon: Able-09821522543 Mulund: Yogesh-09322251679 Silvasa: Millennium-09904171318, Vijan : 09824700675 Thane: Mayuresh- 09833172447 Nasik: Nasa-09422271456 Pune: PMP- 09423507027, Karishma - 09881370701 Vasai:Plaschem- 09371048482 Dealers enquiry solicited

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for a small home with just two-three tubelights and one or two fans, 650va is recommended. If you have larger loads to be attachedfour-five tubelights and two-three fansbuy an 850va inverter
case of mains failure. For a small home with just twothree tubelights and one or two fans, 650VA is recommended. If you have larger loads to be attachedfour-five tubelights and two-three fansbuy an 850VA inverter. If you plan to buy a higher-capacity inverter, look at the loads that you will be running simultaneously. In general, various home appliances consume power as follows: Tubelight - 60W Fan - 70W Television - 120W Laptop - 100W CFL - 25W Modem - 50W

SU-KAm PowEr SyStEmS

Falcon (800 VA)

Features High surge-withstand capability (up to 300 per cent) Pure sinewave output Instant switchover for the computer to run uninterrupted during power cuts, without rebooting Extra long back-up for computers Space saver User-friendly display of alerts Choice of various aesthetically designed models Option of castor-wheel-mounted trolley for easy movement LED display Saves 40 per cent electricity bill compared to squarewave inverters Smart overload sensing and short-circuit protection with auto reset

| Price: ` 7400

Major contributors to this report

Gaurav Burman Director-Transaction Business, APC by Schneider Electric

unlike squarewave inverters, dont produce the humming noise from a fan or tubelight.

Calculating the inverter capacity

Decide the inverter capacity based on the power consumed by the appliances that you plan to run on the inverter in

Jitendra K. Agarwal Director (Marketing), Genus Power Infrastructures

mICrotEK

UPS E (875 VA)

Features Microcontroller-based, intelligent control design Highly efficient transformer, which helps in fast charging of the battery, increases the backup and saves energy Zero power switching; zero energy loss while conversion from DC into AC Display indications (status and fault) CCCV technology with auto trickle mode Smart overload sense and short-circuit protection Battery state monitoring Easily serviceable Digital fuzzy logic charging Multi-stage digital battery charger Mains input voltage range selection Intelligent thermal management

Kunwer Sachdev Managing Director, Su-Kam Power Systems

Yogesh Dua Partner, upsINVERTER.com

theatre systems, water motors and airconditioners, a pure sinewave inverter is recommended. These inverters give a waveshape similar to AC mains and,
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| Price: ` 6990
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lUmINoUS

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Bravo (875VA)
Features Microcontroller-based design SMD technology for compact and reliable design Specially designed for low and moderate power-cut areas Dual battery charging option for flat plate and tubular batteries Free preloaded battery management software Regulated battery charging commences from 120V to 300V mains voltage Auto holiday mode preserves battery charge while you are away from home for a long time

So if you need to run two tubelights, three fans, one Tv and one laptop, youll need a total power of 550W (=2x60 + 3x70 + 1x120 + 1x100) to support all of your appliances at the same time. now that you know how much power is required, its easy to get the VA rating of the inverter. In ideal conditions, the VA rating would have been the same as the power need, i.e., 550 VA. But, practically, the power factor of inverter is less than 1. Hence the power supplied by a 550VA inverter would be lesser than 550W. Assuming the power factor of the inverter to be

0.7, you can arrive at the VA rating of the inverter as follows: Required VA of Inverter 0.7 = 550W, or Required VA of Inverter = 550/0.7 = 786 VA Buy an inverter that is of slightly higher capacity than you need at present as you will be able to run something else simultaneously, whenever required. So in the above example, an 800VA inverter will fit into your requirement. Some appliances require extra load (called surge load) when these start up. While calculating the load require-

GENUS PowEr

800VA Home UPS/Inverter

Features DSP-based Good waveform SMT technology Auto-sense intelligent control Automatic battery-condition sense charger Reverse battery, battery fuse blown Over-load/short-circuit indication High crest factor and hence high surge sustaining capacity

| Price: ` 7490
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the number of plates and the total batteryplate surface area of the cells determine the length of backup. a 180ah normal battery has 25 plates, while a 180ah normal tubular battery has only 13 plates but greater plate area
and the total battery-plate surface area of the cells determine the length of backup. A 180Ah normal battery has 25 plates, while a 180Ah normal tubular battery has only 13 plates but greater plate area. A standard battery provides three hours of backup time at full load and six hours at half load. You can increase the backup duration by installing a higher-capacity battery or adding extra batteries in parallel. The battery capacity can be calculated from the following relationship: Required power (in VA) Required backup hours (in hours) = Inverter voltage (in volts) Battery capacity (in ampere hours) Lets say you want the inverter to provide power back-up for up to three hours. So for an 800VA inverter, the battery capacity can be calculated as under: 800 VA 3 hours = 12V Battery capacity, or Battery capacity = (8003)/12 = 200 ampere hours Thus if you go for an 800VA inverter with 200Ah battery, you can run two tubelights, three fans, one Tv and one laptop for up to three hours.

HI-lItE, 810VA
upsINVErtEr.com
Features Noiseless, high-frequency combo system Combination of a UPS and an inverter in one unit as it provides pure sine wave from no load to full load Microcontroller digital technology Weighs only 2.5 kg Smart multilevel charging provides good battery health, which results in longer battery life with low battery maintenance Auto overload resetting. HI-LITE shuts down automatically if exposed to a load more than its specified limit. In wide range, it keeps on beeping and sensing the load to switch itself on to find the load within its specified limit, eliminating the manual resetting by the user. In narrow range, it permanently shuts itself off if exposed to excessive load and the user has to reset the HI-LITE manually after decreasing the load within its specified limit battery option. Be it a local ordinary battery, branded/automotive Any battery, sealed maintenance-free battery or tubular battery, HI-LITE auto adjusts its charging characteristics according to any battery you connect No-load shut down Configurable charging modes. In areas where power cut is longer than eight hours, high-charging mode should be configured. Normal charging mode, which is set by default, always enhances the battery life. Customer can switch into these modes as and when required Soft touch switch. With this easy-to-use switch, all the configurations including on, off, reset and mode changes can be done

| Price: ` 5990
ment, take into account this surge load (startup load) and not the lower running load. Typically, the startup load is two times the running load. In the case of appliances like air-conditioners, refrigerators and pumps, it could be more than three times the continuous load rating.

Calculating the battery capacity

The battery capacity determines the back-up hours. It is primarily defined in ampere hours (Ah) and selected on the basis of backup requirements of an individual. The more the Ah, the longer the backup. The number of plates

Other things to look for

UPS/inverter mode selection switch Battery charging selection switch Battery selection switch No-load shut down. When no load is in use and the mains goes off, the inverter will shut down automatically. It will turn on as soon as any load is applied. This saves power consumption during no-load period Compatibility with DG sets Easy-to-understand interface Wide service network and good after-sales support Reliability. Buy from a reputed and closeby dealer. This will save you time and effort during the servicing requirements

Standard, tubular or Smf?

Battery selection is very important as its a recurring cost every 2-3 years. An ideal solution for inverters is either a thick-, flat-plate (standard) battery or a tubular battery. Both the thick-plate and tubular batteries need topping up. Of the two, tubular is better because it lasts longer. Flat batteries generally
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requires some power to run itself as well. every inverter manufacturer stamps an efficiency graph (efficiency vs load) that you must consult carefully. Make sure that the curve starts from zero. Also, the inverter consumes some power even when it is not running any load. So if you want to keep the inverter running for long hours, make sure its idle power is low. You can find the inverters idle power described in the specifications sheet.

NUmErIC

digital HPH Hr 800 UPS (800VA)

Features True sinewave inverter Delivers utility-grade AC power to operate AC-powered electronic equipment like plasma TV sets and entertainment systems and appliances like lights, fans, refrigerators and washing machines Advanced microprocessor-based control Fast-action AC synchronised transfer switch for seamless changeover from main mode to inverter mode during power cuts LED display for overload, battery loose connection, inverter fault, short circuit and so on LCD display (optional) RS232 interface (optional) SNMP Web interface (optional) Audible alarm and many protection features

Safety
Dont go for cheap, unbranded models, as these are usually fraught with risk. Check whether the inverter has been certified by any testing organisation like ISI, UL and ETL. A safety certification stamp ensures that the inverter will be safe to use and shall also meet the manufacturers specifications. The sensitive portions of the inverter should be well protected against overload and excessive heating. Also, there must be protection from lighting surges. In case the inverter cant stand too high or too low a load, it must have the necessary mechanism to shut itself down completely.

| Price: ` 4200
do not exceed three years of lifetime as against five years in the case of tubular batteries. But the initial cost of tubular batteries is also higher. SMF batteries that are available in the market today are generally not the correct solution for inverter application because inverter is a heavy-duty application and SMF batteries wont give a good life for such an application. Some companies have designed SMF batteries with the characteristics of thick-, flat-plate batteries. These batteries give you two advantages: They dont require topping up and can last long enough for an inverter kind of application. Tubular batteries come in normalsize, jumbo and tall containers. Capacities are generally 135 Ah, 150 Ah or 180 Ah. The jumbo and tall containers have extra electrolyte, so the topping-up frequency is reduced. best battery brand will give you the best backup. But rather than buying inverter and battery separately, go for a package. Otherwise, you will be running after two companies if something goes wrong with the battery or inverter. The inverter maker will say its a battery problem and the battery supplier will say its an inverter problem. There is no one-point solution. So buy both the battery and the inverter of the same brand, or at least from the same vendor. Given the high cost of the battery, the vendor should be able to take care of boththe inverter and the battery.

last but not the least

Some sellers are using the term digital inverter, fooling the customers into believing that these are sinewave. The fact is these are purely analogue inverters and not really sinewave. To eliminate the confusion, ask for a DSP-based sinewave inverter or home UPS. Also, as mentioned earlier, dont forget to consider the power factor conversion rating of the model being considered. For example, an 800VA inverter with a power factor of 0.7 would give an output of 560 watts, whereas another 800VA model with a power factor of 0.5 would give a maximum output of 400 watts.
The author is executive editor at EFY
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efficiency
To convert power, some power is lost as heat and this is unavoidable. The efficiency of your inverter depends on the ratio of the amount of power generated to the amount of power that is lost. So it is better to buy an inverter that conforms to your power needs. If your power requirement is minimal and you buy a large inverter, the efficiency will be low, as the inverter

Which inverter-battery combination will work the best?

You may think that a combination of the best inverter brand and the
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