UPS or Inverter : Which is Better for Home and Office Use

July 29, 2020

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The present state of power supply in some African country lies on a very thin line, narrow and shallow, which is why most organizations, company, groups and persons look for way to better their personal issues of power outages and unavailability of electricity. In order to solve this issue generator UPS or Inverter are invested on.

Although, Uninterrupted power supply (UPS) and inverter shares some common ground on the basis of their functionality where they both provides back up power supplies during main power outage, however, they actually differ in their circuitry, and functions.

Due to the fact that the Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) and inverters both provides backup to deliver electric power, they are often confused for each other or it makes it hard to conclude which is better or best suitable for consumer’s use. However, this article will bring us a clarity picture of the two power electronic devices.

What Is an Inverter?

An Inverter is an electronic gadget which is used to provide supply by converting direct current (DC) into alternating curren (AC). Inverter then pass the current supply from the AC source to charges the attached battery. During the power cut, the inverter receives the supply from the battery and provides the power supply to the electrical equipment.

Types of Inverter

There are two types of Inverters, they includes Stand Alone and Grid Tie Inverter.

Stand Alone inverter, also known as off-grid inverter is designed for remote stand-alone application or with battery backup. This inverter draws its DC power from batteries charged by PV array and converts to AC power. Thatis, a charge controller sends DC power to a battery bank, then an inverter converts the DC to AC for the home. Stand-alone inverters provide variety of size and output waveform depending on your applications. It is available with three basic power output waveforms: square wave, modified square wave (sometimes called modified sine wave), and pure sine wave

Grid Tie Inverter is designed for connected application that does not require battery backup system. Hence the DC power goes straight to the inverter, and then to the home as AC. Excess AC power is sent “backwards” through a special two-way net meter, and out to the power grid for others to use. Your meter runs forward or backwards depending on if you are buying or selling power at the time.

A UPS however is a more sophisticated device with a wider range of functions – actually, a UPS uses an inverter as one of its internal components.

What is a UPS

A UPS is an energy storage device which provides immediate backup power source when there is a power failure of the primary power source. It also protects the system from power surges. In a nutshell, a UPS is the combination of inverter, battery and converter.

There are three types of UPS, they include; Offline Standby UPS, Line-interactive UPS, Online/Double Conversion UPS.

Types of UPS

Offline UPS is the simplest and least expensive type of UPS, but it offers only the most basic features, such as surge and spike protection.

The Line-interactive UPS however offers a greater level of voltage stabilization and power conditioning. It has variable voltage transformer which helps monitor the voltage level and balances under and over voltages.

Finally, the Online/Double Conversion UPS offers the highest level of protection for your equipment. This UPS converts power from AC to DC and then back to AC. Double conversion topology UPS systems are designed for high-end systems, corporate servers, lab equipment and other critical or sensitive electronic device.

Difference Between UPS and Inverter

	UPS	Inverter
Definition	The UPS is an electrical device that provides power to the load when the main power fails.	The inverter converts direct current (DC) into alternating curren (AC).
Function	Store power supply to back up equipment during power failure without interruption.	Convert AC power to DC power and stores in the battery to be converted back into AC for final use during power failure
Switch over	Immediate	Takes time
Backup	Electricity	Electronic power
Power supply	Up to 30 minutes	Hours depending on its capacity
Types	Offline, Online, Line interruptive or Standby UPS.	Stand Alone and Grid Tie Inverter.
Connection	Directly connected to the appliances.	It is connected to the battery to save current before it is passed to appliances or home at large.
Energy storage	No internal battery	It comes with a built-in battery to store energy.
Cost	More Expensive	Less Expensive
Circuit	Inverter and Controller	Battery
Maintenance	Low maintenance level	High maintenance Level
Protection	voltage fluctuation, under voltage, over voltage, spikes and Power failure	Power failure
Battery	In-built sealed maintenance free (SMF) battery	Atach Dry cell or tubular battery

Which is Better UPS or Inverter for Home and Offices

Generally, a UPS is more efficient as compared to the inverter. The UPS provides the electric backup to the appliances without delay and fluctuation. However, both devices have their strength and weaknesses. Just like a UPS, an inverter can also be used as backup power supplies when combined with an energy storage system, hence, there is need to consider the factors surrounding both devices before deciding which is better and best for your home or office use.

Where to Buy UPS or Inverter in Nigeria

There is a wide market for the sells of both UPS or Inverter in Nigeria. Visit Kara Online store to choose from our varieties at affordable prices. Choose your preferred brand from our wide range of trustworthy brands like Mercury, APC, Luminous, Sukam, Prag, Eaton, Qasa, Bluegate, Sanyo, Soelix, Kstar, and more. Enjoy payment of cash on delivery when you shop for your Paper shredder at Kara store. We also have available in our store any type of inverter or UPS for your preference. Buy now and enjoy our quick delivery policy of 1-3 days delivery.