UPS? Inverter?, Power Pack?

[phetphet]

Can anyone advise me of what I need please?  I'm looking for something that would supply enough power to run a fan for say, two or three hours when the power goes down.  Just one of these run of the mill stand up fans. A generator is out because I live in an apartment.

 

TIA

 

 

 

 

 

[Crossy]

Firstly define exactly what you want to run.

 

Just a fan, or add a light, maybe the TV or your PC.

 

To be honest, the best fan replacement is to open the windows ?

 

[Jdietz]

A cheap UPS will probably not work for a fan, as its output is more like a square wave. It's 'good enough' for stuff with power supplies, but fans will start making a nice racket.

 

You will need a UPS with sine wave output (or close to it) to work. 

 

Here is one, they're not cheap though. Maybe better to have a cheap ups, your laptop or a phone charger and a couple USB fans.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/skd-ups-1500va1050w-pure-sine-wave-line-interactivefor-workstation-i123663595-s129327778.html

[Crossy]

Go to your local car accessory place and source a 12V fan, similarly 12V LED lights, run both off a regular car battery, it should last many hours. Don't forget to buy a charger ?

 

[johng]

A cheap UPS will probably not work for a fan, as its output is more like a square wave. It's 'good enough' for stuff with power supplies, but fans will start making a nice racket.
 
You will need a UPS with sine wave output (or close to it) to work. 
 
Here is one, they're not cheap though. Maybe better to have a cheap ups, your laptop or a phone charger and a couple USB fans.
 
https://www.lazada.co.th/products/skd-ups-1500va1050w-pure-sine-wave-line-interactivefor-workstation-i123663595-s129327778.html

I had a strange "problem" when I tried to run a fan from my "PC UPS" when only one fan was plugged in the UPS shutdown after a few minutes...reset UPS and it run again but only for a few minutes...however if I plugged 2 fans in the UPS would run for until the battery run out.. ? ? ?

[Jdietz]

It needs a little load to stay active, a fan doesn't use much. It was designed for computers so it may be below the 'activity detect'

[Crossy]

9 hours ago, Jdietz said:

It needs a little load to stay active, a fan doesn't use much. It was designed for computers so it may be below the 'activity detect'

Yeah, I had one running just the router, it kept shutting down due to the minimum load requirement. A cheapie UPS solved the "problem" (no minimum load requirement).

[phetphet]

On 8/2/2018 at 12:13 PM, Crossy said:

Firstly define exactly what you want to run.

 

Just a fan, or add a light, maybe the TV or your PC.

 

To be honest, the best fan replacement is to open the windows ?

 

Just want to power an upright fan for a few hours. Too many power cuts where I am (Samui), and fed up waking up in the night sweltering when the electricity goes down.

Would love to sleep with the windows open, but (a) noise, and (b) lots of mossies, (hospitalised with dengue last year) make it difficult.

[Crossy]

6 minutes ago, phetphet said:

Just want to power an upright fan for a few hours.

Ok, typical stand fan, about 60 Watts. So in an hour that's 60 Watt/hours.

 

At 12V (typical small UPS battery) 60Watt/hours is about 5Ahr, you don't want to go below 50% charge so look for a UPS with a 10Ahr battery. You'll probably be looking at one of 1000VA or so to get that size battery. Of course that's going to be good for an hour.

 

Longer run time = proportionally bigger battery. If your UPS can handle external battery packs you're good to go, otherwise you local electronics chap should be able to hook up for external batteries. Get him to remove the beeper too (if you can't disable it from the control panel).

 

Your fan will likely buzz and get rather warmer than usual.

 

[mogandave]

Car battery & radiator fan out of a junk car....

[phetphet]

On 8/6/2018 at 1:04 PM, Crossy said:

Ok, typical stand fan, about 60 Watts. So in an hour that's 60 Watt/hours.

 

At 12V (typical small UPS battery) 60Watt/hours is about 5Ahr, you don't want to go below 50% charge so look for a UPS with a 10Ahr battery. You'll probably be looking at one of 1000VA or so to get that size battery. Of course that's going to be good for an hour.

 

Longer run time = proportionally bigger battery. If your UPS can handle external battery packs you're good to go, otherwise you local electronics chap should be able to hook up for external batteries. Get him to remove the beeper too (if you can't disable it from the control panel).

 

Your fan will likely buzz and get rather warmer than usual.

 

Thanks Crossy.

[johng]

On 8/2/2018 at 8:09 PM, Jdietz said:

It needs a little load to stay active, a fan doesn't use much. It was designed for computers so it may be below the 'activity detect'

Last night we had  "rain" and a long power cut...so tried the single fan again on my new UPS

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/cbc-lcd-ups-champ-iview-1100va-720w-30-40-i165576284-s202297775.html

same problem   plugged another (identical) fan in and they carried on till power came back about 45 mins later (maybe less I was trying to sleep)

any way the fans draw approximately   

 

so 38 Watts load is too low but 96 is ok for my particular UPS...96 Watts is quite a lot.

is there anything in the specifications  to look for or tell tale sign that a UPS will work with "low loads"

Mine says  " (No load shut down) "   but I wouldn't call  >38 Watts "no load"    ??

[Sophon]

On 8/3/2018 at 5:30 AM, Crossy said:

Yeah, I had one running just the router, it kept shutting down due to the minimum load requirement. A cheapie UPS solved the "problem" (no minimum load requirement).

I am also looking for a UPS just to run the router, what brand/model cheapie UPS did you buy?

 

Sophon

[Crossy]

1 hour ago, Sophon said:

I am also looking for a UPS just to run the router, what brand/model cheapie UPS did you buy?

 

I have several, one is a Syndome but the others are all Chinese no-name units.

 

They weren't even bought new, they were "refurbished" and sold with a 3 month warranty.

 

Refurbished actually meant they had new batteries, they actually cost only slightly more than the retail price of the batteries, top floor of Zeer Rangsit, several places.

 

If you don't have access to an IT place even Tesco have (new of course) units at sensible prices. 

[maxpower]

1 hour ago, Sophon said:

I am also looking for a UPS just to run the router, what brand/model cheapie UPS did you buy?

 

Sophon

Consider a mini UPS for your home router as they are compact and a more efficient method for low power DC only backup.

 

Be aware that depending on your service providers power arrangement for nearby distribution equipment, your service might not work during power outages even though you provide power to your modem/router.
 

[phetphet]

14 hours ago, Sophon said:

I am also looking for a UPS just to run the router, what brand/model cheapie UPS did you buy?

 

Sophon

I have an APC that I bought from invadeit. APC 1400 I think. It gives me about two hours internet whenever there is a power cut. So at least I can surf the net or watch a movie on my laptop.

 

Now I just need to sort the fan in the bedroom so I don't wake up sweating my balls off.

[Crossy]

@maxpower mentioned a "mini UPS", this is the sort of thing he means, basically it's a 12V power-bank that will keep your router alive if the mains goes off.

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/GM312-Mini-Portable-UPS-12V-Input-Dual-12V-5V-Output-With-7-8Ah-Lithium-Battery-for/32868814866.html

 

 

Plug your router power supply in one end and the router in the other. Easy and good for several hours backup.

 

Of course this one only works if you have a 12V DC router. Other voltages are available.

 

[sometimewoodworker]

18 hours ago, maxpower said:

Be aware that depending on your service providers power arrangement for nearby distribution equipment, your service might not work during power outages even though you provide power to your modem/router.

Just a FWIW. We have TOT fibre and the cheap UPS (3,000) from Lazada keeps it fully functional as is our internet service during the daily power cuts.

 

Fibre service (if the home terminal equipment is powered) is much less likely to be affected by local power outages.

[johng]

4 hours ago, Crossy said:

@maxpower mentioned a "mini UPS", this is the sort of thing he means, basically it's a 12V power-bank that will keep your router alive if the mains goes off.

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/GM312-Mini-Portable-UPS-12V-Input-Dual-12V-5V-Output-With-7-8Ah-Lithium-Battery-for/32868814866.html

 

unfortunately they wont ship to Thailand.

 

this one looks ok   ( batteries not included )

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/powerbank-5v-9v-12v-15v-mah-18650-4-1-i150007758-s174719397.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.50.4e81eefbYh47Y5&search=1

 

this one  only 12v but more amps  ( and for the price I think/hope it include battery )

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/bcn-dc-ups-12vdc-25w-i120835260-s126037773.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.15.15113ab6057K2x&search=1

[sometimewoodworker]

On 8/18/2018 at 10:51 AM, johng said:

this one  only 12v but more amps  ( and for the price I think/hope it include battery )

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/bcn-dc-ups-12vdc-25w-i120835260-s126037773.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.15.15113ab6057K2x&search=1

It does 

Quote

BCN DC UPS 12VDC 25W

Specification

• Input voltage 90-264Vac, 50 or 60Hz
• Output voltage 12Vdc +/-5%
• Max. Power 25W (2.1A)
• Built-in Li-ion battery  3.7Vdc(2600mAh)
• Microprocessor controller guarantees high reliability
• Auto start when plugged in
• Manual power off switch
• Multi-color indicator
• Overload, short-circuit, over-charge and over-discharge protection

But probably lower power as it has only 1 18650, while the other has space for 4

[NE1]

I too are sick of power cuts , everyday , even a blip shuts my imac down.

 

I have been reading this thread and reviews etc.

Should I buy a UPS with a simulated sine wave or a pure sine wave ?

or am I just baffling myself with stuff I don't understand.

 

It just annoys the hell out of me , when I am downloading or working , and that little power cut comes along and shuts me down.

[Pilotman]

I have A 30000 power pack, which I keep fully charged, and an 'Arctic Ice' mini desk  air-con, total for both online was 1,100 Baht.  It gives me a nice cool (ish)  fan when the electric goes off.  Last power cut, they were going strong after 3 hours and I was also running my iPad off the pack.   

[Crossy]

2 hours ago, NE1 said:

I have been reading this thread and reviews etc.

Should I buy a UPS with a simulated sine wave or a pure sine wave ?

or am I just baffling myself with stuff I don't understand.

For your PC etc a "simulated" sine (or even a square) wave will be just fine.

 

Fans and the like tend to buzz and get rather warm if they get anything other than a pure sine.

 

[NE1]

Thanks Crossy.