Frequently Asked Questions

If you have any questions that are not answered below please e-mail us at FAQ@InnovativeEnergy.com.

1. What kinds of appliances do most people power?
Computers, well pumps, sump pumps, furnace motors, home electronics, garage door openers, phone systems, fax machines, copiers, computers, printers, and a lot more.

2. What kinds of appliances should not be powered?
Large electrical loads can be powered but are not a practical use of the backup system due to the expense. Loads like the following should be avoided: any load that heats with electric (hot water heaters, stoves, space heaters), heat pumps, air conditioners.

3. How long will the battery system last?
IES can custom design a Backup Electric System to provide power for as long as you require. Our typical customers with a Backup Electric System find that the systems last approximately 12 hours.

4. How are the batteries recharged?
When the utility power is restored the Backup Electric System will turn from an inverter to a battery charger and recharge the batteries. If the power is out for days or weeks, the batteries can be recharged from a generator.

5. Are these batteries safe for my home and business?
Yes. The batteries we use are the safest in the industry. They are UL listed for safety and are a UL recognized system component. The batteries are tested by the U.S. Navy to a military specification that requires the battery to not produce enough hydrogen gas to be flammable. In order for hydrogen to be flammable you must have an air concentration of 4.1% or greater. To pass the test the battery can not exceed 3.5%. The battery passes with flying colors by only producing 0.2% to 1.0% depending on the battery size.

6. Will I have to ever add water to my batteries.
No. The batteries we use in the system are sealed and maintenance free.

7. How fast does the system respond to a power outage?
Fast. Typically in 1/50th of a second or 16 milliseconds you will have backup power. The worst case transfer time is just 34 milliseconds. That is too fast to notice or to reboot a computer. The typical computer needs a power failure of 200 milliseconds to reboot.

8. Why should I choose a Backup Electric System over a generator only system?
A Backup Electric System provides clean, quiet, instantaneous power backup that requires no fuel. By adding a generator to a Backup Electric System the backup time can extended for long term outages. By having the Backup Electric System working with a generator, the generator's fuel can be conserved by up to 45%.

9. How do I install my Backup Electric System
The Backup Electric System is something that must be installed by qualified personnel to meet all local building code requirements. We have an extensive network of dealers that can install your system.