VOIP during power outage.

[dherr]

I am posting this to "Voice" since the idea is not worth much if you want your computer working during a power outage. For that you need a pretty good sized UPS. So, to my discovery...

I just noticed that the ATA provided with the FTTN product takes 12 volts. As it turns out, the router that AT&T supplied also runs on 12 volts (Pace 5031nv-030 in my case). This means that I just need 1 each of the proper DC plugs to fit the devices and a wire long enough to run from the driveway. I had already figured that I could pull house current from my truck in the driveway since I have an inverter, but this direct 12 volt feed will have much less energy waste.

Before you say it; the reason I don't want a proper UPS is due to the idea of needing to replace those expensive, heavy and toxic batteries every 3 to 4 years, and for something that I most likely will never actually need. This direct current solution can run over junk that I have squirreled away in the basement.

[Guest]

Before you say it; the reason I don't want a proper UPS is due to the idea of needing to replace those expensive, heavy and toxic batteries every 3 to 4 years, and for something that I most likely will never actually need. This direct current solution can run over junk that I have squirreled away in the basement.

I'll say it... this will either be https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupportgore or https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupportmacgyver. :)

[Guest]

I don't think you can pull significant amounts of power from the phone line.

[dherr]

I don't think you can pull significant amounts of power from the phone line.

I am not sure I understand that within this context. This is talking about a VOIP "line", so no power involved except for that which the power supplies provide. During a power outage we don't have that power and thus need to either use an inverter to power up the regular power supplies or we provide the correct DC current and thus avoid the operational loss from the inverter.

Now, if you are replying to the "techsupportgore" post, then do remember that we are not talking about using POTS amperage here. I am talking about using a automotive battery. It has plenty of power to blow stuff up. It even has the added bonus of being able to spit acid in your face at the same time.

[Neil]

dherr, your idea leaves me a little queasy, but it might work. Queasy, because unless you throttle the DC power, you're feeding devices that typically sip their current in milliamp quantities with a battery that's got 60 or 70 or 100 amps if it's fully charged. Might work, might fry the electronics.

A bigger question, though, is how much battery backup capacity do AT&T's VRANs carry? Unlike the CO, which has (or at least used to have) a boatload of batteries to ride out power outages in emergencies and keep the switches alive, the VRAN might not be able to self-power beyond some number of hours, or at most a few days. So it does you little good to power your gateway and ATA from a spare lead-acid battery for a week if the VRAN they're connected to dies after a day or two.

You might be better off unplugging everything connected to a reasonably-sized UPS and just use the juice to keep your cell phones charged, and use those until power is restored. Assuming, of course, the cell towers can ride out an extended outage themselves.

[dherr]

1st issue: 12 volts is 12 volts. But a car battery puts out a bit more, so you do have to be aware. Most devices can run on a a few volts less or more since the power supplies are not perfect. Still, I would not want to run directly off of car voltage when the engine was running (charging voltage).

2nd issue: I have read about AT&T coming by to charge the batteries in the neighborhood boxes. They had a bit of an issue a number of years back with the batteries exploding; possibly due to over discharge of lithium batts. So, there is a chance that the box might be kept up for a rather long time. Also note that I have experienced power outages that were only about one block and it did not extend to where my local AT&T box lives.

3rd issue: Yup, if you maintain a UPS then you can just use that. I have had them before but they don't live long enough for my taste. Since I keep a motor vehicle up and running I already have a nice source of 12 volts when needed. We can plug in the ipad to keep it charged and use this idea of cigarette plug to ATA/Modem via long cord if needed. That would give us phone and Net for a limited time. Still not even sure I will bother to pre-wire this since we do have cell phones (also chargeable in the vehicles).

All in all this is just a reminder that a full UPS is not the only solution for using your VOIP phone during a power outage.

A final note: The old Motorola DSL modem also takes 12V, so I might fire that up via the car battery and see how my theory holds up on that device. Worst case is I get so see some pretty sparks flying; assuming I remember to move the gas can out of the way.

[goetsch]

from Broadcasting & Cable: FCC Requires Voice Backup Power Option (http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/w ... ion/143148).

Unfortunately not a lot of details in the article....