I just added a 600 watt UPS to my E-Comms setup. You can see the display in the lower portion of the photo, just under the netpad.
I’ve tried using a 12 volt battery for backup, but with just the scanner turned on, the voltage drops to about 11.5 vdc at best. The UPS allows me to add a larger deep cycle source battery if I choose. There is an efficiency price paid of course. The two 30 amp 110 vac to 12 vdc power supplies draw about 9 watts on their own, but they maintain the output voltage at 13.8 vdc to the equipment.
A single radio can monitor for a little more than four continuous hours on a battery charge. Broken down into short on air sessions, I expect to get a 2-3 days use per charge. Of course, the more I key-up, the quicker the battery gets discharged. I can charge the 12 volt batteries with my solar charger and cycle them through the UPS as needed.
Under normal running, the UPS just sits there filtering the house current and waiting for a low voltage or power loss situation. I've cut house power to the room and the radios don't even flicker. The last time we lost power (about two weeks ago) and lost our E-Comms, I vowed to harden the system a bit. The 2 meter radio is accompanied by four 5-watt handheld units with extended antennas that provide approximately 10 mile coverage with the 80 watt base.
I’ve tried using a 12 volt battery for backup, but with just the scanner turned on, the voltage drops to about 11.5 vdc at best. The UPS allows me to add a larger deep cycle source battery if I choose. There is an efficiency price paid of course. The two 30 amp 110 vac to 12 vdc power supplies draw about 9 watts on their own, but they maintain the output voltage at 13.8 vdc to the equipment.
A single radio can monitor for a little more than four continuous hours on a battery charge. Broken down into short on air sessions, I expect to get a 2-3 days use per charge. Of course, the more I key-up, the quicker the battery gets discharged. I can charge the 12 volt batteries with my solar charger and cycle them through the UPS as needed.
Under normal running, the UPS just sits there filtering the house current and waiting for a low voltage or power loss situation. I've cut house power to the room and the radios don't even flicker. The last time we lost power (about two weeks ago) and lost our E-Comms, I vowed to harden the system a bit. The 2 meter radio is accompanied by four 5-watt handheld units with extended antennas that provide approximately 10 mile coverage with the 80 watt base.