I have a wireless DSL modem/router connected to my APC UPS. Last night, during a thunderstorm, the electricity went off as it often does and I lost all access to the outside world (our cellular reception is awful). I immediately powered off my PC to save my UPS. I was surprised that my modem only lasted for an hour. Also, it made an annoying beep every minute or two. I’d like to come up with a longer lasting solution as my power was off for over 4 hours.
I was thinking about getting a spare car battery, putting in on a trickle charger and hooking my inverter up to it as necessary. The modem looks like it draws a maximum of 8 watts. I assume that my 400 watt inverter will waste a lot more power than the modem actually draws.
I think that this should more than meet my needs but I’m also sure that there are better solutions available. I just don’t know what they are. Since batteries are 12VDC and my modem takes DC input, there should be a way to go directly to the modem without the use of the inverter and its associated waste.
Sounds like all you need is a cable with the right connector for the modem hooked to the battery. After the battery is fully charged, you want to hook it to a battery maintainer rather than a full fledged charger. You’ll also want a sealed or gel cell battery so there’s no possibility of an acid spill.
Here’s a link to a unit similar to the one I use on my tractor in the winter.
I’m looking to run the modem for my phones, iPads etc. The UPS will only run the computer and monitor for about 15 minutes. I need a much longer lasting solution than the UPS.
For a couple hundred dollars you can get a little Honda Generator that will be way more then sufficient to run your modem, router, keep your laptop charged and probably still have enough juice leftover to keep your TV (and TiVo/Cablebox) up and running as well.
Here’s one that’s 2000 Watts for $200. A really good UPS is going to cost that much. There was a 4000 Watt one for $300 as well.
Just keep a tank of gas, a couple of extension cords and some power strips on hand and you’ll be good to go.
So you voids the warranty on the UPS, maybe, but how about
Put a switch on to mute the beeping
Put an external battery connector on, so when you want you can connect in your external huge battery… You are extending the time the little baby UPS can run, not its power …
Note you must do this in a way to make it safe in terms of electric shock, fire and chemical danger (Toxicity, acidity and explosion), and thats not an exhaustive list.
Is this some mad thing I dreamed up just now ? Ran it for years , to provide protection …it was cheap as the battery was not inside a big box,APC etc charge a fortune for the big box. !
The UPS has circuits designed to switch in the inverter when required, so that you don’t run the inverter full time. If you run the inverter full time, then you constantly drain the battery… and its inefficient to run inverter all the time, and wears the inverter out… Just add capacity to the UPS with external battery.
A generator is your best bet. It will also keep cell phone, laptop and UPS batteries charged.
A bottled propane generator is your best bet. No hassles with stale gas. The motor will require less maintenance. One bottle of propane will keep you going for quite a few days.
Read some of the reviews. There are many that suggest that this particular product and manufacturer are not to be trusted; the generator cannot deliver what is advertised, the product arrives in inoperable condition and the warranty is not honored. Way too many negative reviews for my taste.
If the OP wants a generator to tide him over, there must be better ones out there.
I honestly just picked the first thing that came up when I typed in “Honda Generator”. If I were the OP and went with a generator, I’d do my own research, but I’m not, so I didn’t.
Having said that, I’ve never heard anything bad about Honda generators, so maybe it’s that particular model…Ha!, I just clicked on the link and I realize that even though I searched for a Honda generator I got some off brand I’ve never heard off.
Okay, well looking around on Amazon, a 2000W Honda is going to be closer to $1200 (I thought $200 sounded really cheap), but it looks like you can get a 2000W Honeywell for $600 or a 800W Generac for $300. Honeywell and Generac are both names that I would trust to start my search with, though I wouldn’t be surprised if the Honeywell one is something else that they rebadged.
But, like I said, if the OP goes down that road, he should do his own research, not count on mine.
$200 for a generator seems too cheap to me. I’d be concerned about one that cheap.
You can get them at Sams for about $500. Here’s a 3500 Watt propane one for $494 from Sams Club. Thats enough to run your fridge, tv, and computer/DSL in a power outage.
My biggest issue with a generator (and believe me, I’ve considered it) is that if I get one, then I’d want it to power my well-house too. To accomplish that would require a transfer switch, an electrician and Og knows what else. If I were convinced that I’m going to be staying in this house long term, I’d do it. As it is, I’ll probably be moving within the next couple of years.
Yes, cheap gennies make cheap power. They will attempt to maintain 120 volts under varying load, but the frequency will wander, and there will be “static” in the power from arcing/dirty slip rings.
If you want to run electronics with a portable generator, there’s Honda, then there’s everyone else. Not meaning to promote Honda, but their -i series generators produce DC internally to power an inverter, so the power stays clean and on frequency. There are other brands with inverters, but Honda has been the leader of this particular product category for quite a few years. Another plus is that Honda figured out “quiet” with these things. Your ears, and your neighbors will appreciate the near silence.
Just be sure to secure it. Thieves appreciate these little red generators just as much as their owners.
