How to connect IceCap Battery Back to Hydros Wave Engine?

peter blair · Sep 7, 2020

Parts list.
A 12vdc battery backup. Icecap V1 is what I got to work as programmed. I suspect the v2 (24V) would work but would not switch into a low voltage program so wont last as long.

An aviation GX12 4 pin cable or terminals. I bought the terminals on amazon. They came as a set of 5 for $12. My only gripe is the female side is a box mount without a cable shield. I went the terminal route mainly for delivery timing but given a few more days to ship I'd recommend getting a cable, make sure it is Aviation GX12mm (they come in 16mm also).

A battery backup lead, wire tape and or protection of our choice and some soldering skills especially if you go the terminal route due to the small connections.

Of note I tried an IP65 cable set as they appeared to be the same dimensions but the pin spacing and barrel size were off just enough were it would not work.

peter blair · Sep 7, 2020

Finished product
I put it in a small project box due to the panel connection terminal vs using a cable

Hope that helps others get through the frustration of not having the official cable available yet

Bluedore · Sep 7, 2020

That’s great! Do you think you could help a wire diagram? I think that would help tremendously. TIA

peter blair · Sep 7, 2020

Bluedore · Sep 8, 2020

peter blair said:

Thank you! This is great!

wangspeed · Sep 17, 2020

+1 waiting on battery backup solution that I don’t have to DIY. Too many DIY projects already. I’d love to get into a Wave Engine, but can’t til there’s a battery backup.

Varible · Sep 21, 2020

Does this work with the V2 batteries?

peter blair · Sep 23, 2020

Varible said:
Does this work with the V2 batteries?

It should work on the V2 but given the V2 supports 24V the Hydros would not recognize an outage / voltage drop to trigger an energy saving / low voltage profile.

There may be a work around to this via the feed mode 0-10V option. I found this out strictly by chance as in a power outage I had zero flow (my feed mode = zero flow) but when I pulled only the Hydros power it responded as expected. I have to duplicate the event to prove this hypothesis but if it holds true you could create a low flow energy saving feed mode that would essentially do the same thing during an outage as in a feed mode.

If the Feed mode precedent is a kink in the firmware it could easily be reprioritized with a firmware update. Again I have to recreate the event to see if this is what happened or if it was something else like the battery drained.

I'll provide additional information as I work through recreating the event and a validation test.

Aquatican · Sep 24, 2020

peter blair said:

Awesome work!!

Really is a shame that those wires are still being help up after 5 months. Me thinks something fishy is going on with the cables

I have the V2 backup connected to a Varios 4 and an itching for the Hydros to connect my second Varios to as well as my wave makers, but in the absence of an official cable and guarantee that the the V2 will connect to the Hydros, as was advertised, I think I will live with the cable management issues and buy an Apex or GHL controller at a Black Friday discount.

peter blair · Sep 25, 2020

Aquatican said:
Awesome work!!

Really is a shame that those wires are still being help up after 5 months. Me thinks something fishy is going on with the cables

I have the V2 backup connected to a Varios 4 and an itching for the Hydros to connect my second Varios to as well as my wave makers, but in the absence of an official cable and guarantee that the the V2 will connect to the Hydros, as was advertised, I think I will live with the cable management issues and buy an Apex or GHL controller at a Black Friday discount.

Below is just one response I got from Carlos on the subject ( I have another that I need to find on the V2 not working) but in this one he confirms the V1 would work. Though I speculate on V2 it is with a high degree of confidence that if the backup is 24V (like the V2) the low power / energy saving command will not be invoked. To me, that does not mean the V2 wont work, it just means it wont go into a power saving mode (for example I only run 1 of 4 pumps in power savings).

Note I was asking about a DIY cable with my V1 battery.

"No, there is no way to connect the battery to the HYDROS. You need the special GX12 adapter to keep the IP65 rating. When we release the new battery, we will also release the cable that will allow you to use the v1 battery with the HYDROS system.
---
Sincerely,
Carlos Chacon"

peter blair · Sep 25, 2020

Here is the response on the V2 24v issue

The IceCap Battery V2 is not compatible with the HYDROS WaveEngine. The IceCap Battery V2 is 24V and the WaveEngine requires a battery that is 12V. We will be releasing a new battery in the coming weeks that will be compatible with HYDROS brand products.

---
Sincerely,
Carlos Chacon

Montagne · Nov 17, 2020

Hi all, any updates? @peter blair @Jeff@CoralVue @Carlos@CoralVue

At the moment the CoralView website lists the V1 and V2 as retired, however the new V3 (https://www.coralvue.com/icecap-battery-backup-v3-0-for-aquarium-pumps) states "not compatible with HYDROS or Icecap Dual Wifi Controller."

Is this temporary related to the cable or is a secondhand V1 now the only viable battery backup option for the WAVE ENGINE?

As well, are the Control 2 and Control 4 products similarly affected? It sounded like they are intended to be able to route power to pumps via a battery backup (implied without requiring a Wave Engine in the collective) but it would be great to get explicit confirmation.

Hoping to make purchases in time to catch black Friday sales so thanks in advance for the quick support!

psumms · Nov 28, 2020

Also keen to hear if there has been any progress on this. Seems it’s been dragging on a while...

Badilac · Nov 30, 2020

Silence..... Sucks to not get some kind of answer being the unit was advertised as backup battery compatible.

steveb · Dec 1, 2020

Yup really frustrating and disappointed. Fixing to pull my wave engine back off and use my old maxspect 250’s with controller and the battery back ups along with apex wxm. I won’t be able to control my 350’s but would rather have surface agitation in the event of a power outage.

n4s · Mar 16, 2021

Any update on a battery backup for the hydros wave engine?
I like many others are interested in this product but don’t want to run a reef without a battery backup.
@Carlos@CoralVue

120reefkeeper · Mar 17, 2021

n4s said:
Any update on a battery backup for the hydros wave engine?
I like many others are interested in this product but don’t want to run a reef without a battery backup.
@Carlos@CoralVue

CoralVue is no longer a R2R supporter. They wont see this message . Best thing to do is reach out to them via their support portal. Go to their website and look for the support link.

Badilac · Apr 13, 2021

It has been released but is already sold out. I was lucky enough to get one.

CoralVue | HYDROS IceCap Battery Backup Cable Kit

tkardaridis · May 27, 2021

Hi All, @peter blair @Jeff@CoralVue @Carlos@CoralVue
Following this conversation i saw on the site that the cable is not a Y cable. It is two different cables, the side of the one cable is connected to the WaveManager power supply and the other side to the one output of the IceCap Battery Backup. The other cable is connected from the other battery backup output to the WaveManager. To my opinion, i don't like that connection because it looks like two chargers are connected to charge the battery.

Why don't you have a Y cable like Maxspect's for the Gyre models? They have a Y cable one side is connected to the controller and the other side has two inputs, one for 24v and another for 12v. You can keep the required GX-12 connectors also.

In case that i need this connection, is there any possibility to send me the diagram and a video how to DIY the cable?

Best regards,
Thomas

Badilac · May 27, 2021

120reefkeeper said:
CoralVue is no longer a R2R supporter. They wont see this message . Best thing to do is reach out to them via their support portal. Go to their website and look for the support link.

tkardaridis said:
Hi All, @peter blair @Jeff@CoralVue @Carlos@CoralVue
Following this conversation i saw on the site that the cable is not a Y cable. It is two different cables, the side of the one cable is connected to the WaveManager power supply and the other side to the one output of the IceCap Battery Backup. The other cable is connected from the other battery backup output to the WaveManager. To my opinion, i don't like that connection because it looks like two chargers are connected to charge the battery.

Why don't you have a Y cable like Maxspect's for the Gyre models? They have a Y cable one side is connected to the controller and the other side has two inputs, one for 24v and another for 12v. You can keep the required GX-12 connectors also.

In case that i need this connection, is there any possibility to send me the diagram and a video how to DIY the cable?

Best regards,
Thomas