Choose between UPS and inverter for Emergency lighting system

Emergency lighting is commonly installed in colleges, hospitals, shopping centers, and various commercial and residential buildings to avoid any obstacles in the way or operations when the mains power source fails or experiences a power outage. Appropriate and effective emergency lighting systems are vital for emergency fire evacuation and other dangerous situations. Lighting inverters or UPS are the best sources to provide power backup for lighting systems or other electrical fixtures.

As the installation of UPS or inverter is mandatory for power backup during outage, many buyers get confused about the difference between inverters and UPS systems. Though both backup devices have the basic function of power supply to electric fixture but differ in some aspects-

• The switching of inverters from the mains supply to battery usually takes time because it stores DC power that need to be converted into AC voltage to transmit power in electrical appliances whereas UPS systems immediately switches to the battery from mains supply so, they are very important for the critical electronic equipment that need instant electricity.
• The switching time of UPS is usually 3 to 8 millisecond which is very less as compared to inverters that need at least 500 milliseconds to switch over battery. However, power backup time of inverter is for a long duration.
• UPS are preferred more for critical electronic applications such as workstations, data centers, computer servers, medical equipment that can tolerate delays in power supply while inverters are used for general electrical application where extended delay in power supply can be tolerated to some extent.

These are the key differences between UPS system and inverters that should be considered while planning to purchase power backup source for emergency lighting and other electrical fixtures. One more thing which is necessary to consider is your backup source should adhere to the UL924 standard and the NFPA’s life safety requirements.

Understanding the UL 924 standards

UL stands for Underwriters Laboratory which is a testing organization that provides safety certification for all types of power products. Emergency lighting and power equipment with UL certification are encouraged they have been tested for reliability and performance by the Underwriter Laboratory and has been certified to meet life safety codes.

So, make sure to buy UL 924 UPS system or UL 924 emergency lighting inverter inverters for backup power supply.

You can visit http://www.crucialpower.com/ for reliable power solutions.  

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JessicaBeak Joined: September 3rd, 2020