Are they the same or different? we clarify this burning question that our customers often ask us.
A Backup Power Solution
The home UPS/inverter is a power source that serves as a backup to your mains alternating current (AC) supply from the electricity board. Whenever there is a mains supply failure or outage, the home UPS/inverter supplies power to connected electrical and electronic items, devices or equipment, at your home.
The backup power source is actually a battery. The home UPS/inverter “inverts” DC power from the battery into the AC power supply to connected loads. Hence, the name inverter. Specifically, a home inverter is the application of inverter technology to home use.
Home Inverter for Lights and Fans
Home inverters are sufficient for ensuring the continuous running of loads such as lights and fans at homes. These loads can withstand the “somewhat slower” switching to battery source in home inverters when mains fails.
A fan in motion continues to rotate because of its momentum when the mains supply fails and while the battery power from the inverter kicks in after a few milliseconds. Similarly, the human eye cannot detect when fluorescent tube lights stop flickering during the few milliseconds of transfer time to the battery.
Home UPS for Computers and Routers
The traditional home inverter with the slower transfer to the battery will not be useful in providing a seamless backup for sensitive electronic loads such as computers and routers at homes. These loads switch off instantly if the power supply is lost. Fortunately, they have “switched-mode power supplies” (SMPS) inside them which keep these devices running for a few milliseconds longer after the power supply is lost.
Unfortunately, the traditional home inverter does not switch to the battery before the “hold-up time” of SMPS is over. A home UPS that offers near-instantaneous transfer to the battery is the answer.
Another key difference between the home inverter and the home UPS is that the latter also conditions the input mains supply using an automatic voltage regulator (AVR) before supplying to the sensitive electronic loads that computers and routers are.
Two-in-One Systems
The models that we offer are both a home UPS and inverter. A toggle switch on the backside of the unit allows you to select the appropriate mode depending on whether you are using your computer and router or not.
You select the UPS mode when you are using your computer or router. But this mode usually results in power losses inside the equipment and an increased electricity bill.
On the contrary, the inverter mode bypasses the AVR and connects the mains directly to the loads. As this does not increase your electricity bill, it is commonly known as the eco mode.
The models that we offer provide you with this much-needed flexibility!