Backup power supplies

Backup sources for central heating boilers and circulators. (APC and Lumar)

Backup source for gas boilers and circulation pumps should already be part of every boiler room. For one thing, they protect the boiler, the controls and the circulating pump against power surges, so they also provide surge protection and, most importantly, provide enough electricity to run for a few hours during a power outage. For wood or other fuel fired boilers this feature is very important. As the wood or coal in the boiler burns longer and cannot simply be shut down, it heats the boiler continuously and when the circulating pump stops, the boiler overheats within a few minutes. The high temperature in the boiler can cause welds to crack or even cause a fire in the boiler's external insulation. The circulation pump backup power supply will continue to drive the control or the circulation pump, thus avoiding such a problem. Some back-up power supplies also have a loud alarm function in the event of a power failure. Battery operation can be several hours, but this depends on the number of power points and the power of the device. All back-up power supplies include surge protection and one or two electrical outlets with a protective pin.