Power Outage

[F4jock]

Or being able to sleep without having to listen to a noisy generator running outside.

I put my genny in a shed exhausted thru the wall. Can barely hear it but when the feeces contact the rotary oscillator it's a comforting purr.

 

[Wilbur Feral]

Umm... My point was that you likely can't just go buy such a thing. Ours work because we modded them with external batteries. You can't just click your heels and make it happen.

 

[TimfromMA]

Mine's a noisy portable. It does the job quite well but it makes quite a racket doing it.

 

[F4jock]

Umm... My point was that you likely can't just go buy such a thing. Ours work because we modded them with external batteries. You can't just click your heels and make it happen.

Of course not, but if you want peace of mind and safety it's worth the effort. Also, Eaton and Modulon make some pretty hefty units . . . .

 

[F4jock]

Mine's a noisy portable. It does the job quite well but it makes quite a racket doing it.

We found ours in a farmer's field twenty-two years ago. Propane powered, thirty hours on it. Onan. 18kva. Spent a grand refurbishing it and another 2500 on a transfer switch and installation. Among the best money we ever spent on a home improvement. Several times we've had week-long outages. If we didn't have it, no water, no HVAC, no refrigeration.

 

[TimfromMA]

A few years ago, some pretty bad ice storms came to our area. Some people lost power for weeks we, however did not. My mother in law, who was living with us at the time, got real paranoid about what would happen if we were to have an extended power failure like that and wanted us to buy a generator. We refused to spend that kind of money that would spend most of it's life collecting dust in the garage. She then told us to go pick one out and she would pay for it. A couple years later, she moved out to senior housing leaving the generator behind.

This generator was brought to us courtesy of old lady paranoia.

 

[F4jock]

Umm... My point was that you likely can't just go buy such a thing. Ours work because we modded them with external batteries. You can't just click your heels and make it happen.

Sure fire sentry battety backup

 

[Lake Girl]

... This generator was brought to us courtesy of old lady paranoia.

I hope you gave that old lady a big hug and kiss along with a thank-you! "Paranoia" of that kind may be based on a life event with bad associations...

 

[TimfromMA]

I hope you gave that old lady a big hug and kiss along with a thank-you! "Paranoia" of that kind may be based on a life event with bad associations...

Nah, she's just off her rocker.

 

[Wilbur Feral]

Sure fire sentry battety backup

Not an unreasonable point, although they note 8, not 10, hours. One could use two marine batteries, of course. But this is not a normal UPS that most consumers would just run out and buy at the local Best Buy, and given the dangers of DC power in terms of hookups (think arc welder) and the false perception by many people that batteries are those safe little things in flashlights, there's a fair amount of risk in the average homeowner performing those connections, especially with multiple batteries. For those interested and competent, though, the link to that site is: http://www.stovesentry.com.

 

[steveg_nh]

Well this thread has me ready to do a test too! My vent pipe is 100% vertical, about 22' tall. I would imagine I'll be ok, but I'll check it. I would really have no good was to get a UPS on my insert, as the outlet the insert plugs into to is hidden, inside the masonry firebox.

 

[Wilbur Feral]

Well this thread has me ready to do a test too! My vent pipe is 100% vertical, about 22' tall. I would imagine I'll be ok, but I'll check it. I would really have no good was to get a UPS on my insert, as the outlet the insert plugs into to is hidden, inside the masonry firebox.

Good idea to test it, but likely fine. Have one insert and the natural draft just sucks the smoke up the chimney. Other stove is free standing with about 4 ft vertical, and does a nice job, but not quite as good. It's the horizontal only's that have the biggest problem.

 

[TimfromMA]

Well this thread has me ready to do a test too! My vent pipe is 100% vertical, about 22' tall. I would imagine I'll be ok, but I'll check it. I would really have no good was to get a UPS on my insert, as the outlet the insert plugs into to is hidden, inside the masonry firebox.

It may not work for you but you can read here about how I connect my UPS.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/index.php?threads/125698/
Homemade Battery Backup

 

[steveg_nh]

You gave that to me yesterday and we chatted in another thread. It is a cool setup...Not sure it's something I could rig up in my house, but I love stuff like that.

 

[TimfromMA]

You gave that to me yesterday and we chatted in another thread. It is a cool setup...Not sure it's something I could rig up in my house, but I love stuff like that.

Oops, sorry about that.

 

[steveg_nh]

No worries at all! Thanks.

 

[F4jock]

Not an unreasonable point, although they note 8, not 10, hours. One could use two marine batteries, of course. But this is not a normal UPS that most consumers would just run out and buy at the local Best Buy, and given the dangers of DC power in terms of hookups (think arc welder) and the false perception by many people that batteries are those safe little things in flashlights, there's a fair amount of risk in the average homeowner performing those connections, especially with multiple batteries. For those interested and competent, though, the link to that site is: http://www.stovesentry.com.

You make good points but my assumption is that stove owners are a breed apart enough to go beyond the "norm" with intelligence. In other words, you want a UPS to do something that ain't computer-related you do your homework and research the safety aspect well. As for battery risk, heck, the battery in your car, which is nowhere near the output of an arc welder, can kill or hurt you pretty badly and we regularly mess with those electrical systems.

 

[TimfromMA]

One thing to keep in mind is that these lead acids batteries produce hydrogen when recharging. Keep them as far away from your stove as possible.

 

[gfreek]

TimfromMA I like your set up..I've been procrastinating for a system. Need something that wont break the bank and give me a few hours at least..So I'm looking again...

 

[F4jock]

One thing to keep in mind is that these lead acids batteries produce hydrogen when recharging. Keep them as far away from your stove as possible.

I don't think the sealed ones do. I've had a battery back-up self-charging double sump pump set up in my basement for years. Nary a problem.

 

[AbbyCha]

Never got around to testing but the power weny out last night. No smoke in the house. Powered on the generator this morning and stove started back up just fine. Couldn't cook Thanksgiving dinner but very grateful to have generator, pellet stove, wood stove, and football! Looks like it could be a few days before fully restored here in southern NH.