Need Electrical Ideas

[Gizmo]

Just on UPS's I use both MGE and Belkin UPS's. Good quality, fair price.
I have 1 Belkin UPS 1000 running one Dart return pump, its gone 3 hours without issue.
and a MGE Ellipse 1500 running a small heater and powerhead, again kept running for 3 hours. Check Kijiji for used ones. If the battery goes, its a relatively cheap item say from Battery World than buying a brand new one.

BTW MGE was bought by EATON, in case you google it.

[mike31154]

A little heads up on using UPS devices for running motors, i.e. return pumps. Typically the inverters in these produce a modified sine wave which is hard on anything with a motor. It is also an inefficient power source for a motor. Sure, it will work, but longer term effects may be detrimental to your AC motor run devices, depends a lot on the quality of the motor I reckon. Pure sine wave inverters are 2 to 3 times the price of a modified sine wave inverter, that's why you won't find them in most UPS units. They're primarily designed for computer equipment backup and the computer power supply ends up rectifying the AC signal anyhow, so no effect on the internals.

[lastlight]

We've all seen the displays at the science centre. Pedals hooked up to a generator. Who has an old 10-speed and some DIY? I could use the exercise too.

I think lighting the little bulb and turning on a radio tho might be easier than powering a reef!