Survey Comments
Backup Power
I have a 1.2 KW PV solar array comprised of 8 75 watt panels and 4 150 watt panels, that charges a 960 Amp/Hr 24 V bank of 12 V deep cycle batteries in series/parallel feeding a 24 V 1500 Watt inverter for powering some of my home. One extra 150 watt panel on the array is wired seperately to a pair of 80 Amp/Hr batteries that is used to power my ham station and a 12 VDC 48 watt thermoelectric fridge that I have in my shack. I also have a 4 KW Kawasaki genset set up with a 55 gallon drum for a fuel tank but I have not had to use it in over 5 years. In order to keep lead acid batteries in top shape, I regularly run a homebrew desulphator on them in pulse disharge then pulse charge modes. I also use this to maintain my vehicle batteries and to bring old discarded car batteries back to life. One can never have too many spare batteries on hand for use during the common power outages around here.
Posted by
KB4IQM on 2003-11-26
Emergency Power
During the "Blackout of 2003 ", my HF-VUHF station was up and running. I have a commercial Onan 3000 watt gas generator. Our local repeater which has battery back up, was off the air for the duration. Reason ?
The controller must have a PC that reqires 120 volt AC power to operate. Hopefully there will be changes made to eliminate that weak link as we enter a new era of power outages. Think "long" term outages from now on.
73, Jack K2JX
Posted by
K2JX on 2003-09-10
GenSet
Splurged 6 years ago on a 10KW diesel (Hardy Diesel-195) and have never regretted it. Lights out here in the Catskills for ice storms winter and lightening in summer. Total of 200 hours on clock (running time under load) and about 100 for weekly testing. Gen Set is bulletproof, and comes with a complete
spare parts kit. MTBO is over 25,000 hours,however.
Only drinks .l gal/kw/hour. That's correct.
one-tenth gal of #2 fuel oil (dyed diesel at $1.28/gal) per kw per hour. The only hassle is starting at temps below 30 degrees, and by preheating air intake with propane torch air
over the removed air filter, that's no big deal. A readily available xfer switch (Square D at $130) makes it a cheap install.
This genset really paid off this summer during
"The Big One"
One added bonus: a 275 gal. oil tank holds enough fuel for a month or more of running.
Yes, it cost 3 grand, but the peace of mind and the power it provides is really worth it.
Posted by
OLDESALT on 2003-08-28
Batteries, Solar, and Car
Usually when power-delivery infrastructures fail and I've got to go to back up power, somehow it's usually a bad day anyway.
I'm still in a slow-build stage for formal emergency power, but currently have eight lead-acid batteries, six solar panels, and two 12 VDC 90Ah alternators (one per car!). The car alternators provide enough current to quick-charge the lead acid batteries or direct drive gear in short-term and the solar panels provide enough power to trickle charge the batteries and directly power one or two radios. I've got about four days of power on batteries only (without solar or alternators) and perpetual operation with solar and 70% sunny days inside a spartan 1.5Ah time-averaged budget.
The problem with generators is that they depend on a fuel delivery system and are mechanically intensive, which would be fine if one has their own natural gas well or easy access to sufficient quantities of diesel oil or gasoline and spare parts. But nothing beats them when one needs lots of watts. Solar is low-energy, depends on sunlight, and is mechanically fragile. But they are mechanically trivial and functionally durable. Wind is a great idea too, but I'd like to see a wind generator that runs through mechanically stressful/adverse weather.
Posted by
N5NSL on 2003-08-24
Battery power rules
Generators are ok for charging batteries but batteries + inverters are quiet and run most small florescent lights, tv's, fans, etc. with no noise. 2 X 140 ah marine batteries last a very long time. Problem with generators is that they are noisey, expensive to run continuously and they get stolen (even while they are running).
Posted by
FJGH on 2003-08-21
Emergency Power
I have a deep cycle battery in my tool barn that I can hook up to power my solid state rigs for a short period of time. I also have the ability (if needed) to power my solid state radios from my automobile battery, by running the car, I can keep the battery charged. It is not the most practical way to do things, but it will work!
Posted by
W8WZ on 2003-06-03
Backup Power
I live in the city for the most part. I have a UPS battery for my computer and I have my radio plugged into it. Not much for long term. My 4x4 Jeep Wrangler is just outside my door and I have a 2meter/70cent radio. In the house I have several hours of talk time, in the car I have several more.
Posted by
KD7QOT on 2003-06-03
Good ol' Marine Batteries
I just wired up two 875AH heavyduty marine batteries to a secondary Anderson Powerpole 4012 array. It's not automatic, but all I have to do is jump one panel into the other and conserve juice - Simple and easy for those who don't have a lot of time but want some kind of reserve capacity.
Posted by
KD7PLU on 2003-05-30
Emergency Power
I have a Honda EX-650 and a EX-5500 generator, 5 type 27 deep cycle batteries from a UPS upgrade (Lot's of life left in them free for the asking look around!) and a solar panel (.75A) with controler to keep a 10W station on the air.
Posted by
AB9GO on 2003-05-28
Emergency Power
My set-up is a Kenwood TS-870; Icom 746 with a bazooka and a 5BTV Vertical. Powered by a 6000 watt Generac generator for emergency use. The last good snow storm we had took ou the power in part of the town for 2 days and the EM set-up was really a great thing to have. 73 Harold W4HEW
Posted by
W4HEW on 2003-05-27
Emergency Power
I have no telephone where I am living and operating in South Baja near the Guadelupe Mountains, and emergency services are all but non-existent. But we do have power, with long outages at times. I have a Generator that runs our Ranch, along with a 55 gallon drum of fuel, plus battery back up,so I can last for weeks. The HAM shack is an ICOM 718, Parallel Dipole center-hung on a 60' tower and ends on Palm trees.
Plus some 2 meter equipment.
Operating as Portable XE2/KD5UOR
Posted by
KD5UOR on 2003-05-26
Emergency Power
I have an indoor antenna.I use a Yaesu FT-50R HT for my home station.I have three batterys that fit to the radio.I also have 2 6v batterys,and 4 12v battery that I could plug in to any of my HT's.We had an F2 tornado here on May 4th.I operated off three of my batterys until May 6th until the power was back on.I'm glad I had back up power.When I was out in the area I could use my mobile or HT.When I came home I hooked up my emergency power.It really helps to have emergency power.
Posted by
KE4FVU on 2003-05-24
Emergency Power
My station has a complete battery back which may last for 2 days. I also have potable battery for potable QRP HF as well as VHF base and Handy which is OK for emergency operations.
de VU2KGB
Posted by
VU2KGB on 2003-05-24
Emergency Power Plans
I have detailed plans on building emergency solar power / electricity generation for emergencies:
Please cut and paste the following URL into your browser:
http://www.angelfire.com/on/cbushell/solar/solar1.html
73s
Charles Bushell,
KC8VWM
Posted by
KC8VWM on 2003-05-22
Emergency Power
Have a generator at home, and always have the mobile HF in the car in case I have to travel for an emergency. They taught me in Boy Scouts: Be Prepared!
Vern N2YZS
Posted by
K2VJK on 2003-05-22
Emergency Power
I've always had either a deep cycle or a sealed lead acid battery of some sort available for back-up power.
I'm considering getting something to keep batteries charged during an extended power outage.
(Maybe an inverter to run the trickle charger to keep the battery charged during power outages.)(Jusk kidding!!)
With all the sun I get on one side of the house, a solar panel on the roof might be in order.
Posted by
N8IWK on 2003-05-21
Emergency Power
I've always had either a deep cycle or a sealed lead acid battery of some sort available for back-up power.
I'm considering getting something to keep batteries charged during an extended power outage.
(Maybe an inverter to run the trickle charger to keep the battery charged during power outages.)(Jusk kidding!!)
With all the sun I get on one side of the house, a solar panel on the roof might be in order.
Posted by
N8IWK on 2003-05-21
I wanted to select solar AND battery backup, but I couldn't. I'm new to ham radio and don't have a big shack yet, but the 25W 2m mobile I use is run exclusively off of a 12W solar panel and two deep-cycle batteries. The house is powered off of PGE (the local power company) but with 5.2 kW of solar panels on the roof, I sell them power in the summer and buy it back in the winter... It has 10 kWh of batteries (48v 210 AH) to ride through outages. Check out system at http://overstreet.homedns.org/oursolarsystem
Posted by
KG6NOW on 2003-05-21
Emergency Power
Generator power for all vital parts of the house plus marine battery for the radios if needed. Other sources of energy like propane cylinders and oil furnace by gravity for heating. I live in Canada where we had a ice storm in 1997 who took a month until full recovery and for most of us meant 10 days without power.
VE2QNC on May 19th 2003
Posted by
VE2QNC on 2003-05-21
Backup Power
I run both extra packs for my HT(s), and have 3 high capacity GELCEL's. I periodically trickle charge them to keep them up to snuff. They power a Yeasu FT-8500 mobile set up as my base VHF. Another one runs my Icom IC-735, and can power it for as much as a days worth of transmitting if needed. I wired in a quick switchover to them so that if needed, hit a single switch, and both rigs are on battery power.
A gas powered generator is in my future as well... (only when employment status changes however).
Posted by
KC0NIB on 2003-05-18
off grid
Off grid, by choice.
450 (theoretical) watts of pvs, a 300
watt wind genny, a 3 kw diesel generator,
a 12 volt, 1750 a/hr battery bank, a 1.75
kw inverter, and so on.
Bill, KB4PPE
Posted by
KB4PPE on 2003-05-18
Battery
Got a Deep Cycle Marine Battery on hand, ALWAYS. Put a 2 Amp. trickle-charge on it with auto-shut-off.
Multimeter is connected to view voltage.
Had a Deep Cycle last 73 months and 19 days, not bad at all.
Posted by
K7PIG on 2003-05-17
Emergency Power
I've got an Elecraft K2 with the battery pack built in, a second internal battery (on charge), a solar charger and miscellaneous other backup schemes. The only problem is that they are all QRP or nearly so -- but that's not a problem for me if the other station is QRP as well. One of these days I'm going to get a generator...
Posted by
W2RBA on 2003-05-16
Emergency power
Sorry, my solid-state rig has only mains, and nearly so the others, that are very nice vintages. Nevertheless I've considered the problem ; maybe in the future, with a small-sized one. Best '73s de Emilio is0iek
Posted by
IS0IEK on 2003-05-15
ae2f
Useing your generator at full load output.
100 feet of #6awg conductor will have 10.5 volts drop [130 amperes AT 115 GENERATED VOLTS] WITH A 3 WIRE balanced load the neutral conductor does not conduct current,
BUT this condition does not happen in unbalanced loads such as in a dwelling [home].A 10.5 volt drop at 130 amperes results in 1365 watts energy loss that heats the conductors.[ that is 1.8 horse power]
Posted by
KE4FES on 2003-05-15
emergency power sources
Power generators MUST be adequately sized to supply the necessary power to START ANY MOTORS INRUSH CURRENT DURING STARTING [called lock rotor current] This is several times more than the running current. An under sized generator can result in electrial damage to the motor and the generator. "Car batteries; LEAD ACID,liquid
types GENERATE explosive gases ,especially during charging,leave it OUTSIDE.....
Posted by
KE4FES on 2003-05-15
KE4FES
Question:
When I measure the voltage on
my switch that transfers from
Power Company to Generator
I have 240 VAC across the
pair and 120 from either
side to neutral. Isn't
that balanced and I'm talikn'
about my home. Am I missin'
somethin'?
73 de Ronnie
Posted by
WA4MJF on 2003-05-15
Battery backup!
Yes, I have an extra battery for my HT.
Posted by
ADVANCED on 2003-05-15
Emergency Power
Another benefit of having a battery and charger system for the station power supply is that the battery will protect your radios in the event the charger's regulation fails. Instead of an immediate rise to 18 or 20 volts, the voltage will start ramping up (as if you were giving the battery an equalizing charge). This will protect the equipment at least long enough for you to notice the rising voltage (you DO monitor your battery voltage, don't you?) and unplug the charger.
Posted by
K3AN on 2003-05-14
DC powerd...
My home stn is 12 volt powerd. I have two gels, and one FLA batteries...
Posted by
AC6DN on 2003-05-12
Solar Backup
I have been interested in Solar power for several years. In the last 2 years, I have assembled a setup with (10) 55w solar panels, a Trace C-40 charge controller and (3) banks of (6) 2v batteries for 1650 ampere hours of capacity at 13.6V. I run all my ham stuff from solar all the time. With the flip of a switch, I can run TV, lights, and fans from the inverter. My local Emergency Management director is aware of my setup and it is included in his overall emergency plan.
Posted by
AB5CC on 2003-05-10
Emergency Power
Like WA1RKA above, I live in the country... and though power outages are rare... you never know. No power... no water... no light. It came in handy during the Ice Storm of '98 when we were without power for 3 weeks! Best to be prepared...
Posted by
VE2DC on 2003-05-08
Auxiliary Power Primer
This is a great opportunity to freshen the discussion on this topic in the Emergency Communications forum here. I would invite all interested parties to do so. A simple preparedness benchmark we recommend as a starting minimum for Virginia RACES operators to have available all the time is 1 amp-hour of battery capacity for each watt of transmitter output for each rig, for each 12 hour operational period.
I can send our .pdf document on emergency preparedness to anyone interested. 73
Posted by
KE4SKY on 2003-05-07
Running 100% Solar Power
My wife and I live in a 100% off-grid home. Have a 1.5kw/h solar array, 2700Ah battery bank, inverter, generator etc. Have been off grid for 12+ years. Nice and quiet on HF bands when running from battery provided DC.
With low prices on solar equipment now available it makes sense from an emergency preparation standpoint to have an alternative source of power. As an added bonus...when your neighbors are in the dark during a power failure you'll be the envy of your area!
Posted by
VE3MKZPORTABLEK6 on 2003-05-07
Emergency Power
We live in the Northeast and winter storms knock trees over onto the power lines. We have been out of power for up to 5 days. I work at home as a computer consultant. The last outage lasted 25 hours and I had critical work to get done for a customer. I wasted hours tracking down a generator to rent, picking it up and getting it connected.
I bought a generator the next week. I hadn't bought one before because the Y2K scare had run prices way up. I now have a 15K generator in our detached Garage and a 100 foot long #6 wire entension cord. I can power the whole house and you can't hear the generator when you close the front doors of the garage (there are back doors for the generator to breath).
I kid that now that I have the generator I will never need it. But if I don't -- it has still served its purpose! 73 Eugene AE2F
Posted by
AE2F on 2003-05-07
Ummmm
Don't need it here. Fifteen years and five houses...never a single power outage, other than during the 1994 Northridge earthquake, which created power-water-gas-telephone outages all simultaneously, so power alone wouldn't have done us much good.
After than major, $60 Billion disaster, our power was restored in 24 hours, which was a lot faster than the water was restored!
Best advice for those living on the brink of power outages: Always keep a full tank of gasoline in your car. You never know how far you'll have to drive when the big one hits.
Posted by
WB2WIK on 2003-05-05
Normal Power
I have been running ALL of my radio equipment
(With the exception of high power amps) on
Deep cycle marine batteries for over 10 years
now. So my "Normal" power is Battery power!
Works GREAT! Any commercial power line
glitch (Surges, brownouts, etc) have no effect on any of my radios. The "secret" if there is one to do this is to have a FULLY
AUTOMATIC type of charger that will not overcharge the deep cycle battery.
I also use this system at remote tower sites,
And am really sold on how well it works.
I also have a 5KW gas generator to charge the battery in the event of a prolonged
power outage. (And to operate the well pump
to supply water)
No question in my mind that solar panels to
help charge the battery is the best way to
go. I have picked up a few smaller solar panels, And they do trickle charge OK, But
More would be needed to operate completly
on solar power.
I am trying to get to that point now, Not
having to rely on commercial power OR gas
to keep communicating for an indefinite
period of time.
Posted by
K9KJM on 2003-05-04
Emergency Power
I have three 17Ah gel cells, one 12 Ah, one 8 Ah and two 4Ah gel cells all in parallel for a total of 79 Amp hours of reserve power. They are on constant charge. These are for use with my IC-718 or my IC-2340H. I also keep a car battery on hand for those 2 rigs. I also have a 3 Ah gel cell that I keep on hand for my HT's, along with 44 Ni-Mh AA cells and 34 Ni-Cd AA cells which I can use for my HT's and my portable broadcast radios. The 12 Ah gel cell is actually two 6V 6 Ah gel cells fastened together, so it could be used either for my 12V ham equipment or my 6V broadcast radios. I also have an assortment of alkaline AA, C, D and 9V batteries on hand for portable radios and flashlights. So much for the electircal stuff. I also have four oil lamps, plenty of lamp oil and plenty of candles. I live in south Florida and have to be prepared for hurricanes.
Posted by
AG4RQ on 2003-05-04
Emergency power
I have a combo of 5000watt genset, 1000watt solar panel with regulator and 2 150AH gelcell batteries. Since I live out in the country power is lost on a regular basis during storms. The Genset is used mostly to power lights and small heaters in the winter if need be. Also to recharge the batteries. The solar panels are used to charge the batteries most of the time and the shack runs off these batteries. I also use an inverter run thru a UPS to power the computer if needed, as the phone lines seem to stay in service better than the power!
Posted by
N0FPE on 2003-05-04
Gel Cells
I have a backup station which utilizes a 43 amp/hr gel pak and a 17 amp in parallel. These are always attached to a charger utilizing a "smart chip," thus they remain fully charged until use. The radios used are an Icom 746 or IC 735. If operated in SSB at output powers of about 50 watts, there is adequate reserve for more than 2 hours average use.
W2DAP
Posted by
W2DAP on 2003-05-04
Emergency Power
If the power goes out, I'll drop it into the Grand Am and sign mobile to my call. The house won't do any good then. We'll need mobiles.
Posted by
KG4OOA on 2003-05-04
Emergency Power
I operate mostly maritime mobile with IC-706Mk2G. Batteries are deep cycle 630 AH with two 75 watt solar panels and a wind generator charging them. There is also a 124 amp high output alternator on the diesel engine to give a little help. This system is monitored by Ample Power monitoring and charging control. Keeping EMI/RFI under control from other onboard energy users, like the refrigeration or inverter is a full time task. During the summer when the power company can't keep up with demand our family moves aboard the boat where we have all the power we need.
Posted by
KC2ISG on 2003-05-04
Power
Base station with commercial power, surge protector and UPS; backup deep cycle with solar panel. Mobile station with deep cycle battery and solar panel (independent from car electric system). HT with solar panel charger. Guess I'm toast if there's no sun :).
Cheers, Alain - NI0Z
Posted by
AC0LT on 2003-05-04
Emergency Power
Right before the Y2K non-event, I had
purchased some APC UPS units and two 21
watt solar panels. This combination works
well powering my shack including an
IC-746. Should I need power beyond a few
days, I can also fire-up my Honda EU1000
sine-wave generator as well. Considering
geopolitical world events and unpredictable
weather, it's best to be prepared.
Posted by
KB9YUR on 2003-05-03
Emergency Power
My station does have generator power,however it wasnt the main reason for adding it.
Living out in the country in Central Maine with my well the only source of water and liking to stay warm on the sub-zero temperature nights it was more a necessity than anything else.
73
John
wa1rka
Posted by
WA1RKA on 2003-05-03
Small emergency power
I use a battery backup, but I keep it going off the normal electrical lines. I would like to use solar power to keep it going. The articles I have seen about battery backup with solar power as the power source would keep the communications center on an aircraft carrier going. I would like to see some simplier articles on solar power plus batteries for some one like me.
Posted by
KC0EM on 2003-05-03
Eye Opening Back Up
When I went to fire up the ol' FT847 one day, the Old Astron PS went south. I ripped the power supply appart to find that the rectifier went. I still had to keep the scheduled contact so i took an old car battery from the basement and ran the Ft847 at full capacity for over a hour before signing. Since that day, I keep a couple of old car batteries on hand, checking the cells and voltage every other charge.
Posted by
N1RWC on 2003-05-03
Emergency Power
I built myself a simple solar-powered solution
consisting of a small BP Solar panel, a
deep-cycle marine battery, and one of the
highly reliable KD5NDB "Dolphin Don" charge
controler kits. It admirably powers my
QRP station on a 24 by 7 basis. For some
inexplicable reason, I like knowing that if
the mains go out, I can stay on the air for
as long as I bloody well please.
I just need to find a way to keep my beer
cold in that event. Next project.
Posted by
WA4FOM on 2003-05-03
Gel Cells
I have some gel cells in parallel for a total of 38Ah worth of power. This is always on a trickle charge using a cheap battery maintainer. I run a 2 meter mobile, 2 meter aprs using an old HT and a 30 watt amp and PK-88, my IC-718 and PK-232. Much of the time they are all on at the same time, I have no other power source for them. I have been running this way for nearly a year and my batteries haven't let me down yet. At Dayton I will be looking for some more gel cells and solar panels, I want to get my laptop hooked in as well. I imagine this will snowball until ALL of my computer equipment is on battery, then the room, then house....hobbies always seem to get out of hand for me :)
Posted by
N9POA on 2003-05-03
Solar Shack
I am another Y2K experimenter that took the project to another level. 90% of my shack runs on full time solar power. I run 4 80 watt Solarex panels and four 125 AH deep cycle batts, a ProStar charge controller, and an E-Meter to keep watch of things from in the shack. It runs AC lights, my small TV, a 24/7 APRS setup with TM-D700, a weather computer, clocks, DSPs computers and monitors(LCDs), and a complete mode J,A,B,S Satellite station. All this without compromise, you'd never know it unless you saw the panels outside(or the Prosine inverter under the bench, hi hi).The only thing not run by solar is the VHF and HF amplifiers. The rest of the house runs, if needed, on a Honda ES6500 generator and Gen-Tran switch unit. Also just bought one of those Honda EU200i generators, can't beat the size, weight, quietness, runtime, and that nice inverter they use. You can see some of my early experiments at http://hometown.aol.com/N1HOQ
73 de Shawn, N1HOQ
Posted by
N1HOQ on 2003-05-03