EcoRenovator - View Single Post

MN Renovator · 12-20-20, 03:59 AM

I'm not sure wiring up 3 computer power supplies in series will work as well as you expect because you can't be completely sure all 3 supplies will carry the load evenly. That would rely on them a turning on at the same time, not faulting when the voltage goes out of range, their voltage regulation handling the varying voltages identically. Maybe it's worth the science experiment, but I don't think this will work. It all depends on the loads needed, but I'd rather try to find a charger that could handle the input voltage and output to a battery bank sized well enough to buffer the source and load variations. The only things I really care about in a power outage are to run the refrigerator, the furnace, and charge some electronics like USB power banks, phone, maybe a laptop, and AA/AAA batteries for flashlights. For me the cost to buy the equipment for the loads I mentioned above costs way more than a generator would, so I have a generator and keep enough gas to keep the furnace and refrigerator running intermittently as needed. The reality is I'll wear a coat and run long furnace cycles to make sure the pipes won't freeze, theoretically a relatively larger than standard uninterruptable power supply wired to my furnace which only uses 300 watts when the blower is running could keep things more consistent, especially at night when I don't want to run a generator outdoors.

There are periods in the winter where a solar system stands zero chance of powering critical loads. I've had weeks with zero power output due to snow covered panels and even with them clear, thick winter clouds might not even be enough to run a refrigerator for a day even if the energy produced was being stored in a battery as the day went on.

12-20-20, 03:59 AM	#12
MN Renovator Less usage=Cheaper bills Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 939 Thanks: 41 Thanked 116 Times in 90 Posts	I'm not sure wiring up 3 computer power supplies in series will work as well as you expect because you can't be completely sure all 3 supplies will carry the load evenly. That would rely on them a turning on at the same time, not faulting when the voltage goes out of range, their voltage regulation handling the varying voltages identically. Maybe it's worth the science experiment, but I don't think this will work. It all depends on the loads needed, but I'd rather try to find a charger that could handle the input voltage and output to a battery bank sized well enough to buffer the source and load variations. The only things I really care about in a power outage are to run the refrigerator, the furnace, and charge some electronics like USB power banks, phone, maybe a laptop, and AA/AAA batteries for flashlights. For me the cost to buy the equipment for the loads I mentioned above costs way more than a generator would, so I have a generator and keep enough gas to keep the furnace and refrigerator running intermittently as needed. The reality is I'll wear a coat and run long furnace cycles to make sure the pipes won't freeze, theoretically a relatively larger than standard uninterruptable power supply wired to my furnace which only uses 300 watts when the blower is running could keep things more consistent, especially at night when I don't want to run a generator outdoors. There are periods in the winter where a solar system stands zero chance of powering critical loads. I've had weeks with zero power output due to snow covered panels and even with them clear, thick winter clouds might not even be enough to run a refrigerator for a day even if the energy produced was being stored in a battery as the day went on.