Battery backup

[Dave C]

Now that my tank is running the next issue is keeping it running during a power failure. I know we don't get them that often in Winnipeg & when we do they don't last long. But when they happen I sit there worried waiting for the power to kick in. It's then that I curse myself for not getting something to at least keep the water moving. I know a heater would kill any UPS too fast and water holds heat for a long time so I'm not concerned with that. All I want to be able to do is keep my return pumps running for at least a couple of hours.

I started by looking at computer backup systems but they don't provide much power for very long and are really meant to give you enough time to shut down your system after the power dies. Canadian Tire has many different options so I checked them out today. I ended up getting a Motomaster Eliminator PowerBox 600. This thing is a 400w inverter mounted on a 20AH (amp/hour) battery. It will provide me with about 200w for a half hour. They were selling those for $99 today. I also got a Nautilus deep cycle battery. That will connect to the PowerBox and give me another 103AH which should boost the overall power to about 200w for another 2.5 hours so I'll have 3 hours of 200w power. My two return pumps should last about 2.5 hours with this setup.

I'll need a recharger for the Nautilus since the PowerBox only charges its own battery. And this isn't an automatic power source, it won't kick in when the power goes out. But someone is always around and I'll just need to plug the pumps in when the power dies. That's the only disadvantage but the advantages outweigh that in my situation. I'll only be concerned when the power is toast for more then an hour and odds are I'll be around during that time. A comparable APC UPS (which will kick in if the power dies) runs for $99 and can provide 200w for 22 minutes. And it doesn't have the ability to have an additional battery hooked up to lengthen that time. I also could have considered a larger PowerBox, they make a 1200 model. But then I'm paying another $100-$150 for another two 20AH batteries whereas the Nautilus is a 103AH battery and costs only $120 (plus the cost of the recharger, $50 or so).

So my total cost is $100 + $120 + $50 = $270 for something that should power my return pumps in both tanks for 2.5 hours. An additional bonus is that the Powerbox also has a built in air compressor so I can fill the tires on my car. It can also give my car a boost if I need it. I'm not sure how I'll use emergency flashing lights in the fishroom...

So whattya think? Any better options out there? Don't say gas generator. I know that for a bit more cash I could have one that would power my goodies for much longer but I don't want to wire a generator from the garage into my house nor do I want the noise of running one.