For R. Uma, a government employee, the daily routine goes awry when power goes off between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. For her husband, P. Ramanujam, the day breaks with the news on television. If he can’t watch the news, the whole day is ruined, he feels. Also, continuous power supply during the night is a must for many, as disturbed sleep makes them less efficient at work. So dependent on electricity, the modern household finds it difficult to move along if there is a power shutdown. But frequent unannounced power cuts seem to be the order of the day, what with the electricity generation units plummeting to a new low. With the summer heat already on, households are put to untold hardships.
Powerful option
If these blackouts annoy the living daylights out of you, look for an inverter that can insulate you from such interruptions.
“Originally, using inverters at home was a luxury but now it has become a necessity,” says Immanuel Devavaram, Managing Director, Fuji Hi-Tech Electronics, manufacturers of inverters and UPS (uninterrupted power supply) systems.
With board examinations on, parents and students have understood the significance of fixing a UPS at home. Cashing in on this new interest, some vendors try to exploit the ignorance of the public and sell units of sub-standard quality.
“Here is where one has to be very careful,” says Mr. Devavaram. “College students come to me asking for scrap batteries offering more prices. I don’t know for what purpose they buy. But I believe there is some quick money in it.” He feels it is better to buy inverters and UPS from an established shop.
With soaring demand for batteries, companies are struggling to meet the requirement. The minimum waiting period for branded batteries ranges from 15 days to 2 months. “It is better to wait rather than fall prey to attractive advertisements,” says T. Chidambara Kumar, Managing Partner, Mathi Auto Batteries.
Unscrupulous elements offer attractive packages for a much lower price than the branded inverters and price-conscious customers without sufficient knowledge about reliability or after sales service buy them.
Buyers who have no time to visit the market and analyse the best in the business fall prey to vendors who come knocking at their door. “One of my customers preferred to buy from a person who offered attractive price package and fixed the unit,” says Mr Chidambara Kumar. “But within months the unit conked out. Only after coming to me he realised that the battery offered to him was the one used in cars.”
Recycled batteries
Increasingly, shops selling such units rely heavily on recycled batteries and dump them on an ignorant buyer. It is the duty of the buyer to be alert to ask for a bill and ensure that the shopkeeper can provide good after-sales service.
It is imperative to understand the use and efficiency of an inverter. “Before you buy one,” says Mr. Chidambara Kumar, “it is necessary to calculate the power requirements of the units that will be connected. If you plan to use only low-power household appliances, then any mid-size inverter (between 600 VA and 800 VA) will be able to handle them.”
“It is important to note that the power consumption increases when the voltage drops. So, judicious use of electricity is a must to enjoy uninterrupted power supply,” he insists.
Any battery takes a minimum of 8 to 10 hours to recharge if there is no electricity discharge from the battery. But with the daily power cut of more than 10 hours it becomes impossible for the battery to regain full charge. “At such time it is better to save your electricity in battery for use at night,” Mr. Devavaram advises. “During day time, the inverter should be switched off.”
Those who use inverters and UPS must remember that they are only substitutes and can never be a replacement for the original source.
More power to you
When buying a UPS, ask for the bill and look for the Tax Identification Number of the company.
Check warranty details with the manufacturer.
Look for proper after-sales service network.
Connect only light loads such as fan, lights and TV to inverter lines.
Switch off high voltage devices during peak hours.
