Need help on suggestions for backup power?

[mom_of_bananachip]

Hi everyone:

I am a science teacher in upstate New York with 7 reptiles in my secondary classroom lab (a lab space directly connected to my classroom). It is windowless and is much warmer (by 5 to 10 degrees) than the front classroom space. In the past, I kept a bearded dragon my front classroom space - but he died because the neighborhood had a power outage, so I have been keeping the reptiles in the back lab since.

After my beard dragon death incident, I have been adamant about keeping them warm in the back space, monitoring temperature and humidity year round. Now that winter is fast approaching, I am concerned again about another power outage.

What are some solutions for my reptiles just in case there is an outage? I live 20 minutes away from the school, and usually, the outage occurs during a snow storm, so I'm pretty much stuck at home. I need some type of an AFFORDABLE backup generator that will turn on when the main power shuts off - does this even exist? What are some alternatives?

Need your expertise!

Annie

**********************************
MY REPTILE SANCTUARY - 1 crested gecko, 1 caledodian gecko, 2 leopard geckos, 1 orange bearded dragon, 1 blue tongue skink, 2 ball pythons.

Hopefully, one day, I will get a cool bp morph!

[bcr229]

I'm not sure the school would let you install a backup generator because it would have to hook in to their electrical system if you want the automated cutover, and that means having a certified electrician do the work, pull permits, etc. An uninterruptable power supply only works for 10-15 minutes, just long enough so you can cleanly shut down sensitive equipment.

Maybe you could do something with batteries, an inverter, and a cutover switch - I have a system getting set up in my house integrated with solar panels - but batteries are not cheap. Even buying surplus/used equipment I'm putting several thousand into just batteries.

Perhaps you'd be better off monitoring weather reports and taking the critters home with you if a storm is predicted, assuming you have a heat source at home that doesn't rely on electricity, such as a wood stove or kerosene heater, so you can keep them (and you!) warm.