An inverter and UPS system has the capability to provide backup power supply for household appliances, commercial machines, IT equipments, and various types of small and big power tools. They ensure uninterrupted power to devices in times of power outages. Each facility has a unique environment and set of need that affect the choice of backup system.

Both inverters and UPSs are capable of providing backup solution during power disturbances and micro-outages but before investing on one of them or both, you should understand the basics of its types available in market for different applications. Let’s discuss about them in brief-

Lighting inverter

Emergency lighting system is necessary of any commercial or residential building. An indoor or outdoor lighting inverter plays an essential role in protecting electronic equipments and lives of people by providing lighting backup for safe evacuation. A lighting inverter converts DC power to AC power supply to provide backup for emergency.

On the basis of installation approach, it is categories into two- Central lighting system and dispersed lighting system.

Central lighting inverter

Central lighting is higher in cost initially, but it can be balanced due to less operational and maintenance cost. It is operated from centralized location where all the lighting fixtures are powered by a single large battery source. Installation, maintenance and testing of central lighting system are easier due to central location and reduced the expenses significantly.

Dispersed lighting inverter

Dispersed lighting is lower in cost initially, but the total cost of ownership can be high due to more hidden charges. The maintenance of dispersed lighting system can be hard to manage due to number of battery system. Functionality of each and every lighting fixture need to be checked individually which adds more in expenses and require more time as compared to central lighting.

Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS)

When input power source or mains power supply interrupted due to some reasons, an uninterrupted power source can provide emergency power instantly. It can be an option for equipments which can tolerate power failure even for a microsecond. One can use UPS system as an immediate power source for critical medical devices and data centers.

When it comes to choosing UPS system, you need to take your requirements into consideration. Here are some points that will help you select between high frequency UPS and power frequency UPS.

• Generally speaking, power supply of UPS without inverter output transformer is called high frequency UPS and UPS with inverter output transformer is known as power frequency UPS.

• High frequency UPS is based on environment protection and power saving model. It is lesser in weight and with improved efficiency which make it most preferred choice for UPS system.


Which backup solution and its type you are choosing totally depend on application and your requirements. Make sure to buy from a reliable manufacturing brand so that what you are investing should worth it. If you are looking for best manufacturer and supplier, you can visit http://www.onlinepower.com/