Using the Apex with a UPS Battery Backup
- Thread starter southnash
- Start date
aquamanic
WHO DAT??
if you only have one EB8, connect it to the wall, then take a 12v adapter and put it on a UPS. Plug this into the secondary power port on the base unit. This way, the base unit will see the power fail through the EB8 yet still have power to send an email alert. Remember your network gear has to be running on the UPS as well.
southnash
New member
Thanks for the reply.
I understand what you are saying but is there anyway it could detect power failure but have the EB8 attached to the UPS so I could keep a pump still moving? I know you can do this if you have TWO EB8 modules. You would connect one EB8 w/ the controller to the UPS & the other to the wall so it could detect power loss. Any other way you can think of?
Thanks again!!
I understand what you are saying but is there anyway it could detect power failure but have the EB8 attached to the UPS so I could keep a pump still moving? I know you can do this if you have TWO EB8 modules. You would connect one EB8 w/ the controller to the UPS & the other to the wall so it could detect power loss. Any other way you can think of?
Thanks again!!
aquamanic
WHO DAT??
Nope. That's been threaded about, again and again. The Apex can get power from either the EB8 over the AquaBus or the 12v. And it doesn't care if you have the 12v or not so you can't plug that into the wall and think it will alert the base unit. 12v is optional on the Apex. If the EB8 is on a UPS, then the Apex never sees the power go out.
If you really want a couple of critical devices to run, then put them and the 12v on the UPS, plug the EB8 into the wall. You won't be able to control those devices but if they're pumps or powerheads, then they're probably on all the time anyway. That or get a second EB8.
If you really want a couple of critical devices to run, then put them and the 12v on the UPS, plug the EB8 into the wall. You won't be able to control those devices but if they're pumps or powerheads, then they're probably on all the time anyway. That or get a second EB8.
schwaggs
New member
Or you can do like Alan suggested in another thread and get a second EB8. Put one EB8 on the UPS (plug the items you want UPS powered into this EB8) and the other EB8 into a non UPS power source. Program that when the power goes out on the non-UPS EB8 to power down all non-essential items on all EB8s.
southnash
New member
I think the only option right now is the EB8. I guess it couldn't hurt to have extra plugs 
Possibly create a battery backup for just the the controller that you could buy that would detect the power loss but have enough juice to send alerts & still function. The unit could have two power inputs. One from the 12vdc wall & two from the EB8. That way it would detect power loss from the wall & switch to the power from EB8 which is attached to the UPS. Complicated yes, but it could work... Would it be cheaper than just buying a EB8?? Doubt it ..
Possibly create a battery backup for just the the controller that you could buy that would detect the power loss but have enough juice to send alerts & still function. The unit could have two power inputs. One from the 12vdc wall & two from the EB8. That way it would detect power loss from the wall & switch to the power from EB8 which is attached to the UPS. Complicated yes, but it could work... Would it be cheaper than just buying a EB8?? Doubt it ..
revnull
Premium Member
I would rather have all my EB8's on UPS/Generator and use a low cost device to sense power outages and turn off non essential outlets/devices via programing statements. I'm not fond of loosing 8 outlets just to make up for a potential shortcoming of the apex base unit or firmware. If it's not something that can be overcome with a firmware update, I am willing to buy an aquabus device.
schwaggs
New member
Cool idea.... Probably not a lot of money in it for Neptune, however. A cheaper fix would be power monitoring of the backup power port on the base module. This way you would plug the EB8 into the UPS and the wall wart into a standard outlet and trigger alarms/low power commands when power to the backup port is lost...
revnull
Premium Member
If it can't be done with firmware, I was thinking of a 120v relay hooked up to the I/O port or breakout box. When the power goes out, the relay would open breaking the switch contacts and program statements could turn off non essential outlets. If Neptune doesn't want to invest in an aquabus device, they could come out with a 2nd gen breakout box with a plug in relay built in for power failure detection. Maybe add some wiz-bang LEDs so you can see the switched state of each breakout port. The best thing about it is it would be backwards compatible to older I/O port enabled AquaControllers.
aquamanic
WHO DAT??
That's one of the best ideas I've heard of for solving this problem. I don't have the electronics background to prototype something but I'm sure if you or someone else did, others could leverage and improve it.
The one thing I'd point out is that if you put a fully loaded EB8 on a UPS, even shutting down devices within a couple of seconds, that's going to draw a lot of amps. It would take some tinkering and perhaps a pretty expensive UPS to hold that for even a brief time while outlets are turned off. Just something to consider.
Again, I'm no electronics wizard - but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express...
revnull
Premium Member
I'm going to see what I can come up with. I'm no electronics guru, but I can follow a schematic. Since I was in the process of a DIY breakout box, I think I'll add the power failure relay. My basic assumptions are to use any mechanical relay that uses a 120vac coil trigger. Since the switch contacts will only be used to pass continuity to the apex, I assume nothing else is needed. Does anyone know if there is any transient voltage passed to the contacts from the coil? If there is, I would think it would be bad for the apex. Can anyone chime in on this topic?
