6 Maintenance Tips For Inverter Batteries For Longer Life

Inverter batteries have to be some of the most vital components for your house, after all, they hold the power to run your appliances during a power outage. While modern batteries do last quite long, if we take good care of them, they’ll last even longer.

The longer these inverter batteries last, the more money we save in the long run, as there will be fewer frequent changes. In this article, we dive deep into 6 tips to maximise the lifespan of your inverter batteries so that you can make the most out of them. Let’s not waste any more time and get started.

1.    Proper Installation

Firstly, you need to make sure that the inverter batteries are installed correctly. The battery generates a lot of heat when it runs, and overheating can cause the acids to discharge, which can affect the lifespan of the battery by leaps and bounds and can even cause potential fire outbreaks.

To avoid this, it is always advised to place your batteries in a cool and ventilated place; this place should be free from any kind of sunlight and direct heat. This would greatly increase the lifespan of the battery as there’s no chance of internal damage.

2.    Regular Maintenance

But even after you have installed it in a place where it is well ventilated, you need to check up on your inverter batteries regularly. It can be once a week, or a month, or every single day. Regardless of the frequency, it is extremely important to make sure that you check up on your battery.

Regular maintenance makes sure that you can detect any anomaly early on. For example, dust can accumulate, which would again start the cycle of overheating. Simply wiping the battery with a cloth can save you hundreds and thousands. You can also detect leaks and check the terminals in case of some other fault.

3.    Choose the Correct Inverter

It’s not just the battery, but also the inverter. Choosing an inverter that is compatible with the battery is extremely important. Not choosing the right inverter, which is compatible with your battery, can be a big mistake, as it could damage the battery.

To do this, check the back of the inverter and then the battery rating, make sure both the Ah and V numbers align. If they’re not, it can cause overcharging or undercharging, which has the potential to damage your battery.

4.    Monitoring Water Levels

Monitor the distilled water levels in the battery cells to prolong the life of your inverter battery. This is especially critical for lead-acid inverter batteries, the most prevalent type. Flat lead plates are immersed in water and sulphuric acid electrolyte in lead-acid batteries. Battery performance and lifespan depend on cell water level, which should be checked often.

But why? The water level determines the battery cell electrolyte, which is needed for chemical processes that generate energy. The water level should cover the lead plates without spilling. Low water levels expose lead plates to air, causing sulfation, corrosion, and battery capacity and efficiency loss. If the water level is too high, the electrolyte will dilute and leak, damaging the battery and the surroundings.

5.    Use a Voltage Regulator

A voltage regulator can help you avoid overcharging or undercharging your battery. This way, you can make sure you don’t accidentally overcharge or undercharge your battery, which could lead to undercharging it.

If you charge a battery too much, it can get too hot, gas up, or swell, which can make it leak, spill, or even explode. Overcharging can also make the battery weaker and less efficient, and it can cause more water to leak out and corrosion to happen. If you don’t charge your battery enough, it can freeze, sulphate, or stratify, which can diminish its capacity and efficiency and boost its internal resistance and voltage loss. Both of these can be avoided with a Voltage regulator.

6.    Check the Acid Level

Checking the acid level is an important component of keeping an inverter battery in good shape. For the battery to perform properly, the acid levels in each cell must be the same. To do it, check the float indicators.

Now, if you need to, open the float indicators and fill the battery with distilled water up to the limit that is given. Don’t fill the battery past the maximum given, as this could be risky for operations.

Next, check the colour of the acid by taking out the vent plugs and float indicators. A colourless acid means the battery is in good shape. If the acid is brown or black, it means it has to be replaced.

Conclusion

With these 6 tips, you can make sure that your battery leads a long and healthy life. By making sure your battery is in a well-ventilated area and kept clean and cool, and avoiding under or overcharging it, it can last you decades and save you a lot of money in the long run. Not just money, but it’s also quite convenient, as changing a battery now and then is a hassle.