Almost every home in Bangladesh has an IPS. It keeps the fans and lights running during load shedding, and it keeps the computer on for those few minutes before the building generator starts. Most of us only think about it when the power goes and the IPS does not come on.
Many families also pay a technician every year to look after it, often around ৳4,000 for a visit every three or four months. We have used the same Rahimafrooz IPS at home for more than 10 years, and in most of those visits the main job was simply adding water to the battery.
The good news: you can do most IPS care yourself in about 10 minutes a month. This guide shows you how, step by step, and tells you when you really do need a technician.
The short answer
If you do only five things
- Use only distilled battery water. Never tap, tube well, filter or drinking water.
- Check the water level every month, more often in the hot months.
- Fill only up to the max mark. Overfilling makes acid leak out.
- Clean the terminals when you see white or green powder, then rub on a little petroleum jelly.
- Test the backup once a month by running the IPS for 20 to 30 minutes on purpose.
First, check which battery you have
Not every IPS battery needs water. Look at the top of your battery before you do anything.
| Battery type | How to spot it | Needs water? |
|---|---|---|
| Wet (flooded) tubular | Tall battery with 6 small caps or float indicators on top. Most common in Bangladeshi homes. | Yes, regularly |
| Sealed or maintenance free | Flat top with no caps you can open | No |
| Lithium (LiFePO4) | Usually a slim box, often sold with newer IPS or power stations | No |
If your battery has caps, this whole guide is for you. If it is sealed or lithium, skip the water steps and follow the cleaning, placement and testing parts.
What you need
Everything below is cheap and easy to find at a hardware shop, a battery shop, a pharmacy or online.
- Distilled battery water. A 5 litre can costs roughly ৳170 to ৳280. Many battery shops sell small bottles labelled “battery water”.
- Rubber gloves. The liquid inside the battery is acid and can burn skin.
- A small plastic funnel or the nozzle bottle the water comes in. Never use metal.
- A clean dry cloth to wipe the battery top.
- Petroleum jelly (Vaseline) for the terminals.
- An old toothbrush and baking soda for cleaning powder off the terminals.
One 5 litre can lasts most homes a long time. So the full yearly cost of doing it yourself is usually a few hundred taka.
How to add water to your IPS battery: step by step
- Switch everything off. Turn off the IPS switch and the main supply to the IPS. Never open the caps while the battery is charging or running.
- Wait a few minutes. A battery that was just charging can be warm and give off gas. Let it settle.
- Put on gloves. Keep children and anything you light (matches, mosquito coils) away.
- Wipe the top clean. Dust falling into the cells harms the battery.
- Check the level. Most tubular batteries have float indicators: red or low means add water, green or high means it is fine. If yours has plain caps, open one and look: the liquid should cover the plates inside.
- Pour slowly. Add distilled water a little at a time, only up to the max mark. Do the same for each cell that is low.
- Close all caps tightly and wipe away any drops on the top.
- Switch back on and let the battery charge as normal.
✓ Do
- Use distilled water only
- Check every month
- Wear gloves
- Keep the caps tight
! Don’t
- Use tap, filter, rain or drinking water
- Overfill past the max mark
- Add acid yourself
- Top up while charging
Why not normal water? Tap and drinking water carry minerals and salts. Over months they damage the plates inside the battery, and that damage cannot be fixed. Battery makers also say that using anything except distilled water can void the warranty.
Simple IPS care calendar
| How often | What to do |
|---|---|
| Every month | Check water level. Check backup time with a short test run. Wipe dust off the IPS and battery. |
| Every 2 to 3 months | Clean and grease the terminals. Check the wires are tight and not hot or melted. |
| Hot months (April to September) | Check water every 2 to 3 weeks. Heat makes the battery lose water faster. |
| Every year | Note the backup time and compare it with last year. A big drop means the battery is getting old. |
Clean the terminals
White, green or blue powder on the battery posts is corrosion. It weakens the connection and can shorten backup time.
- Switch off the IPS and the main supply first.
- Mix a spoon of baking soda in a cup of water and scrub the powder off with an old toothbrush. Do not let the mix get into the cells.
- Wipe dry, then rub a thin layer of petroleum jelly on the posts and clamps.
- Make sure the clamps are tight. A loose clamp gets hot and can melt the wire.
Run a backup test every month
An IPS battery that sits fully charged for weeks never gets a real workout. This is common in areas where load shedding is now rare, or in buildings with a generator. Once a month, switch off the main supply for 20 to 30 minutes and let the IPS run your normal load. It keeps the battery healthy and you will notice early if the backup time is shrinking, before a long outage catches you off guard.
Where to keep your IPS in a Bangladeshi home
- Somewhere with fresh air. Charging batteries give off a little gas. Avoid closed cupboards and tiny rooms with no window.
- Away from the kitchen and gas cylinder. Keep the IPS and battery far from any flame or LPG cylinder.
- Out of direct sun and away from walls that get very hot in summer.
- Off a damp floor. If the floor gets wet in the rainy season, put the battery on a raised wooden or plastic stand.
- Away from children. Little hands should not reach the caps or wires.
- Nothing on top. Do not keep clothes, papers or water bottles on the battery or IPS.
Keep a fire extinguisher somewhere easy to reach in the home. See our guide to the best fire extinguishers for home.
Do not overload it
A home IPS is made for fans, lights, a router, a TV and a computer. Heavy appliances like an induction cooker, iron, water pump, geyser, AC or refrigerator can overload it and damage the battery fast. Our best IPS for home guide explains what size IPS runs what.
Warning signs: when to call a technician
Do it yourself for routine care, but call a trained technician or the brand’s service centre if you notice any of these:
- Backup time has dropped a lot, even with full water and a full charge.
- The battery looks swollen or the case is cracked.
- A rotten egg smell near the battery, or it feels very hot.
- Water runs low very fast, for example every week. This can mean the IPS is overcharging.
- The IPS keeps beeping, shows an error light or switches on and off by itself.
- Burnt or melted wires anywhere near the IPS.
A swollen battery or rotten egg smell is a safety issue. Switch the IPS off, open the windows and get it checked soon.
Is a yearly IPS service contract worth it?
Many technicians and dealers in Bangladesh offer a yearly contract. Here is an honest comparison.
| Yearly contract | Do it yourself | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical cost | Around ৳3,000 to ৳5,000 a year | A few hundred taka a year |
| Time | None, but you wait for visits | About 10 minutes a month |
| Checks | Every 3 to 4 months | Every month, so problems show up sooner |
| Repairs | A trained person sees faults | You call someone only when needed |
For most homes with one IPS and one battery, doing it yourself is enough and saves money. A contract still makes sense if:
- No one at home is comfortable working near battery acid, for example elderly parents living alone.
- Your battery is under warranty and the warranty card asks for service by the dealer. Check your card first.
- You have a large setup with two or more batteries.
When it is time for a new battery
A well cared for wet tubular battery usually lasts several years, but the backup slowly gets shorter. When it can no longer cover your usual outage, it is time to replace it. In mid 2026, popular home IPS batteries cost roughly:
- 130Ah: about ৳18,000 to ৳19,000
- 165Ah: about ৳21,500 to ৳24,500
- 200Ah tubular or tall tubular: about ৳24,700 to ৳34,500
If your IPS machine itself is 10 years old or more, ask the technician to check it when you change the battery. Sometimes replacing both together is the smarter buy. Compare current models in our best IPS for home in Bangladesh guide, and keep a rechargeable emergency light as a cheap backup for long outages.
How we wrote this guide
This guide comes from more than 10 years of using and looking after an IPS in a Bangladeshi home, plus the care advice published by inverter battery makers such as Luminous, Livguard and Genus. Battery prices are from Bangladeshi online sellers and were checked in November 2026. Prices change often, so check before you buy.
Always follow the instructions that came with your own IPS and battery. If they say something different from this guide, follow the maker.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use tap water or filter water in my IPS battery?
No. Tap, tube well, filter and drinking water all carry minerals that slowly damage the battery plates. Use only distilled battery water.
How often should I add water to an IPS battery?
Check every month and add water only when the level is low. In the hot months, check every 2 to 3 weeks. Most homes need to top up every one to three months.
What happens if I overfill the battery?
Extra water can push acid out of the caps while charging. It corrodes the terminals and the floor. If you overfill, switch off and soak up the extra carefully with a clean cloth while wearing gloves.
Do I need to switch off the IPS before adding water?
Yes. Turn off the IPS and the main supply, wait a few minutes, then open the caps. Never top up while the battery is charging or running.
How long does an IPS battery last in Bangladesh?
A wet tubular battery usually lasts several years with good care. Heat, overloading, low water and long gaps without use all make it fail sooner.
Is a maintenance free battery better?
It saves you the water job, but it usually costs more and often does not last longer than a well kept tubular battery. If you are happy to check water once a month, tubular is still good value.
Where can I buy distilled water for my battery?
Battery shops, hardware shops and many pharmacies sell it. Look for a can marked distilled or battery water. A 5 litre can is enough for many months.
Our advice
Ten minutes a month is all it takes
Check the water, use only distilled water, clean the terminals and test the backup once a month. For most homes this replaces a yearly service contract and helps the battery last longer. Call a technician only when you see warning signs.
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