Waukesha County Home

Dear Jim: We had electric power outages from storms lately. It is inconvenient, so I have to find some type of backup electric power. What are my options which are not extremely expensive to purchase or install? — Mike J. Dear Mike: A small gasoline-powered generator is a reasonably priced option. You can buy these at any home center store. Various appliances plug directly into the generator outlets. Don't try to connect one to the electrical wiring in your house. It likely cannot produce enough electricity output and it can be a hazard for electric utility repairmen. Another simple and inexpensive option is in an emergency portable battery pack. These battery packs have 12-volt lead-acid batteries inside of them. These batteries are somewhat similar to the battery in your car, but these are designed to be completely discharged without harming the battery. These are available at most automotive sup- ply retail outlets. Most of these battery packs use older lead acid, deep-draw 12-volt batteries. These are very reliable and hold a charge for a long time, but they are heavy like a car battery. Some news models use smaller lightweight lithium ion batteries. They work as well as the lead acid ones, but expect to pay several times more for one. Most battery packs have a 12-volt DC(direct current) outlet similar to a car cigarette lighter and jumper cables to start a car. Many small electric appliances that are designed to run on 12-volt DC power are available at camping supply outlets. Battery packs also have a 120-volt outlet into which you can plug standard house- hold appliances. They use an inverter which converts the 12-volt DC battery to 120-volt AC (alternating current). The amp- hour rating of a battery pack determines how much electric power it can store and how long it can operate appliances or light- ing. Although the batteries can usually pro- duce a large electric current flow, the 120- volt power is limited by the maximum out- put of the AC inverter. Even though the electric power is coming from a safe 12-volt battery, the 120-volt power from the inverter outlet is as dangerous as from a wall outlet. Most have a maximum output of only 400 watts, so check the wattage of the appliance before plugging it in to the battery pack. If the appliance electricity usage is too great, it will trip a circuit breaker in the pack, but not damage it. To keep food fresh in a refrigerator which usually needs more than 400 watts, pur- chase a UPS (uninterruptible power sup- ply) for a computer. Select one with a maxi- mum output greater than the wattage requirement of your refrigerator. This will probably be much greater than your entire computer system requirement, but this is not a problem. When my power goes off, I carry the UPS to the kitchen and plug the refrigerator into it. When the UPS battery power runs down, I unplug the refrigerator and plug the UPS into a battery pack to slowly recharge it. The battery packs can also be recharged from your car or can take them and the UPS to a friend's house that still have electric power for recharging. The following companies offer portable battery packs: APC, www.apc.com, 800-800- 4272; Black & Decker, 800-544-6986, www.blackanddecker.com; Clore Automo- tive, 800-328-2921, www.jumpstarter.com; Duracell, 800-300-1857, www. duracellpower.com; and Xantrex, 800-670- 0707, www.xantrex.com. Dear Jim: I built a small air-type solar collector myself. Does it make sense to attach it to the exposed foundation and brick wall near the ground or must it be on the roof ? — Hanna K. Dear Hanna: As long as the solar collec- tor is not shaded by trees or adjacent build- ings, a ground location is great. This allows you to clean it often and provides easy access for the ductwork or electric blowers. A large vertical collector, mounted against a wall, works well with no blowers. Make sure it is attached snugly to the masonry foundation and wall. These act as heat sinks to capture and store heat that is normally lost out the back of a collector. Steel sleeve anchors are the best method to attach it. Use a percussion bit to drill the holes the same size as the anchor. (Send inquiries to James Dulley, The Free- man, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com.) HOME FEBRUARY 2018 4 K i t c h e n s | B a t h s | D e n s | C a b i n s | O f f i c e s | R e c R o o m s Work With Experienced Design Professionals "We Specialize in Cabinetry" 1005 Richards Road, Hartland | 262.367.9439 www.kitchencreators.com Cabinetry For Every Room, Every Budget! 259151001 We Beat All Big Box Stores and all Competitors | Visit Our Showroom By Appointment SHOWROOM CLOSEOUT SALE GOING ON NOW! WE SPECIALIZE IN NORCRAFT'S MID CONTINENT CABINETRY JAMES DULLEY Finding the right backup power for the job James Dulley James Dulley connects his corn/wood pellet stove to a battery power pack to keep it running for a day or more when the electricity goes off.

• Cover