What is missing from my studio that is important?

R

rob aylestone

Moderator
Over the years I have added extra things to my studios so they work really well and I thought I was prepared for anything until today when a digger went through the power cables outside. Soundproof studios are also light proof. Mine has no windows and suddenly it went black. In the UK our power is pretty good so I’ve never needed ups devices or emergency lights until today when this happened? How many people have emergency lights, ups and battery backups? In the UK I suspect very few? I’m going to get some maintained lights for certain. Without power there’s absolutely nothing I can do, work wise. The machines have won!!!
 
I have a light on the phone in my pocket. Back in my working life, I always had (and still do) a UPS on my computer. As contract mechanical designer, I could not afford to lose even the 5 minutes worth of work between autosaves. Much better to do a controlled shut down than have to reconstruct something, especially when it's on your dime.
 
I've got the flashlight on my phone, 5 battery backups on 3 of my computers, cable modem/phone modem, DVR, recording interface and monitor. If the power goes down, the whole house starts going "beep beep beep"! I have a Ryobi LED flashlight with several of those big Lithium 4aH batteries, and about 5 or 6 of the little LED flashlights scattered around the house that I got at Harbor Freight for about a buck apiece. I've also got an old oil lamp that I can fire up to go "old school".

I also have a half dozen of those phone battery backups, so my phone won't go dead for days. In a pinch, I can charge it up from the battery in my car.

I have a 3500W generator in the garage, but it hasn't been needed for 8 or 10 years, so it probably would need major work fire it up.
 
I am very surprised Rob that a man of your 'Kal i ber' does not have a UPS at least keeping the main PC and drives going?
Of course a lot of people here will be using a laptop for music work and obviously should have at least an hour's grace but in the panic that ensures when plunged into a DBO can make one forget to back things up. This laptop for instance is virtually useless in the dark because I cannot read the keys. Mind you, peeps with better minces than mine might be OK.

As well as keeping vital systems going don't forget a small lamp so you can see WTF you are doing. Learned that years ago on a theatre 'Pan' deck!

Now going to look how much 'maintained' bulkhead lights are.

Dave.
 
I've even got a UPS sitting in the theatre, unused. Power came back middle of the afternoon when they repaired the damage. I even got messages from my alarm, telling me the system was working on battery backup. I really need to look into this don't I? I just never even thought about it before.
 
I have a couple of decent battery/UPS between me and the world. Gives me about 5 minutes to do a graceful shut down
 
I am very fortunate because the electric lines where I live are underground so power outages are very rare. I do have a generator and emergency lights but have never used them. We have those as well as a backup food supply, water and other supplies in the event something very bad happens.
 
markmann said:
I am very fortunate because the electric lines where I live are underground so power outages are very rare. I do have a generator and emergency lights but have never used them. We have those as well as a backup food supply, water and other supplies in the event something very bad happens.
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And an AR15?

Dave.
 
How I wish that our Electric Lines were all Underground! I've got it even worse as none of the Electric is Underground, and on top of that the Grid that I'm on (that most of the neighborhood itself isn't on...) is the same Electric Grid for the Shoreline, which gets slammed any time there is a big storm, which is more and more these days. I need a generator. Love the fact that I have 1,000 UPS Backup units in the house... BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP... but those don't last very long.
 
From the start of having a home recording + graphic design service, always have had UPS battery power / insurance / peace of mind. I am in the Pacific NW, Seattle area where high-wind storms are the norm annually. Saved me several times. Very inexpensive for giving 45 minutes to wrap up current project and turn off gear. The line conditioner built into these UPS are important as "brown-outs" can be harmful to your electronics. Cheers!
 
Mains power outages are extremely rare here and even when they do happen they are almost never more than 30mins, often under a minute. So, since I have no commercial reason to save work I have never bothered to get a UPS (serviced a couple). BUT! A year or so ago BT changed us to a digital, VOIP service and that means if my power goes out I loose my router AND landline telephone. I have experimented with powering the router from a car battery and that works but I don't know if the green cabinet 50mtrs from the street relies on local juice? If so I am *****D!

Dave.
 
When our cable company began offering VOIP phone service, one concern was that if power to the amplifiers along the grid was interrupted, you lost the ability to make phone calls. This was deemed a serious issue as 911/emergency services wouldn't be available.

In response, the cable company installed multiple generators, powered by natural gas at various points to provide power in case of an outage. It has worked, as I lost power for a short time last year but because I had my phone modem on UPS, the cable phone worked and I had internet for my laptop for at least an hour until power was restored.

It's not quite as critical these days as it was 20 yrs ago when the system was built thanks to cellular phones being standard. I know many who don't even have landlines today.
 
"It's not quite as critical these days as it was 20 yrs ago when the system was built thanks to cellular phones being standard."
Now jus a cotton pickin minute there Rich! There is a tall G5 mast not 400mtrs from my house and aside it a cabinet. If the local power goes out I assume that dies as well and with it mobile phone coverage? Plus the fact that modern phone batteries barely last a day, less if it is your only means of communication. My little Nokia 201 gives me nearly a week!

Like much done here after privatization, the systems don't seem to have been thought through terribly well in the event of a major power failure?

Dave.
 
It's easy enough to put a standby generator on the cell towers. Critical for emergency services! If they required it for cable VOIP, then they should require it for cellular.
 
Sadly, backup is extremely limited in duration. With everyone soon being connected via the internet, a power cut will prevent people calling 999, as as soon as the power goes, so do the voice circuits and cellular coverage is being improved by making cells smaller and having more - so generators won't work that well. The small sites can go from 6-48 hours on their batteries. That might not be enough.
 
rob aylestone said:
Sadly, backup is extremely limited in duration. With everyone soon being connected via the internet, a power cut will prevent people calling 999, as as soon as the power goes, so do the voice circuits and cellular coverage is being improved by making cells smaller and having more - so generators won't work that well. The small sites can go from 6-48 hours on their batteries. That might not be enough.
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I don't want to give anyone any ideas but substations seem vulnerable targets and we have a couple of Big Mothers near us! I don't have the kWhr numbers but it seems to me that if you have a furking great phone tower you could attach a windmill and some solar panels to keep some deep cycle batteries charged?

I have 3 12V security lights around my house (well, two for security and one to light the night time animals I video) At least 75% of the power comes from 3 cheap solar panels.

Dave.
 
The backup generators that the cable system put in run off natural gas, just like many home generator systems. As long as the gas company is pumping gas through the pipes, the backup system will keep the system up and running.

In almost 40 years of living in this house, I've never had the natural gas stop. I have power outages for up to 2 days. However, I know people who have had power go out for 4 and 5 days in the past 2 years.
 
TalismanRich said:
The backup generators that the cable system put in run off natural gas, just like many home generator systems. As long as the gas company is pumping gas through the pipes, the backup system will keep the system up and running.

In almost 40 years of living in this house, I've never had the natural gas stop. I have power outages for up to 2 days. However, I know people who have had power go out for 4 and 5 days in the past 2 years.
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I don't think they can shut gas off at source safely? Are the generators actual gas engines or fuel cells? The former would be rather noisy but both produce CO2 and we really shouldn't be doing that.

Dave.
 
All natural gas lines in the US are underground, just like water. Power (and phone and cable) in older neighborhoods is above ground poles. Newer neighborhoods have gone to underground utilities.

I'm pretty sure it's natural gas/propane fired motor. As for generating CO2, for emergency purpose, kicking into gear every year or two for a few hours or days, I think the carbon footprint would be minimal. It doesn't run all the time. They pull power from the grid, just like you and I.

I know of 2 people who have installed Generac home generators. They were costly, at about $7-8000 installed, but they don't worry about power outages. No lost food, frozen pipes or flooded basements from dead sump pumps. No fear of ice storms in January. If you have the money, it's peace of mind.

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