I picked up a Tripp-Lite battery backup today that was fairly cheap from Costco. Figured I'd hook it up to my return pump. Even though I have a check valve on it, I'm thinking why not be better safe than sorry. Even if it only lasts for a little bit, it could save me from flooding during a short power outages. I also have an AC Jr. controlling everything. So, I'm thinking I would plug the battery backup into the DC8 and then plug just the return pump into the battery backup. Anyone else doing this sort of thing? Is there a better way for me to hook it up?
Battery Backup
- Thread starter DrGonzo
- Start date
- Location
- Englewood NJ
id take it off the return pump and drill holes in the return line just below the waterline to stop the siphon.
id use the battery back up to hook up any powerheads that you may have in the tank. i have mine hooked up only to 1 of the 4 tunzes i have. it last a fairly long time with just the small load of 8 watts on it. the return pump has a lot of wattage draw and the back up really would last long at all... a half hour or a bit more if your lucky
id use the battery back up to hook up any powerheads that you may have in the tank. i have mine hooked up only to 1 of the 4 tunzes i have. it last a fairly long time with just the small load of 8 watts on it. the return pump has a lot of wattage draw and the back up really would last long at all... a half hour or a bit more if your lucky
Last edited:
I'm sorry, but wouldn't water spray out of the holes?
no they are underwater until the water level drops below them (in a power outage). Once exposed to air they stop the tank from draining to the sump
I have multiple battery backups, including a Tripp-Lite. Check that the pump can be run by it first. When my backup goes into "battery mode", everything runs fine EXCEPT my main pump. The main pump will not run on the backup. I think it has to do with the way the backup inverts DC battery power back to AC power. My lights, MP20, etc. work fine, but no main pump.
Back to your question. I also have an ACJr. My plan, which I have yet to execute, is to build a relay box. The relays would CUT the power to things like my lighting (or what ever else is not considered necessary) when the power goes out, to help better preserve battery power. That way you could still power the ACJr and DC8 directly off of the backup and everything would run as normal.
With your design, if you try to turn the main pump of via the ACJr, the battery backup would kick in, requiring you to manually turn off the backup power.
Either way, what is your setup that you would flood with an outage? Can your sump not take the back flow or are you using a siphon overflow?
Back to your question. I also have an ACJr. My plan, which I have yet to execute, is to build a relay box. The relays would CUT the power to things like my lighting (or what ever else is not considered necessary) when the power goes out, to help better preserve battery power. That way you could still power the ACJr and DC8 directly off of the backup and everything would run as normal.
With your design, if you try to turn the main pump of via the ACJr, the battery backup would kick in, requiring you to manually turn off the backup power.
Either way, what is your setup that you would flood with an outage? Can your sump not take the back flow or are you using a siphon overflow?
- Location
- New Jersey
how much is a battery backup ( a small one)?
- Location
- Englewood NJ
no. you would only be drilling a very fine whole.
They range greatly in price.
I actually got a few for free. They just needed new batteries.
You can also get broken ones and use them as an exchange. Most UPS companies (including APC) have exchange programs. They will give you a discount on a new one with the trade in of your old one (even if it is from a competing brand). I would call first and confirm this before you go out and buy a broken UPS.
I totally screwed up when I first setup my tank. I drilled two holes in the back of tank about a foot below the water level for return lines. So I don't think drilling the small holes will work for me. I've been paying for that error ever since. The check valve has about a 50% success rate.
The backup I got has a capacity of 1000VA/500W. I got if for $100. The good thing about Costco is they'll take it back if anything happens to it.
I'm ok with having to shut off the backup in order to turn the return pump off.
The backup I got has a capacity of 1000VA/500W. I got if for $100. The good thing about Costco is they'll take it back if anything happens to it.
I'm ok with having to shut off the backup in order to turn the return pump off.
Its crazy how things work out sometimes. So after hooking up the battery back up this week, guess what? A transformer blew up my block and we lost power for about half a hour while I was gone. And the backup did it's job wonderfully.
Great job!
- Location
- yonkers ny
i would get a bigger sump to stop leakages
- Location
- Huntington, Long Island
What size ups would be reccomended for a 180g system?
Can't really fit much bigger. Mine is about 30 gallons.
Sponsor Reefs
We're a FREE website, and we exist because of hobbyists like YOU who help us run this community.
Click here to sponsor $10:
