Can Home Battery Backup Power A Dehumidifier?

Table of Content

Introduction
How do battery backups work?
How much power does a dehumidifier use?
Will a battery backup adequately power a dehumidifier?
What is the method for determining the suitable battery backup size for a dehumidifier?
Other considerations
Conclusion

Introduction

When power outages happen due to natural disasters, accidents, or scheduled maintenance, a home battery backup can ensure your essential appliances keep running smoothly. One common question homeowners have is whether their home battery backup can power a dehumidifier to remove excess moisture from the air during an outage.

In this article, we'll find out the specifics of how home battery backup work and explore whether they can be used to power a dehumidifier.

How do battery backups work?

Battery backups, function by supplying electrical power from batteries. When the primary power source experiences an outage or interruption, you can connect electronics and appliances to the battery backup and continue operating for a limited time during power disruptions. Here's how they work:

When connected to the main power (utility power), the battery backup charges its internal battery. It also passes the utility power directly through to power-connected devices as normal.

How much power does a dehumidifier use?

Dehumidifiers are common household appliances that remove excess moisture from indoor air. They operate across a wide range of power usage depending on their size and capacity.

Small, compact dehumidifiers as little as 5 to 7 liters in volume consume only around 20 to 70 watts of power. They're suitable for drying out a single room and can remove up to 1 pint of moisture daily.

Medium-sized portable dehumidifiers from 15 to 35 liters demand 100 to 300 watts and extract 10 to 30 pints of water daily, enough for mid-sized rooms.

Larger whole-home dehumidifiers measure 50 liters and above, gobbling up 400 to 700+ watts to remove 50 to 70+ pints of moisture per day. They have wheels for portability and can tackle high humidity throughout a multi-room home.

On average, dehumidifiers use between 300 to 500 watts, translating to 0.3 to 0.5 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy for every hour of operation. More powerful models at the upper end of this range tend to be the larger whole-home dehumidifiers.

Will a battery backup adequately power a dehumidifier?

It depends on the size and capacity of the battery backup, but in general, a battery backup can adequately power a dehumidifier.

The major factors are:

Battery capacity: The battery backup must have enough watt-hours to power the dehumidifier for the desired time. Typical dehumidifiers use 400-700 Watts, so a battery backup with at least 500-1000 watt-hours would be suitable for 1-2 hours of runtime. Larger batteries provide longer runtime.

Inverter size: An inverter is needed to convert the DC power from the batteries to AC power for the dehumidifier. The inverter must have enough wattage to match or exceed the dehumidifier's requirements. Get an inverter at least 20-30% larger than the dehumidifier's wattage.

So, in summary, yes - a properly sized battery backup with an adequate inverter and correct power can adequately power a dehumidifier for a limited amount of time during a power outage. The runtime will depend on the specific batteries, inverter, and dehumidifier used.

What is the method for determining the suitable battery backup size for a dehumidifier?

When determining the appropriate size of battery backup to power a dehumidifier, start by calculating the dehumidifier's wattage usage.

Dehumidifiers generally consume around 480 Watts. You'll then want to select a battery backup with a capacity of at least 500 Watt-hours to ensure it can run the dehumidifier for an hour or more.

Use this formula to calculate the runtime for a specific battery backup and dehumidifier:

Runtime (in hours) = Battery backup capacity (in Watt-hours) * 0.85 / Dehumidifier wattage

For example, if you use a Growatt INFINITY 1300 solar generator with a capacity of 1382 Watt-hours to power a 480 Watt dehumidifier, the runtime would be:

1382 Wh * 0.85 / 480 W = 2.4 hours

Larger solar generators with higher Watt-hour capacities will provide longer runtime for the same dehumidifier.

Other considerations

There are several options for powering a dehumidifier, including:

Wall outlet: The simplest option is plugging the dehumidifier into a standard wall outlet. This is convenient but can increase your electricity bills.

Rooftop solar panels: Permanently installed solar panels on your roof can power your dehumidifier during the day. Professional installation is typically required, along with ongoing maintenance.

Portable solar panels: Foldable solar panels can be placed outside to charge batteries that then power the dehumidifier. These require less installation but still need care and storage.

Solar generators: Battery-based portable power stations charged by solar panels offer a clean, convenient option. They are rechargeable, quiet to operate, and easy to use.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a home battery backup system can power a dehumidifier during short-term outages if sized correctly for the dehumidifier's wattage needs.

A dehumidifier can help maintain comfortable humidity levels in your home, but plugging it into the electrical grid can increase your utility bills. Using solar generators to power a dehumidifier offers a more affordable and sustainable alternative.

Growatt solar generators offer several benefits for powering dehumidifiers:

Cost efficiency - Solar generators use free solar energy, making them a cost-effective way to run dehumidifiers without drastically raising electricity costs. There are no fuel costs like with traditional generators.
Eco-friendliness - Solar power is a renewable and clean energy source. Powering appliances like dehumidifiers with solar eliminates carbon emissions and environmental impacts.
Convenience - Modern solar generators are portable and easy to use. They can be placed outside to charge and then carried inside to power the dehumidifier on demand.
Reliability - Quality solar generators provide stable output to ensure the reliable performance of connected devices like dehumidifiers. Inverter technology improves the power quality.
Lower maintenance - Solar generators require little maintenance once installed. There are no fuel fill-ups, filter changes, or engine tune-ups like with gas generators.

In summary, solar generators from Growatt offer a more sustainable, cost-effective, and convenient way to power dehumidifiers compared to using the electrical grid or traditional generators. You get the benefits of a dehumidifier while lowering costs and reducing your environmental footprint through solar energy.

Home Battery Backup: Can it Power A Dehumidifier