This is probably an old question, but here it goes again.

I have recently bought a generator for emergency use. I want to
occasionally use it to power the tv and/or computer equipment. I have
read numerous posts that state some generators operate electronic
equipment ok and many that say it fried the electronics. So here's the
question: What type of power conditioning is best for interfacing the
generator power to electronics? UPS? Inverter? Other?

Enuf

The best way to run your electronics on backup power is with DC,
using the generator to charge the batteries. High-reliability
Telco and network equipment is powered by 48 volt inverters.

Most smaller UPS's don't work well on power from small generators.
The voltage and frequency will both be too unstable. They'll keep
switching back and forth between line voltage and inverter.

So if you're running anything besides lights and motors from the
generator, you're taking a chance with out-of-spec noisy power.

wrote:
This is probably an old question, but here it goes again.

I have recently bought a generator for emergency use. I want to
occasionally use it to power the tv and/or computer equipment. I have
read numerous posts that state some generators operate electronic
equipment ok and many that say it fried the electronics. So here's the
question: What type of power conditioning is best for interfacing the
generator power to electronics? UPS? Inverter? Other?

Enuf

Mike Berger wrote:
The best way to run your electronics on backup power is with DC,
using the generator to charge the batteries. High-reliability
Telco and network equipment is powered by 48 volt inverters.

Most smaller UPS's don't work well on power from small generators.
The voltage and frequency will both be too unstable. They'll keep
switching back and forth between line voltage and inverter.

So if you're running anything besides lights and motors from the
generator, you're taking a chance with out-of-spec noisy power.


OK, inverters come with outputs in true sine wave and modified sine
wave, with the modified wave units being more common and cheaper. Will
tv's & computers work ok with modified sine wave inverters?

Enuf

wrote:

OK, inverters come with outputs in true sine wave and modified sine
wave, with the modified wave units being more common and cheaper.

Actually, the cheapest and the most common inverters have
square-wave-output.

Will
tv's & computers work ok with modified sine wave inverters?

Yes.

For the most part, yes.

wrote:

OK, inverters come with outputs in true sine wave and modified sine
wave, with the modified wave units being more common and cheaper. Will
tv's & computers work ok with modified sine wave inverters?

I wonder about the initial assumption that a small generator is unsafe
for TV/PC. Isn't the generator's output pretty close to a perfect sine
wave - better than what comes out of a UPS? The frequency may go up and
down a bit - I don't think this is a big problem unless you are using a
turntable. Voltage will waiver but if you don't overload the generator
this might not be too bad.

If you wish to use a UPS w. the generator, be sure to buy one that has a
sensitivity switch to ignore generator variations.



Mike Berger wrote:
For the most part, yes.

wrote:

OK, inverters come with outputs in true sine wave and modified sine
wave, with the modified wave units being more common and cheaper. Will
tv's & computers work ok with modified sine wave inverters?

They're unsafe in that the voltage and frequency can fluctuate wildly
especially as the load changes. I'm sure some consumer electronics
devices will handle it fine, but most of it isn't designed with wide
operating margins these days.


Bennett Price wrote:
I wonder about the initial assumption that a small generator is unsafe
for TV/PC. Isn't the generator's output pretty close to a perfect sine
wave - better than what comes out of a UPS? The frequency may go up and
down a bit - I don't think this is a big problem unless you are using a
turntable. Voltage will waiver but if you don't overload the generator
this might not be too bad.

In your experience which ones work ok with generators? None of my
APC SMART-UPS or Matrix UPS controllers do, even at lowest sensitivity.
The very high end Lieberts work, but they're extremely expensive.

Bennett Price wrote:

If you wish to use a UPS w. the generator, be sure to buy one that has a
sensitivity switch to ignore generator variations.

Bennett Price wrote:

I wonder about the initial assumption that a small generator is unsafe
for TV/PC. Isn't the generator's output pretty close to a perfect sine
wave - better than what comes out of a UPS? The frequency may go up and
down a bit - I don't think this is a big problem unless you are using a
turntable. Voltage will waiver but if you don't overload the generator
this might not be too bad.

If you wish to use a UPS w. the generator, be sure to buy one that has a
sensitivity switch to ignore generator variations.


No. Take a look at the output with a scope and you'll see.


--
My sig file can beat up your sig file!

Bud-- wrote:

Michael A. Terrell wrote:
Bennett Price wrote:

I wonder about the initial assumption that a small generator is unsafe
for TV/PC. Isn't the generator's output pretty close to a perfect sine
wave - better than what comes out of a UPS? The frequency may go up and
down a bit - I don't think this is a big problem unless you are using a
turntable. Voltage will waiver but if you don't overload the generator
this might not be too bad.

If you wish to use a UPS w. the generator, be sure to buy one that has a
sensitivity switch to ignore generator variations.



No. Take a look at the output with a scope and you'll see.


Any idea why it isn't a sine wave?

bud--


It would take way too much typing. Find a college EE book on power
generation and distribution, then prepare for some heavy reading.

In layman's terms, its the transformers and motors that help clean up
the power on the grid and you don't have all that to help filter the
output on a single small generator.


--
My sig file can beat up your sig file!

Not to mention the serious phase shift.

Michael A. Terrell wrote:
Bennett Price wrote:

I wonder about the initial assumption that a small generator is unsafe
for TV/PC. Isn't the generator's output pretty close to a perfect sine
wave - better than what comes out of a UPS? The frequency may go up and
down a bit - I don't think this is a big problem unless you are using a
turntable. Voltage will waiver but if you don't overload the generator
this might not be too bad.

If you wish to use a UPS w. the generator, be sure to buy one that has a
sensitivity switch to ignore generator variations.



No. Take a look at the output with a scope and you'll see.

I stand corrected about suitability of small generator for TV/PC.
I found the following APC FAQ's very helpful. Also addresses waveform
of small generators (with non-linear loads).
http://tinyurl.com/m7jty






Bud-- wrote:
Michael A. Terrell wrote:
Bennett Price wrote:

I wonder about the initial assumption that a small generator is unsafe
for TV/PC. Isn't the generator's output pretty close to a perfect sine
wave - better than what comes out of a UPS? The frequency may go up and
down a bit - I don't think this is a big problem unless you are using a
turntable. Voltage will waiver but if you don't overload the generator
this might not be too bad.

If you wish to use a UPS w. the generator, be sure to buy one that has a
sensitivity switch to ignore generator variations.



No. Take a look at the output with a scope and you'll see.


Any idea why it isn't a sine wave?

bud--