Emergency backup with UPS

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ronaldrc

Senior Member
Location
Tennessee
I've been trying to build a simple and reliable emergency power unit.Generators are to loud and you don't need all the power they can put out and using fuel rather loaded down or not.I would use my generator for charging batteries only and have several of these units through the house.

What would be wrong with this UPS being used this way other than it wouldn't be UL listed and not meeting all NEC codes? Do you think it would be a fire or safety hazard or just a stupid idea.

:roll:
 
roger

roger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Fl
Occupation
Retired Electrician
Re: Emergency backup with UPS

OK, I bring it up since I've got to keep hillbilly secrets. :D

Wouldn't you want to switch to neutral? The UPS wouldn't need the service neutral to operate.

Roger
 
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ronaldrc

Senior Member
Location
Tennessee
Re: Emergency backup with UPS

Hey Roger hows it going?
I'm not sure when and if I do this what brand of UPS I will be using.

I've not looked to see if the neutrals in a UPS are switched or not if they are you would have to break the tab on the neutral side and if not it wouldn't matter.Thats one code violation I thought of was it is a NEC violation to switch the neutral but what would it hurt?

Do you see any big safety hazards? I no the location and care of the battery would be a concern.

Ronald :)
 
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ronaldrc

Senior Member
Location
Tennessee
Re: Emergency backup with UPS

Roger I have a small 500va UPS on my computer and it does break the neutral through a magnetic relay when unpluged so I changed my diagram.

Ronald :)
 
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ronaldrc

Senior Member
Location
Tennessee
Re: Emergency backup with UPS

Hey Bennie I just thought of something this is a true separate derived system.

Now I know its illegal

Whoops never mind my mistake we still have the ground that ties them together those.


Ronald :D

[ April 05, 2003, 11:06 AM: Message edited by: ronaldrc ]
 
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mikeackley

Senior Member
Location
Washington
Re: Emergency backup with UPS

Ronald: Question on your wiring diagram....how you feeding UPS output to lower half of duplex recept.? (Somewhat implied is a cord set with males on each end)
 
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ronaldrc

Senior Member
Location
Tennessee
Re: Emergency backup with UPS

Mike I will probably use 14/2 cord w/ ground and put a 6 or 8 amp. fast acting inline fuse just as I leave the UPS outlet.Yes with 15 amp. 120 volt male plugs on each end.

Not really decided yet am open for suggestions.

Ronald :)

[ April 05, 2003, 11:38 AM: Message edited by: ronaldrc ]
 
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bennie

Esteemed Member
Re: Emergency backup with UPS

Ronald: You have changed the receptacle to right handed, but did not change the wire. :D
 
roger

roger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Fl
Occupation
Retired Electrician
Re: Emergency backup with UPS

Uh Oh Ronald, Bennie got you. A designers work is never done. :D

Roger
 
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bennie

Esteemed Member
Re: Emergency backup with UPS

Ronald: Try an automobile 12 volt to 120 volt converter. Use a 3/way switch for transfer.

I have 29 inventions. Not one worth a damn :D
 
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mikeackley

Senior Member
Location
Washington
Re: Emergency backup with UPS

Better mousetraps never come easy Ronald. ;) I'm still wondering about the possibility of accidentally back-feeding the UPS with commercial power. My guess is, if someone plugged the UPS output cord into the wrong receptacle (back-feeding the UPS), one of several things might happen, with the best case being either blown fuses or diodes...diodes often win that race. Using one dual-voltage receptacle with different socket/plug configurations would be a safety feature I would consider. Here?s one example I found in the Leviton catalog, # 5844.

Leviton5844.jpg
 
R

ronaldrc

Senior Member
Location
Tennessee
Re: Emergency backup with UPS

Bennie I've had a 12 to 120 inverter system setup for about three years to power my toys,computer and tv in my den only thing is when my power goes out before my inverter gets fired up my tv cuts off since it has a solid state switch.

I thought with a UPS that would elimate that.And I like to experiment.

Mike I think I will use that combination plug to keep someone from switching the input and output that would definetely save my UPS system from that problem.Although I might tryin find a left handed one.

Ronald :)

[ April 05, 2003, 08:54 PM: Message edited by: ronaldrc ]
 
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hurk27

Senior Member
Location
Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
Re: Emergency backup with UPS

ron from a safty point I'd put the ups units at the breaker panel and use pig-tails from the panel to the ups units to power each circuit that you want to power. I did this with a APC 2200va unit. and it worked great. and all the units will be in one location and if you have one fail, run out of juice you could just switch around the plugs to get back up and running and also it would give you a common location to place the battery packs on the outside of the house. remember to fuse the wires from the batterys to the ups units as they could be a fire hazared too.
 
R

ronaldrc

Senior Member
Location
Tennessee
Re: Emergency backup with UPS

Hurk

Thanks thats a good idea about changing them around if one goes bad you can transfere another to its place.

If your panel is in a garage or basement that would be the ideal place to locate them.

Ronald :)
 
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