What is everyone doing for battery back up?

[jda]

Get a lower wattage, small pump and use a larger computer UPS if you need a long run time. I have a UPS with 4 batteries in in that will run my iMac and 2 monitors for like 3-4 hours, so it could run a 10-20w pump for a long time. It was about $500, if I remember right, so it was not cheap.... but nothing from EcoTech is cheap either.

You don't have to run all of your mp40s during an outage.

The air pumps with stones that come on when the power goes off are enough for most folks. If you want cheap, this is the best way to go.

 

[jda]

You can also make your own UPS - buy a board and controller and you can hook up batteries of your choosing. You can buy batteries that one person cannot lift by themselves, if you want.

In the end, a few hours and then having a generator is probably the best.

Your tank can usually handle a few hours on it's own.

 

[Ceti]

Installed a couple of Powerwalls. Should last me at least 6 hours. Portable generator if the outage is greater than 6 hours which has never happened to me.

Is this for your whole house or just the aquariums?

 

[AquaLogic]

I have 3 ecotech batteries as well. Highly recommended. I diy replace the internal batteries on an every 4 year rotating schedule.

What battery do you use to replace them and where do you get it? Is it a plug and play situation or is it difficult?

 

[dwest]

Heres what I do. I get the battery from Walmart or amazon.

Edit…It’s a pretty simple DIY job. The hardest thing is drilling out the rivets but still pretty easy. After the rivets are drilled, it’s plug and play.

Replacing the battery on Ecotech battery backup...

It was super easy, and cost me around $37. The battery was $34, and the machine screws were like $1.50. I was going to buy a brand new one, and then I realized that would be a huge waste of money. The power supply works fine, the battery inside the backup was just toast. After a little research...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[AquaLogic]

Heres what I do. I get the battery from Walmart or amazon.

Edit…It’s a pretty simple DIY job. The hardest thing is drilling out the rivets but still pretty easy. After the rivets are drilled, it’s plug and play.

Replacing the battery on Ecotech battery backup...

It was super easy, and cost me around $37. The battery was $34, and the machine screws were like $1.50. I was going to buy a brand new one, and then I realized that would be a huge waste of money. The power supply works fine, the battery inside the backup was just toast. After a little research...

www.reef2reef.com

Oh great thanks! That's very easy. I was just worried I would have to solder, which I don't like to do because I'm bad at it. I can do it, but not well.

This is the kind of stuff that really sours me on ecotech. I don't mind paying more for a product that brings value for the money, but all ecotech has done here is add some connectors to a standard cheap battery and sold it for ab out 8x the cost. A healthy profit for a good product is fine, but ecotech mark up is so high it feels exploitive.

 

[Projects with Sam]

Oh great thanks! That's very easy. I was just worried I would have to solder, which I don't like to do because I'm bad at it. I can do it, but not well.

This is the kind of stuff that really sours me on ecotech. I don't mind paying more for a product that brings value for the money, but all ecotech has done here is add some connectors to a standard cheap battery and sold it for ab out 8x the cost. A healthy profit for a good product is fine, but ecotech mark up is so high it feels exploitive.

Sometimes you pay for the support and not the product. If the support isn’t there though then there is room in the market for someone else to deliver.

 

[afternoondelight]

Generator takes care of the entire house.

I agree (I have a 22 KVA Generac) but if the CB trips you are S.O.L. That why I'm going to make sure I have a backup (backup) electrical source for either my MP40's or my Sicce SDC 9.0 in the event of a tripped breaker. My Generac runs off natural gas and will power my house indefinitely....

 

[slythy]

I agree (I have a 22 KVA Generac) but if the CB trips you are S.O.L. That why I'm going to make sure I have a backup (backup) electrical source for either my MP40's or my Sicce SDC 9.0 in the event of a tripped breaker. My Generac runs off natural gas and will power my house indefinitely....

May I ask what the cost of the Generac installed was roughtly? I am itching to purchase one soon.

Thanks,