There is something uniquely unnerving about unexpected power outages. Whether you are sitting at your desk working at your office or sitting on a weight bench working out at your local gym, those lights flick off and a wave of uncertainty washes over the room. Strangers make eye contact, looking to one another for affirmation; what to do now? Power outage emergencies can arise from various different unexpected events; they could be caused by extreme weather such as tornadoes or hurricanes, induced by a systems failure in the building like a burst pipe or an electrical fire, or even be generated by human error like a cut electrical line during construction or renovation. Whatever the reason, the first thought is always . . . how long will the lights be out?

If you have an emergency lighting back-up system installed, you won’t need a crystal ball to tell you how long you’ll be without lights. In fact, you’ll confidently know that the lights will be back on momentarily . . . if they are not already. Most retail, commercial, and medical properties are required by law to have and maintain emergency lighting systems to help provide both safe egress for employees, customers, and other occupants, as well as adequate lighting for continued work or occupancy in the event the emergency does not require evacuation. A battery backup inverter from 1000Bulbs.com can provide a reliable power supply to your emergency lamps and fixtures during an outage.

Batteries provide power with a continuous flow of electrons in one direction known as direct current or DC. However, most buildings use alternating current or AC where the flow of electrons changes direction to generate power. AC is the type of power supplied to the masses as it is the most flexible and cost-effective for power plants to produce and distribute widely. But when the lights go out, an inverter jumps into action to effectively generate power using its batteries. It is a device that converts DC power into AC power. It might seem like magic, but in reality it is a complex process of drawing power from the batteries, sending that power into an oscillator circuit made of transistors and semiconductors, and causing that circuit to turn on and off (alternate) to create AC power compatible with your lights! Pretty cool, huh?

There are a variety of factors to consider when choosing inverters for your lamps and fixtures. Be mindful of power loads, mounting spaces, compatibility with your types of fixtures (legacy fluorescent or LED), and whether you need interruptible or uninterruptible backup power. Select the inverter that most closely matches the wattage output you want to backup. 1000Bulbs.com carries inverters that are able to support loads from 10 watts all the way up to 550 watts. You can also decide to use an inverter on a central power source to act as a backup for an entire building or install inverters on only key light sources to minimize costs. And double check the distance from which the inverter can supply remote power to fixtures; our inverters range from 250 feet up to 1,000 feet! All 1000Bulbs.com inverters carry a 3- to 5-year warranty and are rated to provide 90 minutes of reliable backup power. Many also feature self-test functionality, keeping maintenance (and gray hairs) to a minimum.

Inverters are only one piece of the puzzle when designing your emergency lighting backup plan. Be sure to browse all the emergency lighting system components and accessory offerings online. And don’t forget about the importance of emergency signs as well. They play an additional critical role in guiding folks along the correct path to a safe exit.

Get yourself some backup to keep the lights on in case of emergency! For more specificity on choosing the best battery backup inverter, watch this short product spotlight video, or contact one of our certified lighting experts. They are available Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CST. Just call 1-800-624-4488 or try the convenient pop-up chat feature at the bottom right corner of our web pages.