Even the most developed countries like the USA faces inevitable and intermittent power cuts. The worst thing is that they occur unannounced, which is why it’s better to be ready for them instead of tolerating the discomfort.
And it’s not just homes that suffer from the inconvenience of power outages. You, at the most, will feel hot and uncomfortable without power and the ability to switch on fans or HVAC systems. Your mobile phone and laptop may work for a while if the battery is fully charged.
However, things get worse in industries.
A few hours of downtime can lead to at least thousands in losses to a businessperson. This is for a few hours of power loss. So imagine if there’s at least one power cut in a month or two. Can you imagine how much you stand to lose in a year?
There’s a grimmer picture if there’s no electricity because of some natural calamity. You may end up without power for an entire day or two, which leads to a massive toll on any business.
There, however, is a solution to prevent all this inconvenience.
And that lies in investing in industrial power inverters.
Of course, industrial power inverters may be a substantial initial investment. However, it’s well worth it, considering the amount of downtime that’s avoided.
It’s always better to follow a regular maintenance program for the inverters. Most inverter manufacturers like Exeltech offer a routine maintenance program for all their inverters. They send their professionals over to your place at least twice a year to check and repair or replace any required parts.
Some manufacturers offer a free first-year service program while you may have to pay for maintenance with other manufacturers. It’s worth the investment, considering the number of problems it can help prevent.
These problems may require extensive repairs or replacements, which end up being much more expensive than the maintenance costs.
Common problems with inverters
Some common problems you can expect from industrial power inverters are:
1. Inverter not switching on
This may be due to loose battery terminals, discharged inverter battery, or faulty power switch. The solution lies in repairing or replacing the power switch, charging, and in some cases, even replacing the battery. If it’s loose battery terminals, they have to be checked for rust or corrosion and clamped tightly.
2. Emits continuous alarm sounds
The alarm may continuously blare if there’s an overload. The solution here lies in disconnecting unnecessary devices that are an extra burden. Sometimes the inverter starts blaring or shuts down if the inverter isn’t running correctly.
Cleaning the fan usually resolves the problem.
3. Incorrect codes on the LCD
If the inverter’s LCD shows incorrect codes, it’s usually due to circuit problems or external problems like faulty wires and cables or extra load.
4. Low backup power
If you notice the inverter has a short backup time, it may be due to:
- Excessive power consumption
- Incorrect battery charging
- Low electrolyte levels.
The solution lies in removing extra loads, charging the battery for a few hours, and refilling battery water.
5. The battery doesn’t charge
The inverter will not provide any emergency power if the battery isn’t charged to the total capacity. So it’s essential to ensure the battery charges all the time. If it doesn’t, it may be due to a dead battery, melted fuses, loose connections, or burnt rectifiers.
Cleaning the corroded terminals, tightening the connections, changing fuses, and replacing the battery provide solutions to all the problems.
6. Unnecessary noises
It’s okay for industrial power inverters to make some noise when in use. However, if you notice that it is making more noise than usual, it’s due to dust and debris on the fan.
Cleaning the fan is the quickest and easiest solution to the problem. However, if the noise persists after cleaning the fan, you may have to change the fan.
So you see, regular maintenance could avoid most of the different problems mentioned above. A regular maintenance schedule involves cleaning parts, removing rust, and charging batteries, which together help prolong your inverter life. And with time, prevents the unnecessary expense of repairing and replacing parts.
