alternative power

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We live in a rural location where power cuts (or outages as the power co. calls them) whilst not regular are not unknown, especially in bad weather. In this event we are happy to do without tv, lights etc. (we have several re-chargeable lanterns & a battery-powered radio) but suffer from a lack of central heating if the power is off for any length of time.
How difficult would it be to connect an invertor producing sufficient output to run just the circulating pump on a combi boiler? I've browsed the web & think units from the likes of the 'Green Box Co.' fit the bill but have little idea of safely connecting the output to the boiler power supply, currently supplied via a 13A fused spur.
Any advice gratefully received.
 
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Change the fused spur to a single socket outlet and put a plug on the flex to the boiler.
In normal use it plugs into the socket.
When there is a power failure, you can just plug the boiler into the inverter.

The inverter should be a proper sinewave output type, not the cheaper ones which are sold as 'modified sine wave' and similar nonsense.
 
if say your pump is 40w and your electronics are perhaps 20w[total 60wh] at 240 volt that would then be 20 times as much at 12 volts so around 5amp at 12v per hour
 
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Might be worth looking at computer UPS- as said earlier, swap the FCU for a single socket, stick a plug on the boiler and put the UPS between them (again you need pure sine wave, most computers run switch mode PSUs so are tolerant of rubbish supply waveforms, your combi and pump will be a bit more discerning)
 
A great many thanks to all for your replies. Is it possible to purchase a piece of kit, with power derived from Litheum Iron batteries & incorporating a charger all in one unit, or would LI's not be up to the task compared to bulky leisure batteries? As far as I can make out (from the manuf. specs.) the circulating pump has a consumption of 42W, but then being a motor would it not need a greater start-up current? I have a space/storage problem & really need a compact power supply unit :cautious:
I guess a suitcase sine-wave generator, that could stand outside the back door (the boiler is in the kitchen) is another route to explore? Either way, swapping the spur for a surface 13a socket would seem to be the way forward at least.
 
your pump may have different speed settings and on the slowest may only be say 20w
and rather than let it cycle then isolate the power[disconnect the inverter from the battery] after say an hour until you need more heat then there will be no power consumed except when needed ??
but check it wont cause problems with the electronics if done several times in a day
 
My central heating boiler is rated to use 140W, I would guess that it would need an inverter around 250W, however my first move if it were me would be fit a plug and socket and an energy meter, they are cheap enough and then you would know for certain the peak current and the average current, then it is how long does it need to run for?

If one 110 Ah battery is not enough, then I would consider 24 volt, batteries in series always better than parallel, and 15A needs less beefy cables to 30A.

I would think all in all looking at £300 to £400 you can buy an inverter generator for less than that, so you have to consider is it worth it? If you intend to float charge the batteries and run the boiler full time off them so with a power cut it simply carries on then the inverter idea is good, however if you intend to manually turn over, then a generator will run longer and also power other items like freezer and cost less.
 
Thanks again for all the replies folks, food for thought prior to the coming winter (y)

Update:
I've thought about it & 'it' is going to be a inverter generator (probably around 1kva) utilising a weather-proof connector on the outside of the home. If the power goes down all I have to do is unplug the boiler (power feed) from the mains & connect to the geni. which can be run from the (ventilated) shed. Sound O.K?
 
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I've now decided that a small generator is going to be the answer & I'm steered towards a pure sine wave unit which means an invertor generator. Bearing in mind the geni will ONLY be required to run the Central heating pump & a higher output than the pump's rated consumption is required to start the pump, any ideas as to what geni (continuous) output will be required?
 

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