Battery backup Q.

[HBtank]

First, can the battery backup be powered with an inverter that has a modified sine wave?

Also, I was wondering how the battery backup behaves when it is receiving power and is connected to a pump, but the pump is not directly receiving power?

Additionally, if that is possible, how many watts does the battery backup require?

Basically, if I have a power outage, I am wondering if can I plug my battery backup into my car inverter? And if I can do this while the pump is running from the backup?

Or if that is not possible, can I disconnect the pump from the battery and recharge the battery with the inverter? If so, about how long doe it take for the battery to recharge fully?

I ask all this because I know that modified sine wave inverters are not compatible with many types of pumps and the last thing I want to do is damage my vortechs, so I wanted to see if running through the battery backup was a way to sidestep this issue and give me another oprion in an outage. If this is possible, then all the better

Sorry for all the questions...lol

 

[EcoTech Marine]

I'm not sure about the feasability of charging your battery backup with the car inverter. However, if you were creative you could potentially just power your pump off of the car in the event that the battery backup expired during a power outage.

-Tim

 

[HBtank]

So they are fine to run on a modified sine wave inverter?

 

[melev]

I honestly don't know what you are asking as that is above my pay-grade, but this you may or may not know:

When you plug your IceCap Battery Backup into the Vortech, you are not plugging it into the power supply. You are plugging it into the driver that is connected to the VorTech pump.

The BB runs the VorTech 24 hours at 50% speed (as far as I know - I've never had to run it that long), and it is supplying the power straight to the pump.

Once power is restored, the powersupply to the VorTech takes over and the power supply to the BB recharges that battery.

Hope that makes sense.

 

[EcoTech Marine]

HBTank-

I'm referring to the fact that the pump can be run off of a 12v battery from your car. However, you would need to generate your own wiring and we can not be held responsible for any issues that may creep up (for the pump or car) as a result of poor execution or use.

That being said, I can't see any reason why our power supply or the battery backup's charger would have a problem with an inverter.

Moreover, 30 hours of run time really is quite substantial. If you are worried about longer run times, your money may be better spent simply buying another battery which will get you 60 hours of run time.

-Tim

 

[HBtank]

I guess I should have provided more detail. Sorry.

There are two types of inverters, a more expensive one that produces a true sine wave, and the run of the mill inverters that produce a modified sine wave. Generally the true sine wave inverters run directly off the battery and the cheaper ones run out of the cigarette lighter. Both have standard outlets.

Modified sine waves have problems with certain electronic devices.... I have read multiple times on RC that they can damage powerheads, and have fried maxijets etc..

My questions about the battery were just an attempt to circumvent running the pumps directly off my inverter.... as I just assumed I could not run the drivers directly off of it from previous reports of damage to pumps.

But from what I am reading, it seems the power supply on the driver will run fine on the modified sine wave my inverter produces, and will not damage the pump. Thats great

Thanks for the help. I am not all that worried, just wanted to do my homework, as I have the inverter to run other things, such as a heater, and I just started thinking about my other devices.

 

[melev]

For me, when I know the power will be out for a long time, I fire up my gas generator and move all the plugs over to that for the time being.

The VorTech Battery Backup just keeps things flowing until I can get that generator running. Since it can last so many hours, I have time to get home without running over any little old ladies crossing the street.