Electronics & Appliances Extended use UPS/Solar Batteries?

The APC UPS unit you have there is what we bought for the PC, works fine for me and gives me enough time to finish what I am doing and shut down, no use running the PC longer due to the Internet/TV signals dropping out at the same time as the power here, as soon as the lights go out so does the Modem connection. Are you able to stay connected to the internet after a Black-out where you live?

 

Brownout in Valencia right now for the last hour. Still up and running strong. Laptop, 65" LED TV, soundbar, Globe LTE Router with external antenna, floor fan.... oops, power back on now. Good check for an hour anyway.

 

Do you plug your electronics into the inverter or do you electrify the house wiring. If you use the house wiring do you disconnect the outside power as you typically do with a backup generator?

 

Both the input and output of my particular inverter is setup for hardwired, meaning I built the connecting cables. The input is plugged into the wall outlet, keeps the battery charged and when power is interrupted it automatically switches to battery power (less than 10 milliseconds so do not even see a flicker when it happens). The output side I wired as a 3 plug 'extension cord' which is what everything I power is connected to.

There is of course, and I have thought about it, the option to plug the output into the wall. This would require, as you mention, First and Foremost - disconnecting the house from the grid First (did I remember to say first?) Disconnecting does 2 things, it does not send power back up the service line so it can electrocute the repair guy, And when power comes back on you inverter doesn't blow up.

Longest test of my system so far was last night, lasted one hour and I calculate I should be good for about 7 hours. If I run the entire house (adding the lights, fans in the other rooms, ref, and water cooler) I estimate 2-3 hour runtime. If 2+ hour brownouts become 'normal' I would order another battery and probably install my own disconnect from grid power instead of relying on what was installed and powering the entire house (except cooking and aircon).

 

Could you post where you bought the Inverter and battery ?

 

The best thing you can do is GROUND your house, it is not that hard and will save you from having to play the plug unplug game all the time!!!! Go to your electric store and buy a grounding rod best size to get is 20’ it will come in 2 10’ Pieces with a coupler. Go to your fuse box and go 1m out from the house and drive the rod into the ground. Those of you with cement everywhere will have to do some extra work, i.e. drilling a hole!!! Also you will need 6 gauge wire... measure from your fuse box out to the rod and leave about 12” for mistakes!!!! For those with cement open your fuse box and pull the inside cover off so you can see the back side, drill a hole usually on the side at the bottom to run the wire through.... make sure there are no other wires around the ground wire or you might get a jump.

For those with dirt same applies, you will need a grinder with a mason cutter, wide size, to put the wire in later. Drive the rod into the ground outside and for those with cement you will need to chip out a square hole connect the wire to the rod and cut your line with the grinder again MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO OTHER WIRES AROUND!!!! For you line to the house use the grinder to cut the cement so you can cover it back up later!!! For the cement guys the reason for the square hole is for the ground wire connector to go in once you have cut the cement, if you use a wide cutter blade you are going to have to make a few cuts to get it the size of your wire!!! And chip it out deep enough to cover up the line later. Now run the wire through the hole and find a place on the back side of the panel there is usually one there with a holder that no one knows what it is for, well its for the GROUND wire!!!! Connect it to the back panel and then start putting the wire in the Chanel you cut with the grinder down the wall to the ground!!! Again for those with cement you will have to chip out more, for those with dirt just dig a Chanel to the rod and make it about 12” deep to keep you from hitting it later. Cut about 8” of the plastic covering off the cable and wrap it around the rod and then put the cable holder on it to keep it connected!!!! Same for the cement guys!!!

Even if you are in a brownout your house still has power, just a bit, so if you are hit by lightning, electricity will always take the path of least resistance and follow the ground wire to the rod. You may see fire works but at least you know it went outside and did not damage anything inside!!!! I hope that helps some of you..

Also if all you are wanting is to be able to run a few things just get 1 or 2 solar panels and set u up a small solar bank, u can use old car batteries to store your power. And if they are dead but still have a little voltage in them u can sometimes revive them, just by cleaning them out, there are a bunch of videos on YouTube about doing it. And you can get am MTTP controller from Lazada for less than 500p to control the charge..

If there are enough of you that want to do this go to made in China and they will give u a quote on the # of panels you need, a lot of the big places want $12 to 20 bucks a panel and if u get a pallet of them delivery is free! And I think now we have free trade with them so no import tax!!!

Just something to think about, Goose out

 

I bought my batteries from the moderator/creator of this FB page, they also referred me to a company they deal with for the inverter. I recently shared where I bought my inverter from and they never responded.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/862273810529087/

 

Curious as to how this system is working out for you after a year or so, does it last the entire brownout and what are you now running off of it... thanks

 

Changed my battery from 1 to 3. I can run my TV, Stereo, Laptop, Router, Fan, Ref, and water cooler for about 12 hours.