Power Cut Proofing

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

Thanks for an interesting and informative discussion.

The 64,000$ question beyond the need to maintain the CCTV is what of her devices don't automatically reset after a power cut. I suspect the need for continuous CCTV and associated internet connection is indeed, as V8Eng says, to help keep the insurance company happy.

So Plan A will be to look into one of those battery back-up, multiple 12 V output, boxes like this :- **LINK**

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/323995263949 Electrical CCTV Camera Power Supply Box 5/9/18 Channel Back Up Battery Option

Which should keep the surveillance kit and internet connection live. Possibly also any other 12 V kit that doesn't auto restart properly.

Dunno about her gas boiler and control. Its fairly recent install but so is mine and that needs manual intervention to bring it back up after a power cut. Mains back driving isn't really an issue if the system always runs off the battery via the inverter with a float charge system to keep it charged when the mains is on. So its fully isolated via the charger.

I'm a little surprised that the big battery system that Samsaranda has on his solar panels doesn't automatically handle the mains disconnection and reconnection thing as it seems fairly simple to implement. Basically whacking great normally open relay held on by mains power with a suitable control delay before reconnection! Something I need to look into when I get a battery system for my panels.

The big surprise for me was just how much battery you need to keep CCTV up and running for decent periods. Its clear that normal UPS systems aren't made for this job. To get the battery capacity you need something with a silly oversize inverter on the output end as common specification is only 10 minutes or so at full load.

The camping systems are interesting but I'm skeptical of reliablity on permanent float duties.

Thinking I really need to get my generator permanently linked in just in case. One of the uber quiet Honda EX5500 beasties with a twin cylinder water-cooled engine. Old but much less noisy than anything modern.

Clive

[SamsarandaParticipant @samsaranda]

Clive to fit the relays that automatically disconnect from the mains was an extra on top of the battery installation and the price quoted then was not cheap, according to the “managing director” I had spent more than enough on the system and I couldn’t justify any further costs at the time. Circumstances are changing so now may be the time for that modification. Wife was very sceptical about any expenditure on solar system but has since become a convert, on sunny days she checks how much stored power there is in the batteries and then she will plan the usage of the dishwasher, washing machine, tumble dryer and oven so that she uses if possible stored energy from the batteries instead of drawing power from the grid. Many days this summer we have existed using only solar energy and not drawn power from the grid, this has meant very cheap energy bills, but all will change as the sun diminishes throughout autumn and winter. Dave W

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

Posted by Clive Foster on 08/10/2022 11:16:21:

Thanks for an interesting and informative discussion.

The 64,000$ question beyond the need to maintain the CCTV is what of her devices don't automatically reset after a power cut. I suspect the need for continuous CCTV and associated internet connection is indeed, as V8Eng says, to help keep the insurance company happy.

 

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I was not suggesting that would keep the insurance company happy because I have no idea about their requirements.

I was saying that your Sister should check the wording in her insurance policy (carefully) about leaving the house empty for a period of time, my own insurance has very specific requirements.

As to the monitored security that was a method of getting the house monitored 24/7 by a professional company rather than relying on hit and miss watching her own CCTV.

I think our friends used ADT but there seems to a plethora of companies offering those systems.

Edited By V8Eng on 08/10/2022 14:03:31

[HOWARDTParticipant @howardt]

Just out of interest I installed the Loop app on my phone to monitor electric usage. The app connects to your smart meter, it doesn't work with some though. I use it just for the consumption not bothered about the costs given as not sure they can be set properly yet to give accurate costs. Any way with this I was able to see that my base usage when we are away and running internet, fridge, freezer and may be other odd things I forget to switch off is 1.8 kw a day. So if we set that to 2 kw for 30 days we would need a storage capacity of 60 kw without some sort of charging, but I suppose if we are merely looking at a few hours of power loss per day it could be significantly less. Just a thought and the app is an easy way to get some real date for your property, including workshop once you have set your non variables.

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

 

Posted by Clive Foster on 08/10/2022 11:16:21:

Thanks for an interesting and informative discussion.

The 64,000$ question beyond the need to maintain the CCTV is what of her devices don't automatically reset after a power cut. I suspect the need for continuous CCTV and associated internet connection is indeed, as V8Eng says, to help keep the insurance company happy.

 

——————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Hello Clive.

I was not suggesting I know anything that would keep an insurance company happy because I have no idea about their requirements.

I was saying that your Sister should check the wording in her insurance policy (very carefully) about leaving the house empty for a period of time, my own insurance has very specific requirements and I am only allowed to leave the property unoccupied (they even define that carefully) for a specific number of days or it is uninsured.

As to the monitored security idea, that was a method of getting the house security monitored 24/7 by a professional company rather than relying on a hit and miss method of watching her own CCTV.

I think our friends used ADT but there seems to a plethora of companies offering those systems.

sorry this post appears twice but I was stopped editing after lunch mid posting.

 

Hope you get a satisfactory outcome to all of this.

Regards. V8Eng.

PS. my boiler auto restarts.

 

Edited By V8Eng on 08/10/2022 14:54:58

[Grizzly bearParticipant @grizzlybear]

Is a lodger out of the question?

It could be a win win.

Good luck, Bear……..

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