Are standard inverters more efficient than solar panels? Find out here!

Have you ever been out of power for a few hours? Are you fed up with fuel scarcity? You know as well as I do that even if you’ve lived in Nigeria for a few days, you might have experienced the national grid collapse or an unexplainable blackout.

Every time I hear the news, it fills me with sadness, but all hope is not lost. There are ways we can protect ourselves and our environment, and one of those ways is to consider a solar-powered inverter or a standard inverter.

This not only saves you money, but it also reduces the amount of air pollution in our environment that generators can cause. Bear in mind that when choosing either of these, you have to consider your location and weather. The standard inverter might be your best option if you reside in the southern zone because the solar-powered inverter would need to be powered by electricity if you don't have enough sunlight to do so. This ultimately undermines the goal. The solar-powered inverter, however, will probably work for you if you reside in the northern region because of its semi-arid climate.

In order to make the best investment decision, you also need to take into account the following:

Where do they get their energy from?

Standard inverters use fuel, gasoline, or electricity as their source and supply electricity from it. The solar-powered inverter uses sunlight and electricity as its power source.

How long will they last?

The average lifespan of a solar-powered system is usually between 20 to 25 years, which means that you can enjoy a long return on your investment. The standard inverter has a life span of 10 to 15 years. However, they may require regular maintenance.

What appliances can each carry?

The appliances a solar-powered inverter can carry is solely dependent on the type and its features. You can run any appliance like an AC, washing machine, refrigerator, or water pump for any number of hours on a solar-powered inverter. A 1.5 kVA standard inverter can only carry regular appliances like fans, TV sets (LCD or Plasma), bulbs (energy-saving bulbs preferably), computers, and home theaters. The 1.5KVA does not carry fridges, irons, ACs, electric kettles, cookers, or washing machines.

What is the price range?

The price difference between the standard inverter and the solar-powered inverter is mostly reliant on the type of batteries. Although a standard inverter is cheaper than a solar-powered inverter.

You can check the price of the solar-powered inverter here and that of the standard inverter here.

What you should keep an eye out for in both

When purchasing an inverter, there are a few things to consider such as the brand and battery type. Among the top producing companies are:

• Luminous
• Blue gate
• Mercury Microtek

The 2 major types of batteries to take note of are:

• Wet cell batteries (these ones are renewable)
• Dry cell batteries (these ones are durable)

The main difference between the two is that wet cells gain power from the liquid electrolyte, while dry cells generate power through a slightly moist paste. They are also lighter in terms of weight, but also cost slightly more than wet cell batteries. Regardless of the type of battery you choose, a little bit of care is still required.

To learn more about the factors to consider before buying a solar-powered inverter, click here.

Which of these will you be going for? Let us know in the comment section.

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