Battery Backup Dummy

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Don't just buy a battery tender from HF, they are only intended to maintain a charge and will not actually recharge.

Walmart sells both Deep cycle batteries and higher end Schumacher dual rate chargers


I saw those at Pep Boys for like $89 I think. They had 2 or 3 different models.
 
bill3rail said: ↑

Just buy a large UPS!

Or just a battery and medium size inverter. That's what an UPS is. I guess the UPS gives you the battery wiring built in. The trade off is that they typically have somewhat small batteries which gives you limited backup time.

That makes a little sense, but the UPS will monitor and charge the battery.
So,
1 Deep Cycle Battery, 1 Battery Tender and 1 Inverter = long running UPS.

Question... If you lose power then run the stove from this setup, will you be able to plug in the battery tender to keep the battery charged at the same time?
 
Some allow for charge and drain simultaneously. Check the box as it will vary by model, but most better ones do this.
 
Question... If you lose power then run the stove from this setup, will you be able to plug in the battery tender to keep the battery charged at the same time?
If you are running on battery, I assume that the AC power is out. Therefore you can't be charging the battery at that time. You can continue to run off a battery and inverter while the AC is present as long as the charger output exceeds the power consumption. I have used this technique in product design.
 
If you are running on battery, I assume that the AC power is out. Therefore you can't be charging the battery at that time. You can continue to run off a battery and inverter while the AC is present as long as the charger output exceeds the power consumption. I have used this technique in product design.

however you could use a cheap generator to power the charger :)
 
however you could use a cheap generator to power the charger
I have come to the conclusion that for my other battery backup systems (water pump, refrigerator and boiler) I do have to use a small generator to restore the batteries. I hate the noise pollution, but that is the reality of it.
I had hoped that solar would be a practical way to maintain the batteries during use, but hurricane Sandy dissuaded me of that notion. It was so overcast, here in Connecticut, that for three days the solar panel put out next to nothing.
 
Now That's what I'm looking for!! My two problems are:

- finding a battery (most auto stores in my area only sell automotive batteries, and places that sell marine or deep cycle are few and far between)

- Would like to charger that can do both fast and trickle charges so I don't ruin the battery (I also don't want to need a loan to buy it either!!)

Do you have a Battery Warehouse anywhere close to you?

That is where I got mine!
 
Do you have a Battery Warehouse anywhere close to you?

That is where I got mine!

I actually just bought an Exide battery online. It ended up to be about $190 & free shipping. It's a 200 minute reserve capacity , not sure if that's the same as 200ah though.

Now I'll get a charger. Hopefully before next Friday though because I hate the Black Friday crowds.
 
It's a 200 minute reserve capacity , not sure if that's the same as 200ah though.
Reserve Capacity (RC) is different from Ampere-hour capacity. It is the number of minutes a fully charged battery at 80 ° F will discharge 25 amps until the battery drops below 10.5 Volts. 10.5 Volts is the cutoff point at which a 12V lead acid battery is considered to be depleted.
The battery you bought has a 100 Ah capacity. The 25A x 200min /60(min/hr) =83Ah which is the 80% of total capacity that is available. Removing the last 20% of the charge in the battery would cause damage to the battery (hence the 10.5 V cutoff).
 
I actually just bought an Exide battery online. It ended up to be about $190 & free shipping. It's a 200 minute reserve capacity , not sure if that's the same as 200ah though.

Now I'll get a charger. Hopefully before next Friday though because I hate the Black Friday crowds.

I have a harman 502 stove sentry if you are interested
I will sell it cheap. Dont need it cause i got a whole house generator
 
I bought a cheap battery tender from Harbor Freight for $6 to maintain the charge on the battery.
Just a thought, I had one of these battery tenders in my boat and it completely melted into my carpet. They took it back, out of warranty,after telling them it almost set my boat on fire. I rate this a "do not buy," pay more and get a name brand...
 
I had one of these battery tenders in my boat and it completely melted into my carpet
Good to know! I'll keep a closer eye on mine. What was it doing on a carpeted surface?
I have to keep reminding myself that HF doesn't do a good job on electrical safety. I had one of their battery tools until the battery melted down while recharging. Now I buy name brand battery powered tools.
You comment made me think of adding a fuse to mine. A half Amp fuse would limit the trouble to 6W. That's enough to get pretty hot, but probably not enough to get a real meltdown. Still for the novice Electrician probably best to stay away from.
 
I have a harman 502 stove sentry if you are interested
I will sell it cheap. Dont need it cause i got a whole house generator

I don't think it would work as I intend because I've got the special battery backup cable for the stove.
 
I don't think it would work as I intend because I've got the special battery backup cable for the stove.

Ok

You actually plug the stove into this unit and hook a battery to the unit. It has its own cables. So the stove is just plugged in and no cables needed.
 
I don't think it would work as I intend because I've got the special battery backup cable for the stove.
You are better off with the backup cable from an efficiency point of view. When on battery, you will have to light the stove manually but the stove will run much longer on battery then on battery+inverter (stove sentry), for the same size battery.
I made it through the hurricane Sandy aftermath (more than three days using battery operation) on a 100Ah battery. I did shut down the stove and clean each afternoon when the house was comfortably warm. Starting with gel starter was easy once I understood the quirks of the stove design.
 
You are better off with the backup cable from an efficiency point of view. When on battery, you will have to light the stove manually but the stove will run much longer on battery then on battery+inverter (stove sentry), for the same size battery.
I made it through the hurricane Sandy aftermath (more than three days using battery operation) on a 100Ah battery. I did shut down the stove and clean each afternoon when the house was comfortably warm. Starting with gel starter was easy once I understood the quirks of the stove design.

I saw somewhere on the site someone talking about lighting the stove with gel. I can just see it now... POOF!.... my eyebrows gone...;lol

Harvey I also meant to ask you with regards to that battery - is that battery ok to charge indoors, or would it give off fumes?
 
The starter gel doesn't poof like that. It's bascially the same stuff that food service 'sterno' can heat things are made of.
 
The starter gel doesn't poof like that. It's bascially the same stuff that food service 'sterno' can heat things are made of.

I thought maybe it was more volitale than that. I really need to get some and check it out just so that its something I've tried and have experience with.
 
I thought maybe it was more volitale than that. I really need to get some and check it out just so that its something I've tried and have experience with.

The gel is much better than the squares....
 
Just use hand sanitizer to light the stove. It works the same and a heck of a lot cheaper!
 
is that battery ok to charge indoors,

The sealed AGM batteries are safe to charge indoors. They should not be housed on a small container such as a box, but as long as you are not seriously overcharging them they don't out-gas. Any of the smart chargers compatible with AGM will safely charge this battery indoors.

The starter gel doesn't poof like that. It's bascially the same stuff that food service 'sterno' can heat things are made of.
If the gel is used in an already hot stove it will go poof, but it didn't take my eyebrows off. It was somewhat like lighting a hot alcoholic desert.
 
Just use hand sanitizer to light the stove. It works the same and a heck of a lot cheaper!
I get starter gel at $12 for 32 oz. I couldn't find hand sanitizer that cheap. Hand sanitizer is great in a pinch, but not a bargain.
 
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