Battery backup for home furnace1/21/2024 Home heating and air conditioning were major concerns for me, and the SMA secure power and gas generator configuration met the challenge. I used the economy setting for the generator, which gave me approximately 9.6 hours of run time for each gallon of fuel.ĭuring sunny conditions, the generator would be used approximately 17 hours each day, so the 7-gallon fuel supply could easily provide over five days of furnace operation-or indefinitely by refilling the marine gas tank periodically while the sun-driven SMA inverter was providing power to the furnace.Įven on sunless days, the generator could drive the furnace for 67 hours continuously before gas refill would be required. During operational tests, the inverter secure power supply and the gas generator worked just fine and provided power to keep the furnace working as desired.Įxcept for the time to disconnect from the SMA inverter and plug the furnace into a power cord from the Honda 2200i generator, I experienced no downtime of significance. Multiple gas tanks just mean fewer refills. Generator with Expanded Fuel Storage for Over 67 Hours of 120VACīy adding multiple 6-gallon gas tanks, you can run a generator continuously for days, but this single tank design is essentially all I need to provide 24/7 back up and keep my home warm and comfortable while electrical power is out. This shows how to power your furnace with a solar or gas-powered generator during a power outage. Generator Driving a Natural Gas FurnaceĬonnecting a 6-gallon marine gas tank to the 2200i gave me a 7-gallon power system that can drive this generator for between 35 and over 67 continuous hours-normal setting or “economy” setting. The 1-gallon gas tank in the 2200i can keep the generator going for about 5 hours-9.6 hours if the economy burn rate is set on the generator. The 2200i has several external power sockets and can produce 2200 watts of 120VAC using unleaded gas. RELATED: The Grid-Tie Inverter: Electrical Backup for Your Refrigerator-Freezer 5. I decided to use the Honda 2200i portable generator. Since a solar day here is about 7 hours long, I need another way to produce electricity for the 17 hours my solar panels aren’t producing power. Configuration Providing 120VAC Backup from the Solar Array I need just 5.0 amps, so the secure power from the inverter works just fine during sunny days. ![]() This inverter can produce 1500 watts of 110 volts AC and can provide 12.5 amps if grid power goes out and the sun is still shining. The actual socket connection is under the cover. Digital Clamp-On Multimeter for Measuring Actual AC Current DrawĪs I mentioned in the last article, my solar power system uses a Sunny Boy 3800TL-US SMA inverter with a secure AC electrical backup socket. This means that 10.0 Amps is likely the highest surge current expected for this furnace's variable speed motor. The maximum draw is at 5.0 Amps using a clamp-on multimeter. It draws 2.0 Amps under normal operation and 3.9 Amps when the variable speed motor is operating. Gas Furnace with AC Power Connectionĭuring a recent cleaning and maintenance check, the service technician took a number of measurements that I recorded for reference and future design planning. ![]() My gas furnace has a variable speed fan motor to push warm air through the vent ducts in our home.Ī single power cord connects the furnace fan motor and the thermostat to 120 VAC power. Generator with Expanded Fuel Storage for Over 67 Hours of 120VAC Gas Furnace | Keep Warm Even When Electricity Is Down What Is a Gas Furnace?Ī gas furnace is a furnace powered by natural gas to provide heat in low room temperatures.
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