Whoooaaaa

[hoovesupsideyourhead]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

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.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by hoovesupsideyourhead

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.

[Danzig]

if i'm ever faced with a power outage of more than a few hours, i'm going to a hotel that has power.

[MaTH716]

Originally Posted by Danzig

if i'm ever faced with a power outage of more than a few hours, i'm going to a hotel that has power.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by MaTH716

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.

[MaTH716]

Originally Posted by Danzig

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?

[jms62]

I lost power for 5 days during that ice storm last October.. Exhausted all my firewood and was making daily trips to Lowes to pick up some.. Not the first multiple day outage last year (hurricane). A natural gas powered generator is in my near future.

[geeker2]

Originally Posted by MaTH716

Is that what Tony calls you?

now that was funny

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by MaTH716

Is that what Tony calls you?

of course not.
truth be told, power outages bother him more than me. i just know i'd get no sleep if it was still summer, and i was stuck in the house.
as for him-the moment the ceiling fan cuts off, he's awake.

[bigrun]

Originally Posted by Danzig

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.

[GPK]

Originally Posted by Danzig

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.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by GPK

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.

[GPK]

Originally Posted by Danzig

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.

[hoovesupsideyourhead]

looks like more storms for you kev..gl