Device to tell me if my power goes out

Freed

Freed

It's what it's
Hey there everyone. I am at work tonight, as I am every night, and a large thunderstorm swept by earlier this evening. I work 13 miles from home and don't have anyone there to let me know if my power has gone out as I am single. If you read my signature at the bottom of this post you will see what I have in the way of aquariums. I don't have an active phone service as I only have my cell phone so I had my home phone turned off last year. Well, the home phone was the only way that I was able to tell if my power was on or had gone out in a storm. I don't have that anymore and have no way of knowing if the power goes out and if I need to go home on any given night if there is a storm so I can go home and start the generator and plug my tanks in or not. My question is, is there anything I can do or plug in that will alert me at work? Obviously I can't call the home phone anymore so I need some other way of being able to be notified if the power is out and/or comes back on. Anyone have any ideas? Something I can hook up to my computer at home that won't cost an arm or a leg? Of course if the power goes out so does the computer. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks, Jeff
 
A UPS might be the way to go. I had one that would run a television for 2 hrs, about 40 watts. You could even rig it so that if it kicks on it starts a bubbler in the main tank. Just keep it in there all during the spring.

One that will work when you're sleeping is a backup flashlight from RadioShack: power goes out in your house, it comes on in your bedroom.

While you're away, the UPS is the only thing I can think of, that and an agreement with a well-disposed neighbor to call you if there's a power outage.

In the lightning belt you don't want to leave your computer plugged in. But you might call your phone company and ask if there's an advisory service, and if you have any doubt about power in town, you might just phone the power company: there's usually a robotic list of currently working power outages.
 
Thanks for the link. I know all about UPS and generators and such but my deal is that I can leave work any time I want if I need to go home so I can start my generator so I am in need of some type of notification system to alert me to a power interruption. Thanks for all the info so far.
 
There are plenty of devices to send an alarm when power is off but most work via the phone line, the ones that do it via router or network will cost you around $500.00 and for less money you can get a net camara qhich may serve the same function.
Alternatively a cheap way (not very reiable though)will be if your computer is permanently connected to the internet and your ISP does not change your IP address often, you can install IIS server on your computer and you shall be able to acces it via internet, if you can't you can assume power is off.
More practical, call your neighbour :D
 
Just host your own website on your machine at home.

I have an internet webcam that I can see from work.

If you cant connect, chances are that your power is out.

Cost ~$250

Linksys WVC54G

Stu
 
this is kind of nuts, but it might work.

you might be able to set up an old computer on a UPS to turn on when the power goes off. In the start-up directory you could place a macro that would send you an e-mail to your phone.

kind of nuts, and it's probably pretty expensive to have your router and a spare computer on a UPS. Hmmm, technically.. if the power is out to your house I bet the cable companies internet routers would be out too... nevermind!

hmmmmmm
maybe you could set up a computer at work to constantly ping your home computer ip address. I bet you could find some type of notification message alert thing that would tell you if that IP was unreachable.
 
Check into the X-10 modules. They were originally developed in the 80's to control household lights, appliances, etc. from your computer. You can even get it to dial you up in the event of a power failure on your system (fishtank).
An X-10 system can be set-up for less than the $500 someone else suggested here.
I'm not sure about all the details but do a little research and you'll find exactly what your looking for :).
 
Put your PC at home on an instant message program, and leave yourself online when you go to work. If you go offline an see it from work you know you have either lost power or net access.
 
THAT is a good idea. Do you know of an instant message program that I could use for that? I don't know how to instant message or how to sign up for it. Thanks, Jeff
 
Well the 2 most popular are probably AOL instant messenger or Yahoo instant messenger. Both are free, and are really simple to setup.

Download.com has both

Yahoo messenger

AOL instant messenger

I prefer to use yahoo myself. Either prog should walk you through setting up an account. You will need to setup a different account at work using the same instant messenger so you can still see if the other is online. Hardest part for either is probably going to be thinking of 2 account names that aren't taken.

If you have problems setting it up don't be afraid to ask...
 
I have comcast cable so it's not billed by the minute and the computer is always on anyways when I leave the house because since it was brand new it won't go to standby or hibernate. It always comes back on right away when it does. I need to take it in and get it fixed.
 
Several good suggestions above with trying to contact a service running on your computer. If you get through, then it's alive, if not, then it just might be dead.

In the automation world this would loosely parallel a watchdog or a heartbeat. One side keeps trying to ping the other to let it know everything is cool. If you run those IM services above and set them to notify when contact is onine, then you'll know that part at least.

But will that same notification let you know when they go offline? That's what you definitely want...
 
SENSAPHONE 1104
Moniters temp, flow, and others, made for calling you if the power if off or so other set able function is out. Mostly used by aquaculture operations, chicken farms, etc.
$350
 
Andy beat me to it! I have used them before.. invaluable if you have a lot of stock that needs delicate care (babies!) or a lot of money wrapped into the project. We used them for a zebrafish facility where the backup generators didnt always kick the circulating pumps back on.

>Sarah
 
Do you have a monitored home security system such as ATD or somthing similair?
You could set it up with them to page you or call you if the power goes out I am sure.
 
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