APC Battery Backups

[wrightme43]

I want to install a battery back up on a 150 gal reef I maintain for a primary care facility. I found one that said if I only run skimmer pump and return pump from sump (125 watts total) it will run for 8.94 hours. It costs 1198$, does any one have experience with using a battery back up? Do they live up to thier claims? We have lost power here in Ky frequently this year, and I want to protect thier investment.

 

[Ritsuko Nashida]

Guess I am a tightwad! I am using a 200 amp hour 8D marine battery, a cheap two plug converter. Total cost...about 250.00. This has has worked for me on several occasions for periods of several hours. It fits quiet well under my 135 gallon tank so it stays hidden from view. The battery is rather heavy though and about the size of three car batteries.

Personally I would worry far more about keeping the pump running to circulate the water as opposed to the skimmer unless there is a heavy bio-load.

Just an idea...

 

[Ugla]

The problem with battery back ups is that the batteries die over time. They tend to have a 3-5 year lifespan, and runtime shortens as they get older. Many of the batteries are proprieatary and all are pretty expensive to replace. For twelve hundred bucks you could buy a generator and switch that would also run your referigerator. Mine runs for 10 hours on five gallons of gas.

 

[wrightme43]

The tank is 1.5 hours away from me. I have the under tank filled with a tidepool2 drilled 2" to a 29 gal rubbermaid tote with a turbo berlin skim, submersible u.v. steri, plus a rena xp3 cannister. I have zero room under the sump. I need something presentable to sit outside the sump next to the tank. If it was at home a generator would be the thing. I will tell him that the batts have to be replaced every 3-5 yrs, what I need to know is do they do what they say it will. THANKS FOR TANKING THE TIME TO WRITE BACK!!!! I really aprecciate it. Steve Wright.

 

[Llarian]

I'll also add that APC is a notoriously bad brand as well. They simply aren't reliable enough to trust anything extremely critical to.

The marine battery idea is probably better, since you don't necessarily need a cutover to happen in an order of miliseconds like computer equipment does, but there are several UPS brands (Leibert in particular) that are heads and tails more reliable than APC.

-Dylan

 

[sherm71tank]

I use a APC Smart UPS 1250 on a 80 watt return pump and it will run for a max of about 6 hours I think. I have had it for about 5 years and it never misses a beat. The replacement batteries can be found online for less than 200.00 though I havent had to replace them yet. Mine gives a readout of the battery condition and charge levels right on the front of it. The most important part of a UPS is having a good waveform. Some cheaper UPS wont run some pumps but others it will. They can damage pumps to. I emailed APC about all that and they say to make sure and just use the Smart UPS line. They are more expensive but I would buy mine again no question about it.

 

[dwall174]

wrightme43

I want to install a battery back up on a 150 gal reef I maintain for a primary care facility.

Check out the APS-10 It sounds better than the one your looking at!

 

[dwall174]

wrightme43

If your handy at electrical DIY! here's a DIY Back-up that don't look too hard!

 

[wrightme43]

Thanks You All. The one I found thats even better is a minuteman xrt 1000 with a xrt bp1 battpack. Supposedly it will run 125 watts of power at 120vac/60hz for 535 mins or 8.94 hours. It is 1200$, money is not the issue function and apperance are most important (it must sit beside the stand) under tank is full from one side to the other. Dwall thanks for the diy advice I may hook that up at my house.

 

[Katchupoy]

for that price, what about generator?

I bought an APC on local recycle company here for 15 bucks. replace the battery with used automotive battery. It has 700 watts on it. Works like a champ... If the battery dies after 8 hours.... will just attached it to my car. runs a 200 watt heater, a 50 watt return pump. and 3 pheads on a wavemaker.

No lights were included.