Generators / back up power

[jimmyj7090]

Can anybody share any info on Generators as power back up?

Winter is coming and I have 175 gallons with DSB and SPS. I want a back up in place for the inevitable 6-24 hour outage I see every year. I've lost some prize live stock to winter storms.

what kind of ratings am I looking for to run about 3 mak-4's and a couple of heaters during power outages? Will any cheapo generator handle this or do I need to look for certain specs?

thanks for any info
jk

[diggidy]

i don't know the answer to this, but, i do know that randy in the chemistry forum has had succes witht he batterybackup program he has implemented, im sure he would be happy to share all details with you!

[lcsonka39]

oh crap, being from miami, i have never even thought of this...

does boston usually lose power? From my experience the past two years - no.. but better safe than sorry..

any info?

[diggidy]

anyone familiar with computers has heard of the battery backup systems that they use, i've heard that used ones can found on ebay for quite some discount

[jdieck]

UPS (uninterruptible Power Supplys) used for computers will give you a very short time of back up as they are usually designed just to allow to save your work and shut down. There are more powerful inverter type units that will convert battery power (like from car batteries) to 120 volt AC. They are used mostly to run sump pumps during power outages. Look for one that has a capacity for twice the rating of the watts of the equipment you will try to run they are usually rated for x amount of hours at x capacity. Adjust the capacity for the time you try to run. Say, if rated for 6 hours at 500 watts and you run 250 watts it will last about 12 hours.
Finally for the best of all worlds a generator unit will be in order. This are gasoline engine runned generators that will last for as long as there is gas in the tank. There are units that need operator asistance to start up but this not help when you are not home. The fancier of them all are units that will detect the power off and start up automatically. In adition they will automatically start up every month for a while to keep their start up batery charged and everything in working order.
So how far you will go depend on how much you are willing to $$$.
If you can afort $1000.00 + you can get a unit that will also run your refrigerator, sump pump (If you have one in the basement) and some emergency lighting. This will help in justify a more expensive unit.

[Groove]

I lost power last month. Since it's usually 6-12 hour before it comes back on, I ran out and bought a deep cycle marine battery $70, and a 750 watt inverter $79.

I ran my CPR BakPak and a Maxijet1200 for 7 hour when the lights came back on.

I don't know how much juice was left. I should do a test run in the sink or something. In the winter I will need to add the heater to the load as well. I figured if I ran out of juice I could plug the inverter into my truck and run an extension cord inside.

The main problem is this does not kick on by itself. If you aren't home, it does no good. There are a few DIY threads on how to add a relay to make it an automatic system. You can also add multiple batteries to make it last longer.

[drifter]

I got this infrom another guy on RC about his backup source and it works great. Xantec.com Heart Interface Brand.
John

[bdr127]

Originally posted by lcsonka39
oh crap, being from miami, i have never even thought of this...

does boston usually lose power? From my experience the past two years - no.. but better safe than sorry..

any info?

In bad snow/ice storms, the Boston area sometimes loses power..... and the winter is a baaaad time to not have power when you have a reef tank.

[wrassefan]

A short term emergency backup is get a a/c d/c converter for the car. You can plug into cigarette lighter in the car. I've seen some have 4 outlets. As long as you have gas and don't mind running the vehicle.

[Marco67]

I put this one in awhile back http://www.jehmco.com/PRODUCTS_/HARD...up_system.html w/ 2 deep cycle batteries. Running a Mak4 pump, a reeftec and 4 MJ1200s I've gotten 5 hours and not run the charge indicator out of the green

[howman]

Marco
That looks like a good option...as it is clean and probably not very noisy--costs around $400 but i would also have to buy the backup batteries.

-how much is a backup generator? what do they start at?

howard

[seaham358]

I have a 5000 watt generator and I can run my whole house with this unit. I have a 125 reef and 55 fowlr I shut off the lights on the reef and everything ran fine for 12+ hours when the East coast lost power over the summer. Picked up the generator at Home Depot for around $500 best 500 I have spent. I have it wired to back feed my breaker box and I power the whole house, water, heat ect....

[Marco67]

That power inverter is made by triplite, you can find it on line cheaper but I chose Jemco because they made it available with an install kit etc. (not much more than batery cables and instructions but it saved running around).
I picked that over a generator because unless you spend thousands for a automatic generator. You need to be there to fire it up. Out here we get a lot of short outages (10 mins to 1 hr max) This option has worked out perfect.

[jimmyj7090]

Thanks for all the replies

I'm thinking of a manually started generator so I can run all my circulation pumps indefinately.

I often see short power interruptions but this is no problem. My main concern is the 8-20 hour outages due to local tree damage we get in my area. If the power goes out for an hour my tanks are fine. If it goes out long term I can get home and start a generator.

I was thinking of picking up a used one if I can find one so I mainly was looking for min rating specs so I know what to look for.

thanks
jk
thanks

[Pyrojon]

I have concidered both.

Have the battery backup for short term outtages when you arn't around and the manual start generator for long term outtages.

[alsie]

We shouldn't have any problems in my area this winter. I bought a generator at HD $700 - can run heat in the house and my reef and a few other things. When I bought my snowblower we got around 7" of snow all winter.

[Groove]

Originally posted by alsie
We shouldn't have any problems in my area this winter. I bought a generator at HD $700 - can run heat in the house and my reef and a few other things. When I bought my snowblower we got around 7" of snow all winter.

Thanks Alsie but I think I may have counter acted you. I lost my plowing contract this year.

[alsie]

Groove your a bummer - I was looking forward to a little snow not a ton of it. Let's see the heavy snow line goes from Burlington through Tewksbury - - up through Nashua

[greeneyedblackcat]

Here is my solution, its an apc 3000 va ups with an additional 3000 va battery supply jacked into it, it lasts for about twelve hours in my 158 gallon system, I purchased it off ebay. I also have a 8550 watt gas generator for longer outages.

[alsie]

OK,OK,Ok - "Uncle" Where's the nearest de/tox center for reef addicts in our area. I imagine you have this backup power system for a 55 gal reef and a 5 gal Nano don't you? Do you need a driver for getaways being a safecracker?

[greeneyedblackcat]

Alsie, I’m a total reef addict, even my backups have backups, and everybody I know asks if they can be my getaway driver, I crack the safes mostly in the daytime at work; the midnight safe cracking is where you can get in trouble. The reef de/ tox people would come get me rite now is they saw all the other stuff I had hooked up to this tank!

[alsie]

God is being good to me. I have seen a awful lot in a lot of time but your a man after my own heart and now I see this. Awesome. If your married your wife must call you "Mr. Perfect" & Perfection is normal for you. Last time I saw a setup like that (back up generators and the whole 9 yards) I was told smile the Feds have you on tape. (Went with a doctor who was looking at this house to buy & he wanted to bring a regular guy for a opinion.) the guy wasn't a safecracker but in that type of a profession and was selling his digs. He didn't have a reef tank in his house but a enormous swimming pool in his house with a velvet swing going over it . By any chance your not him are U?

[greeneyedblackcat]

Alsie,

Nope, I’m not that guy, almost all my stuff is Diy projects and it still costs me a fortune, my reef is 158 gallons total in volume, it consists of the following- 125 gallon perfecto jet stream tank, 5- 175 watt 10.000k ab bulbs in a diy 6 foot light fixture, 2-dual blue wave pulse start ballasts, 1- pfo pulse start ballast, 1- 110 watt actinic compact florescent fixture, 2- 12 inch cold cathodes(moonlight), apc 3000 va ups with an additional 3000va battery pack, 4- 300 watt ebo heaters, dual mag 9.5 return pumps, 2- 802 p0werheads connected to scwd wave makers, aquaC urchin pro jacked up with a mag#5 pump(works great), diy dual calcium reactor with a mag #2 pump and its fed by a peristaltic pump and a 10 lb co2 setup, diy kalk reactor(its huge) with a mag #2 return pump and fed by a peristaltic pump with dual float switch setup fed directly from the 125gpd ro system, 4- kangaroo medical pumps(to feed strontium, molybdenum and everything else), 4 penplax automatic bubblers(for when the power goes out, 20 gallon refugium with a 175 watt 10.000k ab over it, 30 gallon sump(about half full), ranco temperature controller(for the heaters), countless muffin fans, 2 ph probes, randomatic automatic feeder, 2 digital thermometers(one for the sump and the tank), about 20 x10 modules to control everything via my laptop, Diy ro holding tank(built from a water cooler float assembly), 5- 20 amp ground fault circuits, 1 30 amp ups circuit, and that’s just the equipment not to mention the live rock and tank inhabitants, I built the entire room just for this reef tank, the in wall tank has mirrors at 45% angles to the rear corners so I can view and clean from all three sides(see picture attached), my wife thinks I’m off my rocker but she loves the tank and is very supportive. Thanks for the nice comments on my tank >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>GEBC

[seaham358]

Dude how do you remember all that stuff........
My god you need help.
LOL .. tank looks nice.....

[Mimbler1]

greeneyedblackcat:
how do you add additional battery capacity to the APC ups? I have an APC 1400 and would like to add to its capacity if it would retain its recharging and battery checking capabilities. thanks for any help you can give!
Mike