Derby Trail Forums

Go Back   Derby Trail Forums > Esoteric Central
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Today's Posts

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 07-06-2012, 08:57 AM
Indian Charlie's Avatar
Indian Charlie Indian Charlie is offline
Goodwood
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Southern Maine
Posts: 8,708
Default

I designed a whole house battery backup system for my house, if anyone is interested in doing this for themselves.

It works just like the UPS system for your computer (you do have one of these, right?). When the power goes out, protected circuits are automatically and instantaneously given power from a bank of deep cycle batteries.

The delay is not even noticeable, being around 10 milliseconds.

Running on just four (a small bank) batteries, I can get around 20 hours of backup power, and in extended outages I just hook up a generator to recharge the batteries, which is mostly done within a few hours, thus saving HUGE on your fuel bill during an outage.

Once power is back, the system automatically will recharge your batteries, so in most cases, this system is completely automated and hands off.

One of the beautiful things about this automated system, vs the Home Depot automatic backup generator is the running cost. Those automatic generators that run on propane, with the price of fuel these days, cost over $100 a day to run during an outage.

The only real negative is that you can't run really high load devices on it, such as an electric range, electric dryer (gas is no problem), electric heaters, that sort of thing.

I was thinking of marketing this, but don't have the money to invest in it anymore. If anyone would like to build one for themselves, let me know and I can tell you all the stuff you'll need to get.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 07-06-2012, 09:07 AM
hoovesupsideyourhead's Avatar
hoovesupsideyourhead hoovesupsideyourhead is offline
"The Kentucky Killing Machine"
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: florida
Posts: 16,278
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Indian Charlie View Post
I designed a whole house battery backup system for my house, if anyone is interested in doing this for themselves.

It works just like the UPS system for your computer (you do have one of these, right?). When the power goes out, protected circuits are automatically and instantaneously given power from a bank of deep cycle batteries.

The delay is not even noticeable, being around 10 milliseconds.

Running on just four (a small bank) batteries, I can get around 20 hours of backup power, and in extended outages I just hook up a generator to recharge the batteries, which is mostly done within a few hours, thus saving HUGE on your fuel bill during an outage.

Once power is back, the system automatically will recharge your batteries, so in most cases, this system is completely automated and hands off.

One of the beautiful things about this automated system, vs the Home Depot automatic backup generator is the running cost. Those automatic generators that run on propane, with the price of fuel these days, cost over $100 a day to run during an outage.

The only real negative is that you can't run really high load devices on it, such as an electric range, electric dryer (gas is no problem), electric heaters, that sort of thing.

I was thinking of marketing this, but don't have the money to invest in it anymore. If anyone would like to build one for themselves, let me know and I can tell you all the stuff you'll need to get.
great idea ..generac is popular around here. runs on natural gas it kicks on as soon as the power goes out.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 07-06-2012, 11:20 AM
Indian Charlie's Avatar
Indian Charlie Indian Charlie is offline
Goodwood
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Southern Maine
Posts: 8,708
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by hoovesupsideyourhead View Post
great idea ..generac is popular around here. runs on natural gas it kicks on as soon as the power goes out.
I wonder how much it costs to run for a day with natural gas vs propane. I'm sure NG is cheaper, but those Generacs are pretty hungry.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 07-06-2012, 11:24 AM
Danzig Danzig is offline
Dee Tee Stables
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: The Natural State
Posts: 29,940
Default

if i'm ever faced with a power outage of more than a few hours, i'm going to a hotel that has power.
__________________
Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new at all.
Abraham Lincoln
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 07-06-2012, 12:06 PM
MaTH716's Avatar
MaTH716 MaTH716 is offline
Flemington
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Jersey
Posts: 11,438
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Danzig View Post
if i'm ever faced with a power outage of more than a few hours, i'm going to a hotel that has power.
__________________
Felix Unger talking to Oscar Madison: "Your horse could finish third by 20 lengths and they still pay you? And you have been losing money for all these years?!"
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 07-06-2012, 12:11 PM
Danzig Danzig is offline
Dee Tee Stables
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: The Natural State
Posts: 29,940
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by MaTH716 View Post

i guess i didn't put enough details. depends on time of year.
the other day, we got up and there was no power...so i went to the gym to shower and go to work.
i'm not going to spend the night in a house with few windows that can open, when it's the temp it is right now, if there's no power. if that makes me a titty baby, so be it.
__________________
Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new at all.
Abraham Lincoln
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 07-06-2012, 12:31 PM
MaTH716's Avatar
MaTH716 MaTH716 is offline
Flemington
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Jersey
Posts: 11,438
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Danzig View Post

i guess i didn't put enough details. depends on time of year.
the other day, we got up and there was no power...so i went to the gym to shower and go to work.
i'm not going to spend the night in a house with few windows that can open, when it's the temp it is right now, if there's no power. if that makes me a titty baby, so be it.
Is that what Tony calls you?
__________________
Felix Unger talking to Oscar Madison: "Your horse could finish third by 20 lengths and they still pay you? And you have been losing money for all these years?!"
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 07-06-2012, 12:29 PM
bigrun's Avatar
bigrun bigrun is offline
Del Mar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: VA/PA/KY
Posts: 5,063
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Danzig View Post
if i'm ever faced with a power outage of more than a few hours, i'm going to a hotel that has power.
Can't remember last time i was in a hotel...are they still around.
__________________
"If you lose the power to laugh, you lose the power to think" - Clarence Darrow, American lawyer (1857-1938)

When you are right, no one remembers;when you are wrong, no one forgets.

Thought for today.."No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit
they are wrong" - Francois, Duc de la Rochefoucauld, French moralist (1613-1680)
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 07-06-2012, 09:04 PM
GPK GPK is offline
5'8".. but all man!
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: 3 miles from Chateuax de la Blaha
Posts: 21,706
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Danzig View Post
if i'm ever faced with a power outage of more than a few hours, i'm going to a hotel that has power.
Thats just it. Over 500k Appalachian Power customers were without power for quite a few days. Hotels were booked within a huge radius surrounding Roanoke, Christiansburg, Lynchburg, ect...and the mother f*ckers that normally get $70 a night were charging people over $180 a night for freaking dumps. I hope everyone one of those c*cksuckers go out of business. Karma is a b*tch.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 07-06-2012, 09:23 PM
Danzig Danzig is offline
Dee Tee Stables
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: The Natural State
Posts: 29,940
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by GPK View Post
Thats just it. Over 500k Appalachian Power customers were without power for quite a few days. Hotels were booked within a huge radius surrounding Roanoke, Christiansburg, Lynchburg, ect...and the mother f*ckers that normally get $70 a night were charging people over $180 a night for freaking dumps. I hope everyone one of those c*cksuckers go out of business. Karma is a b*tch.
yeah, my situation here a far cry from yours i'm sure. and no doubt if they get reported, it'll come back with no charges of gouging.
__________________
Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new at all.
Abraham Lincoln
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 07-06-2012, 09:45 PM
GPK GPK is offline
5'8".. but all man!
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: 3 miles from Chateuax de la Blaha
Posts: 21,706
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Danzig View Post
yeah, my situation here a far cry from yours i'm sure. and no doubt if they get reported, it'll come back with no charges of gouging.
Not a chance it hell they would get charged. Certain groups of people can't be called out.

I edited my original post that you responded to make it much less hateful. Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor.
Reply With Quote
Reply



Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:03 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.