Power Outage Planning

[Lostoften]

Looking for guidance for planning for the what if situation, of power outage. Currently have a RS 650 that is pretty well stocked for fish, and a RS Nano that only has a few fish in it.

Power outages aren't too frequent, but I don't feel comfortable rolling the dice with the 650 due to the number of inhabitants and cost. I have ordered a couple of D Cell battery air bubblers while I figure out the plan. However, this option requires you to be home, and will only last so long.

Are there any recommendations for UPS/battery back ups that I can plug my apex energy bars into? Assuming there is programming that could then run only certain outlets automatically when power is cut.

We don't experience frequent power outages, but Tornados did just hit the Cleveland area and several areas are without power for several days. How large of a gas generator is needed to run the two tanks, two refrigerators and a deep freezer?

Appreciate the guidance.

 

[danreef55]

I am NOT an electrician but I figured about 10KW. I ran it through chatgpt (take it with a grain of salt) here is the reply
To determine the size of the gas generator you need, you'll need to calculate the total wattage required by all the devices you want to power.

Approximate Wattage Requirements:​

• Aquarium Tanks (with all equipment): Typically, each tank might require between 500 to 1,500 watts depending on heaters, pumps, and lights.
• Refrigerators: Average around 600 to 800 watts each, with a startup surge of up to 1,200 watts.
• Deep Freezer: Average around 500 watts, with a startup surge up to 1,000 watts.

Estimation:​

• Tanks: 1,000 to 3,000 watts total
• Refrigerators: 1,200 to 2,400 watts total (including surge)
• Deep Freezer: 500 to 1,000 watts (including surge)

Totaling these estimates, you would need a generator that can handle approximately 4,000 to 6,000 watts (4 to 6 kW), considering both running and startup wattage.

A generator with a capacity of 7,500 to 10,000 watts (7.5 to 10 kW) would provide a comfortable margin and ensure you can handle all devices without overloading the generator.

 

[Lostoften]

Thanks for the response. Going down this rabbit hole further, looks like power stations in the range of at least 500w would be needed to keep the return flow going. The power draw of my reef Wave 45 is much lower then I would expect. They are running at 90%. Conversely, my return is dialed down to 55%.

 

[fushi]

Looking for guidance for planning for the what if situation, of power outage. Currently have a RS 650 that is pretty well stocked for fish, and a RS Nano that only has a few fish in it.

Power outages aren't too frequent, but I don't feel comfortable rolling the dice with the 650 due to the number of inhabitants and cost. I have ordered a couple of D Cell battery air bubblers while I figure out the plan. However, this option requires you to be home, and will only last so long.

Are there any recommendations for UPS/battery back ups that I can plug my apex energy bars into? Assuming there is programming that could then run only certain outlets automatically when power is cut.

We don't experience frequent power outages, but Tornados did just hit the Cleveland area and several areas are without power for several days. How large of a gas generator is needed to run the two tanks, two refrigerators and a deep freezer?

Appreciate the guidance.

I like the diy 24v battery directly tied to my return pump, in my opinion It’s the only necessary item for short term outages. A DC return pump is pretty efficient so you can buy a battery setup that will last 24hours for relatively cheap.

You can make an automated battery switch for less than $20 I think @telegraham has a video or instagram post on how to make one. He also posted a lot about an amazon portable power station that you make like too.

However I prefer not to use an a/c inverter just to switch back to dc again, for efficiency.

 

[telegraham]

@Lostoften I understand why you'd want to configure a backup this way, and any of the commercial "solar generators" will work, but you'll need power sensing to turn off all the non-mission critical stuff. I focus on keeping my return pump running, and that's it.

I'm using several backup devices, including an MPP Solar UPS/ATS/solar charge controller and multiple Ecoflow River 2s. As with other brands, you can connect an external battery to the River 2 to add capacity. It's not an efficient capacity add, but it works well and is very easy.

However I prefer not to use an a/c inverter just to switch back to dc again, for efficiency.

I agree, as the capacity loss can be 20-30%, but it's a great option for those who don't want to go the DC only route.

 

[Lostoften]

@telegraham Appreciate the reply, and have shifted to that thinking. Although do have some requests out for whole house system. I know the cost is definitely more, but as storms came through the area last week we have some communities without power for greater then a week expected.

 

[telegraham]

@telegraham Appreciate the reply, and have shifted to that thinking. Although do have some requests out for whole house system. I know the cost is definitely more, but as storms came through the area last week we have some communities without power for greater then a week expected.

Whole home with solar is a great option! I'm still in the intermediate battery to cover me for a bit while I connect the generator crowd.

 

[fushi]

@telegraham Appreciate the reply, and have shifted to that thinking. Although do have some requests out for whole house system. I know the cost is definitely more, but as storms came through the area last week we have some communities without power for greater then a week expected.

The hardwired Systems like generac can get expensive pretty quick, you may want to ask an electrician about the cost of installing an generator interlock and inlet on you hose panel, which will allow you to plug in a portable generator to your home. You probably wont have enough power to run you central air but for a couple grand you can get a generator that will power a few reef tanks, home lights, fridge,etc.

I installed the following on my house, it not automated, but it works great and is relatively affordable.

I do not recommend DIY, messing with your panel can be Dangerous!


However if you know how to wire a panel its fairly easy to install maybe 15-20 min.

Interlock kit. Must choose the correct style for your panel!

Inlet

Big affordable generator

Inlet Cable