In a message dated 07/05/01, cochrane@.............. writes:

> With all of this talk about blackouts here in California I have been
> thinking about getting a gas (propane?) generator. 

Dear Larry,

       The solar/battery inverter units will start up instantaneously and 
there will be no brownout or supply failure, but the power that you can get 
is limited by your battery capacity. A motor generator is fine if you know 
when you are going to get problems and can start it in good time. Otherwise 
you get a supply failure for a couple of seconds while it starts on 
automatic. You need a reasonably good sine wave or an approximation to run 
switch mode power supplies for computers etc.

       Regards,

       Chris Chapman
In a message dated 07/05/01, cochrane@.............. writes:



With a
ll of this talk about blackouts here in California I have been

thinking about getting a gas (propane?) generator. 




Dear Larry,



       The solar/battery inverter units will start up instantaneously and 

there will be no brownout or supply failure, but the power that you can get 

is limited by your battery capacity. A motor generator is fine if you know 

when you are going to get problems and can start it in good time. Otherwise 

you get a supply failure for a couple of seconds while it starts on 

automatic. You need a reasonably good sine wave or an approximation to run 

switch mode power supplies for computers etc.



       Regards,



       Chris Chapman