Also, the NEC as of 2020 requires whole house surge suppressors.
but doesnt that only apply with new service, service upgrade, or service replacement ?
I wasn’t sure where to classify this…
So this isn’t specifically audio focused, but people here understand things like
power management, THD and so on.
I moved from So-Cal where all I had to worry about was having a UPS for a 30 second or less power outage. Now I live in So-Alabama where hurricanes could potentially take power out for up to 2 weeks!
in said situation, whole house backup generators are extremely
pricey! I have a regular construction generator I want to use as an emergency backup, as well as a battery backup UPS on my computer.
this is a non-inverter generator, so it’s dirty power. lol my
UPS protect my computer etc, and regulate the large THD issues, or do I need something to help adapt? Since this is for backup, and I don’t plan to run my high end theater equipment on it, it’s merely asking advise on equipment that would help me not fry my computer in a 5-10 day power outage with dirty power. Is the UPC enough? Do I need more?
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@builder3 I already have a Firman H07552 Generator. |
@erik_squires My house was built in 88, so I don’t have a whole home surge suppressor. My AV gear runs on the non battery back up side of my UPS for surge protection, and my networking gear is on the battery backup side. If there is a power outage, I don’t plan to use my AV gear as it’s in a room that would need to be cooled with my 3.5ton HVAC which is more than my generator can handle. I have a 3 story house with my office being 11x18 room on the first floor that’s half buried (my house is on a slope so the front of the house looks like a 2 story) as well as my 2 car garage. I have the top end insulated Hurricane garage doors, so the combination of insulated, half underground, and having a dedicated 12000 BTU mini split, I can setup a mattress on the floor in there and live comfortable. I have my gaming rig, VR, and a 48” monitor in the office, so TV and Movies from my server is no big deal as well. I have butane burners for cooking food, and fully stocked chest freezer. I’m just getting it all put together and trying to plan ahead. The last hurricane knocked power out for 10 days here according to my neighbor. |
@riley804 - You are absolutely right. I bring this up because it is a good recommendation to consider one. The NEC has recognized our reliance on automation and more electronics. Washers, which used to use mechanical timers for instance now use CPUs to manage the wash cycle. The main panel is also the IDEAL place to put a shunt style surge device. There’s a Wired or Wirecutter article on surge suppressors and they recommended Furman with LiFT / SMP as being the best at protecting sensitive gear. Of course, I use both, as recommended in the NEC and the whole house manufacturer and because I live in South Carolina. As an audiophile I try to keep my PC and high noise digital devices away from my stereo. |
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