DIY vortech battery backup

Matt's thread http://www.3reef.com/forums/general-reef-topics/apc-backup-ups-reef-116386.html got me thinking about this and i believe it's pretty easy to slap something together for less than half of an ecotech backup.

Researching the ecotech backup I found that it only puts out DC at 12v... Now this is easy to replicate with just a deep cell 12v battery and a simple 12v float/trickle charger! I'm sure this has been done before because it's really not that novel of an idea

Now I'm no EE so if anyone has any insight that I may be missing, please speak up... Now in the meantime I am going to do some more research and pick up a battery.

 

it can be done, but you need to use the proper batteries.

i am sorry for linking to another forum, but there are some safety issues talked about in the linked thread that anyone planning on doing the DIy battery backup needs to know.

Battery back up for your Vortech

 

Cool Dingo and that is a nice build thread xmetal.

Other than Luisgo on my APC thread mentioning sine, I can't get anyone to spell out why you can't just use a computer UPS like the APC.

ON the r2r thread... there is this:

And yet there is this at the end of the thread:

And on my APC thread, other 3reefers are using the APC backup on their Vortech and getting good results.

So, Dingo anything from your research on this? What is this all about?

matt

 

Haven't found any "numbers" or calculations on it but I have found that energy is wasted when you go from AC to DC. Then on top if that your vortech will be running at their full 24v power as compared to their 12v on battery backup.
Vortech claims the battery backup will power one for 30 hours off of their 12v 18Ah battery pack... I crunched the numbers and it does come out to 30 hours (even longer if you have ecosmart and turn them down a bit).
So After more research I have found that you can get the exact same battery for between $30-50. Plus the price of any needed wire and a float charger. This is coming out to ballpark $70

 

Well matt, best I can do on the AC is that the current seiches polarity up to 60 times a second (hertz) and this follows a sinusoidal process. I'm thinking that the more expensive units will regulate hertz and make are it is at 50-60 hertz all the time. Although the function is also effected by other things like Amplitude, Cycles, Frequency, Peak-to-Peak, and RMS of the current. I am just thinking that the true sine UPS's have a higher "quality" of electricity put out? Maybe someone can come and confirm this...

I do know that going with the 12v vortech specific battery that I am talking about making here will hive your vortechs at least 2-3+ times more run time.

 

You won't find exact numbers, because it depends on a whole host of factors, ranging from the wattage used to the exact circuitry behind the conversion. Basically, that's why they use VA and not Watts to rate a UPS; VA converts to watts, but through a number called PF, and that depends on the aforementioned factors. Even a single UPS will have a different PF based on whether you're at 50 watts or 200 watts.

 

That is interesting Trent about the full 24v VS 12v. Thanks for info. And I think you found a good deal there.

Good details for your thread too.

So I take it there is no harm if I run Vortechs through the APC backup? - it just won't be as efficient for the Vortechs as a 12v backup. I just want a system-encompassing backup system (minus the lights). Thanks for all your help. And back to your build. I look forward to seeing it come together. (If you want - you can start a new thread with pics and rename this one - I'll highlight your new one as I am sure it will be cool. 8) )

matt

Thanks again. This helps... and I see that point about longer run time if you start with 12v DC.