Help With Battery Backup Design

[Adamc13o3]

I am looking at a few different battery backup options to purchase. Id like to ideally run my entire tank in a power out (I could skimp on the lights). Below is what my tank pulls at peak hours without the chiller turning on (my heaters barely ever turn on as I live in Florida). My chiller is 1/4 HP JBJ Arctica chiller. I was looking at this unit on amazon and curious as to how long it can run the tank or continuously.

EF ECOFLOW Portable Power Station DELTA 2, 1024Wh LiFePO4 (LFP) Battery​

Thanks,

Adam

 

[Jekyl]

Have you considered a portable generator instead? Battery back ups are usually only good for a few hours time. For $800 and a trip to harbor freight my entire home is safe rather than heaters for a few hours.

 

[Adamc13o3]

I did and I plan on getting a whole home natural gas generator. I wouldn't know how to connect my entire house to a portable whole home generator, plus my understanding is that they need maintenance often and I am not crazy about the gas part either. I like the idea of basically having a very large version of an ecotech or icecap battery backup for my entire tank that just stays plugged in and charged all the time and kicks in if and when needed.

 

[tzabor10]

Have you considered a portable generator instead? Battery back ups are usually only good for a few hours time. For $800 and a trip to harbor freight my entire home is safe rather than heaters for a few hours.

Cummins has a very nice generator that can help as well. But I use the EcoTech batteries for my tanks

 

[19Mateo83]

I am looking at a few different battery backup options to purchase. Id like to ideally run my entire tank in a power out (I could skimp on the lights). Below is what my tank pulls at peak hours without the chiller turning on (my heaters barely ever turn on as I live in Florida). My chiller is 1/4 HP JBJ Arctica chiller. I was looking at this unit on amazon and curious as to how long it can run the tank or continuously.

EF ECOFLOW Portable Power Station DELTA 2, 1024Wh LiFePO4 (LFP) Battery​

Thanks,

Adam

I just bought this one, it’s only 512watt hours but it acts as an ups backup. I’m only planning on running a 5 watt circulation pump on it so it should last at least 36 hours, which is all I really need. plus it’s only $260 right now

Amazon.com

 

[theatrus]

I am looking at a few different battery backup options to purchase. Id like to ideally run my entire tank in a power out (I could skimp on the lights). Below is what my tank pulls at peak hours without the chiller turning on (my heaters barely ever turn on as I live in Florida). My chiller is 1/4 HP JBJ Arctica chiller. I was looking at this unit on amazon and curious as to how long it can run the tank or continuously.

EF ECOFLOW Portable Power Station DELTA 2, 1024Wh LiFePO4 (LFP) Battery​

Thanks,

Adam

Based on the power figures here, at most two to two and a half hours (1024Wh / 320W * 0.8) . Thats without any heaters or chiller running.

1KWh is good, but its not a lot. You'd want to load shed (no lights for sure) in a power out situation, and DC pumps can go a lot longer on a properly sized battery especially if they have a slow down on battery function (e.g. the VorTechs)

 

[MikeTheNewbie]

Until recently I was using a computer UPS but I switched to a Delta 2.
1) I think you have many devices that are not essential in an outage. If you connect the external power to the apex and the power backup to the EB832, it can sense when power goes out while staying powered by the EB832.
I would add the following code to all non essentials so they turn off when power is out:
If Power Apex Off 000 Then OFF
E.g gyres, UV, ozone, skimmer.

My delta shows over 24 hours when I keep the essentials but if I kept the heaters it would go down to 1h.

I also tried to power the Apex from the Delta 2 12v DC port using a boost converter to 24v connected to a COR20 but I failed. I think the COR20 controller outputs less than 24v over the "aquabus" USB port.

 

[theatrus]

Until recently I was using a computer UPS but I switched to a Delta 2.
1) I think you have many devices that are not essential in an outage. If you connect the external power to the apex and the power backup to the EB832, it can sense when power goes out while staying powered by the EB832.
I would add the following code to all non essentials so they turn off when power is out:
If Power Apex Off 000 Then OFF
E.g gyres, UV, ozone, skimmer.

My delta shows over 24 hours when I keep the essentials but if I kept the heaters it would go down to 1h.

I also tried to power the Apex from the Delta 2 12v DC port using a boost converter to 24v connected to a COR20 but I failed. I think the COR20 controller outputs less than 24v over the "aquabus" USB port.

The “USB” Aquabus is a 12V bus. The Microfit 4 pin connector (“1Link”) is 24V.

 

[MikeTheNewbie]

The “USB” Aquabus is a 12V bus. The Microfit 4 pin connector (“1Link”) is 24V.

Good catch, I wish I could edit my post to avoid anyone trying 24v over aquabus :S I meant I tried powering the COR20 24v over the barrel connector but the controller doesn't output 12v over the aquabus USB port.

 

[theatrus]

Good catch, I wish I could edit my post to avoid anyone trying 24v over aquabus :S I meant I tried powering the COR20 24v over the barrel connector but the controller doesn't output 12v over the aquabus USB port.

Yeah, I think most of the Apex modules which are dual-powered have blocking diodes on the aquabus side so it doesn't end up reverse powering the logic bus. Makes sense to try though