Batteries are Cheap, Backup power is expensive
Dear Audiophiles,
To make a long story short I need to make sure my Internet devices stay on even when power is down for 24 hours, which on the South Carolina coast is realistic.
I have an APC UPS 600VA which I though would do the job but it actually lasts less than 2 hours. So I have been crunching the numbers and have really been surprised at how expensive an APC UPS is per minute of run time vs. modern battery based generators and DIY solutions.
An APC UPS can be anywhere from $1.50 to $2.50 / minute of run time while an EcoFlow Delta for instance is around $0.50 to $0.75 / minute. Not only is the EcoFlow cheaper but just has ten times better run times. A single 1 kWh unit will keep my data closet running close to a full 24 hours. I have too many devices in there which consume ~ 50 watts. 50 x 24 = 1,200
I did in fact purchase a Delta 2 with back up battery for other reasons than the data closet, but when doing the research I also investigated DIY backup solutions and came across the idea of using a Renogy inverter/battery charger + 2x 12V LiFePO4 batteries. It’s even cheaper than the Ecoflow but requires much more effort to set up. I’ll do a full write-up on that soon.
What have you done to back up your home devices?
@oberoniaomnia - That’s another thing. The lead-acid batteries used in the common UPS does not have the lifespan of modern LiFePO4. According to Gemini, I can get 5 to 15 years of service vs. 3 to 5 years with lead-acid. Generally, APC is still selling designs it came up with it seems 20 years ago while battery technology has really moved forward. The one good thing is that in the US at least the lead recycling rate is high and environmental contamination low for lead acid. |
We finally installed a whole house generator 26KWa-Kohler- natural gas- a little more than a year ago. After the Texas "big freeze" in 2021, I swore I would not go through that again (or the threat of rolling blackouts during peak summer heat, which is brutal here). Since it takes the generator a bit to come fully online--arguably in the tens of seconds, though the switch over happens in milliseconds, that’s obviously enough of a time lag to disrupt Internet service. Since so much of what we have today is Internet dependent, including household alarms, security cameras, etc. (all with battery back ups), I bought a substantial Eaton sine wave 20 amp UPS. This way, the Internet signal is covered during the generator switch over. I’m less concerned about computer activity during a power outage than the security systems. (and fwiw, I had a pretty elaborate wiring scheme approved to avoid having my main hi-fi part of the same circuitry as the ATS for the generator; the hi-fi is not supported by the generator at all). One less thing to worry about and--no, I would not be listening to the hi-fi during a power outage. |
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I’ve had an Airstream (Mercedes Sprinter) for 10 years and have gotten very good at stealth camping. I did a year on the road in 2022 where I parked free for 200 nights. I did this with a Goal Zero 6000 and several solar panels. Think 600 amp hours of lithium and 600 watts of solar. I also had a Honda 1000 along for battery charging. While the Mercedes diesel was running, I have DC to DC charging with 600 watts incoming from the alternator. As for my residence, I’m grew up in Charleston and Hugo is fresh in my memory from 1989. I currently have a Yamaha 6300 and a 3000 which I can deploy quickly. In addition, I have a Milwaukee Carry On and a lot of batteries. If the house power goes out, I’ll wait a few minutes and then plug the fridge into the Carry On which will easily run all night with no noise, no going outside, and no fumes. If you are considering a solar generator, get one with at least 3000 plus watts and at least 600 watts of solar. If you are getting a generator, a 3000 plus watt inverter will keep the fridge and lights going. Do not buy a cheap open-frame generator. Your electronics will be fried, and your neighbors will hate you. If you are looking at solar generators, do not go cheap; look at the capacity and do the math with the watt hours and also the size of the built in inverter. My Carry On outputs 1800 running and 3600 starting watts. The Goal Zero 6000 is almost as powerful but has considerably more capacity and has the advantage of solar charging. |
