I need a UPS (Uninteruptable Power Supply)

[CigarStone]

Here is a LINK

According to the details.

These run on pilot light and do not need electricity. This was just a quick look around. You would have to do some better research to see if something like this would fit the bill. If you happen to have a large propane tank call the company that fills it and tell them what you want. I bet they have something that would work.

DG

That type unit would not work as it is not thermostatically controlled, it is low, medium, or high. The weather here fluctuates wildly and a 4 day spell of single digit temps can be followed by a 3 day spell in the 40's. Additionally I am not going to throw out a $400 programmable, thermostatic, 30,000 BTU unit and replace it with a 10,000 BTU manual unit when a UPS would be less money than the new heater.

As far as the real fix, Ray's point is exactly where I was headed. I small APC unit for $50 will provide operation to cover 20-30 minutes even though the squirrel cage blower motor will draw some current on start up the unit would get me through that short term glitch (milliseconds to several minutes) which the neighbor may not notice.

Thanks for the thoughts :thumbs:

 

[CigarStone]

I think I figured it out!

I am going to interrupt the wiring to the blower motor on the back side of the temp sensor with a switch. When I leave for an extended time I will turn off the switch so the blower motor doesn't get power and the unit will simply work on convection. This will allow the UPS to power the control panel indefinitely

 

[CigarStone]

Damnit!

The heater's control unit won't tolerate the 5ms delay in the UPS when line power is interrupted!

Anybody want to buy a nice 30,000BTU electronic solid state ignition propane heater? Now I have to go back to a manual unit that is not electrically controlled.