Author Topic: How do I isolate certain appliances for back-up power?  (Read 2240 times)

kdms

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How do I isolate certain appliances for back-up power?
« on: October 11, 2012, 11:50:19 AM »
With the fall and winter storms fast approaching, I'm getting more antsy about power outages.  We're already mostly set up to be able to function without power - lanterns, woodstoves for heat, cast iron for cooking on said woodstoves, etc, etc.  Our big problem - one I haven't been able to figure out how to economically work around - is that our well pump is powered on the grid.  Hence, no power, no water....

The cheapest option, of course, is to get a manual pump and handle and fit it to the top of the well head.  As long as it's not so cold that the water in the pipe freezes, it would work....although darn chilly to go get.  Personally, I'd rather find a way to put the pump on a source of back-up power (makes it so much easier to use the toilets, too....)

Anybody already rigged up for a situation like this?  Or suggestions in general?  I don't have my heart set on any particular type of solution, although I was leaning more towards the greener spectrum (like solar/pv) as opposed to a generator requiring a fuel source of some sort.  Thanks in advance....

Bakari

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Re: How do I isolate certain appliances for back-up power?
« Reply #1 on: October 11, 2012, 05:24:36 PM »
I don't have much specif advice, as I've never lived anywhere with a well, but I know that well pumps are one of the most common stand-alone PV systems that there is, and there are a lot of ready made choices of pump and panel sets that work together.  It is much easier than residential solar, because you can just run the panel output directly to the pump, and forgo the complications of both grid-interties, inverters, and batteries (assuming you have a sufficiently large above ground storage tank to get you through a few days with no sunlight)

I have a primer for 12v PV systems that I wrote here: http://www.instructables.com/id/NON-grid-intertie-independant-solar-photovoltic-/

If you can find a recent edition of the Real Goods Solar Living Source Book, it will have much more detailed info, as well as panels and pumps (I'm sure there are plenty of other equally good references, that just happens to be one I am familiar with)

kdms

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Re: How do I isolate certain appliances for back-up power?
« Reply #2 on: October 12, 2012, 04:39:06 AM »
Thanks very much for the links and book reference!  I'll check them out asap.  :)