Damaged Orthagon radio

Wgn9953;
You have to be careful here. The 63V is a value that can be present due to small leakage currents. It can also be caused by noise filters that are improperly grounded.

How exactly did you take the measurements and what with?

Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.-

the voltage was measured using a simple fluke RMS multimeter between open cct'ed terminals of the inverter output. i am concerned since i am will be making attempts to properly ground my radios soon.

Well I would hook up everything the way you plan to use it with the exception of the radio, this includes your offical grounding. Then find something tough and uncaring about the same load as your radio and plug that into your inverter. 100W light bulb or 75W or ?

Then make your measurements.

Tell us what you get.

Let me also say that personally, I would never use Coleman generators or inverters. Our local radio amateur group set up an emergency services practice day using their club-bought new Coleman generator. Right in the middle of the event it started putting out 190V and fried everything! I then heard about another Coleman generator doing it again. I believe they make them very cheaply. Need stoves and lanterns? They make great stuff! Electronics? Not me.

Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.-

Generators are BAAAAAD for sensitive electronics, and most will have a warning in their manual saying so. When power goes out here at the office during hurricane season (which started today, BTW), we can run the lights and AC, but not the computers... the uninterruptible PSUs connected to every computer absolutely HATE the crappy waveform from the generators and go belly up.

Dan - Owner

You must have dem cheap Coleman UPSs. hahahah

I buy those higher end UPSs and they often have adjustable voltage trip points.

Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.-

APC, actually...

Dan - Owner

That's what I use. Which model/s do you use?

Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.-

Looks like most in the office use RS800 units, but I'm sure the server room has a much higher model number. Last year we rented one of those big honkin' generator-on-wheels deals and were told to unplug all UPSs... they did the same year before and blew every single one. It was a bit chilly here last year (central Florida!), and the powers that be decided to keep the doors open to keep the servers cool while we were waiting for the generator to be delivered... I froze my nipples off staring at a dark screen in a flashlight lit room


Dan - Owner

Ha! If I lived in FL I would live/work in a slip poured concrete tank built house with Lexan windows and have a generator esconed on the roof. Then bring dem hurrycanes and surge. I would just consider it an interesting phenom instead of a disaster.

I use the APC RS1500 with the adder battery bank. It will run this computer and a fluorescent ring lamp for about two hours.

It has never given me any generator problems. My home office UPS is an APC Smart UPS 1400. It has had three different generators run thru it with no complaints. Interesting problem you've had. Sorry to hear.

I hate it when the power goes off, on some primal level. I usually go into a generator-UPS frenzy when it happens to appease myself that "I can make the power if I have to".

Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.-

Hi Smoked,
i am interested in the added battery solution, i have already replaced the Coleman Inverter stuff with an APC 1500VA UPS. i however, have three 13 plate 12v batteries sitting around from the previous set up, can i hook these up to the APC with ease?

I am uninformed about "13 plate" batteries. Never heard that term before and I have designed systems for many years.

Now if you (somehow) mean 12V Lead Acid batteries;

Theoretically you can...

Practically maybe not a good idea.

Reason: Typical UPSs are a designed system. The battery/s are part of the ground up design. The charger circuits are designed for the included battery/s not for a bunch of added on capacity. You could burn out the charger circuitry. You could have other problems too, like recharge rates in the days instead of hours. The last thing is free standing batteries are frankly dangerous. Easy to short, easy to explode.

The unit I mentioned above is designed to have 4 more batteries added to the system besides the two in the system. This "type" of UPS would probably be more amenable to excess added batteries.

If I were going to do this I would get a multistage charger for my batteries and an inverter to run off the batteries.

Also you should NEVER EVER mix battery types in any system.

Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.-

Thanks Smoked,

For the clarification. the APC 1500VA without addition will form my final hook up. Thanks to all others who assisted as well.