Power Outage Protection

[Inspired333]

Winter is coming... (haha)

So, winter is here and it's deep. And some people/locations can suffer power outages, frequent or not, any time of year.

I'd like to know some/the best ways to be prepared for a power outage of: up to 4 hours, 4 to 8 hours, and then maybe 8 to 12 or (god forbid) over 12 hours.

I'm thinking for a ~5x5 tent but that is in a room that's let's say 10x10. I.E.: only the smaller area needs to have light - and not much - just to keep schedule. But the heating may need to get a room up to 10x10 or 12x12 size.

I'm thinking of: keeping a light schedule (not powering 600w or even 250w for that matter) with a couple low watt CFLs, keeping heat at or above 58-60*F, and if possible...dare I hope, perhaps some odor control (maybe 4" fan and carbon filter). The odor being the last on the list for sure.


Uninterruptable Power Supply? Gas Generator? What else?

I was thinking maybe one of those propane heater dealies for the heating (and depending on one's setup perhaps the light too?).
But I'm drawing a blank so far on the 'electrical power' part of the equation. A car battery with an inverter is an idea I thought of a while back. I think you could even wire one or two together in series.

Anyways, feel free to let the ideas flow.

Thanks in advance!

 

[the gnome]

this investment under for under $4500 protects your crop worth 5Xs more

200A, air cooled runs on propane or nat-gas

 

[AloeRuss]

Agreed. Totally worth it.
It is difficult to shell out five grand but I guarantee you at one time or another you wish you did.

Thank you gnome

 

[AloeRuss]

Another, somewhat related question. How much power does one need? An easy way to calculate anyone?

 

[Bud Green]

Another, somewhat related question. How much power does one need? An easy way to calculate anyone?

Watts (you require) divided by voltage = amperage needed

 

[AloeRuss]

Sorry I am horrible electrician and mathematician is even worst. You can call me anything you want but I want to learn this. So,
If I use approximately 9000w in my grow room. Deviding this by voltage. What do I use for that?

 

[420somewhere]

In the USA

In the USA

Sorry I am horrible electrician and mathematician is even worst. You can call me anything you want but I want to learn this. So,
If I use approximately 9000w in my grow room. Deviding this by voltage. What do I use for that?

That would be your line voltage. Probably 120 or 240 volts

 

[420somewhere]

Inspired33

Inspired33

I have a 600 and a 315 watt setup and in case of a power outage I use a Honda 2000 gas generator.

It cost me $1000

That is probably all you would need

 

[Inspired333]

this investment under for under $4500 protects your crop worth 5Xs more

200A, air cooled runs on propane or nat-gas
View Image

Holy shjt, hah. That thing is crazy looking. Not sure if you really understood my question/needs; I might have made them sound more than what they are

-this is for a 5x5 area normally lit by a 600 hps (could be 3-4 plants but more like 1 that is scrogged to equivalent). Or a 5x5 area inside a...10x10 area we'll say. But only the smaller area need be lit up.

-only talking enough light to keep it's veg OR bloom schedule. So something like ~100 to 150 watts fluoro's.
(I may just get a battery LED lantern, there are some amazing ones that go for daaays or/and one or two days with higher output.) So that reduces the amount of "electricity" I need to "come up with"

-Lastly, for heat, I'd need to raise temps from say 50*F (or 40*F if extreme but not likely)

Thanks for the suggestion bro.

I have a 600 and a 315 watt setup and in case of a power outage I use a Honda 2000 gas generator.

It cost me $1000

That is probably all you would need

This sounds more like it. I was thinking about a generator for this scenario today.
What model; this one? http://powerequipment.honda.com/generators/models/eu2000i

So you say this (1000watt?) gas generator is enough to get you, or - your setup, of ~915 watts through a power outage? That's cool man! [EDIT - honda 2000 is a 2000 watt generator? Makes more sense, lol]
How long an outage have ya been through? What are ya running in your setup(s) if you don't mind me asking?

The one I linked there is just the first 1000watt honda one that came up in a search. It sounds absolutely awesome! Check the details.
With this, one could actually run their setup of up to 1000 total watts (or a high percentage of that? say 8-900 to be safe, don't know the particulars of loads with generators) without compromise. Very cool.
It has damn near 10 hours of use of 1 gallon of gas. That is impressive. And it's looks are even nice, haha. I'm used to the look of ones that are big rectangular, steel exo-skellaton type deals.

Thanks for the suggestion/idea man.

 

[420somewhere]

I have 2000 watt Honda

I have 2000 watt Honda

Like the one on the link Honda EU2000i

It is the best and most reliable , it just costs a little more.

You can get an external tank for it

I keep mine ready and run it every month.

 

[420somewhere]

What am I running?

What am I running?

4x4 Box with 600 watt Hps, 4 inch vortex fan and carbon filter

And

3x3 Tent with 315 watt Cfl array and fans,etc.

 

[Bud Green]

Sorry I am horrible electrician and mathematician is even worst. You can call me anything you want but I want to learn this. So,
If I use approximately 9000w in my grow room. Deviding this by voltage. What do I use for that?

I don't wanna bum you out, but if you need 9000 watts to supply your lamps, fans, air movers, etc., you better get some serious knowledge in this matter.. Actually, you better find a real electrician to help you with this. If you're in the US, most of your equipment is running on 110 voltage, meaning you need 100 amp service just to run your growroom..That's a lot, especially if you're building this in a residential house...As a retired master carpenter and journeyman electrician, my advice to you is DO NOT attemp this by yourself or you're gonna burn your house down! ..... BG Sr.

 

[Inspired333]

Like the one on the link Honda EU2000i

It is the best and most reliable , it just costs a little more.

You can get an external tank for it

I keep mine ready and run it every month.

That one looks sweet man! It looks around $1500 from prices I see online. Duno if it's available to get locally where I'm at.

4x4 Box with 600 watt Hps, 4 inch vortex fan and carbon filter

And

3x3 Tent with 315 watt Cfl array and fans,etc.

Right on, thanks for the info. I guess that's your bloom and veg setup respectively.

I think the fan filter setup I work with currently is overkill. You deal with 4" fan and filter in a 4x4 with a 600 watt? Is that with cooltube or..? (Just curious as to your setup now - you've already provided me with really great helpful suggestions)

Right on, thanks for the info. I guess that's your bloom and veg setup respectively.

I think the fan filter setup I work with currently is overkill. You deal with 4" fan and filter in a 4x4 with a 600 watt? Is that with cooltube or..? (Just curious as to your setup now - you've already provided me with really great helpful suggestions)

 

[budleydoright]

Wow. My power has never been down long enough for me to consider something like this.

 

[rives]

Unless you are using aeroponics or some other variant that requires frequent water and/or air pump usage, I think that you are worrying for no reason. My power goes off very frequently, winter and summer, usually for short periods but sometimes for a day or so. It is frequent enough that I have a transfer-switch equipped inverter with 4 golf cart batteries for short outages, a diesel backup generator for longer ones, and a gas generator to backup the diesel. None of this is tied to my grow.

I use a dual-reservoir blumat system, so gravity takes care of feeding and the upper reservoirs can last several days without being refilled by the lower reservoir. I've yet to have a problem with the plants other than worrying about the smell that almost immediately pervades the house when the air filtration stops working. THAT I will probably switch over to my generator panel eventually.

 

[420somewhere]

That one looks sweet man! It looks around $1500 from prices I see online. Duno if it's available to get locally where I'm at.



Right on, thanks for the info. I guess that's your bloom and veg setup respectively.

I think the fan filter setup I work with currently is overkill. You deal with 4" fan and filter in a 4x4 with a 600 watt? Is that with cooltube or..? (Just curious as to your setup now - you've already provided me with really great helpful suggestions)

I have Sun Systems air cooled hood. Works just fine.

 

[Inspired333]

Like the one on the link Honda EU2000i

It is the best and most reliable , it just costs a little more.

You can get an external tank for it

I keep mine ready and run it every month.

The two "top of the lines" I guess would be honda and yamaha. But another one I saw with all *good* reviews, just not all too many, was the "champion inverter generator" which is rated the same as yours - 1600 rated/2000 max. It's half the cost but not something I'd want to skimp on... tough call, spending around $1500 on such a thing, haha.

Do you mean you run yours every month for maintenance whether you need to use it or not?
Or do you mean you have rolling brown-outs in Cali so it's a necessity and gets used very often?

Wow. My power has never been down long enough for me to consider something like this.

That's awesome, you're more fortunate for sure.
I guess for those who live where it gets 95F*+ or -15 to -20 or -30*Celsius it's a must have piece of equipment..? Don't know.

Unless you are using aeroponics or some other variant that requires frequent water and/or air pump usage, I think that you are worrying for no reason. My power goes off very frequently, winter and summer, usually for short periods but sometimes for a day or so. It is frequent enough that I have a transfer-switch equipped inverter with 4 golf cart batteries for short outages, a diesel backup generator for longer ones, and a gas generator to backup the diesel. None of this is tied to my grow.

DWC currently, sitting almost directly on the floor..cold, cold floor.
So:
-temp is an issue, probably water more-so than air (?).
-air pump is an issue, too long without and they'd "drown from lack of oxygen.

but hey - what about light?

I use a dual-reservoir blumat system, so gravity takes care of feeding and the upper reservoirs can last several days without being refilled by the lower reservoir. I've yet to have a problem with the plants other than worrying about the smell that almost immediately pervades the house when the air filtration stops working. THAT I will probably switch over to my generator panel eventually.

What the heck are those of you who 'aren't worried about power outages' doing about the messed up light schedule? Especially in flower! Especially if you can't just "be home" for that to ... light candles? Haha

Peace

 

[420somewhere]

The two "top of the lines" I guess would be honda and yamaha.

The Honda is the quietest and lightest

But another one I saw with all *good* reviews, just not all too many, was the "champion inverter generator" which is rated the same as yours - 1600 rated/2000 max.

It's half the cost but not something I'd want to skimp on... tough call, spending around $1500 on such a thing, haha.
You get what you pay for

Do you mean you run yours every month for maintenance whether you need to use it or not?

I run mine every month for maintenance
Peace

Make sure you get a Four Stroke motor, they sell some very cheap Chinese Generators which are 2 strokes and they smell bad, make smoke and are loud.

It sounds like you have a handle on it.

Good Luck

P.S. Remember fresh gas and regular maintenance

 

[rives]

What the heck are those of you who 'aren't worried about power outages' doing about the messed up light schedule? Especially in flower! Especially if you can't just "be home" for that to ... light candles? Haha

Sorry, I thought that was clear. I do nothing, and it's never been a problem. As I said, my lights go out frequently enough that it is a pain in the ass - but only for me, not the plants. I think that keeping the dark cycle intact is the big issue for them, not having some additional dark time inserted into what should be the light schedule. If you are using a motor-driven timer, the outage would shift your light schedule and if you don't catch it perhaps you would have some issues, but my timers are battery-backed and the underlying schedule never changes. Even that is unlikely, though. I have moved the 12/12 schedule from days to nights in mid-run before because it was too hot and, again, not had any problems.

The lights are frequently out for anywhere from 15-20 minutes to several hours, and more infrequently up to 1-1/2 days, and to my knowledge it has done absolutely nothing other than possibly slow them down a bit.

 

[Inspired333]

Make sure you get a Four Stroke motor, they sell some very cheap Chinese Generators which are 2 strokes and they smell bad, make smoke and are loud.

It sounds like you have a handle on it.

Good Luck

P.S. Remember fresh gas and regular maintenance

You get what you pay for in this case for sure. I've done a large amount of researching/reading over the past few days (thanks a lot man. kidding
Ill be getting a 'tri-fuel' setup; runs on propane, natural gas, and gasoline - when I do get an inverter genny.

Now I'm just stuck on the HondaEU2000 or the YamahaEF2000. Can't loose with either from what I hear/read. They each have their strong points.

Thank you!

Sorry, I thought that was clear. I do nothing, and it's never been a problem. As I said, my lights go out frequently enough that it is a pain in the ass - but only for me, not the plants. I think that keeping the dark cycle intact is the big issue for them, not having some additional dark time inserted into what should be the light schedule. Well yea, that's what I'm saying..isn't it? I think the dark schedule (or day/night sched in general) is important. Sooo just like you said you want to "not have additional dark when it should be light", as would happen in a power outage.

I fail to see how either situation wouldn't be a potential problem - but you're clearly more experienced than I. If you're in veg for 18-24 hour days and you lose power for 24-36 hours or more...that would induce flowering (am I wrong?).
If you're in flower it could mean the diff. between 12on/12off and 6on/oops-power-gone/36off.. how is that not a problem?

No "attitude" there, I just see it as a problem. Not to even mention that you're losing out on hours or days of high "sun"/day light power for growth and energy.

If you are using a motor-driven timer, the outage would shift your light schedule and if you don't catch it perhaps you would have some issues, but my timers are battery-backed and the underlying schedule never changes. Even that is unlikely, though.

No, I have digital ones with battery backup

I have moved the 12/12 schedule from days to nights in mid-run before because it was too hot and, again, not had any problems.

..That is incredible to me

The lights are frequently out for anywhere from 15-20 minutes to several hours, and more infrequently up to 1-1/2 days, and to my knowledge it has done absolutely nothing other than possibly slow them down a bit.

We recently had some power outages (some places longer than others). I was on 18-6, and *had* to set friggin candles for most of the 18hr periods. I they had just gone on in the dark they would have started flowering... I don't know if I'm missing somethin here, LOL.

Thanks for the info and your personal experience bro

PS: If I wasn't in rdwc and scrog in winter, and didn't require: air pump, water pump (not necessary for the outage as it'd just turn into dwc), fan/scrubber, heater - then I'd probably just buy a really good battery LED lantern and put up with the lost "power lighting days".

Peace.