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power outage; yippee!
By dinges, Section Reviews Posted on Thu May 18, 2006 at 09:07:34 PM MST
2 hour test

Just had a power outage here. Lasted 2 hours (from 21:00 till just before 23:00).
This provided a great opportunity for testing the backup 'system', the 1400VA UPS. Worked fine, provided plenty of light (could have lasted 17 hours on the internal battery alone). After an hour I brought out two more batteries, 12Ah extra capacity at 24V.
It gave enough electricity to provide for some light and watching the news. Had a scanner permanently on to listen to the radio-broadcasts on the matter.
Our house was the only one that had (some) light burning in the entire street. Giggle. I -love- this RE stuff :)
At least it provides me with a drive to wire the batteries and the UPS up more permanently. Not a lot of work, just something that needs to be done. Crocodile clips don't handle that much of current...
Can't wait for the next power outage when things will be more prepared and ready for it.
Peter.

power outage; yippee! | 11 comments (11 topical)

Re: power outage; yippee! (3.00 / 0) (#1)
by oztules on Thu May 18, 2006 at 06:43:23 PM MST

So I guess that makes you the CEO of the Dingesville Power Corporation.

I see that you are in the planning stages of bringing on-line more generating capacity, and that you have successfully intergrated and tested the backup 24AH storage facility. (Was this where the super high current handling crocodile clips were utilised)

You realise of course that now you have ably demonstrated your power generating capabilities, that Europower will be contacting you soon with a sweetner to incorporate your massive capacity into theirs so as to better protect against their shabby record of power outages in your area.

As best as I can tell, your are giddy with excitment at overcoming your outage ordeal. A little secret I can let you in on ....... run out the front door and pull the service fuse.... and you can do it all over and over and over again.... and again.... or you could have the mob over here supplying the power, and I don't even need to pull the fuse..... usually twice a week at least, we get to test out our system.... and we get to pay 30c per KWH for the commando style service.

They usually manage to do it when your having a shower at night (pump goes off at the same time as the lights..... soap in your hair.. that kind of thing, or when the bread maker is part way through its cycle...... just to how much fun you can have.

As Managing Director and CEO. of Tulesville Power Inc. I had been inundated by complaints from the users pressure group (missus and the dog), and have since upgraded my capacity as well. I've installed some new thermo-chemical molecular converters with extra long wicks, and candle holder to suite on the table. (candle light dinner arrangement)..... And I now park the Grader closer to the side door, so that if outage exceeds 4-5 hrs, I hook the grader batts to the inverter for the 60 inch TV. Providing that continues to function, I'm home free. If the satellite TV should fail, the users pressure group, proceed to slowly torture me to death........ yes she's a telly junkie.

So providing I can supply uninterupted sat. TV 24hrs per day to the Boss I'm home free.

Good luck with comissioning your new power station

...........oztules

Re: power outage; yippee! (3.00 / 0) (#2)
by ghurd on Thu May 18, 2006 at 07:42:16 PM MST

I know how you feel!

The next time will be even better, when you are a little more ready for it.

I was tempted to turn the TV on, moving it to face the front window. That would just be mean. (Evil Grin)
G-

Ghurd.info

Re: power outage; yippee! (3.00 / 0) (#3)
by windstuffnow on Thu May 18, 2006 at 08:36:38 PM MST

Isn't that just way to cool !!! The only way I know the grid is down is when I don't have any running water. All my 220v stuff is still on the grid. Easy cure with a Lister clone...

.
Have Fun! Windstuff Ed

Re: power outage; yippee! (3.00 / 0) (#8)
by dinges on Fri May 19, 2006 at 11:03:21 AM MST

I noticed this later; but no electricity also means no waterpressure on the COMMUNAL system!!

I'm wondering about gaspressure (also communal); didn't check it. Cell-service was out too (I checked; other networks were still up, but mine was down). Fixed phone lines were still up, according to others. A mate works at a fixed-phone line company and likes to explain all the backup measures they've got installed.

IMO, we need a few more of these outages (that last only a few hours) to increase awareness of the potential dangers of a more lasting outage. In the last 20+ years, I don't remember more than 4-5 outages. Which is good. But one could be lulled into a sense of false security.

Peter.

[ Parent ]

Re: power outage; yippee! (3.00 / 0) (#4)
by commanda on Thu May 18, 2006 at 08:59:33 PM MST

What you need to do is this;

Move TV & outdoor furniture to front yard.
Invite neighbours; they can watch your TV if they bring food and/or refreshments.

Party on.

Amanda

Re: power outage; yippee! (3.00 / 0) (#5)
by scottsAI on Thu May 18, 2006 at 10:25:46 PM MST

Hello Dinges,
Your just at the start of the fun stage.
I have several computers on UPS.
I had a two day power failure like half the country.
I now have 8 golf cart batteries.
Three 3kw APC UPS. Plus a spare.
Intent is to power the Entire house off them.
(Ok couple circuits like the oven are not backed up, one UPS is working, need to finish rewiring:)
When power fails the lights flicker, that's it. (computers and Lighting on the one UPS)
The beeping starts in about one minute.
The plan will be:
Computers start dropping loads in 10 minutes.
At 15 minutes, all but one computer shuts down.
At 20 minutes all but the lighting, Refrigerator, TV shuts down including 2 of the UPS.
I have eliminated all the smaller UPS I had before.

Each quarter I will have to do an equalizing charge on the batteries.
The UPS thinks the batteries are SLA.

With care the batteries should last me two days. (Not tested)
I have four 24w solar panels, should add half a day if sunny for the whole time.
Have fun, I have!
Scott.

Re: power outage; yippee! (3.00 / 0) (#6)
by nothing to lose on Thu May 18, 2006 at 11:27:25 PM MST

Congradulations on your grid failure, wish it would go down here as it normally does!
No outages since I connected a Matrix 5000 to half the house and a 48V 120amp battery bank :(

I have clean power now though, no more flickering lights and the smaller ups's no longer beep around the house randomly sounding like a digital alarm clock factory :)

Matrix has lots of options, tells the volts, watts, amps, ect for the loads, incomming power etc...

I wonder if that 57.3Hz it showed for incomming power could have been part of my problems from the grid??? Not quite the 60HZ it's supposed to be! Is 57hz normal or exceptable?

Well add in some options to keep the batteries charged without the grid and run on them alone and we have something. I just dropped my wind gennies getting ready to travel for summer, so all I have now is grid and backup. No RE charging source at this time though I did have.
.
nothing to lose

Spelin and tpying are my strong points, not electronics.

Re: power outage; yippee! (3.00 / 0) (#9)
by scottsAI on Fri May 19, 2006 at 02:30:04 PM MST

Hello Nothing to lose,

Grid power should be 60hz. Maybe more zeros on the average.
Your plug in clocks would be way off time if the frequency was 57hz for long.
Have you noticed this?
Most plants I talked to have a clock plugged into their power. At midnight they tweak the frequency to make the clock exactly right. What that means is the freq could be 59.9 or 60.1 for a short time while they get the clock sync.
My USP used to kick in, but since I put the one UPS in, no short power failures. Must be something like when putting up a wind turbine, no wind!-)
Have fun,
Scott.

[ Parent ]

Re: power outage; yippee! (3.00 / 0) (#10)
by dinges on Fri May 19, 2006 at 02:37:15 PM MST

It's what I thought too.

But, frequency also drops when load is bigger than the generator can deliver. So, if more power gets used than the powerplant can supply, voltage tends to drop but also the frequency (the generator in the plant starts to turn slower; compare it to the stalling of a windgenny).

If he continuously sees 57Hz instead of 60Hz (and it's not a measurement error on his part), then, combined with his complain of frequent power outages, this could be the case.

IIRC, they don't add pulses at midnight but simply increase RPM of the generator a bit so, that at the end of the day, you get your 24*60*60*60=??? pulses per day.

[ Parent ]

Re: power outage; yippee! (3.00 / 0) (#11)
by nothing to lose on Mon May 22, 2006 at 06:57:00 PM MST

Thanks for the comments about the Hz.
Since I put the Matrix online I have had perfect power, haven't tried to see at what cost yet, I know the Matrix is eating power also.

I will try to check at various times what it shows the Grid HZ to be. I noticed that 57hz when setting it up to begin with then later it was back up to 60hz. It was one of those things, get it working and forget it at the time. I have since went back and found lots of things to play with. Like I can see load %, watts, amps, etc...

Bad thing about this setup, it works so well I don't know when the grid is troublesome now. I think I will put a UPS directly on the grid, sort of an alarm so I know when it's acting up.
.
nothing to lose

Spelin and tpying are my strong points, not electronics.
[ Parent ]

Re: power outage; yippee! (3.00 / 0) (#7)
by asheets on Fri May 19, 2006 at 09:31:27 AM MST

Be sure to apply for a service-outage rebate -- stick it to the utility 2 ways instead of just 1...
_____________________________

Alan Sheets

power outage; yippee! | 11 comments (11 topical)

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