Difference between Inverter and Auto Batteries

What is the difference between Inverter and Automotive Batteries? This is a common question and most of the mechanics, battery dealers and inverter dealers are unable to answer it satisfactorily. To answer the question – there is a sea of difference between the two, batteries made for cars and trucks and batteries made for inverters, UPS or such power backup solutions.

To understand the basic difference, you will need to understand the usage of the two types of batteries; Auto Batteries and Inverter Batteries. Auto Batteries the batteries used for cars, buses and trucks are batteries designed and build to provide a very large amount of current for a very short period of time, usually just for a few seconds to crank the engine. The sole purpose of the Auto Battery is to crank the vehicle’s engine, once the engine is running, the alternator in the vehicle takes care of all of the power needs of the vehicle and also quickly charges the battery back to its full potential.

On the other hand, Inverter batteries are designed to provide a small amount of current consistently for longer durations of time. All the backup power solutions, Inverters and UPS, function by converting the DC current into AC current because all of our electric appliances run on AC power. The Inverter or UPS batteries provide the DC current over extended periods for these devices to convert into AC power. To achieve this, the Inverter or UPS batteries are discharged over a much longer time to much lower potential as compared to Auto batteries. That is why, UPS and Inverter batteries are also known as deep Cycle batteries.

To achieve the above, the design of the two types of batteries differ considerably. The automotive batteries consist of large number of thin plates. This provides a large surface area of plates to react with the electrolyte to produce higher amount of current quickly. The Inverter Batteries whereas consist of lower number of plates which are much thinker as compared to auto batteries. The electrolyte volume of the inverter batteries is also more to prolong the chemical reaction to produce current. This enables Inverter Batteries to provide a consistent amount of current for extended periods.

So next time you are out buying new batteries for your Inverter or UPS, make sure you buy the correct type. Incorrect type of battery may not provide the desired backup time. More so, use to automotive batteries for inverters will reduce the battery life considerably.

For any questions or further information feel free to leave a comment or email us. 

The post Difference between Inverter and Automotive Batteries first appeared on United Auto Centre.

What are power Inverters?

Inverters are devices used to provide standby source of AC power for critical or essential loads when the normal utility power supply is not available.

How do Inverters work?

An inverter produces an un-interrupted 220 V AC supply by converting DC current from a battery to AC current. In the basic design of the home inverter a DC (battery) source is connected to a transformer through the center tap of the primary winding. A switch is rapidly switched back and forth to allow current to flow back to the battery following two alternate paths through one end of the primary winding and then the other. The alternation of the direction of current in the primary winding of the transformer produces alternating current (AC) in the secondary circuit.

Types of Power Inverters

Based on the output wave forms, there are three types of Inverters. These are Sine wave, Modified Sine wave and Square wave inverters.

Square Wave inverters

This is the simplest form of output wave available in the cheapest form of inverters. They can run simple appliances without problems but not much else.Square wave voltage can be easily generated using a simple oscillator. With the help of a transformer, the generated square wave voltage can be transformed into a value of 230 volt AC or higher.

Modified Sine wave or Quasi Sine wave Inverters

Modified sine wave is designed to simulate a sine wave since the generation of sine wave is expensive. This waveform consists of a Flat Plateau of positive voltage, dropping abruptly to zero for a short period, then dropping again to a flat plateau of negative voltage. It then go back to zero again and returning to positive. This short pause at zero volts gives more power to 50 Hz fundamental frequency of AC than the simple square wave.
Inverters providing modified sine wave can adequately power most house hold appliances. It is more economical but may present certain problems with appliances like microwave ovens, laser printers, digital clocks and some music systems. 99% of appliances run happily in modified sine wave.

Sine Wave Inverters

The sine wave is the AC waveform we get from the domestic lines and from the generator. The major advantage of sine wave inverter is that all of the house hold appliances are designed to operate in sine wave AC. Another advantage is that the sine wave is a form of soft temporal rise voltage and it lacks harmonic oscillations which can cause unwanted counter forces on engines, interference on radio equipment and surge current on condensers.
It is expensive to generate sine wave in an inverter thus pure Sine wave inverters are usually much more expensive than other two types.

Home inverters come in a variety of models depending on their waveform output, load capacity as in the output power they will supply. Email us or Whatsapp us for more information or help to choose the right inverter for your home or office

The post Inverters – How do they work? first appeared on United Auto Centre.