Inverter VA and battery Ah: sizing a home backup correctly
People search this as “which inverter VA and battery Ah for home India” · updated 2026-08
Short answer
Add up the watts you want to back up, divide by 0.8 to get VA, and round up: about 700 VA for 4 fans and 6 LED lights, 1,100 VA if you add a TV and router, and 1,500 VA or more for a fridge. For battery, Ah = (load in watts × backup hours) ÷ (12 × 0.8) — roughly a 150 Ah tubular battery for 4 hours of a 350 W load.
- Never plan to run an AC or a geyser on a normal home inverter.
- Pure sine wave is worth the premium for fridges, computers and BLDC fans.
- Tubular batteries last 4-5 years in Indian conditions; flat-plate last 2-3.
Common household loads
| Appliance | Typical watts |
|---|---|
| LED bulb | 9-12 W |
| Ceiling fan (BLDC) | 30 W |
| Ceiling fan (normal) | 75 W |
| LED TV 43 in | 80-100 W |
| Wi-Fi router | 10-15 W |
| Refrigerator 300 L | 150-200 W running |
Battery type
- Flat plate: cheapest, shortest life, needs frequent water topping.
- Tubular: the Indian default — 4-5 years, deep discharge tolerant.
- Gel / maintenance-free: no water topping, higher price.
- Lithium: compact, 8-10 year life, expensive upfront but no maintenance.
Common follow-up questions
Can an inverter run a 1.5 ton AC?
Only a large, purpose-built high-capacity system with several batteries. A standard 1,100 VA home inverter cannot.