I was just called a geek

[RichP]

by my fellow IT people, all I said was having UPS's on your alarm clocks is a good idea...glad I did not mention having them on my TV's and sound systems..

[Lawn Cher']

My approach, if I had the money to throw around, would be an entire household backup generator with automatic transfer switch, plumbed to run off the natural gas line.

[old_man]

I have an alarm clock that has a battery backup and syncronizes to WWV.

[Lawn Cher']

WWV.

Did I miss World Wars III and IV?

[RTicUL8]

Did I miss World Wars III and IV?


Future stuff.

His has a flux capacitor built into it.:thumbup:

[djblade311]

I have UPS on all my stereo, tv, and computer stuff. Not necessarily for battery backup in case of power failure but primarily for surge protection. They have some really good protection of assets up to $30K and 100K depending on the UPS

I dont put my clock on a UPS because if the power goes out and I'm late for work....ooops, its not my fault.. :)

[IntrepidXJ]

I have UPS on all my stereo, tv, and computer stuff. Not necessarily for battery backup in case of power failure but primarily for surge protection. They have some really good protection of assets up to $30K and 100K depending on the UPS

I dont put my clock on a UPS because if the power goes out and I'm late for work....ooops, its not my fault.. :)

damn, and to think that I only have them deliver packages!

[SteveT]

UPS?... What can Brown do for power outages?:)

I don't think I could stand all the warning alarms from each ups telling me that the power was out.

[IcedXJ]

I don't think I could stand all the warning alarms from each ups telling me that the power was out.

I know when the power goes out, when everything shuts off, why do I need alarms to tell me that, lol.

[Captain Ron]

I can't believe Rich is the only one that knows what WWV is.

2.5, 5, 10, 15, and 20 Mhz.

I bet no one know why this was as important as GPS is today.

:D

--ron

[Lawn Cher']

WKW WWV IS

[Rev Den]

I can't believe Rich is the only one that knows what WWV is.

2.5, 5, 10, 15, and 20 Mhz.

I bet no one know why this was as important as GPS is today.

:D

--ron

You would be wrong.

BTW LC - I have a back-up generator, auto transfer, natural gas....V-twin 7KW. It will run everything but the AC. I use my PCS phone for an alarm clock, but the PC and network are on a UPS.

Rev

[87manche]

You would be wrong.

BTW LC - I have a back-up generator, auto transfer, natural gas....V-twin 7KW. It will run everything but the AC. I use my PCS phone for an alarm clock, but the PC and network are on a UPS.

Rev
neighbor just got a 4KW variant.
I want one.
Still have to have critical things on a UPS though, as the lag time it takes for the generator to kick on will reset things.

[Lawn Cher']

When STL had the power outage (you remember that, right REV?) I considered getting a PTO generator for my tractor, but then the idea of a dedicated unit looked attractive. Ebay has some decent finds of course. I was thinking around 12kw to repower the entire house, as Jen loves her AC. But then they repaired our power right quick and I lost interest in the project. Cuivre River Electric Coop > AmerenUE.

[Ralph]

I've got UPS backup for my PC's but I don't even use an alarm clock. My dogs wake me up at the same time every morning. If the power goes off on the tv, big deal.

[Rev Den]

Yea....I remember...both times.

I am in error, mone is the 13KW, they have a nice 16KW that you should be able to get installed for around $3500, less is you do the install yourself.

http://www.guardiangenerators.com/Products/Residential/QuietSource/QuietSource16kW.aspx

Been real happy with mine.

Rev

[5-90]

I can't believe Rich is the only one that knows what WWV is.

2.5, 5, 10, 15, and 20 Mhz.

I bet no one know why this was as important as GPS is today.

:D

--ron

Horseradish. WWV/WWWV, NIST time signal, Ft. Collins, CO. I don't recall whether they're still using their cesium clock, or if they've moved to something else tho...

You can get a NIST time client for your computer as well, which can sync your system clock to NIST.

As I recall, the NIST signal is nice and solid - and can also be used to verify tuners when doing radio setups and building HF sets...

5-90

[Captain Ron]

...
WWV/WWVH
...

Fixed.

--ron

[old_man]

Just try doing a sun shot reduction without an accurate time.

[5-90]

Fixed.

--ron

Thanks. I thought I'd gotten the second call sign wrong...

5-90

[Captain Ron]

Just try doing a sun shot reduction without an accurate time.

Never had a problem with that.

Now, remembering what day it is was a problem from time to time. :D

--ron

PS: Power outages? Down on the dock, we laugh. :D

[8Mud]

I'm still trying to figure out what clocks have to do with hairy backs and women with mustaches.

[yardape]

by my fellow IT people, all I said was having UPS's on your alarm clocks is a good idea...glad I did not mention having them on my TV's and sound systems..


I would submit that they had just cause. :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

[streetpirate]

Chorus: Stop pickin on me. Because I’m a geek. I’m strange to you. You’re strange to me. Well, one of these days. I’m gonna pack heat.
Your brains on the wall. My face, my face on tv.

They dissipate the pungent odor of a power holder.
Sand kickers comin’ sixty clicks upon the sonar.
They’re gonna fold me over like a trapper keeper folder.
If this was D&D, you’d see me jump into a portal.
I’m a geek, spelled g double e k.
I meet my boys in the basement about every day.
Card table, comic books, and cans of coke.
That we blow out our nose after a Star Wars joke.
We got style.
Tape on our glasses, zits on our faces and hair on our asses.
Shiny shoes, belt buckles and pocket protectors.
Tricked out back packs like my main man Venkman’s.
We got problems, namely the jocks.
The SUV suckers with class rings on their c*cks.
Otherwise known as the motherXXXXers touchin' the tit.
If I was wolverine, you’d hear my knuckles go snikt.
I’m not perfect, the b4 picture of Peter Parker.
I always trip and drop my tray in front of the girl that always sparkles.
I got brains, f**k B’s and C’s.
I got a grade point average higher than Hendrix on New Year’s Eve.

chorus repeat

Don’t f**k with a geek, just cuz he got a gift.
You get in my way bitch you get a Vulcan neck pinch.
One night I didn’t go to sleep, up playin’ Risk.
At dawn, I won, got global dominance.
But it in the hallway it’s completely different shit.
Can’t get my locker open and my pants are always split.
Can’t seem to catch a ride, can’t ever get a date.
But in my mind 7 of 9 thinks I’m great.
Prom night bites, primadonnas prevail.
I’m at home reciting lines from the Holy Grail.
Stuffed nose, and some swollen glands.
Never, been kissed, never been holding hands.
Just, bust my biscuits over Britney in a bubble bath.
Darth Vader with inhalers, in case my lungs collapse.
The dragon died from a heart attack
You may advance and yo, I upped your armor class.
Being a geek, it aint so bad.
I can’t get laid, I got Japanime stashed.
And a mind jam packed with sci-fi facts.
Dreadnoks rocked, Dynobots kick ass.

chorus repeat

[flexjay87]

ok, howe'd you get the big brown truck in you bedroom? he he...... and by the way, i have no idea what you're talkin about (should have never admitted that)

[5-90]

ok, howe'd you get the big brown truck in you bedroom? he he...... and by the way, i have no idea what you're talkin about (should have never admitted that)

UPS = Uninterrupted/Uninterruptible Power Supply.

Essentially, it's a box stuffed with batteries, a charger, an inverter, and a small transfer switch. If the AC power input senses that NO power is available, it will switch to inverter/battery power on the output (doing so immediately...) thus giving an (admittedly finite) source of backup power for when the grid fails. Some UPS units will also connect directly to a computer's serial port to send a signal - software installed on the computer responds to that, does a global SAVE command, and invokes a "shutdown" order in order to save data. This allows data integrity to be maintained and still have the machine shut off (because having a lot of machinery hooked up to power when it comes back on is not always a good thing - I still tend to shut everything off whenever the power goes out around here, except for a couple lights...)

If you go to your computer shop or computer department and ask to see UPS units, you'll be able to get more information. I'm partial to APC or Tripp-Lite, myself... They can range from the size of a lunchbox to another machine room console, depending upon your backup power needs.

5-90

[RichP]

UPS = Uninterrupted/Uninterruptible Power Supply.

Essentially, it's a box stuffed with batteries, a charger, an inverter, and a small transfer switch. If the AC power input senses that NO power is available, it will switch to inverter/battery power on the output (doing so immediately...) thus giving an (admittedly finite) source of backup power for when the grid fails. Some UPS units will also connect directly to a computer's serial port to send a signal - software installed on the computer responds to that, does a global SAVE command, and invokes a "shutdown" order in order to save data. This allows data integrity to be maintained and still have the machine shut off (because having a lot of machinery hooked up to power when it comes back on is not always a good thing - I still tend to shut everything off whenever the power goes out around here, except for a couple lights...)

If you go to your computer shop or computer department and ask to see UPS units, you'll be able to get more information. I'm partial to APC or Tripp-Lite, myself... They can range from the size of a lunchbox to another machine room console, depending upon your backup power needs.

5-90

Thats about it, I use 500va in the bedrooms for the alarmclocks and uniden wirless phones, uniden base unit downstairs and 2200va's for the entertainment systems. Then for the systems downstairs cellar nothing smaller than 1800va, cpu's monitors, drives but no laser printers, the fuser will drain a 2200va in about 9-15 seconds.
The better UPS always deliver power thru the inverter, the batteries are literally in series with the 110 in > ckts > clean 110 out. The cheaper ones that are under say $150 the batterys are more or less parrallel, main reason for the big price differences on them. The newer ones connect thru a usb port. I actually need to get a 6ft comm cabinet so I can start rack mounting my stuff instead of having it spread out over my leda desks and workbenches.
Been looking at a wireless keyboard, mouse, sound, video solution but the price is still a bit high, $1000 per unit because of the video and the range is still somewhat limited, ~30 ft. UPS's will also extend the life of electronics systems, since I have been sitting here typing this I've heard the APC smart UPS that this system is on, as well as all the others, give their customary buzz at least 4 times to compensate for the PPL supplied electricity into the house, either high or low voltage or spikes. I also bought ones that all take the same size/rating battery, makes it easier to do the standard 2 year replacments on all 42 batteries, the 2200va's take 8 each, 1800va's take 4 and the 500va's take 1.
I bought most of the big ones from a refurb house in NY, very good prices and have not gotten a bad one yet. Also quick shipping.
Damn, if I keep going I'll be getting into how I filter the systems with holley and mr gasket automotive air cleaners to keep the gross stuff out of the boxes..

[Root Moose]

Geez Rich, with that much UPS and battery stuff kicking around you'd be really close to having everything required to go off-gid if you started cetralizing stuff as it failed.

I'd be off-grid already if it wasn't for my obsession (Jeeps).

[RichP]

Geez Rich, with that much UPS and battery stuff kicking around you'd be really close to having everything required to go off-gid if you started cetralizing stuff as it failed.

I'd be off-grid already if it wasn't for my obsession (Jeeps).

My big limiting factor is the 220v 550ft well pump and I can't afford a 55kw liebert for the house yet though I actually did find one on ebay but the shipping from oregon was a tad high.
I'm also seriously looking at replaceing my shingles with the solar ones, not the whole roof, just about 20 rows 30ft wide, at current rates it would payback in about 2 years, after that it would earn me about $80 a month from PPL from feeding the grid, costs are about 2x the cost of conventional 50 year shingles. The annoying part is I just had my roof done with high quality shingles and skylights 2 summers ago.
My gig in allentown at the insurance company ended so I'm looking for a new one, considering one in Harrisburg about 2 hours west of us, we want to build a new house anyway and get away from the tourist and growing gang issues here, daughter lives in philly and is going to temple univ, son graduates from college in dec and heads for parris island boot camp in jan so come spring we may actually go that route and build what we want. Once the casino's open here housing prices should go thru the roof. Just have to see how it shakes out.

[RedHeep]

I picked up a 400w refurb on ebay and have the phone, voip and cable modem hooked up so we have phone during a power outage. Tested it to a little over 5 hours of backup.

[Rev Den]

Nice little 7KW unit that I work with, I have 10 of these that I maintain.

http://home.comcast.net/~revden/DECATURUPS.JPG

Rev

[Meanie5470]

Nice little 7KW unit that I work with, I have 10 of these that I maintain.

http://home.comcast.net/~revden/DECATURUPS.JPG

Rev
Wow that thing's a lot bigger then the 9v battery that goes in my alarm clock and saves my ass in power outages....

[Rev Den]

That one just runs my PC, printer, and wireless network.

:D

Rev

[muduck18]

I have a UPS on my internet connection, Phone, Alarm clock, Cell phone/crackberry charger and computers, Network manageable Powerware from eaton power...

well now here is the question.
I have been in the process of buying a house or a plot of land to build. not 100% sure which I want to do yet...
But either way I want a back-up generator, auto transfer, and a UPS to run everything down to the well...

For the Gen. which do you all prefer? Diesel or NG?
At work we have one of both at the Diesel has had nothing done to it save for the yearly maint. The NG we have had serviced every two months for various things.
We run a test every week with load transfer and everything.
the Diesel requires so little we all forgot how to open the door to get access to it.

[Rev Den]

IF you have access to NG, go that route. If not...go diesel. I have delt with both, NG is generally much less maintanance intensive (sound like you got issues) then the oil burners. I have many years experiance with both and will choose NG over oil everytime.

Rev

[Root Moose]

Rev, what about propane (local storage cylinders) versus diesel? Still prefer the gas?

[RichP]

Go with something like this
http://www.rolls-royce.com/marine/images/graphics/mnavalnuclear.jpg

Might want to poke around here
http://www.homepower.com/index.cfm

[Rev Den]

Rev, what about propane (local storage cylinders) versus diesel? Still prefer the gas?

Yup.

Always seem to run outta propane when you need it. Every try getting Diesel or Propane delivered during a power outage? Hint: If you ain't a regular customer, and not buying 100's of gallons.....you wait.

My last diesel generator was 1.8 MW (that's Megawatts) and had a 2500 gallon tank. During an extended outage....we were STILL not 1st on the list.

If NG is available.....it is NO contest. If it is not, then Diesel, then propane.

Rev

[muduck18]

Yup.

Always seem to run outta propane when you need it. Every try getting Diesel or Propane delivered during a power outage? Hint: If you ain't a regular customer, and not buying 100's of gallons.....you wait.

My last diesel generator was 1.8 MW (that's Megawatts) and had a 2500 gallon tank. During an extended outage....we were STILL not 1st on the list.

If NG is available.....it is NO contest. If it is not, then Diesel, then propane.

Rev

I guess we have had issues, but most of it has been because of the cut over switch and the fact that its a motorcrap er craft engine.. I blame our problems on the director and his wicked cheep, This thing is a NG conversion of a ford boat motor and the thing just has little nitty problems.
battery won't charge, starter doesn't turn fast enough, idle is too low, or too high...

anyway. I though Diesel because I could fill it with kero, or off road, and if i got in a pinch I could run to the store with 20 gal containers... (and who doesn't love the sound of a diesel? cm on)
But The NG seems to be a set it and let it solution if you can get it to work right.

Go with something like this


Might want to poke around here
http://www.homepower.com/index.cfm

err what? I don't understand what that does...
I will check out that site.. I like the green house idea but, I don't want to look too loopy... well, actually who the hell cares how i look...

Thanks sorry to hijack...

[RichP]

I guess we have had issues, but most of it has been because of the cut over switch and the fact that its a motorcrap er craft engine.. I blame our problems on the director and his wicked cheep, This thing is a NG conversion of a ford boat motor and the thing just has little nitty problems.
battery won't charge, starter doesn't turn fast enough, idle is too low, or too high...

anyway. I though Diesel because I could fill it with kero, or off road, and if i got in a pinch I could run to the store with 20 gal containers... (and who doesn't love the sound of a diesel? cm on)
But The NG seems to be a set it and let it solution if you can get it to work right.



err what? I don't understand what that does...
I will check out that site.. I like the green house idea but, I don't want to look too loopy... well, actually who the hell cares how i look...

Thanks sorry to hijack...

It's just a starting point, it is possible to get almost total solar/battery though the well pumps and other 220v/high amperage appliances do present issues. The well pumps are the biggie as is the hot water heater for prolonged use. The selling point for me is the ability to pump power back into the grid and get the meter to legally run backwards, enough solar shingles and once the batteries are charged the power goes back out on the grid and either cuts or directly leads to a check from the power company, most states are legally required to buy the power you generate. Depends on how many rows of shingles you put in.
The interface between the panels, meter and battery system runs about $800, not cheap, reson the payback is about 2-3 years depending on use. With daughter at school, son in USMC there won't be much draw during the day, our house by it's design gets alot of solar gain thru the 225 sq/ft of glass front facing southeast and the skylights.

[ponyracer1]

Wow, I gotta get with the times. When my power goes out I light a candle and make shadow puppets on the wall until the lights come back on!!