Generator Safe Surge Protector and Line Conditioner

[FlyPenFly]

Anyone have recommendations of power conditioners or EMI/RFI reducing strips?

I moved to a new place and have some suspicions about how good the electricity is here considering both my routers went down nearly one after each other. I also plan to buy a generator and everything is telling me that sensitive electronics do not play well with generator power unless it's run through something to help stabilize the power.

 

[mike550]

@FlyPenFly I have a whole house generator and still use UPS devices on my sensitive electronics for two reasons. First, it still takes a few min to transfer over to generator power so the UPS keeps things going during the changeover. Second always nice to have filtered line voltage

 

[Sean Clark]

I have anything sensitive running off of my UPS. The generator feeds that and it will clean up the power.

 

[FlyPenFly]

Been a while since I've had a UPS but IIRC, some of them have a switch over that lasts half a second and some of them are constant.

 

[mike550]

Been a while since I've had a UPS but IIRC, some of them have a switch over that lasts half a second and some of them are constant.

Most generally available UPS units have cutover times in 5-15 millisecond range.

 

[srobertb]

Anyone have recommendations of power conditioners or EMI/RFI reducing strips?

I moved to a new place and have some suspicions about how good the electricity is here considering both my routers went down nearly one after each other. I also plan to buy a generator and everything is telling me that sensitive electronics do not play well with generator power unless it's run through something to help stabilize the power.

I live in a newer community but at the top of a mountain. We have constant lightning strikes and occasional power outages.

We have a 24kw Generac system.

I use UPS devices on all the computers and routers and switches in our home (kids do online live learning and wife works from home). I also use them on all fish tanks for the controllers and return pumps. It takes the generator about 10 seconds to kick on and so you don’t need a “big” UPS battery but you should size it correctly to the amp draw. I use an Apex with temp sensor and heating element so that particular UPS needs to be able to handle the heater, return, and apex. I think you are safe in the $120-$200 range depending on heater size (I think mine is an 800w heater). Obviously just plug the lights into the non-battery ports.

If you use an INKBIRD or heater/controller all-in-one, you can just plug it into a standard outlet and leave the more sensitive equipment on a cheaper UPS ($50-80). Be careful because at this price point many do not “condition” the output wave.

I love my generator. After enough nights of power outages and getting up and plugging in battery-powered air stones and wheeling out a portable storm battery and watching the clock as I know I only have about 3 hours before bad things happen… I love that it doesn’t even wake me up when the power goes out.