Is your VorTech battery backup warm to the touch?

[Wiskey]

Hello all! This one is quick, is your VorTech battery backup warm to the touch? I’m talking about the white box itself. Mine is noticeably above room temperature, like probably 90 degrees, and the charger that’s plugged into it is showing red like charging most of the time now when I used to see mostly green.

im concerned that the batteries inside might be at the end of their life. They only last a couple years, and I got it used, and free with the MP-60’s I bought, so I don’t know it’s history.

Thank you!
Whiskey

 

[jsker]

I am not an electrician, sounds like you should disconnect the back up until you get a solid answer.

 

[Wiskey]

I am not an electrician, sounds like you should disconnect the back up until you get a solid answer.

That’s a great point, I did disconnect the charger from it a couple days ago because I wasn’t sure if this is normal.

 

[john90009]

Mine is not warm to the touch, my radion power supplies are warmer then it.

 

[Rennurdoar]

Hello all! This one is quick, is your VorTech battery backup warm to the touch? I’m talking about the white box itself. Mine is noticeably above room temperature, like probably 90 degrees, and the charger that’s plugged into it is showing red like charging most of the time now when I used to see mostly green.

im concerned that the batteries inside might be at the end of their life. They only last a couple years, and I got it used, and free with the MP-60’s I bought, so I don’t know it’s history.

Thank you!
Whiskey

I did some quick research. It looks like the battery that is inside the Vortech are the WP18-12I and have an expected lifespan of 3-5 years. If it's constantly trying to charge the batteries and getting warm. I'd say it's a good indication that the batteries are shot.

Battery Spec Sheet

You can probably get the battery replaced a lot cheaper than buying a new backup. (if you do it yourself)

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello all! This one is quick, is your VorTech battery backup warm to the touch? I’m talking about the white box itself. Mine is noticeably above room temperature, like probably 90 degrees, and the charger that’s plugged into it is showing red like charging most of the time now when I used to see mostly green.

im concerned that the batteries inside might be at the end of their life. They only last a couple years, and I got it used, and free with the MP-60’s I bought, so I don’t know it’s history.

Thank you!
Whiskey

How old are the cells- May be approaching life and working harder to obtain a charge

 

[jsker]

I went and looked also, Nada

I can find a few threads on how to rebuild the Vortech Battery backups.

Has any one called Vortech directly?

 

[findingsimple]

> the charger that’s plugged into it is showing red like charging most of the time

The Ecotech battery backup?

I feel like it’s a weird setup - mine is green when no pumps or wave makers are plugged in and then when I plug in a device/vectra (with the correct booster) it goes to showing red and never goes green / gets to full charge until nothing is connected.

 

[ca1ore]

The charging block is essentially a trickle charger. Mine is red when the battery is charging, green when the battery is fully charged. You should do the battery test with your vortech to see whether the battery is still good. I recently replaced the battery in mine and it is cool to the touch.

This is what one of mine looked like when I broke into the case.

 

[exnisstech]

The charging block is essentially a trickle charger. Mine is red when the battery is charging, green when the battery is fully charged. You should do the battery test with your vortech to see whether the battery is still good. I recently replaced the battery in mine and it is cool to the touch.

This is what one of mine looked like when I broke into the case.

View attachment 3114420

Looks like a motorcycle battery. For the cost (googled it) I would just replace it if I were the OP. It's normal for a battery to get warm when charging but not normal for a battery backup needing to be continously charged. My experience is with pc ups units tho so maybe the ecotech is different but probably not

 

[Wiskey]

Mine is not warm to the touch, my radion power supplies are warmer then it.

Yeah,.. Mine is probably on par with my Hydra 32 supplies to the touch.

Whiskey

 

[Wiskey]

I did some quick research. It looks like the battery that is inside the Vortech are the WP18-12I and have an expected lifespan of 3-5 years. If it's constantly trying to charge the batteries and getting warm. I'd say it's a good indication that the batteries are shot.

Battery Spec Sheet

You can probably get the battery replaced a lot cheaper than buying a new backup. (if you do it yourself)

Thanks for the Spec sheet! That's super helpful. Yeah, it looks like a new battery is about $40 on Amazon. I might just replace it to know it's good if nothing else.

Whiskey

 

[Wiskey]

> the charger that’s plugged into it is showing red like charging most of the time

The Ecotech battery backup?

I feel like it’s a weird setup - mine is green when no pumps or wave makers are plugged in and then when I plug in a device/vectra (with the correct booster) it goes to showing red and never goes green / gets to full charge until nothing is connected.

Oh!! Maybe I just didn't understand how it works then. When I got it there were a few months before I was able to actually use it so I just left it plugged in with no pumps attached to make sure it didn't discharge and fail. Maybe it's supposed to be red if pumps are attached.

Whiskey

 

[Wiskey]

The charging block is essentially a trickle charger. Mine is red when the battery is charging, green when the battery is fully charged. You should do the battery test with your vortech to see whether the battery is still good. I recently replaced the battery in mine and it is cool to the touch.

This is what one of mine looked like when I broke into the case.

View attachment 3114420

It does run the pumps, but I'm not sure how long it will last, or how long it should last. Looks like yours failed in a particularly bizarre way!

Whiskey

 

[ca1ore]

I'm suggesting you do the battery health check ......

To test your Battery Backup, please follow the steps below:

1. Remove the power cable from your VorTech/Vectra controller.
2. Remove the power cable from your Battery Backup
3. Look at your controller as it will now display how much charge is remaining.

A diode illuminated on the far right side of the controller will indicate a full charge. You will see the illuminated diode move left as the charge begins to dissipate in your Battery Backup.

That should tell you how well the battery is working. How long a full charge lasts depends upon the vortech model. Something like 30 hrs for the MP40 if memory serves.

 

[StatelineReefer]

These appear to be the same batteries you can find in an uninterruptible power supply, typical 3-7 year lifespan.

 

[Wiskey]

I'm suggesting you do the battery health check ......

To test your Battery Backup, please follow the steps below:

1. Remove the power cable from your VorTech/Vectra controller.
2. Remove the power cable from your Battery Backup
3. Look at your controller as it will now display how much charge is remaining.

A diode illuminated on the far right side of the controller will indicate a full charge. You will see the illuminated diode move left as the charge begins to dissipate in your Battery Backup.

That should tell you how well the battery is working. How long a full charge lasts depends upon the vortech model. Something like 30 hrs for the MP40 if memory serves.

OH!!!!! I had no idea that was what that meant. This is valuable info, thank you. I though that meant the pumps were turned down when power fails and they go to Battery. In that case when fully charged (or at least plugged in for days) my battery is on the second to last light. I'll double check tonight, but when I did the check to see if the battery works at all, the light moved from my normal power setting to almost all the way left.

Whiskey

 

[ca1ore]

Ok, so if the battery check shows second from left led lit then your battery is still in good shape.

 

[Wiskey]

I think we are misunderstanding each other. When I unplug it the LED starts almost all the way right, then it bounces around for about 10 seconds, rapidly dropping left until it stops one LED from the left. I let it go and the MP60 lasted about 10 min before it turned off.

No big deal, I'll have a new battery arrive this week.

Whiskey

 

[StatelineReefer]

I think we are misunderstanding each other. When I unplug it the LED starts almost all the way right, then it bounces around for about 10 seconds, rapidly dropping left until it stops one LED from the left. I let it go and the MP60 lasted about 10 min before it turned off.

No big deal, I'll have a new battery arrive this week.

Whiskey

Typical of a bad cell or two. I'd replace it too, if I were in your shoes.

There are 12v batteries meant for solar and hydroelectric storage in that form factor that are meant to last longer, but their price point doesn't justify their mass use yet.