Battery Backup for Jabeo Return and EFlux Wavemakers

[ReefWithCare]

Hi There,

Is there a battery backup solution that turns on automatically when the power goes off that would work with a Jabeo DCT-12000 and EFlex wavemaker pumps?

I looked into the IceCap backup, but I heard you need the CoralVue controller for it to automatically turn on.

I have had power outages in the past and they almost always happen when I'm asleep so I really need a solution that turns on automatically. I was going to use a sealed car battery, but since they can't turn on automatically and don't fit safely in my cabinet they are out.

Thanks,

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

I don't know if there are any off-the-shelf options, but if there are, unfortunately I don't have any experience with them.

I'm working on a DIY option. You basically just need a DPDT 24 VDC relay. You wire the Jebao power supply to the coil and to NO, you wire the battery input to NC, and you wire the pump's output to COM. When the power is on, the relay will open and the Jebao power supply will flow from NO to COM. When the power fails, the relay will close and battery power will flow from NC to COM. When the power comes back on, power flows from the power supply again. I plan to write up a guide when I have the finished product, but you'll need a bit of experience to build one.

 

[Mark Bianco]

I don't know if there are any off-the-shelf options, but if there are, unfortunately I don't have any experience with them.

I'm working on a DIY option. You basically just need a DPDT 24 VDC relay. You wire the Jebao power supply to the coil and to NO, you wire the battery input to NC, and you wire the pump's output to COM. When the power is on, the relay will open and the Jebao power supply will flow from NO to COM. When the power fails, the relay will close and battery power will flow from NC to COM. When the power comes back on, power flows from the power supply again. I plan to write up a guide when I have the finished product, but you'll need a bit of experience to build one.

I am not trying to burst your bubble just trying to give you a little advise. Your idea sounds nice and in theory it will work. However there is one thing you will want to change instead of using a DPDT relay you will need to use a time delay DPDT relay. Allow me to explain, Have you ever taken a slot car motor off spun it to produce a current and voltage for like a light just experimenting? A permanent magnet DC motor is basically a generator if spinning it will produce a power source. Now we feed that source back into the pumps / controllers electronics and it could be not such a nice thing. I would even go as far as to isolate the commons as well with more contacts. This is just my opinion from working with electronics and machinery. Some others might have a different opinion. As stated your logic is good you just IMO need to add to the circuit.

HTH

Mark

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

A permanent magnet DC motor is basically a generator if spinning it will produce a power source. Now we feed that source back into the pumps / controllers electronics and it could be not such a nice thing.

I have played with DC motors and know they can generate current when spinning if no current is applied. It sounds like you mean to say that the rotation of a DC aquarium pump spinning down on power failure will backfeed current into the pump controller and damage it. If this is true, this would occur whenever you unplugged the pump, not just when it fails over to battery backup. I'm no electrical engineer, but this does not sound likely. Perhaps @Brew12 can clarify.

For what it's worth, with my current battery backup system, the relay closes so quickly on power failure that none of the equipment even shuts off. The controllers all stay on and don't even register that there's been a changeover in power sources.

 

[Mark Bianco]

My mistake I thought you were suppling battery power direct to the motor / pump itself (not thru the controller) I apologize. You are correct when the controller is energized it closes some type of SCR / Triac then when off it opens it. Where the problem is when the power comes back on the SCR / Triac closes and you put a source back into the SCR / Triac output that's when problems arise. Granted most of the better pumps / controllers have circuitry to mitigate this like diodes and such.

Once again I apologize my intent was not to upset only offer help.

Mark

 

[ReefWithCare]

My mistake I thought you were suppling battery power direct to the motor / pump itself (not thru the controller) I apologize. You are correct when the controller is energized it closes some type of SCR relay then when off it opens it. Where the problem is when the power comes back on the SCR closes and you put a source back into the SCR's output that's when problems arise. Granted most of the better pumps / controllers have circuitry to mitigate this like diodes and such.

Once again I apologize my intent was not to upset only offer help.

Mark

I’m totally confused — I just want a battery backup that turns on when the power goes out [emoji29]

 

[Fritzhamer]

Hi There,

Is there a battery backup solution that turns on automatically when the power goes off that would work with a Jabeo DCT-12000 and EFlex wavemaker pumps?

I looked into the IceCap backup, but I heard you need the CoralVue controller for it to automatically turn on.

I have had power outages in the past and they almost always happen when I'm asleep so I really need a solution that turns on automatically. I was going to use a sealed car battery, but since they can't turn on automatically and don't fit safely in my cabinet they are out.

Thanks,

The icecap battery backup is the Jebao battery backup with an icecap sticker on it (literally). It will work with a Jebao return and most any dc pump. It comes with adapters for virtually any dc pump manufacturer. I use mine with Tunze pumps.

 

[Brew12]

Perhaps @Brew12 can clarify.

Thanks for the invite!

It really is an interesting question, even if it is no longer a concern. There is no doubt that when an AC or DC pump is turned off that the momentum will cause them to turn into a generator.
I would not suspect that this would cause any damage even if it bypassed the controller (which it can't, because the controller needs to convert the DC to AC for the motor). There is enough residual magnetism in the stator that these pumps stop almost immediately. Even if this residual magnetism didn't stop the pump the CEMF from voltage generated in the stator would cause the rotor to quickly stop.

I can't say for sure that it wouldn't cause damage in this theoretical example, but I suspect it would not.

 

[tbaity1401]

Coral box also makes one that will work with a dct i believe

 

[ReefWithCare]

Coral box also makes one that will work with a dct i believe

Will any of these turn on automatically for my pumps if the power goes out? I heard you need a special controller for that to happen.

90% of the power outages I have experience have been late at night when I’m asleep.

 

[tbaity1401]

Will any of these turn on automatically for my pumps if the power goes out? I heard you need a special controller for that to happen.

90% of the power outages I have experience have been late at night when I’m asleep.

That i don't know but would seem counter intuitive to a battery backup. Salwateraquarium.com also sells them and under the feature list it says
"Auto Switch the Power Cell if the no electricity"

I dont have any experience with these. Just been doing some equipment research for a future build and thought i would mention