HPP power outage, again

[leilanidude]

When the grid goes down it takes only a moment for our solar to kick in but that's enough to boot the modem offline.
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Why don't you buy a small $50 battery backup (UPS) for your modem/router so that doesn't happen? Mine lasts for about 90 minutes.

[ChunksterK]

For complicated reasons, Frau Chunkster needs a fairly advanced UPS that kicks in when the power is not "clean" as well as when it goes off. We thought we would only need the clean function when our non-inverter generator was in use, but hardly a day goes by that the cleaning function doesn't self activate, usually several times. It's either hypersensitive, or Helco is not only selling an unreliable product, but a crappy one as well.

[leilanidude]

Chunkster needs a fairly advanced UPS that kicks in when the power is not "clean"
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Almost all of the APC brand ones do that.

[Chas]

Is that the reason I see my lights flicker at times?

[leilanidude]

Is that the reason I see my lights flicker at times?
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Voltage fluctuations will do that. Also, your own water pump, fridge, freezer, etc. can cause it when they kick on/off.

[kalakoa]

a fairly advanced UPS that kicks in when the power is not "clean"

Application may call for an "on-line UPS", wherein the load is never run directly from line. You can roll your own with an inverter, battery, and float charger.

your own water pump, fridge, freezer

The technical term is "inrush current" (pretty much like it sounds), and the problem is exacerbated by over-long and/or under-sized runs to the appliance.

[ChunksterK]

There was a particularly bad stretch of Helco induced voltage variations last year that they actually went public and acknowledged. I'm still wondering if anyone went after them for damages to sensitive equipment or appliances. Leilani dude is right about most APC branded units having a clean power feature. We have an APC 1500 VA which was affordable at $200 and does a more than adequate job for our needs.