Team-BHP - Inverter Batteries

Quote:

Originally Posted by hellmet (Post 3316979)

We tried to stick to the level between min and max but on a couple of cells it did slightly exceed the max "green" level. I hope that isn't an issue.

You are welcome, a slight level above the maximum is not the issue buy it should never be the reverse i.e below minimum. These simple DIY should be done be oneself imo, it not only save bucks but one also get to know about the tids bids of the machine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by carboy (Post 3349853)

As soon as the power goes off, within 1 minute my inverter shows Battery Low & I don't get any power. How do I figure out if the problem is with the inverter or with the battery?

You have to check both.
Check the battery first.

I had a similar problem and suspected the inverter first.
Then I sent the battery to the local dealer who used his heavy-duty charger for around 24 hours. Now the battery life is back to normal.

Quote:

Originally Posted by carboy (Post 3349853)

As soon as the power goes off, within 1 minute my inverter shows Battery Low & I don't get any power. How do I figure out if the problem is with the inverter or with the battery?

Battery is not charging. It can be either due to bad battery of bad charging circuit in the inverter. As suggested, get the battery checked. By the way have you checked the water level in the battery. I have had low water level and once topped up the battery regained its health.

Quote:

Originally Posted by OHCVtec (Post 3255616)

Hi, I need to replace my Exide Inverter Plus......

Also is battery bhai a reliable portal to buy the battery?

I had purchased my car battery from Battery Bhai last time around. Found them to be cost effective and reliable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twiny (Post 3202511)

I am looking for a Sinewave o/p UPS with internal battery for ~700-800w load.

Please let me know, if any comparable models out there for: APC SUA1500I

Just put a review out on Inverter purchase: :) http://www.mouthshut.com/review/APC-...iew-lnotssrpur

My 100 AH battery from Amaron conked off in around 2 years. The earlier Exide one had lasted for around 3 years. Both were regular batteries. Based on khoj's advice few pages back I am thinking of going for SMF battery this time and I want to buy Sukam as he suggests. (My Inverter is a 800 VA Microtek SineWave which is around 5 years old & seems to be going fine).

I got the local Sukam dealer number from their website & called him but he said he only stocks Sukam's Inverters & not Sukam Batteries. He gave me a quote of 9500Rs for an Amaron Quanta 100AH SMF battery in exchange for my old bad Amaron battery. Any opinion on if Amaron Quanta is good or bad and if the price is good?

Also, I called Sukam's 800 number and asked them where I can buy Sukam batteries & they said they will get back to me - so waiting for that also.

I called Luminous but they said they don't have SMF batteries (they have only very very low AH ones).

Khoj - any other suggestions for batteries?

Well, the Sukam SMFs have been withdrawn from the local market, though they are still being exported. I had to replace our inverter batteries sometime ago and had to settle for Amaron's "Current" model battery. It is a sealed battery but not a true SMF. May require a top up once in a year or two. IIRC it has been more than an year since I changed but have not bothered to look at them. The backup is par for the course.

As for Quanta. These are high quality batteries from Amaron and basically used in critical installations such as power banks in Railway signal switch rooms, MTNl, BSNL telephone exchanges and Data centres, civil and defence radar installations etc you get the picture. Have used them in our Bombay office and while they worked flawlessly for a very long time, but when their life was over they died instantly. Unlike other batts. There was no reduction in back up time etc. they just went off. Never topped them up and I do not think one could.

BTW these are not available in NCR at least I could not find them here. Buy the "current" model if significantly cheaper than the Quanta, if not then go with Q itself.

Quote:

Originally Posted by carboy (Post 3362828)

Khoj - any other suggestions for batteries?

Quote:

Originally Posted by khoj (Post 3364689)

As for Quanta. These are high quality batteries from Amaron and basically used in critical installations such as power banks in Railway signal switch rooms, MTNl, BSNL telephone exchanges and Data centres, civil and defence radar installations etc you get the picture. Have used them in our Bombay office and while they worked flawlessly for a very long time, but when their life was over they died instantly. .

Thanks for the reply, Khoj.

How much was the life of the Quanta? The dealer was saying it lasts only 2.5 years. I am Ok with the price quoted, but I am worried about life being only about 2.5 years. What about Exide SMFs - do you if they last longer? I had one 8 years back - that lasted only 2 years. I am wondering the their SMF technology has improved now.

2+ years sounds right. Quanta is basically meant for UPS application wherein the backup required is for a few minutes after which a redundant power supply source would take over. Keep that in mind when deciding.

Quote:

Originally Posted by carboy (Post 3364698)

Quanta was installed inside a closed airconditioned office premises and we never had an issue of fumes. The "Current" are installed in a trolley kept under the covered portion of our terrace and while I have not sniffed around as such, no unwanted fumes or smells have been mentioned by any one at home. In the office we are now using SMFs from "Komatsu", these are being imported and marketed by Elnova, no fumes here either but then not recommended for inverter duty.

"Current" from Amaron would be the best bet here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sebring (Post 3364699)

Hows it going with the Amaron battery? Dad's looking for one. Caught between luminous and this one. Are there fume free models which can be used indoors?

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Originally Posted by khoj (Post 3031702)

I am not surprised. It is only now that Exide has started to actually offer Automotive SMF batteries (Matrix), that too 'cause every other manufacturer has several offerings be it Amaron, AC Delco, Base, Rahima Farooz or even Inphynyt.

Inverter batteries are a different segment and practically the sheer size of the wet battery market far out numbers the SMF requirement so even if they do not offer a half decent product it really makes no difference to their sale numbers.

Traditionally Exide has never reacted proactively to changes in technology other than jugaad (they followed Microtek's lead in to tubular design). That however should not stop informed customers from stepping up and putting their decisions in favour of new technology that has stabilized itself over the last decade or so. In the end it is an individual decision whether to let a bad product effect future purchases or take a fresh look at stuff.

PS : Not boasting but just realized that at slightly over 5 years, the Sukam SMF batteries outlasted the regular Exide in your system and that too when I never looked at them ever or smelt them for that matter.

As for the battery dealers and distributors, they always promote the product with better margins. Per Sukam's marketing manager the margins on the SMF are negligible compared to the regular wet batteries and the dealers never really took to these. This was during my interactions with the gentleman while I was trying to get a couple of batteries to replace the dead ones. BTW I got 1200 bucks as the exchange price for each of the dead Sukam battery, so better returns there too.

Hi Khoj, based on this post of yours, I had decided on an SMF battery - however, after searching for 2 weeks, I am not able to find any.

- Su-kam as you have said no longer sell SMF in India
- I talked to both Exide & Amaron. They both have SMF, but both they say it will last for a maximum 2 to 2.5 years.

So what's your suggestion for a SMF battery for my inverter? Or do you think SMF is not the right solution for an inverter?

It is unfortunate that SMFs have not taken off in our market, if it were up to me I would not buy any other type.

However talking practically the best bet would be to get yourself the "Current" model from Amaron, that is the next best thing. IIRC I did mention that in one of my earlier posts, I am using the same in my home inverter set up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by carboy (Post 3375663)

So what's your suggestion for a SMF battery for my inverter? Or do you think SMF is not the right solution for an inverter?