[R2D2]

Originally Posted by gpa

I checked the battery this morning after it was at rest for over 24 hours and measured a static volts of 12.42 V and temperature of 26° C. This confirmed that after 4 years of low-moderate usage, the is about 80%.

You're probably looking at a failing battery. Do go in for a tall tubular battery next time. They are able to withstand more charge/discharge cycles and depth of discharge compared to normal flat plate models. That makes them last longer. My Exide batteries are over 8 years old now and still going pretty strong. Naturally they're showing some signs of wear but can take the normal load quite happily.

[gpa]

Originally Posted by R2D2

You're probably looking at a failing battery. Do go in for a tall tubular battery next time.

Thank you, for your insight R2D2. You are right - this is a failed battery. Since my last update to this thread, the temperature started to steadily increase and hit 39.5° C when the ambient temperature inside the house is 24°-25° C. As soon the temperature touched 35° C, I noticed that the inverter switched-on its charging and continued to stay on for more than 12 hours which indicated that the battery is not accepting charge and therefore needed a replacement.

I replaced the battery setup as of last evening and will post the details here soon.

Originally Posted by R2D2

My Exide batteries are over 8 years old now and still going pretty strong. Naturally they're showing some signs of wear but can take the normal load quite happily.

This is phenomenal life for the battery. I have read your posts earlier on this thread on your stringent maintenance regimen, which is probably the secret to the longevity of the battery

Unfortunately, in my case, there is a restriction in space and how a battery can be placed so while I would like to install a tall tubular battery, I had to settle for a short tubular battery instead of the flat plate battery I had earlier.

[gpa]

Originally Posted by gpa

Charging woes of inverter

Update - Battery Replaced

Since my last update to this thread a few days ago, the temperature of the battery started to steadily increase and hit 39.5° C when the ambient temperature inside the house is 24°-25° C. As soon the temperature touched 35° C, I noticed that the inverter switched-on its charging and continued to stay on for more than 12 hours which indicated that the battery is not accepting charge and therefore needed a replacement.

Reading on this forum and with the experience of having short tubular batteries at the residence of my folks, I decided I would go for the same. I called the store where I purchased this inverter and battery back in May 2017 and asked if he had the Exide Invamaster (IMST1500) 150 AH battery in stock and he said he only had the Exide flat-plate range of batteries but was pushing Powerzone and Livfast. I definitely didn't want Powerzone after my current experience and Livfast was a new brand and while the specs were promising on paper, I didn't know what the real-world performance would be like and hence insisted on Exide. Does anyone on this forum have experience with Livfast?

I wanted an upgrade from the current 120 AH battery to a 150 AH and so decided to try batterybhai.com. I checked the website and found the Exide Invamaster being in stock and hence ordered it paying INR 11799 with exchange for the old battery. Placed the other at 1:30 PM and they were helpful to sort out some payment gateway issues as well. I got a call around 2:30 PM from a dealer who arrived at 4:00 PM with the battery. The battery had a manufacturing month of November 2020 and he said owing to the lockdown, stocks were not moving since the past few months but assured me I would have nothing to worry about.

Specs of The Exide Invamaster
Suitable for Deep Discharge and rated for 1000 Cycles @ 80% DOD

Warranty: 54 Months (36 Months Free Of Cost + 18 Months Pro Rata)

He connected the battery for the inverter, removed the caps and installed the float caps. He said the new battery would take a few hours to charge and depending on the power outage duration and loads used, I would need to check the distilled water every 3-6 months. Overall, it was a smooth experience from order to delivery - he left in 20 mins after handing over a bill and the warranty card. After he left, I noticed that the floats on two of the cells were low which he missed checking. I had a litre of distilled water and topped-up all the cells for the floats to indicate the 'full' mark. I would have ideally preferred an Exide tall tubular battery but due to space constraints where the inverter and batter is setup, I had to settle for a short tubular battery. I then logged-in to the Exide Warranty Registration site to complete the warranty registration.

Warranty Registration Complete


The inverter was on the 'charging mode' at 13.60 V from 4:30 PM till about 11:30 PM in the night after which it stopped. I checked the voltage at the terminals this morning and they were reading a steady 13.10 V with no load.

The inverter is the same Microtek 24x7 HB950 VA 760 Watts pure sine-wave inverter - though this particular model is now discontinued. This is the first time I'm using an Exide battery for an inverter. The load on the inverter is relatively low (rarely touches 200-300 W) and well within the 760 W the inverter is capable of handling and so am keen to see how long this batter lasts with regular maintenance.

[saket77]

Originally Posted by gpa

Update - Battery Replaced. I would have ideally preferred an Exide tall tubular battery but due to space constraints where the inverter and batter is setup, I had to settle for a short tubular battery.

I see that you’ve placed your battery inside the plastic inverter trolley. That trolley should ideally be able to accommodate a tall tubular battery as well. Did you check the dimensions before going for this battery? I’ve previously used insta brite flat plate/ short tubular from Exide 150AH and the performance was bad in terms of longevity. My in laws used the same and the result was same as well.
Then I shifted to tall battery last year and hopefully it will perform much better.

[gpa]

Originally Posted by saket77

I see that you’ve placed your battery inside the plastic inverter trolley. That trolley should ideally be able to accommodate a tall tubular battery as well.

Yes, I checked the dimensions and if you've noticed the top cover of this trolley doesn't fit where I place the battery hence it would not fit in my setup. Am hoping the short tubular battery gives longer life than the flate plate Exide range.

[Indian2003]

Originally Posted by gpa

Update - Battery Replaced

Do you have only 1 battery at home? What do you run on it? Dont you have power from the grid?

[Pferdestarke]

Guys, I've recently moved to a small town and started facing lots of power outages. So, decided to buy a good inverter. Please suggest a decent inverter and battery. 750VA should be more than enough based on my need.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by gpa

Update - Battery Replaced

It's good you bought a tubular this time. All other things being equal this one should last you longer than the previous one. The advantage with a tall tubular is it has more electrolyte which helps keep the battery cool and requires less frequent top ups. When my batteries were new I could go for 4-6 months, depending on the season/weather, before they required a top up. However, now with age they are consuming more water and require a top up every 2.5-3 months. But as long as they're functioning well I will not replace them. The 200 AH Exide inva-tubular are about 18K a piece after exchange of the old unit and I need 2 of them. So I'd like to postpone the expense till absolutely required.

Originally Posted by gpa

This is phenomenal life for the battery. I have read your posts earlier on this thread on your stringent maintenance regimen, which is probably the secret to the longevity of the battery

Yes, I am particular about the maintenance regime and encourage all lead acid flooded battery owners, whether automotive or other type, to be prompt in this aspect. This the SINGLE most important and cheapest method to extend life and performance of your batteries. No battery lasts forever. However you can preserve its lifespan by maintaining it. Just check 3 things regularly:

a) Voltage and charge:. You could buy a decent clamp meter to measure the charge and volts. Most Exide tubular batteries require about 13.6-13.7 v float voltage. Check the manual and ensure your inverter isn't overcharging it. Some inverter sets have a setting to select flat plate or tubular. Set it to tubular. Flat plate sets require a slightly lower float charge voltage.

b) Electrolyte levels: - Buy lots of DW or de-ionised water. When I mean lots I mean it. Some of these batteries have large capacities...my set uses 2-3 litres, about 1 to 1.5 litres each battery, for every quarterly top up. Of course these are 200 AH tall tubulars (total electrolyte volume is ~20 litres ) so they require more water. I buy a few 10 litre jerry cans from a trusted manufacturer and store them at home. They last me a long time. Check float levels every month when the set is new and then once a pattern is established top up when the float drops to the lower red mark on the tube. Top up with DW/DI water till the electrolyte just touches the BOTTOM of the vent well/tube. Do not overfill (for e.g. to the top of the vent tube where the threads are) or it will create a mess. That gap between the electrolyte and top of the battery case is required for gas to vent.

c) Avoid unnecessary loads when the power cuts out. If you can switch off your high drain devices for e.g. a large flat screen TV so much the better

PS Some retailers can offer a battery maintenance service. They send a chap over every few months. Sign up for an annual contract if you are unable or too busy to do this DIY. It's a worthwhile investment.

[gpa]

Originally Posted by R2D2

However you can preserve its lifespan by maintaining it. Just check 3 things regularly:

a) Voltage and charge: Most Exide tubular batteries require about 13.6-13.7 v float voltage. Check the manual and ensure your inverter isn't overcharging it. Some inverter sets have a setting to select flat plate or tubular. Set it to tubular. Flat plate sets require a slightly lower float charge voltage.

c) Avoid unnecessary loads when the power cuts out. If you can switch off your high drain devices for e.g. a large flat screen TV so much the better.

Thanks, for your inputs R2D2. I checked my inverter manual which specifies these two modes - STD for flat plate and local batteries and HIGH for tubular and tall tubular batteries. However, I have measured the voltage of my inverter when charging is 13.6 V and the setting is at STD, so I think it makes sense to continue with this setting. When completely charged, the voltage is 13.10 V (which I'm assuming is the float voltage). I'm wondering if I should flip the switch to HIGH which will mean higher charging and float voltages?

Usually, the loads are moderate on the inverter when in use, but I will keep in mind to turn off non-essential high loads.

Originally Posted by R2D2

Some retailers can offer a battery maintenance service. They send a chap over every few months. Sign up for an annual contract if you are unable or too busy to do this DIY. It's a worthwhile investment.

I'm very much a DIY-er and love projects around the house and vehicles so I will be taking care of these batteries myself.

[gischethans]

1. How important is it to choose the right battery type in the switch behind the inverter? What difference does it make? Mine was set to flat (we had a flat plate till two days ago) and now it is Tubular. I didn't remember the existence of this button when I replaced the battery. My question is since the inverter is not providing me with any backup with the new battery. It shuts off stating low battery. It did charge fully (the charging indicator light was on for few hours) with the flat plate battery setting two days ago and we experienced a power cut only today. Now the charging indicator blinks once and goes off on power restoration.
2. My other doubt is w.r.t. square wave Vs. sine wave inverters. Back in 2018, due to our limited knowledge, the installer made the inverter choice (a Luminous Eco Watt+ 850) who mentioned that these are rugged compared to sine wave inverters for smaller towns/rural areas that are bound to face voltage fluctuations. Is this correct?

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by gischethans

1. How important is it to choose the right battery type in the switch behind the inverter? What difference does it make? Mine was set to flat (we had a flat plate till two days ago) and now it is Tubular. I didn't remember the existence of this button when I replaced the battery. My question is since the inverter is not providing me with any backup with the new battery. It shuts off stating low battery. It did charge fully (the charging indicator light was on for few hours) with the flat plate battery setting two days ago and we experienced a power cut only today. Now the charging indicator blinks once and goes off on power restoration.

That switch only lowers the float voltage slightly for flat batteries. Your battery should charge no matter what setting it is on. If you have a low battery indicator it's because you need to give it time to charge. Depending on the batt , charge level when delivered and inverter charging rate it could take 12-48 hours to be ready for use. Ideally your dealer should have charged the battery fully, if not to at least 80%, and only then delivered it. If you still face problems after 1-2 days call your dealer and have him check the inverter charging voltage.

2. My other doubt is w.r.t. square wave Vs. sine wave inverters. Back in 2018, due to our limited knowledge, the installer made the inverter choice (a Luminous Eco Watt+ 850) who mentioned that these are rugged compared to sine wave inverters for smaller towns/rural areas that are bound to face voltage fluctuations. Is this correct?

Sine wave vs square wave model has no bearing on reliability. Any appliance's circuits MAY go out of whack if input mains voltage fluctuates too much. However newer inverter models have wider operating range and more tolerant to this issue.

[R2D2]

A quick update on my now ancient Exide Inva tubular 200 AH batteries. As you guys may be aware they turned 8 in Apr so now all these years later they're showing signs of age:

a) Earlier I used to top up the water every 3 months, now it drops to the minimum level on those flats in about 2-2.5 months even during the pleasant Pune monsoon season

b) As a corollary of a) above, it's obvious water consumption has gone up by

c) A black-brown greasy substance that started coating the level floats and which also floats on the surface of the electrolyte is increasing in quantity


So far no funny behaviour other than this. It takes the normal residential load and the inverter does not trip. Charging float voltage for these 2 in-series batteries has been a steady 27.4V all these years. Perfect. So, the 'grease' isn't due to overcharging for sure.

A replacement must be budgeted for within the next 6 months, this is my guess. I don't believe they'll be around the summer of '22 but I am willing to be pleasantly surprised. All in all, it's has been an excellent ownership experience with these Exide Invatubular batteries. This particular product has exceeded my expectations by a large margin already. Kudos Exide, if only your car batteries were made to this standard.

[Leoshashi]

Hey guys, kindly recommend a well built battery and inverter stand. Should be able to accommodate tall tubular battery with ease. Also I'd prefer ones which are not entirely closed from all sides.

[gpa]

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

Hey guys, kindly recommend a well built battery and inverter stand. Should be able to accommodate tall tubular battery with ease. Also I'd prefer ones which are not entirely closed from all sides.

Hi Leoshashi, based on responses on this thread, I would recommend the Exide Invatubular range. You can choose the capacity based on your needs. Typically, the inverter stands that come with inverter batteries are closed from all sides, so you can try going to a neighborhood fabricator to see if he can build one to your spec.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

Hey guys, kindly recommend a well built battery and inverter stand. Should be able to accommodate tall tubular battery with ease. Also I'd prefer ones which are not entirely closed from all sides.

If you have a separate installation area for the inverter kit, which I suspect you do, my recommendation is not store batteries in an enclosure or on a stand and keep them on the floor on a plastic tray. Enclosed cabinets are not my recommendation and glad you don't want one of those. Visible batteries can be an eye sore but I'd rather trust Mother Earth than a man-made stand when placing a battery that weighs 55-70 kg depending on the capacity and type of battery of course.

PS - If you're also looking for a new battery my recommendation in post 1557