Deep cycle battery with 12V pump VS UPS

[Shaun]

I must admit I had all the other bits needed lying around and to buy new they will be expensive as you don't use normal relays. The cheaper route will be 12v pump and battery. And I am not a qualified electrician, it can be dangerous if not done correctly.

 

[scubaninja]

the only problem with using the 12V battery and pump is that you have to keep recharging the battery. And unless you have some form of automated charger its gonna be a pain in the end. So automated might just outway cheap eventually. But there are cheap options out there to sort out the automated part

 

[Shaun]

Deltec have a very good charger, it will switch off when the battery is charged so you don't end up over charging. Hawkins is a piece of dog do compared to it.

 

[jacquesb]

Deep cycle with a inverter so you can still run all your 230V pumps when the power goes off. Lighty told me at the Third meeting that our normal pumps wont be able to run off the cheap(R400)inverters.Has anyone tried it?

Andreas - I tried this - it does indeed NOT work on the cheap inverters..... the "normal" cheap LifeTech pumps do not even switch on.

Therefor I went the route of a car battery (not even a deep-cycle one - the cheapest I could find at Midas), an "intelligent 12volt charger", and a 12 volt bilge pump....

Works a charm!

I just need to get the "automation" bit right, where I have a relay connected to the "normal" 220volt power, to enable the 12 volt pump to be switch on automagically when the power-drops...

 

[jacquesb]

in that case the charger will be charging continuously because the battery will never be full as the pump will always be drawing power. And if you connect the battery to the charger and pump in parallel then you might as well just use a 220V pump. Unless there is some sort of function that lets the charger turn on when the battery reaches a certain point potential wise then ramps it back up to ''full'' and turns off again. But i see that all being a bit difficult. unless there is something out there that i dont know of

ScubaNinja - this can be achieved by using an "intelligent 12 volt charger" - I paid R470 for my "intelligent charger". Keeps the voltage of my 12 volt car battery PERFECT ALL the time - until the power fails - then this car battery keeps my 12 volt bilge pump running for at least 12 hours.....

 

[Andreas]

What rating per hour bilge pump do you have Jacques?I was thinking of just switching the pump on when I'm not at home.So I'll be the automation dummy

 

[Shaun]

Some info on batteries and chargers.

Deep Cycle Battery FAQ

 

[ben lloyd]

Tobe's if i were you i Will go for a Genny with auto start and stop

 

[Shaun]

jacquesb has the cheapest and easiest solution. The other problem with inverters and UPS's is the efficiency in converting 12v to 220v , you will get far better battery life if you stay 12 -12. The only concern is the duty cycle of a bilge pump.