“Solar energy is the most plentiful, accessible, and least expensive power source in the world.."
Choosing the right Solar Inverter is key if you want to have a worry-free time while enjoying your food at home.
Do you need a Solar Inverter and want to know which one is best?
If you just want to know what the Top 5 Solar Inverters in India are, you can find a summary on the table below.
If you are still not clear on what your needs or requirements are please, keep reading. I will guide you and help you understand what your requirements are and which are the best options to choose from.
The Top 5 Solar Inverters in India
Luminous Solar NXG 1800 inverter
Good value for price
Supports 2 batteries
Brainy Eco Solar HUPS 1100 12v Su Kam
Premium option
Supports 1 battery
Luminous Solar NXG 1400 inverter
Mid-premium option
Supports 1 battery
Short Buying Guide
What do you need to consider to choose the right solar inverter?
Your power requirements
First and most importantly, you need to understand what your power requirements are. Number and type of appliances you would like to have operating when there is a power cut.
Total wattage:
Every appliance has some power requirements which are expressed in Watts. The sum of all the watts that every appliance has is the total wattage.
The wattage required will tell you what type of inverter and battery you need.
VA rating of your inverter:
How do you find the VA rating of the UPS/inverter you need for my home?
You will learn how to calculate it on the more extensive buying guide below.
The Back up time:
How long do you want your appliances to work for?
Again, in this case you will probably have to take into consideration what battery and how many of them you connect to the inverter. Also, the batteries selection might influence what inverter you will need. The wattage required will tell you what type of inverter and battery you will need.
Solar inverter Vs. Regular inverter
Connecting the solar panels directly to a battery is not a good idea.
The solar panel could overcharge the battery. At full sun, a standard 12 v solar panel may output 17 v or more.
This is why solar inverters embody a charge controller. Standard or regular inverters do not.
Pulse-width modulators (PWM) are a type of solar charge controller that slowly reduces the charging current to avoid overheating the battery.
Can you convert a regular inverter to a solar inverter?
Yes, you can simply separately buy a charge controller.
Typical configuration with a regular inverter + charge controller:
Typical configuration with a solar inverter, the charge controller is included inside:
UPS Vs. Inverter
Even though UPS and Inverter are used by many people interchangeably, they are different!
Both serve the same purpose, transforming DC to AC and vice-versa. The main difference is that UPS starts operating faster when there is an electricity cut compared to an Inverter. UPS also has a built-in battery. In an inverter the battery needs to be purchased separately.
We are talking about milliseconds of difference between UPS and Inverter but there are appliances that might be affected by this small difference.
Simply put, UPS are more convenient for appliances like laptops, desktop computers, stereos and laser printers. You might damage the electronic components of the computer or lose the work you are working on if suddenly there is a cut. You can read my article on how to choose the right UPS for computer.
Many inverters include an UPS option, which narrows the operating voltage range of the inverter, making it safer for delicate electronic devices although it will still depend on an external battery.
How to calculate the number of solar panels required?
Once you know your total wattage and the inverter that you need (VA rating) you can calculate the number of solar panels required.
For a 12 v Photovoltaic system, if you need to load a 150 Ah battery every day and there are 8 hours of sunlight per day then you will need:
150 Ah x 12 V = 1800 Wh
1800 Wh / 8 h = 225 W of solar panels
It is recommended to overestimate your requirements by at least 20%, therefore you will need about 270 W of solar panels.
Typical solar panels in India have between 50 W and 375 W. So, in this example we would need 6 solar panels of 50 W or 1 panel of 375 W. Other combinations with panels of different Watts are also possible.
The table below shows as an example different configurations:
Inverter VA Rating | Solar battery | PV panel Watt | Panel connection combination | Roof top area required (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
300 VA | 120 Ah x 1 | 165 Wp x 1 | 1 | 20 sq. ft. |
500 VA | 120 Ah x 1 | 165 Wp x 2 | 2 (parallel) | 40 sq. ft. |
850 VA | 150 Ah x 1 | 165 Wp x 4 | 4 (parallel) | 80 sq. ft. |
1100 VA | 150 Ah x 1 | 165 Wp x 4 | 4 (parallel) | 80 sq. ft. |
1500 VA | 150 Ah x 2 | 325 Wp x 3 | 3 (parallel) | 100 sq. ft. |
Table based on information from the manufacturer Luminous.
Top 7 UPS Inverters for home use in India: models analysis.
1. Luminous Solar NXG 1100 inverter
The Luminous Solar NXG 1100 inverter is ideal for you if you are demanding, want to make sure you get the best inverter . At a good value for price.
The Luminous Solar NXG 1100 inverter is one of the most positively reviewed of its category. Being considered a good value for money and a reliable Inverter. It produces a Pure Sine Wave. It has a warranty of 24 months. It supports a wide battery range (Tubular, Flat Plate, VLRA) and it has an output of about 680 W (considering an efficiency of 80%).
It has an UPS option, ideal if you are connecting Personal Computers or sensitive appliances. The UPS mode operates in a narrower range of voltage between 180 v to 260 v. This means that there are higher chances for the UPS inverter to change to operation mode, in the case the voltage from the grid fluctuates. The default mode in any case is the ECO Mode. The ECO mode operates in a voltage window between 100 v to 290 v. When not connecting a computer you can operate in the ECO mode.
Luminous Power Technologies is a subsidiary of Schneider Electric, which is a French multinational corporation headquartered in Rueil-Malmaison, France. Luminous batteries provide the vast experience from an electrical group as Schneider, which spends importantly in R&D. Holding about 20000 patents.
Pros
Cons
The Microtek M-SUN Solar 1135 VA inverter is ideal for you if you are looking for a 12 v system with a higher VA ratio. At a good value for price.
What is better, the Luminous NXG 1100 or the Microtek M-SUN Solar 1135 VA?
The difference in price between the Luminous and the Microtek comes mainly from the VA difference. Having both models the similar features the Luminous has 850 VA and the Microtek 1135 VA (~900 W output). Another difference is that the charge controller from the Luminous supports 40 Amp and the one from the Microtek 35 Amp. Luminous claims to have a transfer time of <15ms and the Microtek <12ms. Additionally the Microtek comes with a LCD display which shows system status messages, the Luminous has not a LCD display.
LED display
- MAINS ON
- SOLAR ON:
- LED blinks when charging from Solar Panel.
- LED stays on when battery is charged by solar.
- LED is off when solar is not available. - UPS ON: UPS on backup.
- LOW BATT.: Battery low.
- OVER LOAD:
- LED blinks and beeps if inverter is overloaded.
- LED stays on and beeps if shortcircuit. - CHARG. ON:
- LED stays on when charged.
- LED blinks when battery is charging.
LCD display
- Displays up to 24 different messages such as:
instant battery voltage, instant discharging current, output voltage, solar voltage, solar current, grid voltage, output voltage, charging current, solar voltage, solar current, solar power, kWh saved till date, output over load fault, output over load shutdown, output over voltage fault, output short circuit fault, battery low, battery low shutdown, battery over voltage fault, over temperature shutdown.
The Microtek M-SUN Solar 1135 VA produces a Pure Sine Wave and it has a warranty of 24 months. The manufacturer recommends to use a Lead Acid battery type.
Pros
Cons
The Luminous Solar NXG 1800 inverter is the option to go for if you have to connect 2 batteries in series (24 v ) or a 24 v solar panel with VOC 36 v - 45 v. Good value for price.
What does VOC mean in solar panels?
VOC stands for Open Circuit Voltage. It is the maximum voltage that the solar panel can produce under standard test conditions. It is the number to use when determining how many solar panels you can connect in series and into your solar inverter or charge controller.
The Luminous Solar NXG 1800 inverter is a good value for the price, considering it can support 2 batteries. It has a VA ratio of 1500 VA. So, at an efficiency of >85%, it gives an output of about 1275 W. It has very similar features as the Luminous Solar NXG 1100 model. The main difference is that this model can support 2 batteries in series (24 v).
It is not fair to compare this model, the Luminous Solar NXG 1800 inverter, to the Microtek M-SUN Solar 1135 VA inverter, as the latter can only support 1 battery. Ok, the Microtek might have some additional features that the Luminous does not have, like the LCD display with some additional information but in my opinion those are things which are good to have, but not must-have. Additionally, these type of nice-to-have features sometimes are prone to get faulty or can be also confusing.
Pros
Cons
The Brainy Eco Solar HUPS 1100 inverter is the more premium option of the list. Good value for price.
The Brainy Eco Solar HUPS 1100 Su Kam inverter is one of the most positively reviewed of its category. Being considered a premium and a reliable Inverter. It produces a Pure Sine Wave. It has a warranty of 24 months. It supports a wide battery range (Tubular, Flat Plate, VLRA) and it has an output of about 880 W (considering an efficiency of 80%).
It has an UPS option, ideal if you are connecting Personal Computers or sensitive appliances. The UPS mode operates in a narrower range of voltage between 185 v to 265 v. This means that there are higher chances for the UPS inverter to change to operation mode, in the case the voltage from the grid fluctuates. The default mode in any case is the W-UPS Mode. The W-UPS mode operates in a voltage window between 85 v to 290 v. When not connecting a computer you can operate in the W-UPS mode.
The manufacturer claims it to be the India's 1st solar inverter that includes ATC (Automatic Temperature Compensation), which is a feature that adjusts the the charging of batteries depending on the outside temperature.
If you are interested in knowing more technical details you can find the Brainy Eco Solar HUPS 1100 Su Kam inverter manual in this link.
According to the info provided by the manufacturer: Su-Kam Power Systems Ltd. is India’s largest power solutions company which has presence in 90 countries worldwide and holds a record for being the only company in this field to file for over 100 patents. It manufactures more than 200 products including various solar products, UPS, batteries & customized solar solution.
Pros
Cons
The Luminous Solar NXG 1400 inverter is ideal for you if an inverter of 1100 VA suits your requirements. It is a good value for price.
The Luminous Solar NXG 1400 inverter is considered a good value for money and a reliable Inverter. It produces a Pure Sine Wave. It has a warranty of 24 months. It supports a wide battery range (Tubular, Flat Plate, VLRA) and it has an output of about 880 W (considering an efficiency of 80%).
It has an UPS option, ideal if you are connecting Personal Computers or sensitive appliances. The UPS mode operates in a narrower range of voltage between 180 v to 260 v. This means that there are higher chances for the UPS inverter to change to operation mode, in the case the voltage from the grid fluctuates. The default mode in any case is the ECO Mode. The ECO mode operates in a voltage window between 100 v to 290 v. When not connecting a computer you can operate in the ECO mode.
Since I already included a video about the features of Luminous in the first model analysed, next I proceed to post a video also from Luminous about how to install an inverter:
Pros
Cons
UPS Inverter | Capacity (VA) | Weight (kg) and dimensions (LxWxH) | Output Power (W) | Maximum solar panel current (A) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 850 VA | 14.6 kg; 375x315x150 mm | 680 W | 40 A |
 | 1135 VA | 12 kg; 390x400x200 mm | 900 W | 35 A |
 | 1500 VA | 15.6 kg; 375x315x150 mm | 1275 W | 40 A |
 | 1100 VA | 11 kg; 302x311x128 mm | 880 W | 30 A |
 | 1100 VA | 14.6 kg; 375x315x150 mm | 880 W | 40 A |
Complete buying guide for an UPS inverter: How can I choose the right UPS inverter for my home?
How a UPS inverter works.
This is how the electricity usually arrives at our homes:
When things go well and we have electricity at home coming from the distribution lines the inverter transforms the AC (alternate current) to DC (direct current) which is the type of current the batteries use. The battery is charging.
But when there is a cut in the distribution and we have no electricity coming from the outside, the UPS inverter does the job of transforming the electricity current coming from the battery in form of DC (direct current) to AC (alternate current) which is the one that your electrical appliances use.
In the case of a solar inverter, it allows the battery to be charged either via the grid power or via solar panels:
What you need to know to choose the right UPS inverter.
1. Your power requirements:
Number and type of appliances you would like to have operating when there is a cut.
Every appliance has some power requirements which are expressed in Watts. The sum of all the watts that every appliance has is the total wattage.
The wattage required will tell you what type of inverter and battery you need.
See in the table below a list of the most common appliances in India and their wattage.
2. VA rating of your UPS inverter:
How do you find the VA rating of the UPS inverter you need for your home?
VA stands for Volts Ampere. It is the voltage (V) and current (A) supplied by the UPS inverter to the appliances you want to connect to.
VA rating = Total Load of your appliances (Watts) / UPS inverter efficiency (%)
Example:
- You know that all the appliances you want to have running sum up 600 Watts
- The efficiency of your UPS inverter is typically about 80%.
VA rating = 600/0.8 = 750 VA
For this example an UPS inverter which is closer to the VA rating you need would be sufficient. You see that an UPS Inverter with a rating of 900 VA would be enough for you.
3. What about the solar panels? How many solar panels do I need for my inverter? What Solar Panels can I connect to my inverter?
Once you know your total wattage and the inverter that you need (VA rating) you can calculate the number of solar panels required.
For a 12 v Photovoltaic system, if you need to load a 150 Ah battery every day and there are 8 hours of sunlight per day then you will need:
150 Ah x 12 V = 1800 Wh
1800 Wh / 8 h = 225 W of solar panels
It is recommended to overestimate your requirements by at least 20 %, therefore you will need about 270 W of solar panels.
Typical solar panels power in India are between 50 W and 375 W. So, in this example we would need 6 solar panels of 50 W or 1 panel of 375 W. Other combinations with panels of different Watts are also possible.
The table below shows as an example different configurations:
Inverter VA Rating | Solar battery | PV panel Watt | Panel connection combination | Roof top area required (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
300 VA | 120 Ah x 1 | 165 Wp x 1 | 1 | 20 sq. ft. |
500 VA | 120 Ah x 1 | 165 Wp x 2 | 2 (parallel) | 40 sq. ft. |
850 VA | 150 Ah x 1 | 165 Wp x 4 | 4 (parallel) | 80 sq. ft. |
1100 VA | 150 Ah x 1 | 165 Wp x 4 | 4 (parallel) | 80 sq. ft. |
1500 VA | 150 Ah x 2 | 325 Wp x 3 | 3 (parallel) | 100 sq. ft. |
Table based on information from the manufacturer Luminous.
4. The Back up time:
- How long do you want your appliances to work for?
In this case you will probably have to take into consideration what battery and how many appliances you connect to the UPS inverter. Also, the batteries selection will influence what UPS inverter you will need.
The most convenient type of inverter batteries for home use in India are the lead-acid batteries. Most common two types of acid-lead batteries:
In short, tubular batteries (also named "tall tubular"), are an evolved version of lead-acid batteries. In comparison with the flat plate lead-acid type, tubular batteries have usually a longer life (up to 30% more than flat plates) and can withstand more challenging temperature conditions, among others.
Differences between flat and tubular batteries:
Flat plate battery | Tubular battery | |
|---|---|---|
Reliability | Reliable | Most reliable |
Charge cycles (at 80% DOD) | 50-1000 | 1100-1800 |
Weight | Less heavy | Heavier |
Price | Generally cheaper | Less economical |
(adapted from: Lead-acid batteries white paper)
Appliance | Running Watts (Starting Watts*) |
|---|---|
Standing fan | 50-70 W |
Ceiling fan | 60-70 W |
DVD player | 25-60 W |
Electric kettle | 1200-3000 W |
Cooktop | 1200-2000 W |
Grinder | 500 W |
Immersion heater | 1500-2000 W |
Fan room heater | 500-2000 W |
Instant egg boiler | 300-400 W |
Sandwich toaster | 800-1000 W |
Iron | 1000 W |
Water heater | 2000-3000 W |
Vacuum cleaner | 500-3000 W |
Fridge | 1200 W (3000 starting watts) |
Microwave | 750-1200 W (1500-2400 starting watts) |
Washing machine | 2000 W (3000 starting watts) |
Desktop computer | 150-450 W |
Laptop | 40-120 W |
A/C | 2000 W (3000 starting watts) |
Incandescent bulb | 40-100 W |
LED | 5-10 W (10-20 starting watts) |
CFL | 15-25 W (30-50 starting watts) |
19” colour TV | 65-110 W |
27” colour TV | 110-120 W |
36” colour TV | 130-140 W |
Toaster | 800-1400 W |
22” LED TV | 15-20 W |
32” LED TV | 20-60 W |
46” LED TV | 60-70 W |
(*Starting watts: the peak power consumption of some household appliances)
This is important. Continuous or operating power are the running wattage when an appliance is continuously operating. These are the watts stated usually at the data plate on the back of your appliances.
The peak wattage is the current that some appliances require to start. Washing machines, air conditioners or fridges require an extra power to get the motor started. This is only needed for a very short time (less than 1 second), just to have the appliance started, but it is necessary to have the appliance started. This extra power can be up to 3 times the normal running power.
Or alternatively, how many and what appliances can I use based on the battery I have?
Important: It is always better to overestimate your needs. Connect less appliances than the number the battery can theoretically support. It will be safer and will extend the life of your battery.
If you plan to buy only one 150Ah battery you need to consider:
- What is your desired backup time: you might need to reduce the load (disconnect some appliances) if you want to reach more hours of backup time.
- Even if you only need short backup times, be aware of the maximum load you can connect.
- For the battery to last many years and have a good performance it should not be completely discharged. Manufacturers usually recommend not using more of 75-80% of the battery charge. Exide recommends a minimum cut-off voltage of 10.5 v in their web.
Backup time:
Important: the back up time will change depending on the type and number of appliances you connect, which is the same as the total watts. It will also vary if the battery is not fully charged or on how old it is.
For 1 battery 150Ah:
Appliance | Backup time (approximate) |
|---|---|
1 fan (60W) and 1 tube light (40W) | 15 hours |
2 fans (60W + 60W) and 2 tube lights (40W+40W) | 7 hours 30 minutes |
2 fans (120W) + 2 tube lights (80W) + 1 Television (120W) | 4 hours 30 minutes |
Battery backup time depends mainly on three factors:
- Power consumption (total watts of all your appliances connected).
- Battery voltage (typically ~12.7v for a fully charged 12v battery).
- Battery capacity (Ah = Amperes hour; 150Ah in this example).
To calculate your backup time:
For a standard inverter 150Ah Tall Tubular battery:
Battery voltage = 12 volts
Battery Ah rating = 150 Ah
Efficiency battery = 0.85 (typical battery efficiency for a lead-acid battery can be about 85%)
Total load = Total watts of all the appliances connected
Example:
For a Total load: 1 fan (60W) and 1 tube light (40W) = 60W + 40W = 100W
Some inverters are already indicating on the screen an estimated backup time based on the appliances connected.
How many batteries do I need? Or What battery battery capacity do I need? 80Ah, 100Ah, 120Ah, 150Ah, 200Ah, 220Ah?
If you already know the power consumption of the batteries that you would like to run with your inverter battery and also know for how long you want them to run, there is a rule of thumb you can use to calculate what battery capacity you need or how many batteries you need:
Example:
Load or power consumption: 1000 W
Battery backup time required: 2 hours
Voltage of the battery: 12 volts (usual voltage of an inverter battery)
(1000 x 2) / 12 = 166.6 Ah
For this case a 150Ah would not be sufficient and theoretically we would need a 200Ah battery or higher. If you require a 200Ah I would recommend you considering the Luminous 200Ah:
In this article I recommend only 150Ah for being the most commonly used batteries in India. Depending on the brand it is possible to find a wide range of capacities. Some of the capacities that the brands highlighted in this articles manufacture are:
Amaron | Luminous | Exide |
|---|---|---|
100 Ah 135 Ah 150 Ah 165 Ah 180 Ah 200 Ah 220 Ah | 80 Ah 100 Ah 110 Ah 120 Ah 135 Ah 150 Ah 160 Ah 180 Ah 200 Ah 220 Ah | 100 Ah 115 Ah 150 Ah 180 Ah 200 Ah 230 Ah |
Continuing with the example, if we have calculated that we need a battery capacity of 166.6 Ah and do not want to use a 200Ah, we could connect 2 batteries in parallel.
Connecting 2 batteries in series will increase the voltage to 24v so the Ah calculated with the previous formula would decrease.
2 batteries in series | double voltage (v), same capacity (Ah) |
|---|---|
2 batteries in parallel | same voltage (v), double capacity (Ah) |
It is even possible to increase both voltage and capacity with joined batteries in series and parallel. Increasing the capacity (Ah) it usually requires more resistant cables.
Total power consumption of my appliances | Minimum recommended Inverter Rating | System Voltage | Recommended Battery Capacity & Battery Configurations for Different Backup time | ||||
5 hours | 4 hours | 3 hours | 2 hours | 1 hours | |||
160 Watt | 250 VA | 12V | 1 battery 150Ah / 130Ah | ||||
240 Watt | 350 VA | 1 battery 150Ah / 130Ah | |||||
440 Watt | 650 VA / 700 VA | 2 batteries in parallel 150Ah | 1 battery 150Ah / 130Ah | ||||
600 Watt | 850 VA / 900 VA | 3 batteries in parallel 150Ah | 2 batteries in parallel 150Ah | 1 battery 150Ah / 130Ah | |||
700 Watt | 1050 VA / 1100 VA | 3 batteries in parallel 150Ah | 2 batteries in parallel 150Ah | 1 battery 150Ah / 130Ah | |||
1000 Watt | 1450 VA / 1500 VA | 12 v | Enter your text here... | 2 batteries in parallel 150Ah | |||
1000 Watt | 1450 VA / 1500 VA | 24 v | String of 2 batteries in parallel + 2 batteries in series 150Ah | Enter your text here... | |||
Table adapted from the application chart for Exide Instabrite batteries found on their official website.
Important note: The table above does not represent a recommendation. It is just an illustrative exercise. It pretends only to theoretically exemplify how different wattage requires different battery capacities and configurations. Please, always check what are your real battery requirements and what are the alternatives with a professional.
Sir, In day time, is it possible to power off the main and run the connected load directly from solar?
Dear Thomas Jose,
I understand from your message that you want to run the connected load directly from the solar panels, using the solar inverter but with no battery connected and the power off.
It is definitely possible although there are a few disadvantages.
Personally, I would not configure an off-grid system without a battery. Batteries offer a buffer that allows for short periods of a much higher load to be accommodated. Batteries suit the domestic situation where some appliances need a lot more power momentarily like a fridge compressor, or a kettle, for example.
You will only be able to power appliances that are below the power the solar panel is creating.
I hope it helps and thank you for the comment.
Arnav