Choosing the Right Inverter - What to Look for in a Good Inverter

Inverter sellers were few before now, in Nigeria. So were the available inverter brands. Not anymore.

Now inverters are better known in Nigeria and selling inverters has become an attractive business opportunity. As a result, many inverter sellers are emerging. More importantly, more inverter brands are coming into the market.

With more inverter brands and inverter sellers, issues of quality and performance may become more pertinent. Getting value for money may not be taken for granted, because new, untested brands will still need to prove themselves. Inverters entail a sizable investment of funds and it’s only sensible to be sure that such huge investment will pay off.

Key Factors in Choosing a Good Inverter

When you need a reliable inverter system, it’s important you search out a reputable inverter dealer/installer, particularly one that is marketing a top-performing inverter brand. As with any product, all inverters are not born equal.

The basic engineering technology of inverters may be cut out, but each serious inverter manufacturer introduces proprietary features that bring some uniqueness to their product, Like the PWM-based MOSFET technology. When looking for a quality inverter, you must pay attention to the special technology that drives the product.

Some inverters use MOSFET switching with Pulse Width Modulation controls, for highly regulated voltage and superior performance. They also introduce other techniques that ensure performance optimality as well as protection for the inverter and its battery bank. Some of which are:

Fast mains power sensing circuit - with this, the switching speed is so fast that no break is noticeable when power fails.

Battery bank protection - batteries are central to the performance of the inverter and a substantial part of the set-up cost goes into batteries.

Some battery protection systems are based on their CCCV (constant current constant voltage) charging system that ensures regulated voltage to protect the battery plates, extend battery life and give optimal delivery. Using silicon controlled rectifier technology believed to be the best for battery chargers, constant charging and minimum power consumption are achieved.

Some inverters are also built with low battery/deep discharge protection to prevent low discharge that can damage the battery bank. There may be an inbuilt battery overcharge protection, too.

Battery overcharge corrodes battery plates, shortening the life span of batteries exposed to overcharge. Further protection for the all-important battery bank is by way of reverse battery protection, such that disconnection of the battery negative to inverter positive, for instance, will not damage the inverter. That’s a lot of battery protection, really.

Inverter overload protection – Some inverters have an overload prevention mechanism with auto-resetting system. Rather than harm he equipment, any overload will result in a warning, a temporary switch-off and restarting and this continues till action is taken to reduce the load.

Short circuit protection – any short-circuiting in the wiring system could damage equipment. Some inverters have inbuilt short-circuit protection to safeguard itself. What’s more, any appliance connected to them is similarly protected.

Some inverters deliver stepped sine wave power of 50Hz, giving no humming in tube lights and equipment and ensuring safety of the gadgets. Transistor inverters produce square wave power that not only gives the humming sound but shortens the life span of appliances.

So back to the question:

Do all inverter brands deliver quality performance and the durability the buyer expects?

Obviously, all products will not deliver equal performance. Many users have learnt the hard way that not every inverter will prove a good investment of scarce resources. The wisdom is to choose carefully.

Here are additional points to consider in deciding which inverter marketers to approach when you need an inverter:

Is there verifiable information about the inverter brand(s) the inverter dealer is offering you, especially as proof of product performance in use?

If you can’t find independent, satisfactory information on the product, it may be sensible to steer clear of such inverter distributor.

Are there happy users you can verify with? Any serious seller will have a few names that can be mentioned. While privacy of customers will be important to the seller, they’ll possibly have the permission of some to mention their names. Can the use of any of them be traced back to a number of years of stable service?

Does the inverter seller offer you guaranteed product support? Some products may not be well-supported and you are sure to find relics of irreparable inverter products that people mistakenly threw money into. If you can’t get maintenance when needed, that’s not the best product to buy.

Is there any warranty offered by this seller and is this documented? Besides, does the warranty sound solid, especially backed by the manufacturer. For any guarantee, the value is as good as the capacity of the guarantor. If the warranty is not supported by the capacity to meet its obligations if and when the need arises, it’s as good as no warranty. Ensure you know what you’re getting and that it’s of value.

This are a couple of things to have in mind when trying to purchase an inverter and indeed any other power product. I hope this piece has been useful? Please kindly forward any Please feel free to send in your articles, comments, suggestions, or requests to: omnibuscompany@yahoo.com or call us on: +2348185000488

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AMARON QUANTA

Amaron Quanta Batteries :
12V - 18AH @ 22,000
12V - 26AH @ 26,000
12V - 42 AH @ 33,500
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12V - 100 AH @ 60,000
12V - 120 AH @ 65,000
12V - 200 AH @ 110,000
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