UPS for boilers

Larry C_12

I would recommend talking to a electrician about putting in a sub panel for all of the "mission critical" loads and then provide a surge suppressor and UPS for the panel.

If the demand is really critical, a motor generator set can provide isolation from input surges, sags, and spikes. Add an appropiately sized UPS on the input to the MG set will provide ride thru until the generator can assume the load.

This type of set up requires some $ but then they should have a solidly protected system and should be protected against most problems.

Larry C

Stephen C.

Has anyone installed or have experience with UPS devices and power conditioners for boilers and other electronic circuits?

I need to cover the several second interval between power interruption and generator start up.

Thanks

Stephen C.

Dave Yates (GrandPAH)_1

have one

on my solar system to prevent stagnation & steaming the glycol during combined sun & power outages. I sized the unit to run for six hours (it powers a low-wattage pump & the Divicon). We have had one extended outage during full sun that lasted for just over three hours (according to our clocks) & it kept the solar system from overheating.

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Brad White

UPS: What can Brown-Out do for you?

We had a discussion here almost a year ago on this. One poster, Perry, led me to brickwall.com. Brickwall is a division of Price-Wheeler is a surge suppressor like no other. It is now our office standard for all kinds of electronic protection.

Now, UPS systems: I like APC out of Rhode Island. But there is a caution here regardless of brand:

Be careful how you set it up so that it does not defeat your safety circuit. Make sure it is "upstream" of all LWCO's, high limits, CO detectors and any other safety circuit devices. Imagine a LWCO trip during a leak and the boiler kept firing.

In the end, I went with a Brickwall unit to protect the electronics and avoided using a UPS unit altogether.

Ask yourself: If the power goes out, what happens?. Do check what happens if it does that to you by switching it off. I would submit that once you are on E-power, the boiler would re-start. Does it?

hr

Nice play on the \"Brown\", Brad

you need to consider a carrer in comedy. Hydronic Comedy, what a niche

Keep 'em coming.

hot rod

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Stephen C.

There is always a live wire!

Thanks for the responses I will check out the referred sites. I just knew using UPS would generate a pun of some sort.

The situation is for a clients house. They work at home and have numerous computers on UPS devices. They have a wonderful Vitodens boiler that I talked them into and he is an audiophile with an awesome system.

The power supply in their area has frequent interruptions(3-4 times/week) and voltage fluctuations. Every time the power fluctuates there are alarms going off and it drives him crazy. The generator install should happen next week but now he can not even bear the thought of a few second delay.He wants a seamless transition because he usually has to reset his tube amp and it upsets him. My bigger concern is the potential harm to the fancy boiler package that I sold them as part of the new house.

Is there a suitable unit that could be used to protect the most sensitive circuits in the house and give him peace of mind? Sort of like a 'mission critical' application for him.

Stephen C.

Brad White

My application was a Vitodens....

Viessmann was pretty specific about protecting the Vitodens, especially when alternate power sources are used. Power conditioners are preferred. Even though the UPS devices do offer some power conditioning features along with gap-filling power, I would rather see surge protection first.

Stephen C.

Surge protection it is.

Thanks Brad.

I will definitelly get surge protection and power conditioning for the boiler as you suggest. Nobody ever tells me these things soon enough!

I briefly checked the sites you recommended but found I am out of my depth. There does not seem to be a one size fits all for a residential application.

Brad White

Just go with one that handles the amperage you need

The one I bought went for about $185, I forget the model but it had two plug outlets if that helps.

Just make sure it has enough amperage for the Vitodens power supply especially if you are sub-powering valves and other outlet devices.

Good luck!

mtfallsmikey

I just installed one

On my energy management system BCU's in one of my buildings. They have enough generator capacity to run the whole building, but takes approx. 30-45 sec. from a utility power loss to generator startup and synching to transfer, which in the past has caused my system to lock up, and/or BF in some manner.I believe it is a smart move, considering today's advanced control circuitry.

Constantin

One solution

Based on Perry's advice and first-hand experience with brown-outs, black-outs, and lightning strikes, I installed a brick wall and a APC UPS at a system I was involved with in Maine. I sized both components on the basis of the total system load. With three pumps, 2 tekmar controllers, and a Vitodens 8-32, the smallest BrickWall & a (IIRC) 650 VA ups sufficed to bridge the gap between power outage and generator start, while also protecting from brownouts and lightning strikes...