"Leon Fisk" wrote in message
news
On Sat, 17 Jun 2017 20:22:55 -0400
"Jim Wilkins" wrote:

snip
The APC would be a good answer if it wasted less idle current and
was
more tolerant of AC from portable generators. It has a button on the
back to reduce sensitivity to bad power but that isn't enough.

I had one either like or very similar to this that was used in a
system
I serviced:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BEST-MICRO-F...-/291181299549

A lot of the operating parameters could be changed/set by using the
RS232 connection and a terminal program. As you have noted they are
real energy pigs just idling. That whole system got scraped and I
had
this unit setting underneath my workbench for backup, playing
around. I
gave up on it when the batteries degraded to the point of it being
useless. I'm not sure but it may be possible to set the operating
parameters for input to work with a generator.


The APC isn't ferroresonant, it synthesizes a sine wave. Talking to it
requires making a non-standard serial cable. I found the commands it
accepts in the manual for 'apcupsd' on SourceForge and wrote a program
to adjust it and display parameters in a small window. The most
tolerant line quality setting still rejects one engine-speed-regulated
generator and frequently reverts to battery on the other.

We've had only short outages since I bought the HF generator so my
upgraded backup system hasn't had serious use. I assume the fridge
will run overnight on batteries which I will partly recharge in the
morning and evening with the generator, and from whatever solar is
available during the day.

I can't fully recharge the batteries inside the house in one day
without generating hydrogen, but can outdoors after the grid returns.
They don't bubble at 13.6V or below, and only fizz lightly at 13.8V.
Supposedly 13.6V gets them to ~3/4 charge quickly and full charge in a
few days. The APC charges at 6A to 13.6V, then hold that voltage as
the current tapers off.

I could put the batteries and APC on a cart and fully recharge them in
the driveway from a generator if necessary but I don't want to attract
thieves. The practicality of that will depend on the weather and how
loud the neighborhood is from other generators. The Predator's sound
at idle doesn't carry very far.
-jsw