UPS (uninterrupted power supply)

[dj1701]

Is anyone using a UPS (uninterrupted power supply) on their coal or pellet stove? If so, what kind and how's it working out?

Dave

 

[Tinhack]

What will it be running? Thermostat and fan?

No coal or pellet stove but I've got three in my office for:
(1) TV, speakers and satellite box,
(2) PC w/speakers,
(3) Two printers and charging strip for phone and miscellaneous equipment.

The first two are 600 the last is an old 850. All are APCs.

I have a 7500w out in the shed that came from a Data Center auction. It's not hooked up to anything at the moment. The batteries are surely toast by now, but it was working just before disconnecting. I was hoping to run some circuits in the house with it but no convenient place to put it. With batteries, it's about the same size as a generator of the same wattage.

 

[i7win7]

Was using 1500VA APC unit, it wasn't pure AC sinewave UPS. Motors sounded funny running on it. Would power stove 12min or so, beeps when AC fails. Gave me time to drag out 1000i HONDA generator (runs about 7 hours/tank of gas) Abou $200 for UPS, $1000 for Honda. Used the APC unit 6-7 years, still works, about time for new batteries.

Updated for this year, Ecoflow pro max solar gen. Switch over isn't fast enough to be called a UPS. They call it EPS (emergency power system). Weighs 100#, 3600watt battery runs my pellet stove 24hrs. Can recharge with AC or solar panels.

If solar sounds good, this gen has a max 150v DC input, 1600watts. Recommend 300-400 watt panels. Watch youtube videos on panel wiring, exceeding input voltage will damage generator. Videos I've seen on over-powering (ex 2000watts vs 1600) 2000w = more amps, gen will only pull 1600, 400watts wasted on sunny days (like plugging 5amp toaster into 15amp outlet)

Warning Solar isn't cheap. Worry about solar panels next year. If you choose Ecoflow, they have a gas generator that the solar gen can start/stop to recharge battery.

 

[ponytug]

If you are thinking solar, both Tesla and Generac offer solar battery systems to power more of your house all the time, and the latter has built in support for a generator to power the house/charge the batteries. Neither is cheap in the short term, but can be cheap in the longer term. (We were net positive after a little over five years.)

Square wave and modified sine wave tend to be quite hard on motors. I would look for a "Pure Sine Wave" UPS. I added extra batteries on some of my UPS units for longer run times. You can't go too wild with the extra batteries or the UPS won't be able to get the batteries charged. (Before adding whole house batteries, I had some low draw electronics that I wanted to stay up for the duration for things like phone and internet access.)

All the best,

Peter

 

[cqaigy2]

I don't know the draw of a pellet stove, but would have thought a 1500VA APC would have run it longer than 15 minutes, but then again, it's probably not the VA that's the issue, but capacity.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Is anyone using a UPS (uninterrupted power supply) on their coal or pellet stove? If so, what kind and how's it working out?

Dave

Wow, I have been talking about getting one for our pellet stove. I was able to find the "starting watts" and "running watts", 425W and 70W respectively.

Then researching the UPS backups, a 1000W unit will allow 2 starts, or run the unit for about 8-10 minutes. Depending on the use you need it for, even the small 4-500W units will buy you some time.

Ours has a programmable timer that we use at night, turning the unit on / off 3 times during the night. If power goes out, the timed programming is lost.

I want to just keep the stove going until I can shut it down manually while I dig out the generator. Most UPS give an audible "beeping" when the power goes out.

I've narrowed it down to a 9-1000w, for my needs, this size would work.

 

[EarPlug]

Battery Backup For Pellet Stoves - 3 Ways To Keep The Heat On

There are a few different methods you can use to provide backup power for your pellet stove. Some of the options are quite cheap, while other methods are more costly.

www.essentialhomeandgarden.com

 

[Xfaxman]

Then researching the UPS backups, a 1000W unit will allow 2 starts, or run the unit for about 8-10 minutes. Depending on the use you need it for, even the small 4-500W units will buy you some time.

I had a 600W UPS powered by a little 12 volt battery for the TV and DVR. Removed the battery and wired it to a deep cycle 12 volt RV battery.

It would power the TV for several hours.

 

[i7win7]

https://www.amazon.com/Electricity-Monitor-Voltage-Overload-Protection/dp/B07DPJ3RGB/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=1JSF3MJJVXRUY&keywords=killawatt+meter&qid=1670614306&sprefix=killa%2Caps%2C630&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFWMjEwSFBRUldVOTAmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA5MzI2MTAyQzdJRE5YTVhVTzFOJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAyNTY1OTQ2WThWM05PUEpNMlUmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

A killawatt meter will help evaluate power needs fridge, pellet stove, ect. Max watts = surge demand to start stove (igniter). If you run it awhile (4, 8, 24hrs) divide total watts by hours to estimate continous power demand for stove. The pellet stoves I've owned can be run in an on/off mode like a gas furnace or a high/low mode where it's always burning.

Bigger battery, if using lead acid it needs to be a sealed battery. Vented batteries give of hydrogen gas as they charge. Lead acid are drained down to 50% of rated capacity to avoid damaging battery. Lithium ion batteries {although rare} can catch on fire (banned from airlines).
Lithium iron phosphate LiFePO4, safer to use in home and has a long service life

Zendure Portable Power Station | SuperCharged has a semi solid state battery option that looks promising.

https://www.youtube.com/c/WillProwse/videos several informative videos on solar power

 

[m1garand762]

Pardon my ignorance, we use a wood burning stove not a pellet stove. Why not just let it sit for the few minutes it takes to get the generator going?

 

[deserteagle71]

I have a Honda Genset to keep my pellet stove going when the power goes off. A UPS will only run the pellet stove (uses 3 electric motors) for a few minutes and our power interruptions tend to run for hours.

I've even run a power thru-port through the wall so the genset can sit outside and I don't have to crack a window or door to run the power into the house.

One of the big advantages of a wood stove was no worries when the power went off...if it's dark, light a few candles and put another log on the fire and enjoy!

 

[dj1701]

Pardon my ignorance, we use a wood burning stove not a pellet stove. Why not just let it sit for the few minutes it takes to get the generator going?

I have a coal stove. When the power goes out, you have a very limited window of opportunity to get the generator going before you lose your cherry. (EMBERS)

Restarting a coal stove at 2:00am on a work night is not a happy time. Anything that will add a few minutes would be helpful.

I remember running to the barn in the wee hours of the morning. Going through 2 feet of snow with just my sloggers, no socks, and my luxurious Turkish bathrobe. Time was not on my side.

 

[ponytug]

I have a coal stove. When the power goes out, you have a very limited window of opportunity to get the generator going before you lose your cherry. (EMBERS)

Restarting a coal stove at 2:00am on a work night is not a happy time. Anything that will add a few minutes would be helpful.

I remember running to the barn in the wee hours of the morning. Going through 2 feet of snow with just my sloggers, no socks, and my luxurious Turkish bathrobe. Time was not on my side.

Boy that experience would have me reevaluating having a coal stove (furnace?).

I have had coal fireplaces, but never a coal stove or furnace, and that sounds like a lot more work.

All the best,

Peter

 

[Rebeldad1]

Is anyone using a UPS (uninterrupted power supply) on their coal or pellet stove? If so, what kind and how's it working out?

Dave

have you looked into the world of solar generators? lots of options and sizes. we use one for our tv. runs the internet dish, tv, couple lights with zero interupt.

 

[m1garand762]

Sounds like all the more reason to use wood. I can take my time as there is about a half hour from when the power goes out to when it starts making noises to get the fan running again

 

[dj1701]

Sounds like all the more reason to use wood. I can take my time as there is about a half hour from when the power goes out to when it starts making noises to get the fan running again

Wood is very labor intensive. Plus you need a place to put it. We had wood, thats why I now heat with coal.

 

[deserteagle71]

have you looked into the world of solar generators? lots of options and sizes. we use one for our tv. runs the internet dish, tv, couple lights with zero interupt.

??? how well does it work at night or after a couple weeks of dark cloudy skies? And I'm thinking the 3 electric motors that run my pellet stove use a lot more power than a TV or any lights.

 

[AnotherBueller]

I had a 600W UPS powered by a little 12 volt battery for the TV and DVR. Removed the battery and wired it to a deep cycle 12 volt RV battery.

It would power the TV for several hours.

Can the UPS keep that big battery charged?

 

[Xfaxman]

Can the UPS keep that big battery charged?

Yep, it did. It took awhile after a long power outage.

 

[oosik]

I wonder how much battery will be needed to run a pellet stove for hours or days. Wouldn't it be better to just let the pellet stove sit idle while you crank up your gen set.

I think this is what m1garamd762 is suggesting also.