UPS: I was thinking of adding one to open zone valves and run pumps

[velvetfoot]

I don't have anything now. I'm just looking for a safe shutdown for pellet and oil boilers in case of loss of power, so not much power requirement. Natural draft will take care of smoke. The zone valves and pumps would have be energized on a separate path than normal. So, I'd just be keeping certain components energized until the boiler gets down to a safe temperature.

Can anyone recommend a UPS? I probably should peruse the pellet forum at length.

 

[maple1]

How long would it take to get to the safe zone?

I have a 2200va APC unit, found it on Kijiji here at a good price, a bit older but in new condition with very little if any use. It is very capable (weighs a ton also, like 150 lbs. with batteries), and has the built in ability to plug in & chain together a bunch more batteries to it. I think the way it is, it will run my loading unit long enough to get through an entire burn (about 4 hours). But it has a very annoying trait (to me) - there is a built in fan in it, that runs whenever it is plugged in. Likely a requirement of it's capabilities. So I don't bother plugging it in, unless I'm going out, or bad weather is going on or looming. If I could stand the fan noise (it is bolted up to my basement ceiling, right under the middle of our living room floor), it would make a great power source for a lot more than the boiler to get through short term outages - just add batteries & you're off. I also see quite a few larger older units like this for sale for cheap - end cost would basically be the cost of getting new batteries as that's why they're being sold.

You'd have to determine your power needs, but for that one reason, I might look for something in the 1500va range, I think that's about the max capacity before you start getting into cooling fans. If you have a normally open zone valve somewhere in the system, and an ECM pump, the requirements should be minimal - just enough to keep the ECM pump running until things cool. My Alpha draws quite a bit less than 20 watts when pumping just one zone.

Can't offer you anything more specific than that one a new make/model - been quite a while since I went shopping for a new one.

 

[velvetfoot]

That's good info maple.
Because of unwanted flows, I replaced the original taco swing check valves on the zones with normally closed (alas) taco zone sentry valves. So now, I have 2 zones, each having an ECM circulator and a low power normally closed zone valve. There is also an ECM pump for each boiler.

The boilers in question are a pellet boiler and oil boiler. I have no visions of powering the oil burner or the fan, ignitor, augers, pellet transport vacuum, etc. The pellet boiler isn't an instant off kind of deal like the oil burner, but there's definitely less fuel in the pellet burner pot than in, say, a Varmebaronen UB 40. So, maybe there's a super big need, but maybe some need.