Ecotech Battery Backup Life

[lavoisier]

If you haven’t seen it, there is a detailed YouTube video on drilling out the rivets and replacing the existing one (here). I’ve bought the parts but haven’t done it.

Great link, thank you. I am going to order parts today. As incentive for both of us...I'll race you to getting it up.

 

[RobberyinCSharp1824]

Sorry for the total novice question here, but I was considering getting an Ecotech battery backup for the sump I'm setting up on my 130g tank, since it's not "reef ready"/drillable, and I want a fail-safe in case of a power outage (my husband was not super thrilled to learn about this).

These reviews aren't super encouraging, since I am planning on buying the Vetra M2 return pump for my sump, and wanted the battery backup system to put us both at ease. I did see a youtube video from Marine Depot stating that you need the freaking battery backup just to run the thing, which leads me to believe that it's not going to be reliable should an outage occur. Any recommendations?

 

[TheOne]

I wouldn't try to run a return pump off of one of those small batteries. You would need a generator for that. I'm sure it would run an mp40 long enough to get you through a normal power outage.

 

[Greg P]

How did you wire it ? just copy the Ecotech or something different ?

I used the factory fused Ecotech wires to connect my MP10wQDs to the batteries.
I went to an electronics store to get adapters for between the Ecotech fused cables and the batteries. I cut the ends of the adapter cables and attached them to the batteries.
My batteries are connected with crimp connectors etc to the float charger. The new adapter wires are also connected directly to the batteries.
Because I have 2 batteries, I connected my float charger output Negative to 1 battery and the float charger output Positive to the other battery.
I have Jumper wires between both batteries. They connect Neg to Neg and point of sale to point of sale.
This allows the float charger to equally charge both batteries in a 12V scenario, and also allows my MP10s to draw only 12v.

 

[MentalNote]

Great link, thank you. I am going to order parts today. As incentive for both of us...I'll race you to getting it up.

Haha, it's a race then.

 

[Esage]

It's actually not that big. I use it with a trolling motor and it lasts all day so no problem running a small mp40w at 80% all day. I run 4 mp40w on my 6' tank and only run one at 80% for power outages.

Plus I know all about the ecotech batteries. My son owns several power wheels and I've went thru my share of them, ha.

How is this wired up?

 

[SaracensRugby]

I bought the ecotech battery backup cable and just cut the end that plugs into the ecotech backup battery and crimped small lawn mower battery clamps to it. The other end just plugs straight into the mp40w. Power shuts off and mp40w keeps running on battery backup. Probably should put an inline fuse on the power side as I have plenty of them just been too lazy to do it. Been running with this setup for two years now and no problems.

Bought the battery at academy.

I am assuming this voids any warranty right @TheOne? Could you use a bigger battery, like marine one? Would that impact which cables you used? I am looking to automate my one MP40 while gone for a week, and am debating between getting a pure sine wave inverter/charger with marine battery, but this seems much easier. Thoughts?

 

[TheOne]

I am assuming this voids any warranty right @TheOne? Could you use a bigger battery, like marine one? Would that impact which cables you used? I am looking to automate my one MP40 while gone for a week, and am debating between getting a pure sine wave inverter/charger with marine battery, but this seems much easier. Thoughts?

I wouldn't think it would void your warranty. How would they even know you plugged up a marine battery. It plugs/unplugs from the driver with the same cable from their backup battery. I was using a larger marine battery from my bass boat but got tired of taking it in/out so bought this smaller battery. Both worked just fine using the same small battery clamps.

 

[TheOne]

How is this wired up?

I bought the backup battery cable from ecotech and just added small battery clamps to one end. The positive clamp goes to the wire with the fuse and the negative clamp goes to the other wire. I've been running this for two years.

When power goes out it automatically switches to the battery.

Fused VorTech Battery Backup Cable

Used as a replacement part or to link more than one battery backup in parallel to extend backup time. The length of the cable is 8ft long.

store2.ecotechmarine.com

 

[SaracensRugby]

Last question @TheOne, wouldn't this battery die over time? Meaning, wouldn't I be better off getting a pure sine wave inverter/charger in combo with this batter, so it is always topped off? Or does the backup cable do that?

 

[TheOne]

I just plug mine into a speed charger a couple of times a year. Of course I also use it for the harley, side by side and lawn mower. Luckily my bass boat has a built in maintainer for the three batteries in it. Too many batteries it's making my head hurt, ha.

You could use a small battery tender and just leave it plugged in. I have one of these around here somewhere.

 

[Jason Miller]

thats

I bought the backup battery cable from ecotech and just added small battery clamps to one end. The positive clamp goes to the wire with the fuse and the negative clamp goes to the other wire. I've been running this for two years.

When power goes out it automatically switches to the battery.

Fused VorTech Battery Backup Cable

Used as a replacement part or to link more than one battery backup in parallel to extend backup time. The length of the cable is 8ft long.

store2.ecotechmarine.com

thats awesome..

 

[TheOne]

Well I mean they are selling a power wheels battery that cost $25 for $175, lol.

They've already got enough of my money. Four mp40's, vectra m1, reeflink, too many xr30w's to list. I would have to link 3 or 4 of those ecotech batteries together to keep my tank from crashing in a power outage.

 

[SaracensRugby]

I will just take the battery tender from my Harley as well Thanks for the info! Saved me a couple hundred right there.

And assuming the cable from Ecotech has the sine wave deal inside so as not to fry the electronics of the MP40 right, when it connects the DC to AC power? Or that does not matter?

 

[CJO]

I'm pretty sure that the Ecotechs run off of DC, so no inverter is needed

 

[Greg P]

Last question @TheOne, wouldn't this battery die over time? Meaning, wouldn't I be better off getting a pure sine wave inverter/charger in combo with this batter, so it is always topped off? Or does the backup cable do that?

As stated no need for an inverter.

Is the charger for your sled a float charger?
I use 1 in my setup. It charges and then keeps the battery topped off but does not overcharge. I leave it plugged into the backup batteries 24/7/365

So far 7-1/2 years and the charger still works great

 

[vetteguy53081]

I went to test my battery backup today only to find it’s dead after only 10 months. What good is that? I know that I can do one of 2 things. 1. Send in for warranty or 2. Drill the rivets and replace the battery from Amazon. I think the later would be cheaper due to the consumer having to pay shipping back to Ecotech. I’ve tested it 3 times since having it but only for about 5 mins each time. And I did already check the inline fuse.

How long did your battery last?

Ecotech will likey do diddly squat for you BUT Batteries plus does sell replacements in which they warranty 1 or 2 years.

 

[TheOne]

I will just take the battery tender from my Harley as well Thanks for the info! Saved me a couple hundred right there.

And assuming the cable from Ecotech has the sine wave deal inside so as not to fry the electronics of the MP40 right, when it connects the DC to AC power? Or that does not matter?

Yes, that will work. No need for an inverter. Plug battery straight to the Ecotech drive. Knowing that the Harley batteries run around $200 you might want to just spend the $25 on another battery tender, ha.

 

[AdamNC]

Ecotech will likey do diddly squat for you BUT Batteries plus does sell replacements in which they warranty 1 or 2 years.

I do have a Batteries Plus somewhat close to me. I’ll have to check them out.

 

[SaracensRugby]

Yes I got the float charger @gregzz4, will just get another one and hook it up to this. My Harley chews through the battery for some reason @TheOne , so need to keep it connected more than not if I don't ride it much. I ordered the fused cables last night from Ecotech, hit a Battery Plus today and got decent deep cycle for $90, so just need the little crimps and off to the races. Appreciate all of the insight, really helpful and saved me few hundred bucks.