Life in your own home outside the city has its own characteristics. Periodic power outages are one of them, in towns and suburbs light blinks frequently, or even completely disappears for several minutes. And if you can not pass the time by candlelight without TV and computer, it is quite possible, then stopping the heating boiler in severe frosts can turn out to be a catastrophe for the whole house.
To prevent the heating system from failing, spoiling sensitive electronics can be done with uninterruptible power supplies. They consist of a converter with a built-in charger and a system of interconnected batteries and are similar to those that are installed near computers, only their capacity is much higher.
Criteria for choosing
There are a lot of offers on the market today, both from world brands and from Chinese no-it plants, and the craftsmen tell how to assemble the UPS with their own hands. What to prefer? First, you need to determine the power of the uninterruptible power supply. To do this, sum up the power of all appliances, the work of which should not be interrupted when the electricity is cut off: a boiler, a refrigerator, pumps( a circulating heating and water system), a computer. To the value obtained, add 20-25%, since most devices require the inclusion of an increased starting current.
The capacity of the batteries to be connected to the UPS is calculated from the power and the estimated battery life( at what time the light is switched off, or how quickly you can start the generator).This parameter should also be filled with a margin, since it is not recommended to reduce the discharge depth in lead-acid batteries by less than 25%.
Uninterruptible power supplies are divided into:
Off-line , which automatically turn on only when the voltage drops or power is cut off. All the rest of the time they do not affect the power system of the house at all, since there are no stabilizers in them. These are the simplest and cheapest models.
Linear interactive , equipped with a stabilizer. They are most effective at constant voltage surges, as the batteries are connected less frequently, therefore, they last longer, and the equipment connected through such a UPS is better protected.
On-line ( rarely used in individual projects), converting AC voltage from a centralized power supply or from a generator to a constant, and then into a stabilized variable. Applied wherever the uninterrupted operation of sensitive equipment is required: servers, medical equipment.
In organizations that sell UPS, help to calculate and select the most optimal configuration.
It is desirable to be able to control the operation of the UPS via the Internet or by telephone. Sometimes it makes sense to install 2 or more UPSs: one for a boiler, and the other for home appliances and computers. It's easier to do wiring, and the reliability of such a system is higher, because if one UPS goes down, the other will work.
Manufacturers and prices
The price dispersion for the UPS is great, as they are determined by the manufacturer of the converter and the batteries, the output power, the number of batteries and their type. Good reputation with the production facilities of Energy and Teplocom( Russia), CSB( Taiwan), Newave( Switzerland), General Electric( USA).
In addition to the converter you need batteries, the prices for the most simple models with a capacity of 65 Ah start from 7 thousand, more capacious batteries for 200 Ah cost around 16 thousand rubles.for a thing, but they will need at least a couple.
Uninterruptible power supply - not cheap purchase. However, it can save a lot of money compared with the purchase of new equipment or repair of the heating system. What exactly is not worth saving when buying such a system, so this is on its proper connection, besides, many suppliers offer discounts on installation when purchasing UPS and batteries for them.
