February 28, 2022 / RefrigeratorPro Team
Voltage fluctuations are not as common in large cities as they are in other parts of our country. Many users wrongly believe that voltage stabilizers are only meant for protection against regular voltage fluctuations.
However, this is not true and use of voltage stabilizers should be considered whenever you plan to use an electrical equipment / appliance. Usually, if the appliance is of higher power rating, it makes lot of sense to spend few thousands more after purchasing the appliance to safeguard against any potential damage.
What is The Need of a Voltage Stabilizer?
Voltage stabilizer effectively regulates the voltage of the appliance for which it is built. A Stabilizer is useful because it protects the appliances from following scenarios:
- Voltage fluctuations
- Constant under voltage
- Constant over voltage
- Power surge
It means that voltage stabilizer not only protects the AC from voltage fluctuation, but it also helps in giving constant safe-range voltage to the appliance when the voltage is low or high as well.
Power surge is another important reason why many electrical appliances get damaged. A power surge can occur due to lightning strike, malfunction of transformer and even when you switch off the appliance. As a rule of thumb, high-powered electrical appliances such as refrigerators and ACs have higher chances of power surge when you switch them on. Even though, this power surge is not as damaging as a lightning strike for example, but it causes damage in tiny increments that can be harmful for the appliance in the long run.
One famous example of power surge is when there was an electric supply failure in Mumbai in 2020 and guidance to switch off all major electric appliances was released. When the power supply was restored, many appliances got damaged due to power surge.
How Do Power Surges Cause Damage?
All electrical appliances come with rated voltage, which indicates their safe working range. If the input voltage exceeds this safe range, then this causes an arc of electric current inside the appliance. This generates heat, which can cause damage to important parts such as PCB, compressor, motor, sensors etc. These components can be quite expensive to repair / restore.
For example, replacement of a PCB of an AC can cost you 15 – 20% of its buying cost!
Do Inverter ACs Require External Stabilizer?
We have come across several customers who have ACs that promise stabilizer free operation and therefore do not buy an external stabilizer. However, many ACs get damaged even after working perfectly for several years. What is the reason for this?
If you look at the fine print, you will realize that the AC can operate without getting damaged only when its input voltage is in certain safe range. Usually, the voltage remains in the range. But in cases of power surge, even these ACs can get damaged, because they are not designed for extreme fluctuations. Many of these internal stabilizers do have voltage cutoff to protect from such surges, but external stabilizer acts as an additional protection against such spikes in voltage.
Hence, it is always advised to buy an external stabilizer even if the AC model promises stabilizer free operation.
Now that you have understood the need for a voltage stabilizer, let’s take a look at some of the best stabilizers for ACs in India. And do not forget to read out buying guide for stabilizers at the end of this article if you want to learn more.
Our Top Pick
| Product | Best Stabilizer for 1.5 Ton AC | Best Stabilizer for 2 Ton AC |
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| Name |
V-Guard VG 400 Voltage Stabilizer
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V-Guard VG 500 Stabilizer
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| Best Features | Thermal overload protection, Has Time Delay Technology and HMC Technology necessary for AC stabilisers, Sleek & Compact, 3 years warranty | Thermal overload protector, High temperature protection, Time delay, High quality ABS casing, 3-year warranty |
| Buy Now |
Table of Contents
Best Stabilizer for AC in India
| Name | Ideal AC | Warranty | Check Price |
| V-Guard VG 500 Voltage Stabilizer | 2 Ton | 3 years | View on Amazon |
| V-Guard VG 400 Voltage Stabilizer | 1.5 Ton | 3 years | View on Amazon |
| Microtek EM4160+ 160V-285V Stabilizer | 1.5 Ton | 3 years | View on Amazon |
| Microtek EM5170+ Voltage Stabilizer | 2 Ton | 5 years | View on Amazon |
| MONITOR 4-KVA Voltage Stabilizer | 1.5 Ton | 5 years | View on Amazon |
Best Copper Stabilizers
| Name | Ideal AC | Warranty | Check Price |
| Everest EWD 400-D | 1.5 Ton | 5 years | View on Amazon |
| Monitor 4KVA 100% Copper | 1.5 Ton | 5 years | View on Amazon |
V-Guard VG 500 Voltage Stabilizer 2 Ton AC
This stabilizer is ideal for 2 ton capacity ACs and is one of the best-selling voltage stabilizers for ACs in India. It not only has decent design, but is also very effective.
Its design is modern and it hides the inner circuitry quite well. Moreover, Its light grey colour is pleasing to look at and it blends decently with most of the wall colour combinations.
Also, its body is built with high quality ABS plastic which makes it durable and long lasting. Coming to its performance, it can withstand a voltage range of 170- 270v, which is good for most of the regions in India.
It is built with keeping ACs in mind and therefore, it comes with intelligent time delay system that ensures protection of the AC compressor. Moreover, its in-built thermal overload protection safeguards the compressor from high temperature burnouts.
Its 3-year warranty is decent and you can expect good customer support since V-Guard is one of the most reputed brands for AC stabilizers.
This stabilizer also automatically switches on once the power supply is resumed. Its other features include automatic cut-off feature to prevent from very high fluctuation, LED status indicator for ease of use. Also, since it is suitable for 2 ton ACs, even if you have 1.5 ton AC, you can purchase it and if in future you upgrade to 2 ton AC, you will not have to buy a new stabilizer.
Talking about its cons, its power cable is short, therefore, you may have to purchase extra set of cables.
Verdict:
The V-Guard VG 500 Voltage Stabilizer is one of the best voltage stabilizers for 2 ton ACs in India. It is has great build quality and is very efficient, thus if you are looking for a good quality stabilizer, then you can consider it.
V-Guard VG400 Stabilizer for 1.5 Ton AC
V-Guard has great reputation when it comes to stabilizers. This is the reason why we have more than one V-Guard stabilizers in our list. Its VG400 stabilizer is one of the best stabilizers for 1.5 ton ACs in India. It is sleek in design and it complements home décor quite well just like VG500. This is because, V-Guard stabilizers come with better design than its competitors. As far as effectiveness is concerned, it can withstand a voltage range of 170 – 270v, and comes with essential safety features such as time delay, thermal overload protection and voltage cut-off. Thus, it comes with all the necessary safety features required for voltage stabilisers for ACs.
Moreover, best feature of this stabilizer is that even with all these features, it comes at affordable pricing. It comes with decent warranty of 3-years, which ensures you get hassle-free servicing in case of any issues.
Talking about cons, its windings are made up of aluminum, which are not as efficient as copper windings. Also, it is not ideal stabilizer for high voltage fluctuations since it is a simple voltage stabilizer
Verdict:
Even with all the safety features and excellent performance it is one of the most affordable stabilizers for 1.5 ton ACs. No wonder, this stabilizer boasts of high user satisfaction. Hence, you can go with this stabilizer if you are looking for good quality AC at decent price point.
Microtek EM4150 Digital Display Voltage Stabilizer For 1.5 Ton AC
Microtek voltage stabilizer is one of the best AC stabilizers that is also a decent alternative to V-Guard stabilizer due to its great features at slightly higher pricing. It scores higher than VG500 stabilizer with its wider input voltage range.
It comes with decent design and with its metal body, it is sleek and compact. Its Save Power technology makes this stabilizer a perfect combination of durability and efficiency. This technology reduces the power consumption of the stabilizer and increases its lifespan as well.
It is a simple cut-off stabilizer which means that if the input voltage is wider than its range of 150 – 280v, then it will cut off the power supply to the AC.
It comes with almost all the features required in a good quality AC stabilizer. Its smart timer delay feature prevents AC from starting immediately after power cuts. This protects the AC compressor. Moreover, its advanced seven segment digital display makes it quire user friendly and convenient to use.
It comes with 3-year warranty that offers on-site servicing, which is again quite convenient as come brands offer offsite warranty that requires you to send stabilizer via courier.
Its intelli auto start and silver caked relay and auto start are some of the other useful features. Coming to its cons, this stabilizer is slightly higher priced.
Verdict:
Microtek voltage stabilizer comes with all the necessary features required in an AC stabilizer. Moreover, its wider input voltage range makes it perfect for locations with higher fluctuations. Thus, it is one of the best voltage stabilizers today.
Microtek EM5170+ Voltage Stabilizer for 2 Ton AC
There are not many decent voltage stabilizers in the market that are built for 2 ton ACs. Microtek EM5170+ is one of the best voltage stabilizers for 2 ton ACs. It comes with many features required in a decent voltage stabilizer except for time delay feature.
As far as design is considered, it is quite similar to 1.5 ton stabilizer. Its advanced seven segment digital display gives convenient display of input and output voltages. Low and high cutoff feature ensures that the stabilizer switches cuts off power supply when the input voltage is not in the safe range.
Auto-start feature and silver caked relay features ensure that the stabilizer perform its functions efficiently by ensuring optimum output voltage.
Verdict:
Microtek EM5170+ is one of the few voltage stabilizers for 2 ton ACs in India. Even though it lacks some features, we advise you to go with this model if you don’t want to purchase VG500 stabilizer.
MONITOR 4-KVA Voltage Stabilizer for Inverter AC for 1.5 Ton AC
Monitor voltage stabilizer is one of the best 1.5 ton AC stabilizers in the market.
Just like the most of the other stabilizers in the range, it is cut-off stabilizer that cuts off power supply if the voltage is outside the range of 170 – 270v.
Its body is made up of epoxy coated metal that ensures high durability. One of the reasons why this stabilizer is among the most sought-after is its copper winding instead of usual aluminum winding. This helps reduce your power bills and increase. On top of this, it comes with a high 5-year warranty period.
Finally, even with all these great features, it is affordable. Talking about it cons, it does not have time delay feature, thermal protection and LED display. However its high warranty period and high user satisfaction ensures good level of confidence in the product.
Verdict:
MONITOR voltage stabilizer gives great energy savings along with sleek design, and decent voltage protection. Even though it does not offer high-end safety features, it is compensated with higher warranty period. You can go for this stabilizer if you do not want to purchase V-Guard stabilizer and are looking for an affordable one.
Best Copper Stabilizers
Everest EWD 400-D Double Booster Classic Digi Voltage Stabilizer (best copper stabilizer for 1.5 Ton Split AC)
Everest EWD 400 is one of the best copper stabilizers in the market. This is because it has all the necessary features that should be present in an AC stabilizer. Its thermal overload protection disconnects the power load in case of excessive electric consumptions. This prevents any damage from overheating of device.
ITDS is another important feature that prevents any damage to PCB and compressor of the AC by delaying power supply to the unit when power comes back immediately after power cuts. During our testing we found this that this function was working perfectly.
On top of all this, its safe working range is 130 – 300v. This is one feature that sets it apart from other stabilizers. High working range means that the stabilizer does not need to cut off power supply. It also has spike protection to protect from sudden increase in voltages.
Verdict:
This stabilizer is the best copper stabilizer for 1.5-ton ACs. It comes with all the necessary features required in an AC stabilizer like ITDS, thermal overload protection, spike protection, wide operating voltage and of course, copper winding transformer. It comes at more cost as compared to some of the other stabilizers, however, we feel that the cost of this device is justified given its top-class features. Hence, if cost is not a concern, this you should definitely go for this copper stabilizer.
MONITOR 4-KVA 100% Copper Stabilizer
Copper stabilizers use copper winding transformers which help in saving slightly more power as compared to aluminum stabilizers and are also slightly more durable.
Just like other stabilizer in this list, this stabilizer is meant to support ACs with 1.5 ton or lesser capacity. You can use it on window or split ACs as well.
Its operating range is of voltage is between 170 and 270 volts. You can choose to mount the stabilizer on a wall or place it on the floor (we highly recommend mounting on wall though).
Other than this, it comes with other like all other AC stabilizers, it has a voltage cutoff inbuilt to turn off the device in case the input voltage exceeds safe limit.
However, it does not come with other functionalities present in V Guard stabilizers mentioned in the list. Hence features such as ITDS and thermal overload protection are not present. But it comes with 5-year warranty, which ensures some level of peace of mind.
Verdict:
This is one of the most cost-effective copper stabilizers in the market. As far as looks are concerned, it is not much different from other Monitor stabilizers. Hence if you are looking for a copper stabilizer without spending much then you can consider this stabilizer.
Buying Guide – Best Stabilizer for AC
How to Choose Ideal Voltage Stabilizer for Your AC?
Most of the modern appliances come with a bigger voltage range for hassle-free operation. This means that if the earlier models of the fridge worked between 200-240 V range, the latest models offer a bigger range of 170-290 V.
Power Rating
First thing you should do is check the total power rating of the AC. This power rating is usually measured in kVA. You can find the KVA rating easily on the appliance label.
KVA means kilo volt ampere and 1 kVA = 1000 VA (volt amperes).
For this, first, check out the total power ratings of your electronic appliances. Power rating comes in VA or KVA. Also, see whether you are using a single phase or three phases circuit. You can check the KVA rating of the electronic appliance on the nameplate of the appliance.
Please note, here kVA means kilo-volt-ampere and VA means volt ampere. 1 kVA = 1000-volt amperes. Below are average kVA values as per tonnage of ACs.
| AC Tonnage | Max kVA (assuming 0.85 power factor) |
| 1 Ton | 1.6 kVA |
| 1.5 Ton | 2.4 kVA |
| 2 Ton | 3 kVA |
Now make sure that the stabilizer’s kVA rating is more than the maximum kVA rating of the AC. You may take 20-25% margin.
However, you do not need to really worry about checking these power ratings as most of the stabilizers in the market are sold based on the tonnage of ACs.
Specialized Stabilizer
As discussed, it is advisable to go for stabilizers built specifically for air conditioners if you want to protect your home ACs. This is because they are built keeping AC specifications in mind.
Voltage Range
Safest stabilizers are the ones that can withstand a voltage range of 130 – 290v. And output range of 200 to 240v is considered decent.
Time Delay
ACs (and refrigerators) run with the help of compressors. These compressors turn ‘on’ and ‘off’ constantly to maintain the required temperature and are thus very important component of ACs. However, during power outages, the compressor gets switched off instantaneously and, in this scenario, if power comes back, it can damage the equipment. This is because a compressor is supposed to get power only after a fixed duration (usually 2 to 3 minutes) depending on the brand and model to enhance its lifespan.
What time delay does it that it gives enough time to the compressor to ‘heat up’ and only after some time, full current is allowed to pass through the equipment. This is an important feature and is usually present in external voltage stabilizers.
Voltmeter Indicator
Voltage Stabilizers come with either analog meters or digital meters. These meters give you voltage reading that is regulated by the stabilizer. Most of the latest models come with LED lights as well.
Voltage Cutoff (Including Surge Protection)
As discussed, all voltage stabilizers can regulate voltage only when it comes under the range that it is rated for. In cases when the voltage level increases or decreases more than the specified range, the voltage cutoff feature will switch off the stabilizer automatically, thus cutting off supply to the appliance. You can look for voltage stabilizers with ‘surge protection’ of ‘spike guard’ for protection against high voltage during power surges.
Copper vs Aluminum Stabilizers
Copper based stabilizers are better and more long lasting as compared to aluminum based stabilizers as they are more durable and conduct electricity better than aluminum.
Mounting
Usually, a stabilizers can be mounted on the floor or a wall. It is usually a good idea to mount it higher on the wall because there is always a certain level of risk if the stabilizers are easily reachable. Homes with children are especially at risk if the stabilizers are in easy reach of kids.
Digitized
Most of the newer models of voltage stabilizers are come with digitized voltage stabilizers. This enables them to adapt to different voltage fluctuations and are reliable and accurate. Some of these stabilizers can even connect with the generators.
Thermal Overload Protection
This feature allows the stabilizer to protect the compressor during high-temperature burnouts.
Design
Stabilizers come in various colors and styles. Usually, light colored stabilizers are preferred as they blend easily with white and other light colored walls.
Warranty
Make sure that you get at least 3 years of warranty on your stabilizer. May brand also come with decent 5-year warranty as well.
Aluminum Stabilizer vs Copper Stabilizer
Both aluminum and copper stabilizers have own pros and cons. Let’s see what are the ley differences.
| Copper Stabilizer | Aluminum | |
| Effectiveness | Copper is a better conductor of electricity than aluminum, hence it is more effective than aluminum. | Aluminum is a good conductor of electricity but not as copper. |
| Durability | Copper is more durable than aluminum. One of the reasons for this is its higher density as compared to aluminum. Hence, copper stabilizers may tend to last longer than aluminum-based stabilizers. | Aluminum is less dense and more flexible than copper which makes it slightly more prone to damage. |
| Cost | Copper is quite expensive when compared to aluminum. This tends to increase the cost of copper stabilizers. | Biggest thing going in favour of aluminum is its lower cost. Aluminum can cost less than half of copper. This is the reason why aluminum stabilizers are quite inexpensive. |
| Preference | Due to copper’s high durability and high conduction, nearly all electronic cables are made from copper. | Aluminum is mostly considered when weight and cost are more. important |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are there special stabilizers available for ACs?
Yes, there are special stabilizers of ACs and most come with max tonnage specifications.
Usually, voltage stabilizers are built as per the appliance. These stabilizers are built keeping energy range, kVA range and other specifications in mind. Different types of stabilizers are:
1. Stabilizers for ACs
2. Stabilizers for refrigerators
3. Stabilizers for microwave ovens, treadmills, washing machines
4. Digital stabilizers for TV, music systems etc.
5. Stabilizers for traditional TV
6. Mainline Stabilizers
2. How to choose between single-phase and three-phase stabilizers?
Most of the appliances used in home can work with single-phase voltage stabilizers. Three-phase voltage stabilizer usually used when the voltage stabilization for a three-phase motor is required or when you have to stabilize a full three-phase setup. For example, you will need three-phase voltage stabilizer if you want to stabilize the voltage of the entire house on a three-phase connection.
Also, this is not usually recommended and one of the reasons for this is that using it for the entire house can increase the power consumption by the stabilizer as it will work throughout the day. On the other hand, appliance stabilizer can be switched off when not in use.
3. How much power do voltage stabilizers consume?
The electricity consumption of voltage stabilizers depends mainly on their efficiencies. Usually, they consume around 2-5% energy of peak load. Hence, a 1 kVA stabilizer will consume 50 watt on peak load. This also means that a 1 kVA stabilizer working for 100 hours will consume only 5 units of electricity.
4. Can voltage stabilizers increase voltage?
Yes, stabilizers can increase voltage as they consist of a transformer inside them, which generates additional voltage.
5. What does step-up and step-down mean in a stabilizer?
When stabilizer is fed with low voltage, it increase the output voltage. This process is called step up. And when the stabilizer decreases the output voltage to when it gets higher input voltage, it is called step down.
6. Can I use regular stabilizer for AC?
No, you should not use a regular stabilizer for AC. This is because non-AC stabilizers do not have special features such as time delay / ITDS, which is essential for stabilizer connected to the AC.
7. Can stabilizers save on electricity bills?
No, stabilizers do not save on power bills. In fact, they consume power themselves, which can slightly increase energy consumption.
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