oil furnace running off inverter?

[miker]

I live in a small town in Canada where the power sometimes goes off in winter for a few hours. Last year when when it went off for a day and it was -20C I was concerned about frozen hotwater pipes. Does anyone know roughly how much power a hotwater furnace takes? My system is small having one circulation pump, a blower and one thermostat.

Instead of a generator I was thinking of a 1000W inverter and a car battery just to keep the pipes from freezing. I see a small electrical box with a ricker switch that is close to the furnace. I could turn it off, cut the three wires and add a male & female prong and socket plug. When the power goes out I could turn off the power to the furnace with the electrical box, unplug it and plug it onto the inverter. I have a 700VA UPS that I could also use if possible.

miker

[hallerb]

check model number tag for electrical specs, the pump probably means well over a thousand watts, larger inverts are available

[Speedy Jim]

You have a Hydronic system with oil-fired "boiler".

In very round approximate numbers, the burner motor might draw 2.5 Amp the circ pump motor might draw 3.5 Amp

or about 700-800 watts.

Your UPS may not be of much help if it won't "self-start" when disconnected from the 60cyc line.

The 1000 VA Inverter should be capable of running both motors, assuming both don't start together. Try it and find out.

FWIW, I ran an oil "furnace" here off my 1000 VA Inverter in power outages. It had to start the burner motor and then the blower fan motor. It complained, but the house didn't freeze!

Jim

[scott21230]

It won't work for long off of a car battery.

[Speedy Jim]

That is a very good point. To run mine, I invested in a couple of good deep-cycle batteries.

You then have to have a plan to maintain the batteries. For me, it has been worth all the bother. The batteries are now 5 yrs old and they have provided power thru numerous outrages and run lights and fridge besides the furnace as needed.

Jim

[Mark]

1000VA from a 12 Volt inverter means about 100Amps at 12 Volts. That takes a lot of battery to run that for more than a few minutes. You would do better with a small generator instead of a big inverter.

Mark

[Stormin Mormon]

How about buy an ammeter from Harbor Freight, and see what the actual current draw is?

Don't cut the wires off the ricker switch, unscrew them. Wire nut the appliance cord on, and plug into inverter. Worked for me, and I don't even need a new ricker switch when I'm done.

Marine trolling battery will give you MUCH better service than an auto battery. Car batteries are designed for shallow discharge, a deep discharge like a day's furnace would not be good. Marine trolling are MUCH better suited.

You may also be able to wire in the marine battery to your present UPS, if it uses a 12 volt battery. Don't even need a new ricker switch.

[Stormin Mormon]

Sounds like the voice of experience. Where I am, power cuts are seldom more than a couple hours. But four days has happened, and that in the bitter cold winter.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

How long can you run off of the batteries? Can they be charged with your car?

[Speedy Jim]

I have 2 deep-cycle in parallel. They will run the fridge for a couple of days. The oil furnace I ran for shorter periods so I don't have a good figure.

Yes, you could charge off the car alternator. Might want to put an ammeter in the circuit to limit load on the alt to some reasonable figure/

Jim

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Motor depends on frequency to revolve correctly. Keep this in mind. Spec. should tell surge capacity and continuous rating.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi,

6V golf cart batteries in series could give more cpapacity than two 12V ones in parallel. If car is to be used for charging, I'd upgrade alternator. Solar panel, small wind turbine comes to mind. Where I live as far as I remember, longest power outage was 20 minutes once LONG time ago. We have very reliable power.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

That is longer than I would have though possible. Thanks.

[hallerb]

Only matters to things like phonographs off speed a little doesnt matter

[trader4]

I think this is the core of the issue. Even if it takes less, like

750W to run the system, a couple of deep cycle batteries aren't going to be able to run it long enough for it to be practical. You would need more batteries and they have a limited life, even if not used. By the time you figure out what it costs for the inverter and batteries, etc a small generator is the better solution.

[Toller]

I would get a kerosene heater. Cheaper, easier to use.

[hallerb]

Connect inverter to running vehicle, Kerosene heaters are major fire carbon monoxide hazard:(

Inverter run on vehicle has built in portable fuel tank VEHICLES. nd runs quiet:)

[Tony Hwang]

Hi,

750W is roughly 1 Hp not counting efficiency.

[Tony Hwang]

Hmmm, Maybe portable fridge, LOL!