Since loadshedding isn’t going anywhere any time soon, it’s best to acquire the right hardware to ensure long battery backups. Following our previous posts on calculating the right battery size and appropriate UPS rating, we have come up with all the details you need regarding UPS prices in Pakistan.
It is pretty obvious that a UPS with higher power capacity and better output quality come at a higher price but the prices vary a lot in the market segment. Inverters and UPS from local companies or Chinese manufacturers are generally cheaper while popular international brands charge you more for better quality and reliability.
Read More: Here’s How to Calculate the UPS Power Rating You Need [Guide]
If you’re looking for the cheapest option, the hand-made UPS from local electricians are your best bet. However, be aware that these break down often and end up costing more due to poor efficiency and lack of warranty. Poor hardware quality also results in random electrical equipment failure. Considering the small price difference in a branded UPS and a hand-made one, we would recommend against getting these.
Now with that out of the way, let’s help you choose the right UPS for your needs and budget.
In case you are looking for a UPS with a price tag of under Rs. 10,000, you should be expecting something that can support a couple of fans and bulbs at max.
Choices are limited in this price range and those which are available cost around Rs. 8000 such as the Emerson Liebert 360W and EcoStar 300W UPS.
If you are willing to spend Rs. 10,000, the EcoStar 600W UPS or Apollo’s 660W system can nearly double your maximum capacity.
The price bracket between Rs. 10k-20k comes with the most number of choices. Many local and international companies offer multiple UPS variants with different features and capacities.
Lesser known brands like NRE offer 1200KVA to 2KVA units with small price tags – around Rs. 11k-12k.
If you go for more reliable and well known companies, Rs. 15,000-18,000 will get you:
Closing in on the Rs. 20k mark, you can get an
These are the entry level units which do offer high capacities but the output quality is only average (modified sinewave).
You might notice that the Rs. 20k-30k range has products that are similar to the ones seen in the cheaper price brackets. The maximum capacity is more or less the same but some of these do offer better quality output.
UPS units offered in this range are from reliable and popular brands. These units can work at claimed capacities with high efficiencies of over 90%.
Slightly cheaper models like Emerson’s 1000VA-1500VA, Hyundai 2000VA, EcoStar 1200W units are more or less comparable to the ones with price tags of over Rs. 18k.
If you plan on getting a UPS from the world’s most popular brand, APC 700VA is also an option. Of course, APC UPS don’t offer good value for money in a country like Pakistan.
Top end units come in the form of
These offer pure sinewave’s (high quality output) with plenty of features.
Most cheap brands and local companies do not sell high rating UPS which can work with extraordinary loads. You can only get imported units from China or other markets.
3000VA units from Homage, Inverex, ProLink, Crown Micro are available for over Rs. 35k. These come with high quality output or the option of Solar Panel support. Axpert offers a 2KVA unit for the same price though.
Since most users don’t go for UPS with capacities of over 3000VA, we have merged them all in a single category. Only people who want to run offices or ACs on their UPS would spend this much on one.
3000VA units from Homage or Inverex come with high quality outputs and solar support. Price is often close to Rs. 50k. 1000VA APC unit also falls within this price range. Single unit UPS units from Emerson come in at around Rs. 70k for 3000VA but these are targeted towards office use.
If you want to opt for bigger 5000VA units, Homage, Inverex and Aurora offer UPS with prices between Rs. 70k to Rs. 80k.
If you are willing to spend even more, imported brands offer UPS with ratings of over 6KVA, 10KVA and more. These units start at around Rs. 110k and go up to Rs. 300k. For large scale offices, Rs. 1 million 30kVA units might be a good option.
Note: Please do note that the rates mentioned here might vary a bit from existing market rates depending on city, demand and seller’s choice.
Have something to say or want to know more about this? Drop an email at aadil.s@propakistani.pk or find Aadil Shadman on Twitter (@ashadman25) or Facebook(fb.com/AadilShadman).