2. tech-talk
  3. 195229-20253

Batteries are Cheap, Backup power is expensive

Dear Audiophiles,

To make a long story short I need to make sure my Internet devices stay on even when power is down for 24 hours, which on the South Carolina coast is realistic. 

I have an APC UPS 600VA which I though would do the job but it actually lasts less than 2 hours.  So I have been crunching the numbers and have really been surprised at how expensive an APC UPS is per minute of run time vs. modern battery based generators and DIY solutions. 

An APC UPS can be anywhere from $1.50 to $2.50 / minute of run time while an EcoFlow Delta for instance is around $0.50 to $0.75 / minute.  Not only is the EcoFlow cheaper but just has ten times better run times.  A single 1 kWh unit will keep my data closet running close to a full 24 hours.  I have too many devices in there which consume ~ 50 watts.  50 x 24 = 1,200 

I did in fact purchase a Delta 2 with back up battery for other reasons than the data closet, but when doing the research I also investigated DIY backup solutions and came across the idea of using a Renogy inverter/battery charger + 2x 12V LiFePO4 batteries.  It’s even cheaper than the Ecoflow but requires much more effort to set up.    I’ll do a full write-up on that soon. 

What have you done to back up your home devices?  

erik_squires

Showing 1 response by goodlistening64

goodlistening64
159 posts
 

My home's rear roof has great southern exposure. The sun is plentiful and since it is guaranteed to get hotter, it would seem that solar is the way to go - given the batteries to store the energy are not ridiculously expensive, which I assume they are.

Others here on this site - remember one guy in AZ - have installed Tesla roof tiles with battery backups, but I have no idea how much it costs and rarely see anything like that on the east coast. Oddly, I say rare, because there is a home in a neighboring town that has Tesla roof shingles. One. Home. 

I do have neighbors who have solar panels but none of them were overly excited once installed. Seems as though the utility companies promised buy back of power and then reneged, or lowered the rates of the buy back power. Another county near me refuses to remove any structured utilities (gas; oil) even after a home has been deemed completely free of needing it. Warring factions seem to be against living off the grid, yet the one side that is with the utility companies are also the guys who claim to want to live off the grid. Maddening.

As it is, this year is the first year that our electric has gone off fairly often. Usually just for a few minutes, but probably nearly 10 times so far this year. The storms are much stronger and I see this as a losing cause for homes that are part of the grid. Every homeowner should be looking at some battery solution to endure what is coming. 

More to discover