How to avoid re-booting of the satellite receiver when switching power?

[jdwky]

Anybody else have this problem?: When switching from battery/inverter power to generator power (or any similar scenario), theDish VIP211k receiver temporarily loses juice and then has to go through the entire, lengthy setup/reboot process. Does not keep the crowd pleased if we are in the middle of watching a ball game! A UPS is only thing I can think of, though I hate adding bulky, heavy items when possible. Any other ideas???

[docj]

We used to have the same problem with our DirecTV DVR but with our new Magnum pure sine wave inverter the switchover time appears to be fast enough that we avoid the reboot. I know of a number of people who have installed small UPS systems <$100 which don't add too much weight; remember they only have to be able to handle the load for a couple of seconds so they can be quite small.

[smiller]

Run the 211k off of a small (75-150 watt) inverter all the time. That way there will be no interruption when AC power is switched. I guess that's a UPS of sorts but the weight/space requirements will be negligible.

[jdwky]

Originally Posted by smiller

Run the 211k off of a small (75-150 watt) inverter all the time. That way there will be no interruption when AC power is switched. I guess that's a UPS of sorts but the weight/space requirements will be negligible.

Good idea. I will have to check again, but best I recall there is no 12v power source anywhere around the cabinet where the AV equipment is...

[vsheetz]

Originally Posted by jdwky

Good idea. I will have to check again, but best I recall there is no 12v power source anywhere around the cabinet where the AV equipment is...

Better to put the inverter near the batteries and do the long AC run to the audio visual equipment. You may be able to go from the inverter to the breaker box and connect and separate out the applicable existing outlet ( s ) there.

Check out the Morningstar inverter. It has low idle current draw as it automatically goes to standby mode when the load drops below a few watts.

[94-Newmar]

Just purchase a small Uninterruptible Power Supply: Battery Backup (UPS) - Best Buy

Mine is an APC Back-UPS XS1000, which can power my DirecTV receiver and one of my PCs for well over an hour. You could easily use a very small one such as a 300 VA sized unit depending upon the runtime you want. Their switchover time is so fast I've never had to reboot my receiver or computer due to any power glitches....ever.

[Ed-Sommers]

I use this UPS Minuteman EN600 UPS System 600VA Power Supply | eBay

Ed

[John Hilley]

Just always run off the inverter. The generator/converter will power the battery. We have been out in the desert for two months on solar power. We use the generator for the coffee maker and microwave. We have two transfer switches, one for generator/shore power and one that switches that output with inverter.

[jdwky]

Originally Posted by John Hilley

Just always run off the inverter. The generator/converter will power the battery. We have been out in the desert for two months on solar power. We use the generator for the coffee maker and microwave. We have two transfer switches, one for generator/shore power and one that switches that output with inverter.

My setup is similar to Vsheetz. I have a 2000W PSW inverter that I have the shore power cord plugged in to. My problem is when I fire up the generator, and the transfer switch switches from shore power (aka inverter) to generator power, there's enough of a delay to cause the satellite receiver to blink out... Is there a way to set mine up where I can fire up the genny to charge the batteries while keeping everything on inverter power?

[Pirate]

Originally Posted by Ed-Sommers

I use this UPS Minuteman EN600 UPS System 600VA Power Supply | eBay

Ed

Does that thing beep when there is a loss of AC like the other obnoxious unit's like APC?

[smiller]

Originally Posted by Pirate

Does that thing beep when there is a loss of AC like the other obnoxious unit's like APC?

Every UPS I've ever owned (including several APC models) allows you to disable the audio alert.

[Pirate]

Originally Posted by smiller

Every UPS I've ever owned (including several APC models) allows you to disable the audio alert.

Sure, as long as it is attached to a PC. I know for sure that at least one model allowed me to disable the alarms, however as soon as it lost power and powered back up, the alarms would reactivate at next outage. I am looking for a unit that will have no alarms when not attached to a PC.

[smiller]

Well if nothing else you could always open the unit and clip the wire to or otherwise physically disable the beeper module. Then you definitely won't hear from it again.

[TXiceman]

Add a UPS like used on a computer for the sat receiver.

Ken