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Member since 9/4/08
Posts: 1
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Posted on: 10/22/11 10:49 AM ET
I have a Babylock Ellisimo currently on a serge protector. So far I've been a coward and not tried any embroidery yet. The thought occurs to me that when I do if the power were to go out or burp I would have a problem if I were mid design. I'm looking at APC battery backups and am getting confused as to what I need. Any thoughts?
  
Member since 3/16/07
Posts: 888
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Posted on: 10/22/11 11:45 AM ET
In reply to quilting ferrets
I don't know much about machine embroidery, but maybe I can get you started on the battery backup. A battery backup will take the place of your surge protector, and is probably a good idea. It will also protect your machine and project from momentary blips in the power (like, that make the lights or tv flicker or dim).

They come in different capacities, and you could figure out how long your machine will run on a given one fairly easily. I would suggest that you instead plan to rely on the battery as little as possible. The rated capacity of the battery is only good when it's new. Over time, it will run your machine for a shorter and shorter period of time. The only real way to find out how long it will run for is to run until the battery (and your machine) dies. Also, the power being consumed isn't constant, so the battery will last longer doing some things than others.

Instead, I'd plan to plug nothing into the battery supported side of the unit (the outlets are marked) except your embroidery machine. You might even want to get some of those plastic outlet blockers so you won't forget and plug a light in. When the power goes out, I'd pause the machine. I assume they're a way for you to pause the embroidery and start it later (right?) . I wouldn't plan on getting more than a few minutes out of the battery backup, to be on the safe side.
  
Member since 12/3/06
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Posted on: 10/22/11 12:03 PM ET
In reply to quilting ferrets
I have all my machines, computer, printer and iron on serger protectors.

No back-up is needed and if you do decide to do this you need to make sure it is the correct voltage and has no "burps" in continuity or you could damage the machine. This could also invalidate your warranty.

Go ahead and try your machine. Get out some old shirts or scraps of fabric and make samples using one of the built-in designs.

Before going very far, stop the machine and turn it off. Turn it back on and you will be asked if you want to continue with the design that was in process.

Another time when the stitching is interrupted could be when you have a break in the thread, you can back up the stitching to a few before the break and resume stitching.

You really need to go through your instruction book, or ask your dealer for lessons.

You can also present your question directly to BL by going to their website.
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OLD CHINESE PROVERB: I HEAR & I FORGET; I SEE & I REMEMBER; I DO & I UNDERSTAND.
  
Member since 4/1/08
Posts: 16111
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Posted on: 10/22/11 3:29 PM ET
In reply to quilting ferrets
My Bernina embroidery machine is on a battery backup system. Our entertainment system is also and we're looking at doing it for one or two other areas of concern.

I don't intend to really embroider if the power blips, just want to have enough time to get to the embroidery machine and turn it off. And, I am still a big believer in unplugging.

My son, a software engineer and architect, recommended this. This has been discussed on PR before, some adamant about using them and some adamantly opposed. Checking around online, I found that there are some shops that set their sewing classrooms up with the battery backup protection.

We experience a lot of power blips and a fair amount of short outages, seven blips just last Wednesday when I was trying to fix dinner. And now they have started installing smart meters in our neighborhood. I've read, and seen on the news, nightmare stories about smart meter related problems destroying tvs and other major appliances.

I'm sticking with the battery backup. It was great fun for my husband to be able to finish watching a movie during a bad storm. With the countdown timer we were able to be sure to turn everything off normally before the battery ran out. We feel extra comfortable knowing that if a hurricane blows our way that we can use the battery time to charge our phones, etc.

Checking directly with the machine manufacturer is a great idea. If there is any written correspondence, it worth be worth printing off their recommendations and keeping it in your machine file.

-- Edited on 10/22/11 3:31 PM --
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and nurtured by The Master Gardener.
  
Member since 12/3/06
Posts: 10072
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Posted on: 10/23/11 1:41 PM ET
In reply to a7yrstitch
Quote: a7yrstitch


I don't intend to really embroider if the power blips, just want to have enough time to get to the embroidery machine and turn it off. And, I am still a big believer in unplugging.




Number #1 NO-NO! Never leave the embroidery machine as it is running.

If anything is going to go wrong, this is when it will happen.

A jam can break the needle, damage the bobbin case and/or negatively affect the timing.

The needle can be replaced, but a new bobbin case and having the timing reset can be costly.
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OLD CHINESE PROVERB: I HEAR & I FORGET; I SEE & I REMEMBER; I DO & I UNDERSTAND.
  
Member since 2/9/04
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Posted on: 10/23/11 6:09 PM ET
In reply to quilting ferrets
I highly encourage you to buy a backup power supply for your machine, if you are going to do machine embroidery. I bought a UPS (uninterrupted power supply) very similar to this one at Best Buy. It gives me surge protection and has the backup battery. Both features are very important if you're going to do machine embroidery. A power surge or brown-out can mess up a machine enough that the machine will all of a sudden go nuts and the design stitchout will go wonky. A power outage will do worse, because your machine stops and you have no screen to know at which stitch the thing stopped, so when power is restored . . . good luck figuring it out, unless you have a machine that will remember where you stopped when the power goes out.




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Member since 4/1/08
Posts: 16111
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Posted on: 10/23/11 6:21 PM ET
In reply to PattiAnnJ
Thank you PattiAnnJ,

I will do exactly as you have instructed. No point in turning into

Thank you very much.
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Each fallen petal reveals a life pollinated by a colony
and nurtured by The Master Gardener.
  
Member since 12/15/02
Posts: 8690
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Posted on: 10/24/11 10:05 AM ET
In reply to quilting ferrets
It's extra protection but do you really need it? Most power surges come from lighting strikes and are you going to be embroidering while it's thunderstorm/lightning outside? Probably not. Power surge protector yes. And if the power goes out I'm a lot more worried about my sump pump, refrigeration and heat or a/c depending on season then my sewing machine not being able to finish a design.
  
Member since 5/8/12
Posts: 1
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Posted on: 5/10/12 9:11 AM ET
In reply to quilting ferrets
Go ahead! I also recommend you to buy a backup power supply for your machine, So, that you will not get any problem if the power goes off.


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