Did you know that despite the important role inverters have in providing power during outages, they are still the most neglected electrical device?
And this negligence is the main reason why industrial power inverters fail when you need them the most. After investing so much on inverters, you need to spend some money and time on maintaining it so that it’s ready to provide energy when needed the most.
Read on to find out what other causes there are for the failure of inverters.
1. Improper installation
An improper installation of the inverter is another common cause of its failure. It could be because of not following the user manual recommendations or using the wrong cable type or line fuses. Checking and rectifying these mistakes will have your inverter up and running in no time at all.
2. Worn out capacitors
The electrolytic capacitors in modular inverters that provide a smooth power output come with a limited lifespan. This is because they tend to age faster than their dry components, leading to the inverter’s failure.
Besides, capacitors are built to be temperature sensitive. So any temperature above its safe operating temperature by perhaps high current reduces its life.
Regular maintenance that includes replacing worn-out capacitors like these can prevent unnecessary inverter failure.
3. Overuse
Over usage of inverters by choice, ignorance, or oversight are also possible causes for inverter bridge failure. The best way to avoid this unnecessary cause is by checking and ensuring inverters are run only as required, and not unnecessarily.
4. Over-voltage and current
All it takes is an increase in voltage or current to a level that the inverter is not built for, to lead to inverter failure. The increase leads to damaged device components like the inverter bridge.
And this damage is usually induced by the excess heat the voltage or current spike generates. While it’s possible to use fuses or circuit breakers to avoid over-current, it’s not easy to prevent over-voltage.
5. Ultrasonic vibrations
The mechanical stress induced to industrial power inverters through ultrasound vibrations is the last possible cause for inverter failure. These vibrations on its own cause enough damage to the inverter components.
So it’s not surprising that the unnecessary heat generated in the inverter only adds to the damage. As usual, the best way to prevent this is by regular inverter maintenance.
6. Loose or corroded connections
Loose or corroded electrical connections can also reduce the inverters’ working capacity. Cleaning the battery box terminals fuses and all inverter connections at least twice a year can help prevent this.
However it is very important that this cleaning is done correctly, and preferably by professionals. Improper cleaning can also end up causing more damage instead of the expected good.
For example, you will ideally have to do the cleaning using a wire brush to apply a grease dissolving agent to all the connections. Ensure that you apply a protective sealant on all battery terminals once you are done with your cleaning and maintenance. It keeps the connections secure and connected for a longer time.
Avoid using a grease-based protective coating because they only end up accumulating more dust. The dust not only quickly spoils the inverter connections but also covers any degradation during a visual inspection.
Leave maintenance to the professionals
With so much involved in the proper maintenance of inverters, it’s better to leave it to the professionals. Most inverter manufacturing companies like Exeltech offer their own maintenance programs.
According to a typical maintenance program, they send over their technicians once or twice a year, or more, as agreed. The technicians will check all the parts and connections and replace any parts that need to be replaced.
