Power Failure Alarm

Christie (tigerlily) and I got talking recently in AIM and were both commenting how awful it would be were our power to go out in the night while everyone was asleep and therefore would not know immediately that our snakes had no heat source.

Well after a bit of googling I found this idea. It's actually on a site for sleep disorders (kind of handy as they believe Mike may be suffering with quite bad sleep apnea so I will be doing even more googling on that topic). It seems like a smart option and is pretty cost effective as Christie checked shipping to her and it was very minimal.

It will sound an alarm like a smoke detector designed to wake a sleeping person if the power goes out as well as other things for $39.95 plus shipping. A lot of power loss alarms are hooked up through phone lines and cost a fair bit so this was an interesting find. Hope it might be of use to any of you.

http://www.talkaboutsleep.biz/cpap-a...lure-alarm.htm


~~Jo~~

I think it would offer a great bit of peace of mine for those with racks, incubators, or just the mild mannered pet. :D I think the shipping was only like $8, so very reasonable. (All hail the queen of google - Jo :worship: )

If you really want to get fancy, the helix controls I use to run my walk-in incubator and control the temps in each of the snake rooms have high/low temperature alarms with an auto-dialer.

When my temps drop below a pre-set point, my cell phone starts ringing like crazy.

-adam

I have an APC UPS hooked up to some techical gear that gives it about 15 minutes of juice to get through brief power lapses surges etc - once the 15 minutes is going it sets off a shrill alarm that would shame my alarm clock. I know if you have it hooked up to a pc it can generate an email alert etc - nto sure on phone options will have to check that out. It was also in the sub-$40 range.

The auto-dialer option sounds a lot more swank though.

Does that come standard with Helix, or do you need to buy an extra to access that feature! That's pretty cool!!

I found this site for low cost backup generators :)

Backup Generators

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Originally Posted by Smulkin

I have an APC UPS hooked up to some techical gear that gives it about 15 minutes of juice to get through brief power lapses surges etc - once the 15 minutes is going it sets off a shrill alarm that would shame my alarm clock. I know if you have it hooked up to a pc it can generate an email alert etc - nto sure on phone options will have to check that out. It was also in the sub-$40 range.

The auto-dialer option sounds a lot more swank though.

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SMS enabled phones can usually get emails as TXT messages through the service provider.

Even better than a phone call! ;)

-adam

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tigerlily

Does that come standard with Helix, or do you need to buy an extra to access that feature! That's pretty cool!!

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It's an add on, but not available with the DBS-1000 systems as far as I know (I use DBS-1000's on all of my racks).

The high/low alarm and auto-dialer features are available as add-ons to the
"basic systems" and the 1500 watt systems.

-adam

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

SMS enabled phones can usually get emails as TXT messages through the service provider.

Even better than a phone call! ;)

-adam

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So long as your local carriers provide said services - there is a woeful lack of services in this (read rural) area hehehe.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Smulkin

So long as your local carriers provide said services - there is a woeful lack of services in this (read rural) area hehehe.

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Who's your cell company? ... I think all of the "big guys" have email <--> SMS bridges?

There might be some freeware internet sites that provide the same service.

-adam

i like that alarm and i have a generator already bought it years ago and i start it every now and then just to keep it going. but that alarm would be nice.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

It's an add on, but not available with the DBS-1000 systems as far as I know (I use DBS-1000's on all of my racks).

The high/low alarm and auto-dialer features are available as add-ons to the
"basic systems" and the 1500 watt systems.

-adam

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Wait....I'm tired and all but that didn't make sense to me. Can you talk real slow and use small words? You use the DBS 1000s but that feature isn't available on them? :stupidme: Was that a typo or am I just special? :slamhead:

Oh thanks for that link Ice...way better prices than I was finding online.


Oh and Christie, do let me translate for you dearie....apparently the doo flicky that is an option for the whatchamacallit isn't available for some reason but is apparently an option on the whooz-it thingy-ma-bobber that Adam has!

Hope that clears that up for you! :P


~~Jo~~

No probs Jo :D Anything to help out the community!

I was also going suggest a UPS system as I have briefly talked with Christie about in PM's. Most of the "decent" units will have an audible alarm when they switch to battary power.


-ask my wife how annoying the "alarm" is on a UPS :P

Quote:

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

Oh thanks for that link Ice...way better prices than I was finding online.


Oh and Christie, do let me translate for you dearie....apparently the doo flicky that is an option for the whatchamacallit isn't available for some reason but is apparently an option on the whooz-it thingy-ma-bobber that Adam has!

Hope that clears that up for you! :P


~~Jo~~

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Gee thanks Jo, that cleared it right up!! :neener:

:D Sorry couldn't resist!



~~Jo~~

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tigerlily

Wait....I'm tired and all but that didn't make sense to me. Can you talk real slow and use small words? You use the DBS 1000s but that feature isn't available on them? :stupidme: Was that a typo or am I just special? :slamhead:

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DBS-1000's on the racks ... 1500 watt systems with auto dialers to control room temps and the incubator. ;)

HELIX in my humble opinion is just the best there is!

-adam

Ahhhh...

The lightbulb just went on! :D :stupidme: