WANNA CHALLENGE?
Try and find an adjustable high and low voltage 120vac alarm? I can't even find an outage alarm for use with UPS that gives a discreet "chirp" every so often when on battery.
Forum Discussion
When I was at work on Y2K, my bosses thought that the power 'might' go out, so somebody had to be there! I took in my motorhome, and wired up a 120 volt relay with NC and NO contacts. I also had a 12 volt DC relay with NC contacts.
I wired the NC contacts on the 120 volt relay with 12 volt power going through it, to the NC contacts on the 12 volt relay, then to the relay coil. So the 12 volt power from my RV panel would go through the closed contacts on the 120 volt relay if it lost power, then would energize the 12 volt power relay opening the contacts on the 12 volt coil, until the relay lost power, and opened the contacts again. I hoped it would wake me. . . It did not, but no matter, we did not lose power afterall.. .
Perhaps a Kill-A-Watt type of product can detect low voltage? Or out of range voltage?
Many years ago, a digital voltage meter that could be plugged in all the time was expensive, but now days they are only about $20 to get a Kill-A-Watt on Amazon.com
There are several energy management devices that constantly measure the voltage, and shut down select loads at low voltage input, such as the air conditioner. Other products such as the Hughes Autoformer measure the input voltage and boost it when below the threshold voltage, such as 112 volts input will then boost by 12 volts.
I made my own transformer (well bought the transformer and wired it up myself) with a 12 volt isolated coil 500 watt transformer, 40 amps output at 12 volts. The 12 volt output coil is wired to the input wires, to give it a 120 volt input and 132 volt output. When the input falls to 100 volts, the output is still an acceptable 110 volt output, and still run the A/C unit.
I actually used a 1,000 watt transformer, with dual 12 volt outputs, so mine has 12 and 24 volt outputs, and I can have 90 volts input, and still have over 110 volts output! I put this to good use while camped in Bowling Green at a hot rod event, while in the pits. They have 20 amp receptacles wired up to #2 overhead wires (with no fuses in sight). To this I plugged in a 50' #14 extension cord, and a 25'#12 cord, my 30' #10 cord, then the 24 volt transformer, and the RV's 25' of power cord to the power panel inside. There I still had 118 volts while running the A/C unit! I did melt the 15 amp to 30 amp adapter into the center of my #12 extension cord, but that is the cost of running a A/C on a hot and humid day in Bowling Green KY!
Good luck on your project!
Fred.
I wired the NC contacts on the 120 volt relay with 12 volt power going through it, to the NC contacts on the 12 volt relay, then to the relay coil. So the 12 volt power from my RV panel would go through the closed contacts on the 120 volt relay if it lost power, then would energize the 12 volt power relay opening the contacts on the 12 volt coil, until the relay lost power, and opened the contacts again. I hoped it would wake me. . . It did not, but no matter, we did not lose power afterall.. .
Perhaps a Kill-A-Watt type of product can detect low voltage? Or out of range voltage?
Many years ago, a digital voltage meter that could be plugged in all the time was expensive, but now days they are only about $20 to get a Kill-A-Watt on Amazon.com
There are several energy management devices that constantly measure the voltage, and shut down select loads at low voltage input, such as the air conditioner. Other products such as the Hughes Autoformer measure the input voltage and boost it when below the threshold voltage, such as 112 volts input will then boost by 12 volts.
I made my own transformer (well bought the transformer and wired it up myself) with a 12 volt isolated coil 500 watt transformer, 40 amps output at 12 volts. The 12 volt output coil is wired to the input wires, to give it a 120 volt input and 132 volt output. When the input falls to 100 volts, the output is still an acceptable 110 volt output, and still run the A/C unit.
I actually used a 1,000 watt transformer, with dual 12 volt outputs, so mine has 12 and 24 volt outputs, and I can have 90 volts input, and still have over 110 volts output! I put this to good use while camped in Bowling Green at a hot rod event, while in the pits. They have 20 amp receptacles wired up to #2 overhead wires (with no fuses in sight). To this I plugged in a 50' #14 extension cord, and a 25'#12 cord, my 30' #10 cord, then the 24 volt transformer, and the RV's 25' of power cord to the power panel inside. There I still had 118 volts while running the A/C unit! I did melt the 15 amp to 30 amp adapter into the center of my #12 extension cord, but that is the cost of running a A/C on a hot and humid day in Bowling Green KY!
Good luck on your project!
Fred.
