Cheap backup batteries to stay online during load-shedding

[Jan]

Keep your router on during load-shedding with these cheap backup batteries

For as little as R595, South Africans can get a small uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to provide backup power to their wireless Internet connection during load-shedding.

Fortunately, you don't need a large or expensive backup battery system to keep the average home Wi-Fi router powered, as these use very little electricity.

 

[RudderVator]

I measured around 300mA current draw on a wi-fi router connected directly to a 12V battery. Would that equate to roughly 3.6W? The article speaks about 10W power draw.

 

[thenameisjaco]

I measured around 300mAh current draw on a wi-fi router connected directly to a 12V battery. Would that equate to roughly 3.6W? The article speaks about 10W power draw.

Dont know if you mean mA but mAh is a unit of capacity not current.

 

[Tabac]

How i miss the 80's and 90's.

 

[RudderVator]

Dont know if you mean mA but mAh is a unit of capacity not current.

Apologies, mA my meter actually measures amps but shows around 0.30A on load

 

[KleinBoontjie]

People are a bit fast and loose with the term 'cheap', these days.

 

[die_koos]

Yes, I went this route and can keep my router on for hours and hours... during loadshedding. Unfortunately it seems that the RAIN 5G tower only has enough capacity to stay on for about 2 hours... so lots of good that did me.

 

[SubtleBeast]

Powered a B618 (24W, theoretical) using an UltraLan (similar to Volkano) for more than 4 hours before it cut off.

 

[BuckRogers]

I went with two - one for the router and one for the CPE.
That way it can fully recharge even at stage 6+.

 

[Thor]

That lead acid option should not be there.

 

[DapperDanMan]

Yes, I went this route and can keep my router on for hours and hours... during loadshedding. Unfortunately it seems that the RAIN 5G tower only has enough capacity to stay on for about 2 hours... so lots of good that did me.

Fap faster?

 

[Scooby_Doo]

Ellies Router Backup Unit​

Got one of these, good stuff for powering both Router and ONT through a 6 hour loadshedding window.

 

[jgegroups]

Using an old Mecer 650VA UPS powering ONT, router and a small Arm server, I think my draw is ~15W, certainly less than 20W. With new lead acid 7Ah it lasts close to 4 hours, but load shedding killed the latest battery in 6 months. Replaced with LifePo4 (BlueNova 8Ah) a month ago and has not gone down since.

 

[r00igev@@r]

Loadshedding is good as it reboots any compromised routers and clears the vulnerability like Zuorat.

 

[Dimpie (COMPUTEK)]

Using an old Mecer 650VA UPS powering ONT, router and a small Arm server, I think my draw is ~15W, certainly less than 20W. With new lead acid 7Ah it lasts close to 4 hours, but load shedding killed the latest battery in 6 months. Replaced with LifePo4 (BlueNova 8Ah) a month ago and has not gone down since.

That's because in that 4hrs you completely drained that LA battery and in turn fcked it up.
A 15W load will drain that 7Ah LA to 50% DoD within 2 hrs

 

[Wut]

How i miss the 80's and 90's.

So that you could live on the Bophuthatswana side of your town?

 

[jgegroups]

That's because in that 4hrs you completely drained that LA battery and in turn fcked it up.
A 15W load will drain that 7Ah LA to 50% DoD within 2 hrs

That is the case - it never recovers

 

[Tabac]

So that you could live on the Bophuthatswana side of your town?

That was even beter. Fokol tax on the payslip.

 

[Itsa Trap]

I bought this:

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Gizzu 8800mAh Mini UPS Dual DC​

It was R818 at the time - worked out a bit more due to same day delivery - still under the digicape pricing. It runs my router and fibre box for 2.5 hours less 15% power at the end of a usual Eskom fokapi.

Just be sure to set each outlet to the correct voltage.

 

[BuckRogers]

Using an old Mecer 650VA UPS powering ONT, router and a small Arm server, I think my draw is ~15W, certainly less than 20W. With new lead acid 7Ah it lasts close to 4 hours, but load shedding killed the latest battery in 6 months. Replaced with LifePo4 (BlueNova 8Ah) a month ago and has not gone down since.

The function of these type of UPSs is to provide a lot of power for a short time. For instance to power a desktop pc and monitor for under 10 minutes while the generator kicks in.
When talking about hours you need lithium.