Inverters are an important part of every modern household these days. They provide backup power when there is an outage. And you simply cannot live without backup power, given how important appliances like ACs, fans, lights and refrigerators are for a comfortable experience. But apart from buying an inverter, you need to do inverter battery maintenance as well to make sure that the device is working properly. Here are some tips you can follow if you are wondering how do you maintain an inverter.
Maintenance Tips for Inverter Battery
1. Check Battery Health When It is Fully Charged
If you don’t know how to check inverter battery health, you can skip this step. But if you are conducting an inverter battery maintenance check, it is vital that you do it when the battery is fully charged. Make sure that the battery was connected for at least 10-15 hours to get charged and before examining the health, remove the inverter from the front panel as well as the wall socket.
2. Clean The Battery Terminals Regularly
Inverter battery produces lead sulphate during normal operation. Lead sulphate gets deposited on the battery terminals and can reduce the electrical conductivity of your inverter. It deters current flow from the inverter and the machine becomes less efficient over time if it isn’t cleaned properly with warm water and a nylon brush.
3. Check The Acid Level Regularly
In a lead-acid battery, one of the two most important things besides lead is the acid. The float indicators in the inverter depict the acid level inside it, and for the proper functioning of the inverter, it is necessary that the acid level remains equal in all the cells. If the level is less in any float indicator, top it up with distilled water. Make sure that you don’t overflow the indicator with excess acid as well. Acid colour also indicates the health of the inverter, and if your acid comes out colourless after opening the vent, the inverter is working fine. But if it comes out brown or black in colour, the battery might be contaminated or nearing the end of its life.
Also Read: 6 Horrible Mistakes You Can Make While Buying a Branded Inverter
4. Store The Inverter in an Airy Space
An inverter can generate a lot of heat while operating and this heat can be the cause of its downfall. While installing an inverter at home, make sure that it is placed in an airy space with lots of room for the heat to dissipate, so that it doesn’t harm the functioning of the inverter.
5. Keep The Battery Surface Clean
Accumulation of dirt or dust on the battery surface can also hinder electricity conduction from the inverter to the converter. It can deposit on the terminals and disrupt the power flow, so try to keep the battery surface clean as much as you can.
6. Use The Inverter Regularly
The inverter should be used regularly to maintain the charge. It is recommended to discharge the inverter battery once a month at least. Even if there is no power cut for a whole month, try to use the appliances on the inverter battery and discharge it completely.
Also Read: A Simple Guide to Smart Inverter Technology
7. Maintain Wire Health
While the battery is the most important part of the inverter, you shouldn’t ignore the wiring as well. Crimp, broken, or damaged wire can not only decrease the efficiency of the inverter, but also lead to accidents like short-circuits and fires. Inspect and maintain wire health regularly.
Also Read: How to Decide on The Most Suitable Location for Your Inverter
All in all, inverter battery maintenance is an important part of the device lifecycle. While it might be a largely overlooked device in the house whose only job is to keep some of the appliances running during a power outage, it requires maintenance from time to time so that it can perform at its optimum. Hence, follow the above maintenance tips to get the most out of your inverter.