A pellet stove vented straight out the wall, as we know, will put some smoke in the room if the power (and its fans) go off. Putting the stove on a good computer-grade UPS gives time to simply shut it off at the thermostat, and the fans run on the backup power for plenty of time to clear the stove. Doesn't work when you're not home.
Now, the UPS will typically have a USB output on which it can signal when it goes to backup power (among other things). That could easily be hooked up to a "wall wart" Linux computer to receive the UPS's messages (probably using NUT). Such computers start under $50. But to complete the project that tiny computer would need to control a switch added to the thermostat's line. Such things exist. Don't know where to find them. Wall wart computer + switch it can control (preferably USB pluggable) with both plugged into UPS for power, and connected to the UPS by USB, with the thermostat line running through that switch = a straight-vent system where you'll get no smoke in the house during an unattended power failure. If the switch can be had for $20 (wild guess) and the wall wart and USB cables add another $50, with the software free and easily copied onto new units once configured for one, seems like it could be a nice little product for someone.
Which makes me wonder if anyone's already done it.
Now, the UPS will typically have a USB output on which it can signal when it goes to backup power (among other things). That could easily be hooked up to a "wall wart" Linux computer to receive the UPS's messages (probably using NUT). Such computers start under $50. But to complete the project that tiny computer would need to control a switch added to the thermostat's line. Such things exist. Don't know where to find them. Wall wart computer + switch it can control (preferably USB pluggable) with both plugged into UPS for power, and connected to the UPS by USB, with the thermostat line running through that switch = a straight-vent system where you'll get no smoke in the house during an unattended power failure. If the switch can be had for $20 (wild guess) and the wall wart and USB cables add another $50, with the software free and easily copied onto new units once configured for one, seems like it could be a nice little product for someone.
Which makes me wonder if anyone's already done it.