Vortech Battery BU ? worth it ? - Page 2

sjm817 · 08/19/2009, 01:10 PM

I'll draw something up...stand by...

ddaquaria · 08/19/2009, 01:20 PM

standing by...

sjm817 · 08/19/2009, 01:32 PM

Sold4JC · 08/19/2009, 02:22 PM

Exactly what I thought but wanted to make sure. Where did you get your 1.3mm connector? Thanks for your help.

fernandokng · 08/19/2009, 02:29 PM

Brilliant, exactly what I was looking for.

1. How do you determine the run time for that battery you posted earlier?

2. Do you keep this plugged in at all times, or you only pull this out when you have an outtage?

3. How do you determine the type of charger you'd need for a specific battery?

Thanks!

sjm817 · 08/19/2009, 02:35 PM

I got the 1.3mm connector at Radio Shack

The Ice Cap battery is 18 AH and is advertised as 36 HR MP40 and 72 HR MP20. For a 35 AH battery, you can ~ double that.

Plugged in at all times

You should use a float charger. This is a charger that is meant to keep a battery that is not used often charged. It is very low current and takes a long time to recharge.

fernandokng · 08/19/2009, 03:02 PM

cool!

1. What kind of life cycle do you expect for this type of battery? For example, how many years before replacing.

2. When you get an outtage, since it's plugged in, the vortech will remain running right? Someone mentioned some relay on the first page, but I'm not sure what exactly that meant.

Thanks again.

sjm817 · 08/19/2009, 03:08 PM

1. Dont know. I would think several
2. There is no relay other than the circuity built into the driver. The pump will run when power is lost but at a reduced (~ 1/2) speed.

Mike31154 · 08/20/2009, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by fernandokng
cool!

1. What kind of life cycle do you expect for this type of battery? For example, how many years before replacing.

2. When you get an outtage, since it's plugged in, the vortech will remain running right? Someone mentioned some relay on the first page, but I'm not sure what exactly that meant.

Thanks again.

2. I believe it was I that talked about a relay, but that is only required if you wish to set up two batteries in series for 24 volts to run the pump full speed during a power loss. If the VorTech driver senses that there is 12 volts present at the back up connection, it will automatically switch to the 12 volt backup once power is lost to the 24 volt connection and the pump runs at half speed. To have the pump run at full speed with a 24 volt battery backup, you would use only the main 24 volt connection on the driver and a relay upstream of that connection would be required to sense power outage and switch from the VorTech power supply to the batteries.

fernandokng · 08/21/2009, 07:02 AM

Thank you both

hebygb · 09/03/2009, 09:11 PM

according to Ecotech, the batt backup is likely good for 5-8 years maybe longer. They defer to icecap for such specifics.

sreefs · 09/08/2009, 07:55 PM

Scott,
There are two wires coming out of the 1.3 mm connector how do I know which one goes to the positive and which one to the negative of the battery?
Thanks,
Pat

Zestay · 09/08/2009, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sreefs
Scott,
There are two wires coming out of the 1.3 mm connector how do I know which one goes to the positive and which one to the negative of the battery?
Thanks,
Pat

try one way . if it fries your pump your doing it wrong.

or you could take a volt meter to it ( before you plug it in ) and see whats what.

sjm817 · 09/08/2009, 09:48 PM

The center pin is + and the outside is -

Zestay · 09/09/2009, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sjm817
The center pin is + and the outside is -

i like my idea better

screwsloose · 10/05/2009, 12:43 PM

you would need to build one of these for each vortech correct? or could you run two off one and cut the hours in 1/2?

sreefs · 10/06/2009, 02:31 PM

you can hook up as many as you like off of one battery, I have two on one 35 Ah deep cell battery, works very well on testing.

Tylt33 · 02/20/2010, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the floor guy

ok so after the last major storms we had here in Texas i read a lot of peoples battery back up didn't work right? and of course it was over warranty period. i am wondering if it worth buying one ?
have u had one not work?

if your didnt work how long had it been since u tested it out? it might be good to every month unplug the pump to put it to work?

Can you post a link to this info regarding batteries not working? I'm compiling a list of people that have experienced this problem. I have six confirmed cases of faulty Icecap Batteries so far on RC.

08/19/2009, 01:10 PM	#26
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	I'll draw something up...stand by... __________________ - Scott

08/19/2009, 01:32 PM	#28
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	__________________ - Scott

08/19/2009, 02:35 PM	#31
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	I got the 1.3mm connector at Radio Shack The Ice Cap battery is 18 AH and is advertised as 36 HR MP40 and 72 HR MP20. For a 35 AH battery, you can ~ double that. Plugged in at all times You should use a float charger. This is a charger that is meant to keep a battery that is not used often charged. It is very low current and takes a long time to recharge. __________________ - Scott

08/19/2009, 03:08 PM	#33
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	1. Dont know. I would think several 2. There is no relay other than the circuity built into the driver. The pump will run when power is lost but at a reduced (~ 1/2) speed. __________________ - Scott

09/08/2009, 07:55 PM	#37
sreefs Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Pa Posts: 754	Scott, There are two wires coming out of the 1.3 mm connector how do I know which one goes to the positive and which one to the negative of the battery? Thanks, Pat __________________ Pat Current Tank Info: 225 Coast To Coast SPS reef. T5 lighting

08/19/2009, 01:20 PM	#27
ddaquaria Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 17	standing by...

08/19/2009, 02:22 PM	#29
Sold4JC Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Apple Valley Ca Posts: 422	Exactly what I thought but wanted to make sure. Where did you get your 1.3mm connector? Thanks for your help.

08/19/2009, 02:29 PM	#30
fernandokng Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: New York City Posts: 425	Brilliant, exactly what I was looking for. 1. How do you determine the run time for that battery you posted earlier? 2. Do you keep this plugged in at all times, or you only pull this out when you have an outtage? 3. How do you determine the type of charger you'd need for a specific battery? Thanks!

08/19/2009, 03:02 PM	#32
fernandokng Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: New York City Posts: 425	cool! 1. What kind of life cycle do you expect for this type of battery? For example, how many years before replacing. 2. When you get an outtage, since it's plugged in, the vortech will remain running right? Someone mentioned some relay on the first page, but I'm not sure what exactly that meant. Thanks again.

08/21/2009, 07:02 AM	#35
fernandokng Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: New York City Posts: 425	Thank you both

09/03/2009, 09:11 PM	#36
hebygb Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Elmhurst, IL Posts: 2,207	according to Ecotech, the batt backup is likely good for 5-8 years maybe longer. They defer to icecap for such specifics.

09/08/2009, 09:48 PM	#39
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	The center pin is + and the outside is - __________________ - Scott Last edited by sjm817; 09/08/2009 at 10:04 PM.

10/05/2009, 12:43 PM	#41
screwsloose Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: searcy, arkansas Posts: 496	you would need to build one of these for each vortech correct? or could you run two off one and cut the hours in 1/2?

10/06/2009, 02:31 PM	#42
sreefs Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Pa Posts: 754	you can hook up as many as you like off of one battery, I have two on one 35 Ah deep cell battery, works very well on testing.