Is a Deye Hybrid Inverter + LiFePO₄ Battery the Right Choice for a Senior Citizen’s 400–500 W × 10 h

rajdey1

Hello everyone,

I’m planning a reliable backup solution for a senior citizen’s home in India and would greatly appreciate your experienced opinions. Our essential requirement is to power:

• A refrigerator (medicine-grade cold storage)

• A few lights and fans (combined ≈ 400–500 W)

for about 10 hours during frequent load-shedding events. The house’s sanctioned load is 4 kW, but our practical need is limited to these critical loads.

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Why We’re Considering a LiFePO₄ Setup

1. Low Maintenance, Long Life:

   • We want to avoid maintenance-heavy batteries (watering, acid checks).

   • A LiFePO₄ pack should deliver at least 5–6 years of trouble-free service—important for a senior household.

2. Sufficient Backup Duration:

   • A single 5.12 kWh LiFePO₄ module (≈ 4.6 kWh usable) can run 500 W for roughly 9–10 hours—close to our 10 hr target.

   • We can add a second module later if needed.

3. Dealer Recommendation:

   • A local dealer suggested a Deye hybrid inverter + 5.12 kWh LiFePO₄ battery as it appears to meet our runtime and maintenance requirements on paper.

4. Current Setup Doesn’t Suffice:

   • Right now, we have an Exide Integra 1000 lithium inverter-battery setup, but it fails to provide the length of backup we need.

   • That’s why we’re looking at a new solution.

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Our Main Question

Is moving to a Deye (or similar) hybrid inverter + LiFePO₄ battery truly a good choice for a 400–500 W × 10 hr backup—especially for a senior citizen?

• We’re leaning toward Deye’s 5 kW hybrid inverter + 5.12 kWh LiFePO₄ module because it meets our no-maintenance and runtime needs on paper.

• But we’re unsure if this setup will remain reliable and simple for 5–6 years without frequent service calls or technical hiccups.

• Since it’s for a senior, we want to avoid anything too complex or prone to “gotchas.”

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Concerns & Considerations

1. Long-Term Reliability:

   • Has anyone used a Deye hybrid inverter + LiFePO₄ battery in India for a similar load profile?

   • Did it work consistently for years without BMS faults, inverter glitches, or other surprises?

2. Ease of Support & Maintenance:

   • In tier-2/tier-3 cities, how responsive are Deye’s service partners?

   • If something fails (inverter board, battery cell imbalance), is it straightforward for a local electrician or installer to diagnose/replace?

3. Alternative: Exide Inva Tubular + Conventional Inverter

   • Exide Inva Tubular batteries with a standard inverter are well understood by most electricians.

   • Would such a tubular battery setup (with a basic inverter) actually be more practical, given local familiarity and readily-available spares?

   • Or would the routine watering/maintenance still be a major hassle for a senior household?

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Questions for the Community

1. Opinions on Hybrid + LiFePO₄ for 400–500 W × 10 hr:

   • Is a hybrid inverter + LiFePO₄ module realistic for a “set-and-forget” backup that lasts 5–6 years?

   • What common pitfalls should we watch out for (BMS failures, firmware issues, inverter board faults)?

2. Service Experience in India:

   • If you’ve used Deye (or a comparable brand) in smaller cities, how was the service turnaround?

   • Were spare parts (battery modules, inverter PCBs) stocked locally or did they need long import times?

3. Exide Inva Tubular + Regular Inverter vs. Lithium:

   • For a senior citizen’s home, is it still better to go with an Exide Inva Tubular battery and basic inverter—despite periodic maintenance?

   • Would local electricians be able to keep that system running smoothly with minimal fuss?

4. Other Brand/Model Suggestions:

   • Are there any other hybrid inverters (lithium-ready but not necessarily solar-first) in India that have proven reliability?

   • Any personal recommendations for “easy, long-lasting 400–500 W backup” setups?

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We truly value your input, as finding the right, low-maintenance solution is critical for our senior family member. Please share any experiences, cautions, or suggestions you have. Thank you for your time and expertise!