The power is out. How many hours does your tank have? UPS vs. DC backup!
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- Опубликовано: 20 июл 2024
- How long do UPS battery backups actually last? Is a bigger UPS the best investment for protecting your tank? Today we put two UPS battery backups up against an EcoTech Battery Backup to see which lasts the longest and why.
#BRStvInvestigates #BRStv
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The content contained in this video is general information on the topic and should not be relied upon as your sole source of information or safety advice for this project or topic. Each product or situation is different and has its own concerns related to successful completion and safety that must be fully researched by the individual considering the project or product.
The purpose and content of this video is to provide general information regarding the products and their applications as presented in the video. Aquatic sales solutions, inc. And its officers, directors, employees and agents disclaim all express or implied warranties, in any way, related to the products and their application as presented in this video, make no representation or warranty regarding the products and the application as presented in this video and shall not be liable for any direct or indirect losses or damages of any type, including but not limited to punitive damages, or from personal injury or death resulting from or in any manner related to the video, and the products in and contents of the video. The viewer expressly agrees that aquatic sales solutions, inc. And its officers, directors, employees and agents shall not be liable for any damages or losses related to the products in and content of the video and hereby agrees to hold the foregoing harmless from any such losses or damages. 
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More from BRStv !
➡ Binge watch the 5-Minute Saltwater Guide! : brs.li/5min_Saltwater_Guide
➡ Our BEST Powerheads of 2019 : ruclips.net/video/AhKrU7u6XDA/видео.html
➡ The CHEAP way to backup your tank : ruclips.net/video/lHLHgmN6Z5k/видео.html
I know I'm posting 2 years later, but I'm looking for backup options. This test was extremely helpful. If I'm 1200 miles from home and the power goes out, there's no one to drop the powerheads to 20%, so the APS will die on me before I make it back home. The ecotech will go into power save mode, drop the flow and give me time to get home. Real world decisions.
I really wish you used non-inverter UPS pumps, typically ones that you have for routers that go directly from DC to DC like the Ecotech pump. I feel this whole test was flawed from the beginning with the inverter pumps, and the fact the Ecotech does 20% of the flow.
I can see this test going in several directions, but as with all our Investigative testing we've got to start somewhere with testing BIG so we can refine and hone future tests. I think this test using more traditional UPS backups is more representative of what the larger majority of reefers actually consider using or possibly using already. With that in mind, the goal here is to provide some starting frame of reference point for those in the market for battery backup options. I can honestly say that prior to this test I really had no idea how long a standard computer UPS would last and putting into some sort of context using three similar pumps helped me. Moving forward, I would like to test differences in UPS wattages and battery sizes; different aquarium marketed options; etc... and see where this rabbit hole leads us. :)
@@BRStv Good points. Most people probably would get a UPS that you just plug something into like what you had too.
@@Mike__B As always I respect your feedback, Mike. Ryan and I have a couple of ideas for the next versions of this test, so I wouldn't be surprised if your concerns are similar to ours and we address future tests with those in mind.
Mike B many people are using UPS as tested in the video, I was one of them before realizing the inefficiency of the method.
@@MarzThe7 I'm not denying people are using UPS devices similar (or maybe the same) as the video. And I am happy there is a knowledge base out there that now shows "right equipment for the job". However from the get go I almost feel like this was a "pro-Ecotech" video, I now realize this was just step one in the process, and as mentioned other methods may be tested later.
Yes the eco tech is only $170, however you need to buy MP10s or MP40s which are one of the most expensive power head on the market, certainly another deciding factor to think about.
Sometimes the MOST gracious thing people can and should do is just say "Thank you" for your efforts to educate them on reef keeping. No one is PERFECT, no channel, no company, no keyboard warriors. Having co run a company, staff or not, my hat is off to you guys for your vlogs & taking precious time to do so. Of course you will plug your wares...so frigging what? You are not holding a gun to anyone's head to buy only or any of your products. We can be either dismissive or make our own vids, offer our own take on your test...whatever. In fact more vloggers do just that, and should
More should take themselves up on their findings and theories and post their own test. Either way, not a hit or rant too much...lol Uhm...lets see...a big THANK YOU. Period.💦😎
Better yet have a generator that switches on and kicks in when your power goes out
Stephen Olner Can you recommend a reasonable priced generator please
I agree with BRS's view on the test...the UPS option would not have the functionality to adapt the pump's flow/consumption to the available backup power- this is a real world example.
The justification why the UPS provide less backup is also very related with the battery that it comes with and not only the inverted consumption - most likely it packs a 7Ah battery while the ecotech comes with an 18Ah one.
When the storm Sandy hit in 2012, my MP10 was indeed kept alive 80 hours or so by the battery backup. What killed a lot of the life was in the end the cold, but at least they did not die within hours... A great product. What would be interesting as a follow up is "how many times can they cycle like that?" Mine after that event had to be replaced as it would not hold a charge any more.
Thank you for this video!! I just let myself have a tank for the first time in years, and lost track of how valuable a power back-up is until just this morning as I woke up to... utter dark.
This is not even close to apples to apples considering the MP40 drops down to 20%. Ryan, test all of them running at 100% when on battery power and go from there or drop the CP MP40's down to 20% and run it again. I don't have an apex but I'm sure you can have it control the speeds when a power outage is detected.
This is just data collection :) We now know how long these UPS's last and an interesting result where the bigger battery didn't last longer. We can also see some of the value of a smart solution that powers down to to the situation.
@@BRStv You had to know your comments were going to get flooded with this. I do agree the test is 100% real world, but for those of us who DO have notifications/automation to turn down pumps.... should have had a short 2nd part showing the data on all three pumps at 20%.
@@imasniper1 Agree....not testing them all at 20% is just a ridiculous comparison.
The apex is not able to detect power source being the grid or a UPS. It can only at best have the heartbeat function where that’s more accurately a test of your internet connection.
I use solar powered fountain pumps to agitate the surface water. They have battery back ups. I also have a 3500 watt gen set for the rest of the stuff
Cool story
100% always worth having at least one power-head on a battery backup! very well could save your tank!
Interesting! I hear what you are saying about not being around so having it in and ready to roll is important. I have also been pondering a drop in dc power head hooked to a 12v car battery that is just hanging out in the garage on trickle charge for emergency when I am around and the power is out. Also would be interesting to see how folks are wiring everything up with the backup, powerheads, and Neptune!
Nice vid! It would be great to know what are other options available for ppl using other pumps (like gyres, I think there an Icecap backup as well) and the most important redo a comparison test with all pumps running the same way.
I use an UPS knowing that it only runs my 65 watt return pump for about 1 hour because 1 hour is all the time I need to hook my propane generator. Without power, the furnace shuts off along with the aquarium heater, and in about 30 mins, my water drops from 80 to 70. and in about 1 hour the fish would freeze. Really don't get why these dedicate pump back ups run so long. Like how does the water stay warm enough for 80 hours? And Don't you need to power the return pump for the sump as well?
The combined wattage of my tank without the lights are almost 600 watts...nothing except a generator can keep it going lol
Awesome info. Thanks so much! Now i know what I'm gonna get. :)
If you have a large aquarium, or multiple aquariums, you would be smarter to build your own battery bank with marine batteries. The cost would be much cheaper, you can maintain it yourself, and you would get longer power times.
VoltAmp (VA) isn't a measure of capacity, you need to make sure your starting with equivalent storage capacity. So many flaws in this one.
I live in SoCal Mountains and SCE can shut our power off if it gets too windy during the fire season.
If you have spent more than 1k on your tank & inhabitants,
then uninterrupted full operation is what you need.
Get a Honda EU2200i and forget about power outage issues altogether, imo.
I called cyberpower on their 1500 unit and they told me these battery backup units should not be used for aquarium purposes in fact doing so voids the warranty. Anyway they would only give you hours when here in S Florida we may need days of power.
Exactly what they told me. Due to the "large in rush current" aquarium equipment produces, they do not recommend using their UPS products for aquariums.
I didn't want to read through all 111 comments but I think something was missed in this test. The minute all 3 battery backups kicked in, the vortech changed its controller to 20% while you left the other 2 at 100%. This is not an apples to apples comparison and shows favor to vortech. The right thing to do is when the battery backups kick in, makes sure to throttle the other 2 pumps to 20% manually to see how long they last.
I agree with you. BRS defended the experiment by saying "we want to create a more realistic experiment, as the tank owner would not be around during the outage to reduce the flow." However, the truth is that, when your power is out, all your lights are out, all your fans, electronics in your house. You always know if you have a power outage unless youre living under a boulder. Also, almost always, someone is home, usually a house is rarely completely empty, someone is always in there to turn the pump Down. It's a complete failure by brstv.
Engineer here.
Storage vs peak is different. In general, the larger the inverter, the more efficient it is. In your test, the larger unit had batteries that could hold less charge.
Going DC -> AC -> DC is absolutely inefficient. The eco tech battery is way overpriced for an SLA battery. I got a 12v battery hooked up to a battery tender and 2x ecotech adaptors. Total for the equivalent of 2 ecotech batteries? $100
Would you have examples of the "battery tender" and "ecotech adapters" you used? Thanks
I don't know how many times my ecotech battery backup has saves my system both in summer AND winter when power goes out. It was definitely worth the initial cost and if the battery ever fails you can replace it simply by going to a local batter store like Interstate Batteries and picking up a replacement battery.
Also, the UPS systems aren't really designed for use powering aquariums. Speaking from an IT background, UPS systems are meant to condition the power coming in from the AC wall side in the even of surges and brown outs commonly associated with normal power usage and they even tell you in the documentation that the UPS is only designed for short use like when the power fails, turning your PC off properly versus crashing your system which can be detrimental to long term health of your components.
EcoTech battery backup for me all the way!
Why not make it more fair by running all pumps at 20%?
We took this one from a real world perspective where in most cases we wouldn't be around when the power fails, in which case when using a UPS battery backup, the pumps would remain in their last normal state prior to power outage. I definitely agree that they probably could have lasted a bit longer at a lower power draw, but realistically I wouldn't expect the difference to be overwhelmingly dramatic. (Maybe another hour or two tops).
The real takeaway here is to get a better idea of reasonable expectations for how much circulation time you have when the power goes out....and for some people 5hrs from a UPS is more than enough. I can say that prior to this test, I had no idea what a UPS would provide for backup time and I surely wasn't going to go out and spend $100-$200 on one just to test for myself. :)
well that's not real world because the other pumps wouldn't automatically turn down to that but we might test that in a future test :)
I think you would have two scenarios in the real world. Those with controllers like the APEX and those without. I think you are spot on for those without controllers. But when you run the test for those with who have the APEX controller make sure that the pumps drop down to 20% to see how long they would actually last. Hopefully more than 5 hours.
Exactly
Should still run the pumps on the ups batteries at 20% too see how long they last.
I bought a 1200VA Cyberpower UPS, which I’m going to connect to two DC return pumps which maybe run at ~20 watts altogether (I only have small tanks). I’m quite satisfied with a five hour run time - I’ve never experienced a power outage longer than that where I am. Besides, if I’m home I can just turn the DC pump’s power down for the duration of the outage, no biggie.
If I lived somewhere with tornadoes and hurricanes I’d probably want something that ran for longer though.
Never experienced a blackout lasting longer than 7 hours, run a cheap ups on one wavemaker. Tested it for 5h and it was still running fine so should be fine here thankfully
Good video but as many mentioned this is not a true comparison of if a normal UPS is as good at lasting vs the EcoTech. Many here that would bother with UPS's will likely have an APEX or GHL controller that we would use to shut off or reduce equipment. those with out would potentially be at home and would reduce the pumps manually. however you control the pumps the test should be like for like. something you normally consider in your tests.
I would suggest a quick simple test is to work out the power needed to match the eco tech Watts draw and run them all that way and test the time as a start. then look at alternative more suited DC draw UPS's that are available.
This is not a moan or attach. I love watching your videos
Thanks
Tq for making the video & savings our money in choosing the best one 🙂
Get a solar system size your batter for about 4 days back up to run your entire tank not just your pumps. Great thing abut that is you won't be spending money on electricity to run your tan.
The one thing y'all forgot to look at is the Ah capacity of the batteries in each UPS compared to the Ah battery of your DC system. You kind of touched on inverter efficacy, you need to look at that when purchasing a UPS. Just because a UPS is rated for 1500 VA doesn't mean it has a 18 Ah battery, most UPS have a 7.5 Ah battery and the voltage varies from 12VDC to 48VDC, the higher the DC voltage is the easier it is to inverter it to 120 VAC.
Can you do this test using the return pumps from ecotech please :)
A great test for Ecotech specific equipment given the retail options that are available. If all ya care about is running a pump, this is the way to go. Well, there's always the apples to apples solution for $75 (18Ah battery, a 3.5mm plug and a 700mA Battery Tender), but most won't go that direction. The 24V 8Ah (vs. the 12V 18Ah from Ecotech) or less Cyberpower UPS, running at ~98 efficiency at 25% load (lower load = lower efficiency), will never keep up with a straight DC solution given the conversation back to DC to drive the Vortech pumps. Not only is double-conversion impractical when compared to native voltage, there's also the Vortech (or any) DC power supply loss inherent to riding a modified, versus pure, sine wave. It's almost like testing the runtime of an AC pump using a UPS vs. Ecotech Battery Back-Up. Almost.
Can you test a more generic setup? Ie one with out intelligent power decrease such as when mp10 detects the ecotech battery... It's not really comparable. You should do this with a nero
Randy u must get.lots of power cuts in the usA .... Here in the UK I can't remember the last time we had one . Do u Hobe lots of overhead powerlines affected by storms
What’s my option as a battery backup if I don’t have ecotech mp wavemakers? Anything besides a generator. I have a 7000w generator and will eventually installs a generac for whole house.
Can you guys do a test with the pumps running 20% on the UPS setups?
We do plan to test this as well coming up! Thanks for your feedback! (:
problem with battery back up is they convert dc to ac but a little hack is to remove that part and connected directly to the battery and keep the charging part ups.
Thanks for this. Very helpful. In line with this, what about one other main component, heaters. In a power outage, I could grab the heater and throw it in the main display, but whats a good solution for powering it. Would be nice if there was an all in one solution for both heaters and power heads.
There's definitely a conundrum when it comes to prioritizing life support factors during a power outage. I'd say temp is less of a priority than CO2 buildup and oxygenation, but you're absolutely right that we do need a viable solution for both, particularly in those longer term outages. The real hurdle comes with the differences in wattage draw for these two different equipment pieces. We're talking under 20W for a small powerhead to churn water versus 100-600W for a heating element to keep the water warm. The demand for power alone helps us prioritize where we put our efforts during a power failure, that and CO2 buildup will cause catastrophic livestock loss faster than a gradual temp change in either direction.
@@BRStv I see. Did not think of that.
Would an one of those aquarium air pumps fhat makes fine bubbles work. They come in strips and you could move water with that.. It will oxygenate and keep water moving (if u had a couple lines to different spots in the back or strip. Or have the bubbles go into a power head on lowest setting to save power.
I'm sure it has been said by others, but you don't need to go with the Ecotech battery. To backup my 5 MP10/MP40 powerheads, I just purchased a good battery charger (NOCO Genius G1100) and a 35 AH SLA battery (Mighty Max ML35-12) and power jacks (forgot the size the MPs use, but you can search forums on that). The battery charger keeps the battery constantly charged and the Ecotech automatically switches to the 12V input when the 24V power is lost (so nice that they designed the MPs that way). Total cost was $100 and it supplies much more backup power than the Ecotech battery backup.
Freshwater hobbyists need backup too! Can you do a test to help the average Joe freshwater hobbyists with low budgets that has SunSun wave makers and canisters/HOBs?
We can see if this is something we are able to cover! Thanks for letting us know you would find value in this. (:
Hey Randy - I wish you'd done a test where you manually dial down both the UPS driven MP10s to 20% when the power went out. An example would be if you're at home when the power goes out, and you can dial it down yourself. It'd be interesting to see how that changes the results. I'm sure still doesn't last as long as the direct DC battery, but perhaps a viable option given the (somewhat outrages) cost of the vortech battery backup!
Stay tuned and your wish might be granted! Lol... Don't worry, I'm definitely coming back to this one.
I have three of the ecotech battery backups. I have two Daisy chained on one of my MP40’s and the third on the other mp40. I live in Florida, it’s only a matter of time before a hurricane is going to kill my electricity.
Rik Miller or completely take out your home
xscriberx shhh we don’t speak of such things. Lol. I’m central Florida smack dab in the middle. So it’s not as bad where I live. But we still get some pretty nasty storms.. and the occasion tornado.
I wish you guys tested the apc powering it at the same setting as the ecotech backup. For example, if the power was out in my home I would likely go turn my powerheads down to save power.
Very true, but if not around to change the settings these would run at full power. We plan to look at comparing times when these rates are similar. (:
Nice informative video! Is EcoTech the only battery backup option sold at BRS website? Perhaps a BRS Battery Back-Up Unit?
This is at the moment, but we used to carry the Ice Cap battery Backup. We will have this available again after the new model is released.
Thanks for the video. Is there an updated video? I want something for my heater only. 2.5 gallon.
Randy has three of these UPS investigates videos right now. This one and the two in the links below
ruclips.net/video/YtiAM4L5HhE/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/9mEZ4V47HnM/видео.html
@@BRStv Thanks so much!
Can this be used with other elements of the tank or power heads not by vortex? Would there be something like this viable for reptile enclosures as well?
I'll take a APC UPS backup simply for their long-term quality. Most aquarium brands are kind of iffy on QA as you have probably seen from icecap discontinuing their battery and vortech having tons of bad reviews.
We've had some pretty good luck from the IceCap and Vortech battery backups. Both have a 4+ star review average on our website (including the Icecap V1 and V2) 🙂
An advantage of the UPS is it can also power other components like the return pump and skimmer. All my pumps run on regular speed for about an hour until the battery dies. After the UPS dies, an icecap battery powers one MP40 and I have a portable generator if needed.
Only AC pumps need AC and that AC must be of true sine wave and therefore only expensive UPS work.
All other gear runs on dc and what is better most pums run on standard 12V or 24V so you can skip the DC-AC-DC waste and connect them to batteries directly. Sure for Apex/ekoral/ghl controllers you will need to take a look at specs as 12/24V input probably will not work but dc V step-up/step-down boards cost pennies and the equipment in question draws very little power.
Sure if 1h is all you need UPS is fine but 1h outages are not usually a problem. And you might have problems with neighbours if you will try running portable generator during the night.
@@TheDancing0windMost outages here are short. I don't think most people care about generator noise outside when the power is out. Haven't had any problems with that.
I have the ecotech and it only lasted more than a year. When i complained about it. My local store just told me that they cannot do anything about it. Waste of money!
I have a Flashfish battery backup from amazon , one night when power went out during a storm,the flashfish backup failed. I have the unit only 30 months and the battery is already a failure.The flashfish company uses triangle screws to make it hard to get into the case,I was hoping to replace the battery,but in the manuel it states that battery can not be replaced. I already have a cyberpower unit for computer backup,Im thinking to get another one for the tank,instead of wasting money on the off brand units sold that probably use cheap batteries .
If the vortech pumps reduces to 20% won't the fish and coral start to die? I like the battery idea... but at 20% is that safe? I have a 180 gallon reef. I was only thinking of upgrading one of my pumps b/c of the expense.
Cool, the vortech is the clear winner. Except, how does that help when the return pump from the sump is currently without power and the tank is draining in only one direction. I have no idea why you even included the vortech battery in this test at all. It is limited to specifically one brand's circulation pumps. Meaning having any other brand's makes that result null and void. What is the life of each of these backups with two circulation pumps and a return pump running. How long will it hold your tank up before you need to look into another option?
You are absolutely right. In a direct comparison of the MP10 pumps only, hands down the EcoTech battery was for sure going to win. In reality the point of this test wasn't a direct head to head competition between these two types of battery backup solutions, but rather to provide reefers with a frame of reference for what they could reasonably expect from UPS battery backups (which aren't specifically designed for low wattage applications like we are using them here). These UPS backups are very popular in the hobby, but I personally don't want to go drop $100-$200 bucks on one without knowing what to expect. Hopefully that message comes through, but I will definitely be expanding on this one down the road. :)
I was told by one of your associates on the instant chat that the vortex battery back up would only work with vortex powerheads. But in this video it is showing all powerheads (vortex) are hooked up to different brand battery back ups!!! I bought the vortex batt back up not realizing I could not use other powerheads with the vortex, forcing me to either return the vortex or buy a vortex powerhead aprox $300 more than the Hydor powerhead I wanted. So its buyer beware ask questions before you buy from BRS, after all their in the retail selling business
Hey David,
The UPS systems that Randy is using in this video will power just about anything from Vortech powerheads to the less expensive Hydor powerheads. The real benefit to using the Vortech powerheads and Vortech battery backup is that the Vortech powerhead will automatically reduce intensity when you use it with their battery backup.
Can you connect a regular air pumo in the Vertech Battery back up?
I don't believe so. There is no standard 120v plug on the Vortech battery backup
Yay at least when all my heaters stop working I can have my pumps to blow around my dead fish
All these batteries backup cannot run aquarium fish heater.. The heater is the most important thing we need it still working when power gone off.. Air pump we can solve it easy and same about the light but heater is not easy to solve
If I have an aquarium of freshwater fish, and I do a heater and bubbler a filter and light, what battery back up can I get that will last when my power goes out? I bought two of those cyberpower ones at $150 each and they don’t last more that 2-3 hours. And often my power is out for days! I will only keep the air and the heat plugged in though as to not over burden the battery.
I have noticed my D cell battery bubbler works for days and the 1500 cyberpower battery back up only hours! What gives?!?
Heaters are going to use up batteries very very quickly. If you want to run a heater on a backup, you're best off with a small generator.
I am confused. Are you saying you can run your air flow at 20%? I'm using your videos as my guide to set up my tank and I didn't get an answer on what to get.
The default flow rate setting for a Vortech MP10 when battery backup mode is engaged is 20% of normal power. It is a feature that is specific to this pump and the battery backup used with it. :)
How long to run a wavemaker, heater and return pump. That should be the goal and real comparison.
running a heater on battery backup would kill it fast as its the largest power draw in a tank.. saltwater can hold heat a while as long as your house is a reasonable temp... really flow is hands down the most important thing to keep things alive and happy
My thought process on power failure is that my number one goal should be circulation/oxygenation of the water above all else. The buildup of CO2 in the tank will lead to fish and inhabitant mortality far quicker than other parameters like temp, filtration, and lighting. Tank temp would be less of a priority except in extreme cases of heat or cold, but for the most part the tank and inhabitants will survive gradual temp changes just fine. It would be those longer term power outages in more extreme temp conditions where tank temp would become a high priority to maintain. As for running the return pump, I'd say that for me this is the very lowest of priorities since the primary task of the return pump is to cycle water through the filtration equipment below. So unless you were also powering your skimmer or refugium or other filtration, running the return pump is simply redundant to running your powerheads during a power outage. Additionally, powering the return pump would likely take more energy to do, since they are typically under head pressure, higher wattage and draw more than a small powerhead.
If worried about running a heater and return pump is the main priority, you are better off with a generator. No battery backup is going to work when a heater is drawing 2-300 watts.
Do UPS backup batteries need to be replaced if it's depleted or are they rechargeable?
Nearly all UPS backups on the market are rechargeable. They are specifically designed for backing up computers for enough time to shut them down properly after a power outage.
I love Ecotech products and own many. However, a powerhead isn't going to save your tank unless your house stays 80 degrees 365 days a year. Your temp will drop and your fish will die. The APC hold numerous value over this Ecotech. You can run a heater and whatever through the APC. Is it going to last hours? No, but for that you need a generator.
I have until the grid electric comes back on because I have a generac generator that's runs off natural gas when there's a power outage
Is there an option not to autoswitch to 20% when the EcoTech battery drops in?
Yup, you can manually adjust the speed of the pump during battery backup mode, however the highest you can set it to is 50% which is intended to conserve battery but provide more flow if needed.
@@BRStv Fast answer, thx a lot :)
@@BRStv It probably because battery is 12V instead of 24V from Power supply
Shouldn’t this have been tested with a return pump at the very least? Having a wave maker isn’t going to move your display water through your sump/filtration. Is a single wave maker enough to keep your water oxygenated for your fish to be healthy? Would anyone be willing to leave their fish in a ~50 gallon with just a single mp10 on for the quoted 80 hours in the test and call that reasonable? This isn’t even getting into heaters etc... I think this deserves being revisited with the quality BRS investigates usually has in their videos. I would love to see this tested with several proper battery backup systems that are built for homes.
No. There is no reason to send water through the sump and have it filtered. The majority of filtration is happening on the live rock anyway so keeping water moving and oxygenated in the tank is the most important thing to do. If your power really is going to be out for more than 3-4 days, you have to consider that you are going to have stuff die and possibly lose the entire system. At that point, I'm sure I am worrying about other things a lot more than my tank since it was probably a serious storm/incident that knocked my power out.
If all of this is a truly worry, get a whole house generator and be done.
I can speak from experience my MP 700 return pump lasts about 30min on a battery. Where as my power heads last about 6 hours. Your over estimating how awesome batteries are.
To the replies below there are battery back up systems which would work for more than a simple powerhead (Tesla Powerwall for example). They aren’t cheap by any measure but would actually run every single system on our tanks plus the rest of your house for a week easy. While I agree on the point about live rock and filtration, surface agitation and our skimmers do a lot of work in our tanks in keeping them oxygenated. I don’t think there’s any data to support showing a single mp10 will create enough passive circulation at the surface for the average tank.
This test needs to identify what the bare minimum is to keep a tank oxygenated/livestock alive then use that metric to see how long a backup system can maintain those conditions.
Should have run the mp10 on the ups at 20% . Was Cool to know bigger isn't always better ! More test , let's try a car battery . Maybe hook up an inverter to your car battery & a 50 ft. Extension cord to the mp10 . Test should probably be done with mp40 s . Don't you sell a lot more of them? The eco tech is a nice unit .
We're coming back to this one for sure. Honestly, my hypothesis is that we will only likely see maybe 1-2hrs more run time with the UPS when the pumps are set to 20%. This is primarily related to how the power is delivered to the pumps. For the UPS backups the power is converted from AC-DC (wall to battery) then when the power fails, the UPS will convert stored DC energy to AC and power the equipment plugged into it. It's the conversion/inversion of power that makes them completely different than a straight DC battery backup (EcoTech battery straight to driver).
u need to redo the test
Re-do the tests and put a full tank setup load on each of the battery backups and see which one lasts the longest... I believe it will be close between the DC and the larger UPS.
We're coming back to this one for sure. Honestly, my hypothesis is that we will only likely see maybe 1-2hrs more run time with the UPS when the pumps are set to 20%. This is primarily related to how the power is delivered to the pumps. For the UPS backups the power is converted from AC-DC (wall to battery) then when the power fails, the UPS will convert stored DC energy to AC and power the equipment plugged into it. It's the conversion/inversion of power that makes them completely different than a straight DC battery backup (EcoTech battery straight to driver).
@@BRStv I'm looking forward to seeing how they operate with a larger load. Thanks for the reply!
Why couldn't u compare VA to VA on all??
Sounds fair 20% - 100%
We're coming back to this one for sure. Honestly, my hypothesis is that we will only likely see maybe 1-2hrs more run time with the UPS when the pumps are set to 20%. This is primarily related to how the power is delivered to the pumps. For the UPS backups the power is converted from AC-DC (wall to battery) then when the power fails, the UPS will convert stored DC energy to AC and power the equipment plugged into it. It's the conversion/inversion of power that makes them completely different than a straight DC battery backup (EcoTech battery straight to driver).
i would redue the test, but i would first kill the batteries dead, then recharge them all at the same time, then after the light goes off on all them i would then run the test over. also change the power outage to 20% as the same as the eco- marine battery. In my house i have a generator and on almost every thing important, i have a battery back up. ( especially like the cable boxs, OMg i hate when the power blinks and the box used to take 5 mints to reset. ) Having a back battery keeps the settings on everything the same. Usually the power only blinks and may go out for a second or two the gen house back up does not come on, but it knocks everything off and i must reset clocks and other things. Everything i have on the aquarium is plugged into batteries and it is nice to know if i am out of town for a few days i have a few options, knowing if the power goes out it would not affect the timer for the lights and timer for the wave control.
I can see how this test looks like a head to head challenge of a UPS battery backup versus an EcoTech backup, but that would really be an apples to oranges type of comparison just given the differences in AC and DC battery power supply. This test was more so intended to simply be a real world measure of how long these UPS batteries will last with some context using the EcoTech battery. Within that, I think that changing the settings to 20% on the UPS would have been unfair and unrealistic given that most power outages happen when we aren't home, meaning that the pumps would continue to run as they were in their last state before the outage. If we were using DC backup options for all three pumps, the test would be centered around battery size and life instead of AC and DC differences.
All that said, we will absolutely circle back to this and test more! ;)
You guys need to remake this... 399.99 for a mp10 250 for a battery back up, thats 734.49$ tax in Canadian for just 1 power head and a battery back up... you can buy a generator that can power the whole tank and more for that kind of money... make a new one using ups units and running a pico, nano and say a 90g. Most people don't have mp powerheads because one mp10 is equivalent to 3-4 jeboa power heads... to sum up, make a budget friendly battery back up solution video.
The basic computer UPS systems that are shown in this video will definitely work, they just won't last quite as long as the Vortech option due to the DC/AC conversion that has to happen.
In most cases, you should only need to put one of the powerheads on a battery backup. So, if you're running Jebao pumps, just plug one of them in for the longest run time. Even if it runs for a few hours, that should cover a majority of power outages. For longer outages where you have to also worry about temperature control, a generator is going to be your best option.
Why don't you run all power head to 20%? It's not like we can't turn the pump down in power outage. This really didn't help to draw a comparison much.
We definitely will on the next test. This is just some data collection at this point. The reason we didn't change the pumps for the UPS batteries is that in most instances of a power outage we likely aren't home or not near the tank. Because of that, we wouldn't be around to manually turn the pumps down to 20%. (whereas with the EcoTech DC-DC backup, the driver recognizes the power outage and automatically changes the pump speed...as it would when you were not home.) BUT don't worry, we're coming back to this one again. ;)
It ran for 81 hours because it was at 20%
But the other 2 at 100%
This was a misleading test
Plus u have to buy the mp 10 in the first place$$$$ + ecotech backup
This is a good start but could have been done so much better. Why in the world didn't you drop all pumps to the 20% range? That is the ONLY way we would get meaningful data out of this. Ryan always "argues" with me that we are usually within an hour of our tanks if something goes bad. So if that is true, I could easily get home and drop my pumps down to 20%. If something has happened so serious that I am losing power for close to 6 hours, I am on my way home to get things taken care of. If I am on vacation, I have already considered my tank is dead before I return. I do this every time I take a trip though. Nothing goes wrong with a tank until you go on a vacation so I always plan for the worst. Makes the trips a lot more enjoyable too.
Not done with this one yet. ;) My guess is that at 20% we see maybe 1-2hrs longer run time from the UPS.
I don’t think this test was fair considering two pumps ran 100% and another ran 20%
Now hook it up to a tank heater cuz that's what I would need in the winter if the power went out
Fair, but unfortunately heaters draw a ton of power and a battery won't last long running one. You'd be better off with a generator if you want to run your heater during a power outage.
@@BRStv yes I was considering just getting that or a Tesla powerwall .. I lost a tank 100 gallon tank 5 years ago I spent ages working with .. went to work and apparently the power went out soon after I left by the time I got home the house was freezing and the tank was in the low 50's
I don't agree BRS. This test favoured the Ecotech right out the gate as it was designed for this purpose. The cost isnt just the Ecotech Battery but also the MP10. Not all of us run Ecotechs. Also I rarely run my pumps at 💯% and ideally if I setup a backup wavemaker id set it low to save energy and extend my agitation period. What I would have liked to have seen is what was suggested. All pumps at 20%. Secondly id prefer to use a small AC pump with the UPS, like a turbelle, just for that purpose. You're gonna lose a lot of power from DC-AC-DC for a DC wavemaker on a UPS. Sometimes all you need is that extra hour to save your stuff.
I completely understand and agree. The point of this test was just a starting point of gathering data where before this test, I honestly had no idea how long a UPS backup would be expected to last. So to put into some sort of context and not have me personally go out and spend $100-$200 on a UPS that I'm not informed about, we added in the EcoTech backup. Now that we have some idea of expected run time and why the two completely different battery backup options differ (UPS vs straight DC), we can move forward with more testing to ultimately find the best battery backup for our tanks, regardless of what pump you use.
@@BRStv Lol. Ok. Hurry up. I was about to buy a UPS today and voila this came out. Hopefully we can see the AC/UPS test really soon. Winter is coming.
Brace yourself..... LOL
Why not run all the power heads at 20% to see a true comparison? Having two mp10s at 100% on a ups and one mp10 at 20% on a EcoTech battery doesn’t yield actual results.
Just data collection at this point. We're coming back to do just that and more. :)
That’s not right, I don’t mean that you are wrong or anything but you comparing a battery that runs full power at all times and the vortech automatically runs on a safe mode, mean that will run to save as much power as it can, the other battery don’t have that therefore will not last that long, I like you videos but this test is not right.
Not a fair test at all! Run all the pumps at 20% on all 3 batteries and then you'll have your real answer! Sounds like a pitch for the eco tech battery.
Don't worry, we're coming back to do just that. :)
Aren't the Korralia pumps AC powered and wouldn't they last longer? Perhaps having a single AC pump to provide surface agitation on a UPS?
Depends on the wattage draw, but it could... We'll have to keep testing to find out.
Sorry, this is the first time in BRS that I saw a strongly biased comparison ! Please run UPS batt. using the same load. What is the point to compare 100 % (18 Watts) load on UPS and 20 % load on aquarium product. For the ups port you do not need to put large wave maker that takes 18 Watts - this make no sense. It is more reasonable to put small pump (tunze for example) that will take significantly less Watts. It is not necessary to move vigorously water when the power supply fail (this make no sense). The comparison should be performed using the same load on the backup pumps with max ~4 Watts load (for example Tunze 6020). Cheers Piotr
Thank you for your input, and we do plan on testing this! In this experiment we were trying to simulate a real world situation where someone may not be around to turn their pump's flow rates down. We do plan on changing some variables, and continuing some tests regarding this.
That wasn't a fair comparison. A fair comparison would be running the pumps connected to the UPSs at 20% also. Maybe that way, they would have lasted 5 times longer. Sorry guys, you did this one wrong.
We aren't done with this one yet. ;) My hypothesis for the next test with the pumps on UPS at 20% is that they will only get about 1-2hrs more run time at the lower wattage. I'm basing that off the inefficiency of the AC-DC-AC conversion of power from UPS battery backups being designed and intended for use with higher wattage computers and not low wattage aquarium pumps....but we'll find out! :)
By the way, could you do the same with aquarium heaters? I thinkmaintaining temperature during a winter power outage is more important than flow. But the problem is that heaters consume way more power than a pump. Could you make a video giving us solutions to that problem? Perhaps suggesting what kind of ups unit should we buy if we want to run a large heater for at least 12 hours or more.
😃👍🏴
unfair test. - OK the the eco tech has an AUTO setting the other 2 do not. you should have either left all 3 at 100% or turned down all 3 to 20% having to turn the other 2 pumps down manually vs auto is a feature that is nice ( say if your not home) BUT FOR THIS TEST - you basically RIGGED IT SO THE PRODUCT YOUR SHILLING WILL WIN!
PS, if you are going with traditional UPS the cheap crap you buy at staples - like the 2 you picked is also not a fair comparison - Rather pick one from Liebert or Emerson for example that you would find in server or IT rooms protecting pro grade servers and switches.
Oh and last think the echo tech looks like a sealed box - What is the life of the battery inside -not talking about running but stand by life - Lieberts is 5 years and I can replace those batteries for a fraction of the cost of buying a new sealed unit like ecotech
The video is too fast and unable to catch up and I haven't understood a thing. Forget it, I am out. What do you think you're filming a sports ground with a hundred takes, zoom, pans a minute? Geez, talk, just talk.🙄
Wow! Would you look at that. A BRS test that skews the results in favor of the product that they will happily sell you. Typical for you guys.
Do you dare do a retest with a more level and fair playing field.
I suggest (like some others have already), start with fully charged backups, then set ALL the pumps at 20%, run your test then post those results.
I TRIPLE DOG DARE YOU!
The Ecotech will might very well still come out the winner, but not by the margins you posted. After all, that's it's sole purpose.
Or, here's a thought. Run a balance test. How long will a PC run off the Ecotech Backup?
Definitely right about retesting! We will absolutely swing back and retest with all pumps at 20%. It seems that the takeaway here didn't really come through in the video and that is that up until this test, we really didn't have a frame of reference as to how long UPS backups last when applied to our hobby. They are definitely not intended for running powerheads, but for short power outages they work great.
In all honesty, because of the technology in a standard UPS backup (where it converts AC to DC storage then when the power goes out inverts DC back to AC) I wouldn't expect the UPS backups to perform much better than they did in this test. My hypothesis is that they might get 1-2 more hours with the pumps at 20% versus 100%, because the inversion from DC back to AC is so inefficient...but we will only find out when I test them again! :)
This is an experiment where theoretically finding the answer using maths would have been easy and fairly accurate. Gotta say man this is quite a bad experiment
Total crap. Amp hours to amp hrs. Is where you need to compare the two. Not VoltAmps. At 100% each. Or turn them all down to 20%. This is a pure Echotech sales pitch. Look at the low reviews on the site. Its junk with their customer service. Go back to your old ways when you was honest.
cyberpower's products are all total junk. this comparison should be using higher quality products
Just a BAD experiment
Will the UPS battery backup work with nano tank return pumps? I don't use wavemakers. I have a 15 gallon waterbox
They'll work for sure, but how long they last on a UPS will depend on the UPS itself and how much power the pump draws. With AIO tanks, the pump shouldn't draw more than a few watts, so we wouldn't be surprised if you could get a few hours (or even more) runtime out of a small return pump.
There are other reasons for using a UPS, like power conditioning for your expensive equipment and protecting the entire tank (or most of it) against smaller outages. I think the value/place of the UPS can be highlighted a bit better in this case. However, many people do get confused when comparing these large UPSs to a single battery, so this is definitely good clarification.