As a homemaker, you can relate to the importance of keeping a kitchen clean and odor-free. A clean, pleasant-smelling kitchen can replenish a bad mood and help you cook efficiently.
I love working in the kitchen, and whatever I do there has been taught to me by my mother. Or you can say that I observed her and learned.
Her generation was not so tech-savvy, plus we were not a well-off family during my childhood. I have seen her struggle even for small things we take for granted today.
I remember all of her struggles. Since I was so fascinated by the magic she does on raw vegetables, turning them into tasty meals, I always wandered around her when she was in the kitchen. That’s how I learned most of my cooking.
We didn’t have a ventilated kitchen, so the walls were full of oil grease. The kitchen stank real hard due to the smoke residues. And the smoke troubled my mom when she used to cook.
Today, when I use a kitchen chimney, I understand the power of technology and the comfort it has brought us.
However, owing to the frequent power cuts, we installed an inverter setup to power the home when there was no electricity. It was mostly during my cooking hours, and this really made me frustrated. Why?
As I mostly use oil and many spices in my cooking. Therefore, I frequently use my kitchen chimney while cooking to prevent any unpleasant odor later.
And this is when the thought entered my mind: can these kitchen chimneys run on inverter power? Don’t they consume high power, which can damage the inverter?
So I did some research online and found nothing solid on the topic. So, my husband called our inverter company support line. Their representative came on a visit and explained everything to us thoroughly.
The short answer is yes, you can run your kitchen chimney on an inverter. Your inverter capacity needs to be above 600 VA, combined with a 100 Ah or higher rated battery. This setup can easily run your kitchen chimney and a few other devices for 3-4 hours straight.
This time was enough for me to finish my cooking.
However, different people have different requirements & setups. Read on if you also want to know whether your chimney and other kitchen appliances can run on inverter power.
How Much Electricity Does A Kitchen Chimney Consumes?
So, let’s start this off with this question. How much power will your chimney consume?
Kitchen chimneys don’t consume too much power at once. If you run all the components of a chimney at once, it will fluctuate between 300-400 watts of power consumption, depending upon the model.
But this is not always the case. Let me explain.
A chimney consumes power through its motor, illumination lights, and auto-clean feature.
The motor will consume 100-120 watts (same as a grinder/mixer motor), the lights, 30-70 watts, and the auto-clean, 100-150 watts (depends on the model; heavier models are in the high range).
All this adds up to around 350 watts of power if you have a heavy-duty chimney.
Remember that not all chimneys have the auto-clean feature; even if they do, it won’t run all the time. It functions only when you have too much oil vapors coming out. So, your chimney will use 220-240 watts of power during an average run.
There are many other factors affecting these numbers. Still, it’s a rough estimate that you can use to measure power usage. Apart from this, you can also look at the user’s manual for your chimney and get precise numbers.
Using a ductless chimney will consume a little more power than the ducted ones as it uses a heavy exhaust to suck the kitchen air.
If you are thinking of buying a new chimney, get an energy-saver model. These are currently highly popular in the market due to their low power consumption and high efficiency.
The running time also matters in this case. If your stove is not in use for cooking or there is no odor to prevent, you can turn off the chimney for a while. It can save you a significant amount of power.
Can You Run A Kitchen Chimney On Inverter?
As acknowledged above, you can run your kitchen chimney on an inverter in most cases. Still, you should understand a few things before taking this step.
What you need to worry about first is the power of your inverter. A rating of 600 VA or above is recommended for the inverter. Make sure you are using a sine-wave inverter as it will not damage the motor of the chimney. Also, the battery you are using should be above 100 Ah capacity.
When running the auto-clean feature, the chimney will consume its maximum power. This is not something to worry about, as it happens only a few times.
The fact of the matter is that not only chimneys consume high power. Most of the chimneys you buy for your regular kitchen consume very less energy and can easily run on inverter power.
Some types of chimneys, like ductless models, consume a little more power than ducted ones. Even then, you can use the inverter to power them up. If there is an overload warning, you can switch off some unused appliances to make it work.
If you are still unsure about this, consult your local electrician, and they will guide you perfectly on whether you can use your kitchen chimney with an inverter or not.
After the suggestion of a professional electrician, you can act accordingly.
Final Thoughts
Running your kitchen chimney on inverter power is not a big deal; you can go for it without giving it too much thought. No need to worry as it won’t harm your inverter or the chimney.
The thing is that chimneys don’t consume a lot of power and can even run on low-end inverters. Keep the quality of your inverter in check and buy only from reputable brands that provide a guarantee of their product.
However, if your inverter is overloading or you are unsure whether you should go for it or not, it’s best to consult a professional electrician who will guide you correctly.