Hi Travis,

I like your idea and plan on eventually building a similar backup system. 
What I would like to know is how can I go about eliminating the 12V DC/120V 
AC inverter in your system. Since the computer ultimately runs on DC power, 
how can I just run it from the 12V batteries? Then a charger with an 
automatic cutoff when the batteries are fully charged, could be connected 
permanently to the 12 V batteries so they are always kept fully charged. If 
the 120V AC mains go down as is happening in California, the computer would 
not know it happened because it is running off the batteries. They will of 
course run down eventually but that problem can be taken care of with a 
generator. I have an 800 Watt Honda 120V AC generator that also has a 12 V DC 
output that could be used to keep the batteries charged until the mains came 
back on. I hope somebody can tell me what to do inside my computer to convert 
it to run on 12V DC from the batteries. 

Also another question, does anybody know how I can clean the carburetor on my 
Honda generator. I left gas in it for too many months and now it won't start. 
I took the carburetor apart and blew it out with air but it still won't 
start. How can I get it running again?

Best regards,
Cap
----------------------------------------------------------------------
In a message dated 05/07/2001 11:32:27 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
travis5765@........... writes:
 
<<  You can build a battery backup fairly simply.
 just get a 12V - 110V (or whatever you need) power inverter in the wattage 
 you need, connect lots of Deep-cycle marine batteries in parallel to the 
 inverter. get a hefty, low noise, battery charger to charge all the 
 batteries (as fast as you use the power). set up a 12V relay (with lots of 
 power handling) so that the relay coil is directly powered by the charger 
 and the switch (duel or single pole) connects/disconnects the batteries from 
 the charger. it should be setup in such a way that when the charger no 
 longer has power, it deactivates the relay and disconnects the batteries 
 from the charger so that it does not discharge them. at least this is how 
 the UPS I have works (just one battery at the moment).
 Just a note, the charger should be an auto charger (automatically stops when 
 the batteries are fully charged) so as not to over charge the batteries.
 
 -Travis
  >>
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