11 ms·

Home Server Room Power Upgrade and Multi-Room UPS

96 points by monstermunch 6y ago

wkearney99 6y ago
One suggestion, use a differently colored outlet for the sockets served by the UPS. This to avoid anyone else mistakenly using them for something else. Another alternative would be to use Lutron's Claro AC outlets designed for dimmable control. They've got a smaller prong for the hot leg. I have some sockets for outdoor holiday lighting that I've colored to avoid mis-using them for anything else.
- monstermunch 6y ago
  Its very unlickely anything would be plugged in here, the outlets are located under desks, behind TV's etc. They are also the only decora 15a outlets in the house, everything I do new is 20a, so you'll identify them pretty easy
  - cptskippy 6y ago
    You will, but that distinction will be lost on others.
    - monstermunch 6y ago
      Who else is in my house?
      - cptskippy 6y ago
        Are you planning to live there forever?
2bluesc 6y ago
> Some may ask why the outlets are installed upside-down, its common in commercial settings to do this as it means if the cord sags down, only the ground prong will be exposed. Things can also get lodged between the two hot prongs if the outlet is the normal way up, like this from an image I stole from reddit This is very insightful. I've seen outlets installed upside-down to designate them as switched, but never heard any other justification. This actually makes sense and the charred measurement tape further demonstrates what can and has happened. Dug up the Reddit link for those also curious: https://www.reddit.com/r/OSHA/comments/ilb7wq/please_unplug_all_items_before_measuring/ https://www.reddit.com/r/OSHA/comments/ilb7wq/please_unplug_... and maybe original post was to Twitter: https://twitter.com/meyerweb/status/1289302216826925057 https://twitter.com/meyerweb/status/1289302216826925057
- megraf 6y ago
  You'll see outlets installed 'correctly' (with ground being the highest pin) in hospitals. I've heard that the explanation for their most common orientation is because of our fascination with faces. I'm sure there's a better reason – but I do think it attributes to it.
  - rsync 6y ago
    Neither is incorrect. Either orientation of the outlet is NEC code compliant in the United States and it's really just a matter of preference. Personally, I like "normal" outlets to be ground pin down and switched (as in, connected to a lightswitch) ground pin up.
- timw4mail 6y ago
  I don't have a problem with outlets with the ground prong up, but... 1. Why isn't your plug all the way in the socket? 2. Why haven't you replaced that outlet that doesn't hold a plug properly?
  - arbitrage 6y ago
    Humans are lazy. Overall, it was less effort to be forced to sometimes have to deal with upside down outlets, rather than convince everyone that there is a specific and universal orientation. It's not a great reason, but here we are.
  - monstermunch 6y ago
    Brand new outlet, brand new high quality extension cord https://imgur.com/a/0DXJXkw https://imgur.com/a/0DXJXkw
    - timw4mail 6y ago
      I guess high-gauge wires are more hazardous in the socket.
      - 6y ago
brian_herman__ 6y ago
Great guide I hope you do more in the future!
- monstermunch 6y ago
  Thanks, I'll keep posting anything I think is interesting
BillinghamJ 6y ago
Looks very cool! Seeing the limitation in how many of the UPS sockets can be used, I'd say it's a little bit of a shame not to have used high amperage IEC connectors - e.g. C19/C20 ones. Most UPSes have options to work with these natively rather than having country-specific and often painfully shaped connectors (e.g. UK sockets are huge!)
cpascal 6y ago
> There are several points here that probably don't comply with code. The fact that an extension cord has been brought into a permanent circuit is probably one of them. If you wanted to do this up to code, how would you do it?
- monstermunch 6y ago
  For starters, when I looked into doing this I found everyone disagreeing if it was code. I personally think it might be up to code actually If they sell those power inlets which are NEC approved, how can you use them without breaking code? So it MUST be code. But then you ask 10 people and get 10 answers There are larger UPS's designed for hard-wiring, but they are almost always VERY large. I think that might be the only way to avoid an inlet cord like this
  - osamagirl69 6y ago
    Its definitely not up to code, but that is not really a problem unless you plan to do a larger (permitted) project in the future or when you sell the house and are getting it inspected. The one thing to watch out for is that if your house does burn down (presumably due to reasons not related specifically to the non-code-compliant wiring) the insurance company will try likely try to deny your claim. At least in my jurisdiction (America) the only way to achieve what you are trying to achieve is by installing a dedicated subpanel fed by the UPS with appropriate breakers. I believe that such an installation would only be code compliant with a UPS that was designed for such an application (with a hard wired output connection, and appropriately designed disconnects), but a lenient inspector might let you get away with feeding a subpanel from an extension cord as long as as of the breakers and capacity factors work out correctly and the grounding meets code. The biggest issue I see is that the system is not labeled correctly (at all?). That is a pretty serious issue because if, for example, an emergency worker were to come into the house under the expectation that the power to the house was cut (at the service disconnect) but the house would have live outlets that are otherwise unmarked. See https://www.mikeholt.com/download.php?file=PDF/11_Generators_and_Standby_Power_Systems.pdf https://www.mikeholt.com/download.php?file=PDF/11_Generators... for more information (the relevant section for your system starts at page 16) As other commenters have pointed out, just because you can buy something that says NEC approved on the sticker does not mean that it is approved for your application. A good example mentioned elsewhere is using a 16awg SJTW extension cord to power a 15a load--all of the connectors will plug together but the combined solution is obviously not code compliant and even if it doesn't melt/catch fire it will not supply the load with clean power.
tha0x4 6y ago
Definitely dislike seeing the various code violations, but definitely enjoy the get it done attitude and the results!
jasonpeacock 6y ago
I'd have upgraded the recessed UPS outlets (inlets?) to be twist-lock style, something like this[1] for a more semi-permanent connection: [1] https://www.leviton.com/en/products/3325-c https://www.leviton.com/en/products/3325-c Then you don't have to worry about a "tight fit" or something dislodging (or half-dislodging) the plug.
- mbreese 6y ago
  Don’t those plugs mean something though? Like a specific Amp/voltage level? Or can you use this anywhere? I’ve only used it for specific Amp/voltage required situations (UPSs actually).
  - mindslight 6y ago
    They all mean something. For every straight blade there's generally an equivalent twist lock. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEMA_connector#/media/File:NEMA_simplified_pins.svg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEMA_connector#/media/File:NEM...
  - jasonpeacock 6y ago
    Yep, which is why I linked the one specifically for 20A 125/250V, IIRC that matches the OP's use case. Surprisingly, there is no physical shape (that I'm aware of) to distinguish between 120V and 240V, it's up to the user to be aware of possibility of alternate voltages. I have seen color schemes used to distinguish voltages.
    - thaeli 6y ago
      Orientation of the blades. The NEMA 2-15 for 240v 15a has both blades horizontal instead of vertical like a normal 120v 1-15 plug.
    - dkdk8283 6y ago
      You can get l6-30p inlets. Appears to be common for RV use.
dellcybpwr 6y ago
What are use cases for power inlets? Also, are they hot if nothing is plugged in?
- TheCoelacanth 6y ago
  Inlets are for putting power into something, just like an outlet is for getting power out. They are reversed from an outlet because don't ever want the hot part to be exposed.
- bluGill 6y ago
  Main use is a backup generator. Your electrical panel is supposed to have an interlock so you can get power from either than inlet, or from the power company but never both. When the power goes up you plug your generator in, flip a switch and your house has power. Legal and fairly common.
bleepblorp 6y ago
Why did you take this approach rather than getting a hardwired UPS and installing a subpanel? A subpanel would make future expansion easier.
- zackbloom 6y ago
  I agree with this. You can get a kit [1] to hardwire a UPS. You could then take the output of the UPS and run it into a subpanel with a separate 15 amp breaker for each room. That way you won't have extension cords, etc. which might only be rated for 15 amps drawing 30+ and potentially starting a fire. 1- https://download.schneider-electric.com/files?p_File_Name=ASTE-6Z8L95_R0_EN.pdf&p_Doc_Ref=SPD_ASTE-6Z8L95_EN https://download.schneider-electric.com/files?p_File_Name=AS...
rsync 6y ago
Overall I like what you're doing here - power distribution in a typical home is less modular and extensive than I would like and this is a good step in that direction. I don't think the extension cords are a problem because they're not in the wall (and I see actual Romex used in the wall). However, I would take the time to carefully research exactly what pieces of this are, and are not, code compliant. Not because you need to redo it, necessarily, but because it is a very impactful way to learn these things and learn deeper concepts of safety and failure behind the rules. Nothing stays as well learned, or remembered, as details relating to work you have actually done.
- cptskippy 6y ago
  It's also good to know what's not to code so that you can fix it before you sell.
- blantonl 6y ago
  This is an excellent point. A lot of lessons learned, hard lessons learned (like fire, expensive equipment damage, injuries and blindness, and big sparks) have happened to get electrical code to where it is.
AdrianB1 6y ago
For some time I am looking at a home built UPS to power my entire house; not buying an UPS, but building an UPS from a few packs of LiFePO4 batteries (probably in series to 48V) and an inverter. This kind of setup can be built with regular lead acid batteries too, very cheap, but the battery life is a lot worse than LiFePO4. A 4kW inverter can power my entire house, I live in Europe and we don't use dryers here, I think they are the biggest electrical consumer in a typical US house. The utility link is limited to 4.5kW anyways, so I don't lose much. The whole point is I can easily expand in the future to charge from a solar panel array; solar panels are cheaper and cheaper, the biggest cost is the batteries and installation. Until then, the batteries can be charged from the utility company and the efficiency is close to an APC Smart UPS.
firecall 6y ago
I have a multi room UPS! It's called 2x Tesla Powerwalls and a 7.5Kw solar system! :-)
- AdamJacobMuller 6y ago
  Do you have it setup to work if you lose grid connection? It seems like most solar/powerwall systems are not setup with appropriate disconnects and so must be designed to not work with the grid down. Seems like a big waste. I wonder how much money utilities could save if everyone had a big in-home UPS/Solar and 99% or 95% grid reliability were acceptable.
  - PaulDavisThe1st 6y ago
    I just finished installing my own 6.6kW system. From my research, we're not at the point yet where an inverter that can be (a) grid-tied and (b) charging batteries will be as reliable as one that does either (a) or (b) (but not both). They do exist, however, and hopefull they will get better over time. This will allow more people to add a moderately sized battery system to a grid-tied system, and then we end up with the best of all possible worlds (or something much closer to it). There are also grid-tied inverters that will provide limited online power even with the grid down. These also seem to be not as reliable as the "grid down? i'm down" design. The really tricky part is that for the inverter's output to be instantly switchable with the grid, it has to be phase aligned with it, and so the inverter has to see the grid phase and match it.
AdamJacobMuller 6y ago
That's very cool. I love the idea of doing extension cords + inlets. I've been thinking about how to wire my big TV to my UPS, that's a very clean way of doing it.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
egberts1 6y ago
I just read your previous blog on Backup and noticed that your choice of 1000-year DVD and its manufacturer. They’ve gone 403. https://web.archive.org/web/20140325203319/http://www.mdisc.com/m-ready/ https://web.archive.org/web/20140325203319/http://www.mdisc.... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-DISC https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-DISC

96 points by monstermunch 6y ago

One suggestion, use a differently colored outlet for the sockets served by the UPS. This to avoid anyone else mistakenly using them for something else. Another alternative would be to use Lutron's Claro AC outlets designed for dimmable control. They've got a smaller prong for the hot leg. I have some sockets for outdoor holiday lighting that I've colored to avoid mis-using them for anything else.

monstermunch 6y ago
Its very unlickely anything would be plugged in here, the outlets are located under desks, behind TV's etc. They are also the only decora 15a outlets in the house, everything I do new is 20a, so you'll identify them pretty easy
- cptskippy 6y ago
  You will, but that distinction will be lost on others.
  - monstermunch 6y ago
    Who else is in my house?
    - cptskippy 6y ago
      Are you planning to live there forever?

2bluesc 6y ago

> Some may ask why the outlets are installed upside-down, its common in commercial settings to do this as it means if the cord sags down, only the ground prong will be exposed. Things can also get lodged between the two hot prongs if the outlet is the normal way up, like this from an image I stole from reddit This is very insightful. I've seen outlets installed upside-down to designate them as switched, but never heard any other justification. This actually makes sense and the charred measurement tape further demonstrates what can and has happened. Dug up the Reddit link for those also curious: https://www.reddit.com/r/OSHA/comments/ilb7wq/please_unplug_all_items_before_measuring/ https://www.reddit.com/r/OSHA/comments/ilb7wq/please_unplug_... and maybe original post was to Twitter: https://twitter.com/meyerweb/status/1289302216826925057 https://twitter.com/meyerweb/status/1289302216826925057

megraf 6y ago
You'll see outlets installed 'correctly' (with ground being the highest pin) in hospitals. I've heard that the explanation for their most common orientation is because of our fascination with faces. I'm sure there's a better reason – but I do think it attributes to it.
- rsync 6y ago
  Neither is incorrect. Either orientation of the outlet is NEC code compliant in the United States and it's really just a matter of preference. Personally, I like "normal" outlets to be ground pin down and switched (as in, connected to a lightswitch) ground pin up.
timw4mail 6y ago
I don't have a problem with outlets with the ground prong up, but... 1. Why isn't your plug all the way in the socket? 2. Why haven't you replaced that outlet that doesn't hold a plug properly?
- arbitrage 6y ago
  Humans are lazy. Overall, it was less effort to be forced to sometimes have to deal with upside down outlets, rather than convince everyone that there is a specific and universal orientation. It's not a great reason, but here we are.
- monstermunch 6y ago
  Brand new outlet, brand new high quality extension cord https://imgur.com/a/0DXJXkw https://imgur.com/a/0DXJXkw
  - timw4mail 6y ago
    I guess high-gauge wires are more hazardous in the socket.
    - 6y ago

brian_herman__ 6y ago

Great guide I hope you do more in the future!

monstermunch 6y ago
Thanks, I'll keep posting anything I think is interesting

BillinghamJ 6y ago

Looks very cool! Seeing the limitation in how many of the UPS sockets can be used, I'd say it's a little bit of a shame not to have used high amperage IEC connectors - e.g. C19/C20 ones. Most UPSes have options to work with these natively rather than having country-specific and often painfully shaped connectors (e.g. UK sockets are huge!)

cpascal 6y ago

> There are several points here that probably don't comply with code. The fact that an extension cord has been brought into a permanent circuit is probably one of them. If you wanted to do this up to code, how would you do it?

monstermunch 6y ago
For starters, when I looked into doing this I found everyone disagreeing if it was code. I personally think it might be up to code actually If they sell those power inlets which are NEC approved, how can you use them without breaking code? So it MUST be code. But then you ask 10 people and get 10 answers There are larger UPS's designed for hard-wiring, but they are almost always VERY large. I think that might be the only way to avoid an inlet cord like this
- osamagirl69 6y ago
  Its definitely not up to code, but that is not really a problem unless you plan to do a larger (permitted) project in the future or when you sell the house and are getting it inspected. The one thing to watch out for is that if your house does burn down (presumably due to reasons not related specifically to the non-code-compliant wiring) the insurance company will try likely try to deny your claim. At least in my jurisdiction (America) the only way to achieve what you are trying to achieve is by installing a dedicated subpanel fed by the UPS with appropriate breakers. I believe that such an installation would only be code compliant with a UPS that was designed for such an application (with a hard wired output connection, and appropriately designed disconnects), but a lenient inspector might let you get away with feeding a subpanel from an extension cord as long as as of the breakers and capacity factors work out correctly and the grounding meets code. The biggest issue I see is that the system is not labeled correctly (at all?). That is a pretty serious issue because if, for example, an emergency worker were to come into the house under the expectation that the power to the house was cut (at the service disconnect) but the house would have live outlets that are otherwise unmarked. See https://www.mikeholt.com/download.php?file=PDF/11_Generators_and_Standby_Power_Systems.pdf https://www.mikeholt.com/download.php?file=PDF/11_Generators... for more information (the relevant section for your system starts at page 16) As other commenters have pointed out, just because you can buy something that says NEC approved on the sticker does not mean that it is approved for your application. A good example mentioned elsewhere is using a 16awg SJTW extension cord to power a 15a load--all of the connectors will plug together but the combined solution is obviously not code compliant and even if it doesn't melt/catch fire it will not supply the load with clean power.

tha0x4 6y ago

Definitely dislike seeing the various code violations, but definitely enjoy the get it done attitude and the results!

jasonpeacock 6y ago

I'd have upgraded the recessed UPS outlets (inlets?) to be twist-lock style, something like this[1] for a more semi-permanent connection: [1] https://www.leviton.com/en/products/3325-c https://www.leviton.com/en/products/3325-c Then you don't have to worry about a "tight fit" or something dislodging (or half-dislodging) the plug.

mbreese 6y ago
Don’t those plugs mean something though? Like a specific Amp/voltage level? Or can you use this anywhere? I’ve only used it for specific Amp/voltage required situations (UPSs actually).
- mindslight 6y ago
  They all mean something. For every straight blade there's generally an equivalent twist lock. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEMA_connector#/media/File:NEMA_simplified_pins.svg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEMA_connector#/media/File:NEM...
- jasonpeacock 6y ago
  Yep, which is why I linked the one specifically for 20A 125/250V, IIRC that matches the OP's use case. Surprisingly, there is no physical shape (that I'm aware of) to distinguish between 120V and 240V, it's up to the user to be aware of possibility of alternate voltages. I have seen color schemes used to distinguish voltages.
  - thaeli 6y ago
    Orientation of the blades. The NEMA 2-15 for 240v 15a has both blades horizontal instead of vertical like a normal 120v 1-15 plug.
  - dkdk8283 6y ago
    You can get l6-30p inlets. Appears to be common for RV use.

dellcybpwr 6y ago

What are use cases for power inlets? Also, are they hot if nothing is plugged in?

TheCoelacanth 6y ago
Inlets are for putting power into something, just like an outlet is for getting power out. They are reversed from an outlet because don't ever want the hot part to be exposed.
bluGill 6y ago
Main use is a backup generator. Your electrical panel is supposed to have an interlock so you can get power from either than inlet, or from the power company but never both. When the power goes up you plug your generator in, flip a switch and your house has power. Legal and fairly common.

bleepblorp 6y ago

Why did you take this approach rather than getting a hardwired UPS and installing a subpanel? A subpanel would make future expansion easier.

zackbloom 6y ago
I agree with this. You can get a kit [1] to hardwire a UPS. You could then take the output of the UPS and run it into a subpanel with a separate 15 amp breaker for each room. That way you won't have extension cords, etc. which might only be rated for 15 amps drawing 30+ and potentially starting a fire. 1- https://download.schneider-electric.com/files?p_File_Name=ASTE-6Z8L95_R0_EN.pdf&p_Doc_Ref=SPD_ASTE-6Z8L95_EN https://download.schneider-electric.com/files?p_File_Name=AS...

rsync 6y ago

Overall I like what you're doing here - power distribution in a typical home is less modular and extensive than I would like and this is a good step in that direction. I don't think the extension cords are a problem because they're not in the wall (and I see actual Romex used in the wall). However, I would take the time to carefully research exactly what pieces of this are, and are not, code compliant. Not because you need to redo it, necessarily, but because it is a very impactful way to learn these things and learn deeper concepts of safety and failure behind the rules. Nothing stays as well learned, or remembered, as details relating to work you have actually done.

cptskippy 6y ago
It's also good to know what's not to code so that you can fix it before you sell.
blantonl 6y ago
This is an excellent point. A lot of lessons learned, hard lessons learned (like fire, expensive equipment damage, injuries and blindness, and big sparks) have happened to get electrical code to where it is.

AdrianB1 6y ago

For some time I am looking at a home built UPS to power my entire house; not buying an UPS, but building an UPS from a few packs of LiFePO4 batteries (probably in series to 48V) and an inverter. This kind of setup can be built with regular lead acid batteries too, very cheap, but the battery life is a lot worse than LiFePO4. A 4kW inverter can power my entire house, I live in Europe and we don't use dryers here, I think they are the biggest electrical consumer in a typical US house. The utility link is limited to 4.5kW anyways, so I don't lose much. The whole point is I can easily expand in the future to charge from a solar panel array; solar panels are cheaper and cheaper, the biggest cost is the batteries and installation. Until then, the batteries can be charged from the utility company and the efficiency is close to an APC Smart UPS.

firecall 6y ago

I have a multi room UPS! It's called 2x Tesla Powerwalls and a 7.5Kw solar system! :-)

AdamJacobMuller 6y ago
Do you have it setup to work if you lose grid connection? It seems like most solar/powerwall systems are not setup with appropriate disconnects and so must be designed to not work with the grid down. Seems like a big waste. I wonder how much money utilities could save if everyone had a big in-home UPS/Solar and 99% or 95% grid reliability were acceptable.
- PaulDavisThe1st 6y ago
  I just finished installing my own 6.6kW system. From my research, we're not at the point yet where an inverter that can be (a) grid-tied and (b) charging batteries will be as reliable as one that does either (a) or (b) (but not both). They do exist, however, and hopefull they will get better over time. This will allow more people to add a moderately sized battery system to a grid-tied system, and then we end up with the best of all possible worlds (or something much closer to it). There are also grid-tied inverters that will provide limited online power even with the grid down. These also seem to be not as reliable as the "grid down? i'm down" design. The really tricky part is that for the inverter's output to be instantly switchable with the grid, it has to be phase aligned with it, and so the inverter has to see the grid phase and match it.

AdamJacobMuller 6y ago

That's very cool. I love the idea of doing extension cords + inlets. I've been thinking about how to wire my big TV to my UPS, that's a very clean way of doing it.

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

egberts1 6y ago

I just read your previous blog on Backup and noticed that your choice of 1000-year DVD and its manufacturer. They’ve gone 403. https://web.archive.org/web/20140325203319/http://www.mdisc.com/m-ready/ https://web.archive.org/web/20140325203319/http://www.mdisc.... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-DISC https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-DISC