[FieldDay] Generators and UPS

[Phil Lefever]

At 15:09 05/20/2003 -0700, you wrote:
>I've yet to find a commercial 'computer type' UPS that
>will run from my generator.

Yep it is a common problem, especially from a smaller
generator. Likely the UPS is triggering from sagging
voltage from the generator when it is under load. Like
the other post said you need to look for an input voltage
trigger level adjustment on the UPS. All my APC's have
a dip switch that allows selection of a lower voltage
trigger point, usually they are set by default to the
higher voltage. It may work once you flip the switch.

The question I have is why do you actually need a UPS?
I assume it is to run the computer so it won't crash
every time the power sags for a minute (or the generator
runs out of gas). In our case we get around this by using
laptop computers ONLY. Even though most of our are old and
have worn out batteries in them they will all run for a
few minutes without power.

The other advantage of using laptops is that they usually
create much less RFI since they don't have cables (antennas)
running to the keyboard and monitor to radiate garbage. The
other thing I like about laptops is that they are considerably
more portable ;) The only complaints I have with them is that
some of the switching power supplies are noisy (ferrites on
the cables help) and they don't have enough serial ports to
network when running CT. Now that we use WriteLog at least
the serial port issue is resolved.

73

Phil
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Phil Lefever, KB=D8NES   		Field day Chairman
Twin Cities Repeater Club		W=D8BU 3A MN
Burnsville, Minnesota			http://www.tcrc.org=09