<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7639691#post7639691 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 10" Red Devil
Okay so I saw the suggestion for using 2 ups units. What would be powerful enough to run a quite one 230gph return pump and a 250watt heater for say max 4 days. This would need to come on automatically in the event of a power outage, as I may not be here.
Thanks.
Nothing you'd want to shell out the $$$ for. A typical UPS is designed to run a computer/monitor for maybe 15-30 minutes to give you time to save what you're doing and shut down. Run a smaller load and you can get more time. Forget about the heater, 250w would run down a UPS very quickly. Maybe 1-2 hours tops, certainly not 4 days.
That's not to say UPS's aren't a good idea. I have an 1100VA model from APC (~$125) on my tank, and it has served me extremely well. It provides backup power to a pair of Tunze Stream 6100s in my tank. It's designed to be minimum life support only for maximum duration.
The Streams are 45w each, but run on a controller. I estimate the average drain to be ~60w as the controller throttles them up and down. With this setup the UPS can power the tank for 3-4 hours at a stretch before running down. I had an extended 6 day outage after hurricane wilma last year, and the UPS allowed me to turn off the generator periodically (to save gas) while keeping the tank running on minimum flow.
I also have firsthand experience that the same UPS can run a 32" Toshiba HDTV and satellite box for 2 hours before it gives out.
If you want to maximize run time, hook the UPS to a single powerhead, I'd recommend a MJ900. That's only ~8w, so you could probably go most of the day on that load, while moving ~200gph.
Jeff
