If you're ever inclined to install a battery-backed solar system, an advantage I didn't realize I was getting is a most-of-house UPS. Most of the time when the power goes off, the way we find out is when a neighbor calls to ask if our power is out. Computers, TVs, some of the lights, and of course the IP camera system just keep humming along without missing a beat. The incoming AC end of the inverter/charger has surge protection, too.
18 hours without power (so far)
- Thread starter VorlonFrog
- Start date
Convert it to run tri-fuel gas, propane or natural gas. I have my portable 6500 watt generator with a conversion kit. Ran it last year during Hurricane Michael here in the FLA panhandle. I ran it off my 120 gallon propane tank already there for hot water and grill.
Generator Conversion Kits to Propane and Natural Gas.
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Cams and BI PC are on a 1000VA APC battery backup on the same circuit as the TV.Tony, I don't see cams on that list of backed up circuits.
Yup, that's the plan. Parts, not so expensive, labor, that's where I'm going to incur the most cost. Our breaker panel is inside the house behind the meter on the outside of the house. The electrician will have to wire things through the hole in the wall, and that's not going to be entirely simple. Talking with the wife last night, I asked if she'd prefer the upstairs or the downstairs being powered during outages. Because of the refrigerator/freezer downstairs in the kitchen, we both agreed it would be the downstairs. Besides, the coffee pot is there, too.
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bigredfish
Known around here
Mine's a Bunn drip machine. It uses even more than a Keurig, when it's on the 'high' setting.
Yeah, one of the transit bus maintenance facilities I did some electrical work for in back in CA had TWO...yes, 2....550kW Cats that would spin up, get in sync, then get paralleled onto a 480 volt / 3 phase, 3,000 Amp emergency panel for the ENTIRE yard.
I can't recall the configuration (v12 or 16 inline 8 or 16, etc. ) but I do remember they ran on natural gas and they were H-U-G-E like what you showed up there.
When one was up to RPM and all systems were a "go" (voltage, frequency, etc.) I would stand back about 20 feet from the panel and turn my head when the transfer switch would actuate.
looney2ns
IPCT Contributor
The switch I posted wires into the breaker panel. Not sure why your electrician would have to work through a conduit to the meter. Maybe I don't understand what your setup is.
J Sigmo
Known around here
- Feb 5, 2018
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Something else to consider is that if you have any work done to your service entrance it will all need to be brought up to current code. Around here, that now means installing a means of disconnect outside of the house for the firemen to use to switch off the house before entering.
That alone will add to the cost of the job if you have someone else do the work.
Further, you may need to upgrade your main panel as well, and perhaps be forced to install arc-fault breakers for every circuit.
$$$$$ Can O Worms.
That alone will add to the cost of the job if you have someone else do the work.
Further, you may need to upgrade your main panel as well, and perhaps be forced to install arc-fault breakers for every circuit.
$$$$$ Can O Worms.
I installed one of these whole house manual transfer switches. By nature of a transfer switch, it includes a main disconnect. This then feeds your main panel either from the utility or your generator of choice.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AHTWRDM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Maybe could help someone. It's a nice unit, electrician was impressed. It also includes extra breakers if you need to feed anything outside like a pool panel, ac unit, etc.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AHTWRDM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Maybe could help someone. It's a nice unit, electrician was impressed. It also includes extra breakers if you need to feed anything outside like a pool panel, ac unit, etc.
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looney2ns
IPCT Contributor
Something else to consider is that if you have any work done to your service entrance it will all need to be brought up to current code. Around here, that now means installing a means of disconnect outside of the house for the firemen to use to switch off the house before entering.
That alone will add to the cost of the job if you have someone else do the work.
Further, you may need to upgrade your main panel as well, and perhaps be forced to install arc-fault breakers for every circuit.
$$$$$ Can O Worms.
Around here, firemen just yank the meter. Easy peasy.
That's the ways it been like forever. Must have been too difficult for one of the "less physical" first responders.
Because the interconnect for my generator would be outside the house, and so would be any secondary switch/panel necessary. Wife doesn't want further panels in her office/bedroom, because that would mean tearing up the wall. We're fortunate that when the house was remodeled about seventeen years ago, a completely new 200 amp service and breaker panel was installed, with GFCI breakers where necessary, and every last bit of wiring in the house was 100% replaced.
I just added a similar setup to our sub-panel after all the outages we had last year. I’m in an older neighborhood and everything is overhead lines so we go out whenever there is a decent storm (and randomly on sunny days). Problem I have now is my old generator from northern tool does not play well with all my UPS units. They see it as dirty power and don’t accept it. So either I need a better generator, or fancier UPS units that allow adjustments for generators.
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J Sigmo
Known around here
- Feb 5, 2018
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That's what they do here, too, for structures that are not yet up to current code, like my place.
However, our city and county update their codes to match current NEC, and an external means of disconnect is now required.
To do any of the work we're discussing here requires a building permit and several electrical inspections for the project. If you do it yourself, you could sneak the work and avoid all of that. Just not legally.
But if you hire an electrician to do the work, they must pull the permit and have the inspections unless they don't mind risking their license. So for most people, a project like this here will end up requiring all of these issues being brought up to current NEC. As long as you don't do any work, these existing systems are grandfathered, at least until you try to sell the property.
Also, the local electrical inspector is now my wife's ex. So I'm pretty sure we would get a rather thorough inspection!
Actually, he and I get along fine, much to my wife's dismay.
Sorry to hear that. Best of luck getting it restored.
Nothing to compare but we had a small thunderstorm and our power went out yesterday for a few hours.
I have a Honda ES6500 generator with a wired in GenTran 10 circuit transfer switch. It sure has come in handy over the years and is easy enough to fire up even for a short outage and we tend to get lots of both short and long outages.
I was on a business trip many years ago when a snow storm hit and a deep freeze set in. My wife was home alone with small children for a week without heat or power. When I returned she insisted I get a generator before I left town again.
We have a heat pump and when the power goes out our only available heat is from a built-in fireplace that works well if there is electricity to drive the fan, otherwise it is virtually worthless.
Nothing to compare but we had a small thunderstorm and our power went out yesterday for a few hours.
I have a Honda ES6500 generator with a wired in GenTran 10 circuit transfer switch. It sure has come in handy over the years and is easy enough to fire up even for a short outage and we tend to get lots of both short and long outages.
I was on a business trip many years ago when a snow storm hit and a deep freeze set in. My wife was home alone with small children for a week without heat or power. When I returned she insisted I get a generator before I left town again.
We have a heat pump and when the power goes out our only available heat is from a built-in fireplace that works well if there is electricity to drive the fan, otherwise it is virtually worthless.