UPS / Inverter Not Stopping or Cutting off Charging Problem & Solution
People who are using Power inverters or UPS at home or office to supply backup to appliances and electronic devices may face this problem that their power inverter or UPS fails to cut off charging causing battery to overcharge and get hot. Usually when boost charging is complete, charger turns on trickle or float charging. Float charging sustains the battery voltage and does not let it drain if battery backup is not utilized for several days. If your power inverter or UPS fails to cut off boost charging in timely manner, battery will start getting hot and may get damaged if overcharging prolongs.
Reasons:
The major reasons for power inverter or UPS failing to cut off charging includes:
– Battery is old or worn out
– flooded lead acid battery is dried up or topped up with tap water.
– charger is faulty
– Battery is damaged due to shorted plates
– Battery is of poor quality
Solution:
Any of these solutions may work for you:
– If your battery is old it will not attain cut off voltage causing inverter or UPS to continue charging and overheat the battery. You should consider changing battery or lower the charging voltage if possible.
– If your battery is not too old it might have already worn out due to poor build quality. Such battery fails to attain cut off voltage in timely banner. It may attain it but will take very long time and waste power. Always buy good quality batteries from reliable manufacturers even if they cost you extra money.
– If you are still using flooded lead acid batteries then regularly topping them up with distilled water is mandatory. Never fill them with tap water as salts in tap water can damage battery instantly. Such battery may fail prematurely or fail to sustain charge and attain the cut off voltage.
– Do check that inverter or UPS charger is not faulty. Sometimes chargers are designed to charge at very high voltage but the battery you are using may fail to reach that voltage. In that case charger will continue charging causing overcharging, overheating and premature failure of battery. Charging voltage may be lowered if it is not controlled by a microchip or inverter has got the function to manually set the charging voltage.
– Debris from battery plates start piling up at the bottom of battery which if touch the battery plates can damage them. If battery is shorted internally it becomes instantly useless. It may also cause your power backup device to fail cut off charging. You should get a new battery.