Inverter battery has internal plates that are covered with water, which makes it work. During operation, water goes through chemical reaction and breaks down into hydrogen and oxygen gas. These gases evaporate from battery and with time water level drops. This way plates remain no longer covered with water. In order to keep the battery perform efficiently, it is important to use distilled water for inverter battery.
Why use distilled water for inverter battery?
Water from faucets, wells and other natural resources usually has dissolved minerals, salts and impurities. These minerals and salts fill the pores and form a layer on the plates, affecting the normal electro-chemical reaction that generates power in the battery. Presence of such chemical ions may drastically reduce the lifespan of the battery. Filtering tap water merely removes the suspended matter but not the dissolved minerals and non-ionic compounds. Advanced filters like ion-exchange or activated carbon filters remove most of the ionic and larger non-ionic compounds leaving smaller molecules in solution.
Distilled water contains no dissolved minerals, salts, organic and in-organic compounds that may harm the battery. Therefore battery manufacturers recommend distilled water for better performance and longer battery life.
Where to buy distilled water for the batteries?
You could check your local markets or order distilled water on Amazon :-
- EUSURE Distilled water- 5 ltr
- Disto Pure – Distilled Water 99.9% pure (5 Liter) Water for Battery, Inverter
- Shloka sales Distilled water 99% pure Water for Battery, inverter (5 ltr)
- Spirit distilled water 99% pure 5 ltr
Can RO water be used in battery?
Reverse osmosis is a different process from distillation. RO water is also considered mineral-free like distilled water. The process of reverse osmosis removes all kinds of unwanted impurities, salts and ions from water, making it fit for human consumption. Regular service and maintenance of RO keeps the hardness, pH and TDS under permissible limit.
Many inverter service centers use and suggest RO water for the battery top up, but they keep a check on TDS level, hardness and pH of water used to ensure that battery function is not hampered. But it is always recommended to use distilled water for your inverter batteries.
Too late to realize the impact of using tap water in batteries? Don’t worry, below are some great batteries available on Amazon through good sellers:
- LUMINOUS RC 25000 200AH TUBULAR BATTERY
- LUMINOUS RC 18000 150 AH Tall Tubular Battery
- V-Guard VJ145 135AH Flat Tubular Inverter Battery
- Exide Powersafe 65AH SMF Battery
- Amaron Inverter 150Ah Tall Tubular Battery
- EXIDE INDUSTRIES 150Ah Insta Brite Inverter Ups Battery
- OKAYA HT 7048 (150AH) Tall Tubular Inverter Battery
For more ideas on inverter battery maintenance, read 8 useful tips to take care of your inverter battery
(Cover Picture Source: www.wikihow.com)