Having got my tank to a state where I'd be upset to lose its inhabitants, I went looking for a battery backup option.
The choices I could find were:
- Purpose made, pump specific 12V DC options like the ecotech marine battery backup; $319 AUD
- More general purpose made options like the IceCap; ~$150 AUD and sold out everywhere
- A cheap UPS that gives 240V AC (120V for the USians) for about 30 mins; $120 AUD
I found this: 12V 2A Mini UPS battery backup, and bought it to try it out.
Similar items on eBay go for about $50 AUD. They're basically designed to sit after the AC adapter, charge from the mains power and automatically kick in when power cuts out. This one consists of 6x 2000mAh Li-ion batteries. They're marketed to be used for wireless routers, security cameras etc - but they suit my purposes perfectly.
Mine runs a Hygger Mini Wavemaker at full power for about 8 hours. It sits between the AC adapter and the wavemaker controller; the wires included fit perfectly. I imagine it could work with a DC return pump too; I didn't bother as I don't have backup for my heater so the return pump doesn't offer any extra benefit.
It probably isn't the most reliable piece of equipment ever built, but it's a drop-in solution that seems to do the trick.
The choices I could find were:
- Purpose made, pump specific 12V DC options like the ecotech marine battery backup; $319 AUD
- More general purpose made options like the IceCap; ~$150 AUD and sold out everywhere
- A cheap UPS that gives 240V AC (120V for the USians) for about 30 mins; $120 AUD
I found this: 12V 2A Mini UPS battery backup, and bought it to try it out.
Similar items on eBay go for about $50 AUD. They're basically designed to sit after the AC adapter, charge from the mains power and automatically kick in when power cuts out. This one consists of 6x 2000mAh Li-ion batteries. They're marketed to be used for wireless routers, security cameras etc - but they suit my purposes perfectly.
Mine runs a Hygger Mini Wavemaker at full power for about 8 hours. It sits between the AC adapter and the wavemaker controller; the wires included fit perfectly. I imagine it could work with a DC return pump too; I didn't bother as I don't have backup for my heater so the return pump doesn't offer any extra benefit.
It probably isn't the most reliable piece of equipment ever built, but it's a drop-in solution that seems to do the trick.
