Excellent Video. Every Aquarium needs a battery backup. It means your Fish's lives. Fortunately, because I only have a 4 foot aquarium, I only needed a much smaller system and I have installed a CyberPower VP1600ELCD to which I have connected my Fluval Plant 3.0 - 145cm light, 300w heater, Air pump, and large internal Filter and it will run them for about 3 hours in a blackout. What I like about the CyberPower units is they have a readout on the LCD screen of how long a battery runtime you get according to what you have connected. The unit cost less than $300 but does has a short runtime. I am also in Victoria Australia 👍
well sam I have ordered the components identical to yours and have teed up the son-in-law who is a sparky , I wasn't going to as the longest we have lost power where I live in vic is 2hrs and its usually under 1. I have a portable generator and that saved the day when we were out for over 6hrs, when the storms struck about 3-4 wks ago, there were people without power for over 6 days. Your battery backup should buy me enough time to get home and setup the generator, or organize someone else to set it up, regardless of what im up to . Thankyou for doing the leg work and sharing it.
You won’t be disappointed mate! If you need a hand with any of it, just yell out! Make sure your son in law puts a safety switch on the output from the inverter. Otherwise you can create quite a dangerous environment..
I really appreciate that mate, I don’t profess to be an expert in this field, but I did a lot of research into it to ensure I got the best result possible for my money :)
Another great video. I always believe that if one is taking the plunge into a “dream” reef tank, the requirement for a generator is a must have. Weather it is a whole house or a fill up and use as needed. That being said a $700-$1000(US) investment in a 3kw UPS makes sense. I run my entire system for up to 4 hours. Plenty of time to get home and crank up the portable generator and the UPS will filter the power.
I agree with you, GATV is excellent. I went for a gen set which I have to set up and turn on myself, but that's OK for me as I'm retired and usually around or close by.
Nice neat solution Sam, due to good power supply and temperate climate here in uk using the Ecotech solution to provide return pump and power head cover for a few hours!!
Awesome research Sam, really appreciate this info. Currently running a simple battery to power return and wave pumps. When and if I trade up to a Cade, this has been on my mind. Thanks
Man that is class. This is becoming a bit too special now mate. You are making me hate my system one video at a time! 🤣 On a serious note. Very informative video. 👍
Great video mate! Totally awesome solution! Very coool! I am running a computer UPS on my current tank, which is fine for the size and what i have hooked up, but I think an upgrade will be in order for the next tank, your solution here looks really sweet.
Hey mate sparky in vic here (northern) hit me up if you need any questions answered . But a generator with a change over switch for a dedicated tank circuit is actually a really cost effective way to do this. Your solution is a good one just $$$$$
@@ParkersReef Have a look at the EcoFlow units. The River 2 pro, and Delta 2 Max if you have another tank that needs easy backup. Plug and play with LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) batteries. 😉
If you are intrested maximize power runtime connect DC pumps directly to batteries. Obviously AC pumps will not work on DC - you need an inverter but inverters are a big hit on efficiency. Also not all inverters will play nice with AC pumps. AC pumps are designed to work with nice smooth sine wave AC input. Not stepped wave approximations cheap inverters produce. You need true sine wave inverter. Also 4 LiFePO4 cells ~= 1 12V acid led battery. Only lighter, more powerful, more capacity and more longevity. You can even use it as a plug and play replacement for standard lead batteries, but you do miss out on ~20% capacity.
Yes that will work, but only if your batteries are next to the tank. DC doesn’t travel distance very efficiently. This inverters is a pure sine wave output, it’s Victron, one of the best in the business. Lithium phosphate batteries are great. Just very expensive and weight isn’t a consideration for this install
Thanks for this, been following this build and this was something I’ve been thinking about for my new home and tank. This is perfect, the investigations and prices was very informative. Great work!
Thank you for this video mate, I’ve been thinking about what to do for my new tank build, and this seems perfect, although here in the UK we don’t really get power cuts very often, in fact I can’t remember the last one that didn’t last more than a few minutes tbh, but I do want to cover all eventualities. The exact same system is available here so I will now do some reading ✌🏻
Yeah we never used to get them all that often here either, although the last couple of summers have been a bit of a worry. Ultimately, I don’t like the idea of my reef at the mercy of someone else. This covers me in the unfortunate event of a power outage without too much money :)
Parkers Reef exactly, seems a lot of money to invest on a 1% chance but when you think how much time and money is invested in a fully stocked large tank, it falls into insignificance. Looking forward to seeing this develop mate, although your buddy at FTRtv has set somewhat of a precedent for aquascaping imo ✌️
Until last year, I’ve line in Brooklyn, NY for 25 years and only experienced 1 power outage and that was for the entire city. Last year year I had one and it killed my nano and almost killed my 75 gallon. I gotta get some of those Ecotech battery backup.
@@ParkersReef 😂 yeah use to charging whatever. My electrician only charged is 1k to install our ATS to the box & genie with documentationto to those who needs it & labelling.
Great video! One thing you didn't mention when you were talking about the battery formula - depth of discharge on lead acid batteries is usually recommended to be set at 50 percent of maximum capacity. Did you manually change the settings in the Victron app or just went with the defaults for low battery cut-off?
Victron defaults with sealed lead acid settings, but you can log in and change them to your battery specifications. Yes, if I was to do this setup again today - I would use lithium batteries instead, I just didn’t have budget for them at the time
I am investigating something similar for the new 290 peninsula I am setting up. One thing I didn't see in your calculation for run time is depth of discharge. You can't run a battery from full to empty charge and expect it to last long. I've read you get about 80% on lithium ion, and 50% on gel or agm, or what have you lead acid batteries. Did you take this into account? And have you ever done any testing to see how long your batteries last in a simulated power outage?
yeah that will vary on the battery chemistry you choose. Lithium should be good to 0%. Sealed lead acid is really only good to 50%. I haven't done a simulated test, but I have had a couple of 4-5 hour outages and when the power was restored, the victron was only on charge for a short time before switching back to float. Gave me confidence that it will handle 10 hours without too much issue.
@@ParkersReef Appreciate the response! Love your tank overall. My understanding is that depth of discharge has an effect on battery life. They consider life of the battery when it can only stored 80% of its original capacity. The higher the depth of discharge the shorter the life of thr battery. Lithium will get way more cycles than any lead acid, but of course they cost way more. You get one, maybe 1.5 lithium batteries for what you paid for all 4 of the AGMs. I guess at the end of the days it's a cost calculation. Replace lead acid batteries more often, or pony up the funds for lithium batteries at the beginning!
@@fiziksgeek3562 yep spot on! Lithium is getting better and cheaper by the day - so I just went for lead acid for now, will "upgrade" in a couple years :)
Victon 48v systems can and do power entire houses around the world , not just fish tanks they works best with solar or in regions that have cheap rate off peak electricity
One factor to note: your backup hour calculation didn’t use min drain voltage. This is another one of those manufacturer spec frustrations, but is the 140Ah down to 0% or 20%, etc.? You’ll want to multiply the number of hours by the portion which is safe to drain and not kill the battery. Good on you to choose AGM, but I’m curious… 🎉
Yes that’s a great question and I didn’t factor that in nor have I since found the value. I can say the tank has had a power outage for over eight hours and didn’t skip a beat which is exactly what I wanted to achieve :)
Hey Sam. I notice you have your tank running off a separate fuse in your home’s fuse box. Do you have it running off a single fuse or do you have more than one fuse/circuit dedicated to the tank ? Thanks
@@ParkersReef thanks Sam. I’ve got a sparky working on a separate line for me this week. I was always worried that a “bung” toaster would trip out my whole tank 🤣 Thanks for the reply.
@@robertverzin1235 such a good thing, seemed like a lot of money for a “what if” bit of gear, but when the power did go out it was so good to see the reef carry on like nothing was wrong
Thanks for going through all the options and pricing - really helpful. Just one question - if you were to need to run a generator due to a long outage, would you be able to charge the batteries with the generator while the batteries are connected to your Multiplus?
Certainly can! If we were to be facing a long outage I can charge the batteries either via a generator or solar without needing to interfere with the solution installed :)
@@ParkersReef my solar will only work when it had grid power so unless your is different having the batteries only do fish circuit the solar may not work. I know some knewer ones can but not many.
@@ParkersReef I watched the part about you getting quotes...and I understand. I live in the mountains and getting anyone to come out to do anything is difficult. When it comes time to buy new batteries, I would revisit the idea and try getting some fresh quotes. Good luck!
Fresh batteries will only be $1k and shouldn’t be for 5 years, so it’ll be hard to beat that. Plus by then, batteries will be cheaper again and generators will likely be more expensive :(
I spent about $100 on 4 battery air pumps that used 2 D batteries that last 24 hours. I was without power for 8 days. Didn't lose a fish or sps coral. The key was temperature which the house stood cool even in heat wave Tank in basement. I going generator, But regular battery pumps was a life saver
Have I factored in that lead acid batteries should not be used below 50% their capacity. A great option if you haven’t considered it would be for Lithium phosphate batteries that can be depleted to 99% approx. But yes they are significantly more expensive.
Great video did, you think about having the solar wired to the Victron so I can charge the battery in the day time in case of a prolonged power outage?
Thought about it, but I believe there are some legalities around that which I wasn’t interested in dealing with. Realistically, this setup can power my “essentials” for a day or more, if the power is going to be out that long - it gives me time to look into a longer term solution :p
really comes down the your own situation. Ecotech is great if you have their gear, are not capable of much DIY and want a neat solution. DIY will give you a BIGGER option, but it won't be cheaper...
Parkers Reef do you know how long the vectra pumps last for on battery back up? Presumably, less than the wave makers? Would prefer to use some non EcoTech wave makers like the Tunze or Ai neros instead - lot more affordable!
Those quotes sound like here in KY,USA,every worker has 4 PhD's and 80 years experience (WELL!!!they think they do ,anyway). Stay safe Melbourne-ites,Doc BC
Mate, they reckoned it needed a new feed from the gas mains and all sorts done to the switchboard. The mobs that quoted usually install commercially, so I reckon they quote with decent margins :p
great video however I think you made a mistake with your costing. 4*1100 batteries + 1800 inverter+500 install equals 6700 not 3000. regardless even 1 battery using this system to run the return pump and skimmer untill you could connect a generator would be well worth it. thanks
If you want your batteries to last, don't draw them down to less than one half capacity, ie they are now 70 amp hours not the full 140 amp hours. Your batteries could then last 8 to 10 years.
Good vid, but 18-22k to install the generac, sounds like they are into ripping people off. One point you said it’s not your place to question these things (approx 11 mins into vid)of coarse it’s your place to ask why a certain qualified electrician, gas plumber etc is charging what they are. Any decent/honest contractor should be happy to explain why the charge is what it is.
I did ask, they were not willing to divulge the info in anymore detail. I took from it, that they didn’t want to do the job - so put a bs figure in it to either make me go away or pay a premium
@@ParkersReef wow, thankyou for replying so fast, you have said you do reply to each person, just did nt not expect so fast. 👍🏻. Yeah, in that case they do sound like they gave you some bs, to dodge the job, and not divulging the costs would raise red flags straight away. I am in the process of waiting for a new build myself (display 4x3x2ft) and find your vids very informative, please keep up the good work. I have actually based my sump build on yours, although a lot smaller 3x2x1.5 ft and 5 sections. I will also be adding the Phillips hue leds as featured in another vid.
@@ParkersReef Sub! There you go! I think i like your videos. Did watch your tunze skimmer 9001. Freshwater here, switching to saltwater. 1yr old in progress and still learning. Thanks bro!
Not a pain at all! Generators are fine if you are home and jump packs work if you have 12v equipment to connect to them. Ultimately I wanted something that could automatically take over and run the majority of the tank without any input from me
Excellent Video. Every Aquarium needs a battery backup. It means your Fish's lives. Fortunately, because I only have a 4 foot aquarium, I only needed a much smaller system and I have installed a CyberPower VP1600ELCD to which I have connected my Fluval Plant 3.0 - 145cm light, 300w heater, Air pump, and large internal Filter and it will run them for about 3 hours in a blackout. What I like about the CyberPower units is they have a readout on the LCD screen of how long a battery runtime you get according to what you have connected. The unit cost less than $300 but does has a short runtime. I am also in Victoria Australia 👍
Nicely done mate, that will work well 👍🏻
This was a topic not many reefers consider. This was very informative. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching and commenting!
well sam I have ordered the components identical to yours and have teed up the son-in-law who is a sparky , I wasn't going to as the longest we have lost power where I live in vic is 2hrs and its usually under 1. I have a portable generator and that saved the day when we were out for over 6hrs, when the storms struck about 3-4 wks ago, there were people without power for over 6 days. Your battery backup should buy me enough time to get home and setup the generator, or organize someone else to set it up, regardless of what im up to . Thankyou for doing the leg work and sharing it.
You won’t be disappointed mate! If you need a hand with any of it, just yell out!
Make sure your son in law puts a safety switch on the output from the inverter. Otherwise you can create quite a dangerous environment..
@@ParkersReef will do thanks
Parker, U always come with so much knowledge with your videos. This is big here and just learned so much. Thank you.
I really appreciate that mate, I don’t profess to be an expert in this field, but I did a lot of research into it to ensure I got the best result possible for my money :)
Another great video. I always believe that if one is taking the plunge into a “dream” reef tank, the requirement for a generator is a must have. Weather it is a whole house or a fill up and use as needed. That being said a $700-$1000(US) investment in a 3kw UPS makes sense. I run my entire system for up to 4 hours. Plenty of time to get home and crank up the portable generator and the UPS will filter the power.
That’s it, gets the job done for long enough to work out plan b
I agree with you, GATV is excellent. I went for a gen set which I have to set up and turn on myself, but that's OK for me as I'm retired and usually around or close by.
still a bloody good solution (Y)
Nice neat solution Sam, due to good power supply and temperate climate here in uk using the Ecotech solution to provide return pump and power head cover for a few hours!!
Nothing wrong with that mate!
Great video,
Very informative for the reef user application.
Thanks so much!
Another great video. Thanks for continuing to share and making us jealous!
Thanks for watching!
Awesome research Sam, really appreciate this info. Currently running a simple battery to power return and wave pumps. When and if I trade up to a Cade, this has been on my mind. Thanks
Glad it was of interest mate!
Man that is class. This is becoming a bit too special now mate. You are making me hate my system one video at a time! 🤣
On a serious note. Very informative video. 👍
Hahahaha thanks, I think?!
Great video mate! Totally awesome solution! Very coool! I am running a computer UPS on my current tank, which is fine for the size and what i have hooked up, but I think an upgrade will be in order for the next tank, your solution here looks really sweet.
Cheers man, suited my scenario really well 👍🏻
Hey mate sparky in vic here (northern) hit me up if you need any questions answered . But a generator with a change over switch for a dedicated tank circuit is actually a really cost effective way to do this. Your solution is a good one just $$$$$
Thanks for reaching out! Can only imagine your power backup as a sparky!!
Great vid. Can’t wait to see a run through on the plumbing
yeah not long now, literally working on plumbing as I type!
Nice backup!
Thank you!
@@ParkersReef Have a look at the EcoFlow units. The River 2 pro, and Delta 2 Max if you have another tank that needs easy backup. Plug and play with LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) batteries. 😉
If you are intrested maximize power runtime connect DC pumps directly to batteries. Obviously AC pumps will not work on DC - you need an inverter but inverters are a big hit on efficiency. Also not all inverters will play nice with AC pumps. AC pumps are designed to work with nice smooth sine wave AC input. Not stepped wave approximations cheap inverters produce. You need true sine wave inverter.
Also 4 LiFePO4 cells ~= 1 12V acid led battery. Only lighter, more powerful, more capacity and more longevity. You can even use it as a plug and play replacement for standard lead batteries, but you do miss out on ~20% capacity.
Yes that will work, but only if your batteries are next to the tank. DC doesn’t travel distance very efficiently.
This inverters is a pure sine wave output, it’s Victron, one of the best in the business.
Lithium phosphate batteries are great. Just very expensive and weight isn’t a consideration for this install
I really love this build. I can't wait till I can get a reef tank! keep up the good work
Thank you!
@@ParkersReef Can't wait to see some corals and fish in there!
Will be a little while till then (want a nice long cycle) but will be worth the wait :)
Thanks for this, been following this build and this was something I’ve been thinking about for my new home and tank.
This is perfect, the investigations and prices was very informative.
Great work!
Glad you found it useful
Nice work Sam 👍
Thanks mate!!
Very informative video! Just wondering what'll happen to them batteries if there's some flooding of rain/ storm....
Yeah fair question, thankfully our garage is up hill, so shouldn’t be an issue. I do have them up on some rubber tiles to be safe though :)
Thank you for this video mate, I’ve been thinking about what to do for my new tank build, and this seems perfect, although here in the UK we don’t really get power cuts very often, in fact I can’t remember the last one that didn’t last more than a few minutes tbh, but I do want to cover all eventualities. The exact same system is available here so I will now do some reading ✌🏻
Yeah we never used to get them all that often here either, although the last couple of summers have been a bit of a worry.
Ultimately, I don’t like the idea of my reef at the mercy of someone else. This covers me in the unfortunate event of a power outage without too much money :)
Parkers Reef exactly, seems a lot of money to invest on a 1% chance but when you think how much time and money is invested in a fully stocked large tank, it falls into insignificance. Looking forward to seeing this develop mate, although your buddy at FTRtv has set somewhat of a precedent for aquascaping imo ✌️
David’s aquascape is lovely! Hopefully the superglue method holds up over time though.
I’ll have something nice, don’t worry :)
Until last year, I’ve line in Brooklyn, NY for 25 years and only experienced 1 power outage and that was for the entire city. Last year year I had one and it killed my nano and almost killed my 75 gallon. I gotta get some of those Ecotech battery backup.
They’re rare, but can be a huge problem!!
Amazing on how much the quote was for the genie install 😱
Yeah ridiculous... the mobs are used to working on government jobs I think 😂😂😂
@@ParkersReef 😂 yeah use to charging whatever.
My electrician only charged is 1k to install our ATS to the box & genie with documentationto to those who needs it & labelling.
Yeah that’s all it should be! The generac needs gas too which complicates it, but surely not that much 😂
@@ParkersReef 100% mate.
This is a great video! Thanks sharing, Sam! tbh I enjoyed every second! Keep up the amazing work, mate!!! 👏
Thanks mate!!!
Great video! One thing you didn't mention when you were talking about the battery formula - depth of discharge on lead acid batteries is usually recommended to be set at 50 percent of maximum capacity. Did you manually change the settings in the Victron app or just went with the defaults for low battery cut-off?
Victron defaults with sealed lead acid settings, but you can log in and change them to your battery specifications.
Yes, if I was to do this setup again today - I would use lithium batteries instead, I just didn’t have budget for them at the time
Can't wait to see this bad boy filled up
Me too!
@@ParkersReef can't be to long now with all that stunning plumbing and the super sexy sump
Amazing system !!!! Congratulations.
Thank you so much!
I am investigating something similar for the new 290 peninsula I am setting up. One thing I didn't see in your calculation for run time is depth of discharge. You can't run a battery from full to empty charge and expect it to last long. I've read you get about 80% on lithium ion, and 50% on gel or agm, or what have you lead acid batteries. Did you take this into account? And have you ever done any testing to see how long your batteries last in a simulated power outage?
yeah that will vary on the battery chemistry you choose. Lithium should be good to 0%.
Sealed lead acid is really only good to 50%.
I haven't done a simulated test, but I have had a couple of 4-5 hour outages and when the power was restored, the victron was only on charge for a short time before switching back to float. Gave me confidence that it will handle 10 hours without too much issue.
@@ParkersReef Appreciate the response! Love your tank overall. My understanding is that depth of discharge has an effect on battery life. They consider life of the battery when it can only stored 80% of its original capacity. The higher the depth of discharge the shorter the life of thr battery. Lithium will get way more cycles than any lead acid, but of course they cost way more. You get one, maybe 1.5 lithium batteries for what you paid for all 4 of the AGMs. I guess at the end of the days it's a cost calculation. Replace lead acid batteries more often, or pony up the funds for lithium batteries at the beginning!
@@fiziksgeek3562 yep spot on! Lithium is getting better and cheaper by the day - so I just went for lead acid for now, will "upgrade" in a couple years :)
Great vid Sam
Cheers mate
thanks mate
Good video Sam 👍 I can see plumbing to tank and sump, is it all done, or are you still working on it ?
Is that the next video? 👍🏴
Just finished it last night mate, video next week :)
Victon 48v systems can and do power entire houses around the world , not just fish tanks they works best with solar or in regions that have cheap rate off peak electricity
Sure can!
Another great video
Cheers mate!
Very neat set up
Thank you!
Great video, great detail
Cheers mate!!
One factor to note: your backup hour calculation didn’t use min drain voltage. This is another one of those manufacturer spec frustrations, but is the 140Ah down to 0% or 20%, etc.? You’ll want to multiply the number of hours by the portion which is safe to drain and not kill the battery. Good on you to choose AGM, but I’m curious… 🎉
Yes that’s a great question and I didn’t factor that in nor have I since found the value. I can say the tank has had a power outage for over eight hours and didn’t skip a beat which is exactly what I wanted to achieve :)
Do you have a link to the inverter that you got?
Sure it's a Victron Multiplus 2 48/5000:
www.victronenergy.com/inverters-chargers/multiplus-ii
Hey Sam. I notice you have your tank running off a separate fuse in your home’s fuse box. Do you have it running off a single fuse or do you have more than one fuse/circuit dedicated to the tank ? Thanks
I have a dedicated circuit to the tank and I also use a general outlet, so in essence - I have two circuits to the tank
@@ParkersReef thanks Sam. I’ve got a sparky working on a separate line for me this week. I was always worried that a “bung” toaster would trip out my whole tank 🤣
Thanks for the reply.
Dedicated circuit is great. Especially when it has a battery backup ;)
@@ParkersReef yeah. Need one of those too 😩
@@robertverzin1235 such a good thing, seemed like a lot of money for a “what if” bit of gear, but when the power did go out it was so good to see the reef carry on like nothing was wrong
Thanks for going through all the options and pricing - really helpful. Just one question - if you were to need to run a generator due to a long outage, would you be able to charge the batteries with the generator while the batteries are connected to your Multiplus?
Certainly can! If we were to be facing a long outage I can charge the batteries either via a generator or solar without needing to interfere with the solution installed :)
@@ParkersReef my solar will only work when it had grid power so unless your is different having the batteries only do fish circuit the solar may not work. I know some knewer ones can but not many.
Yes, that is correct. That is one of the reasons why I went this setup over a battery connected directly to my solar inverter.
Does the system run your pumps at a lower power? With the DIY or ecotech battery backup with run it at a lower wattage to draw less power.
Nope - full power. They are still powered via the AC mains outlet :)
@@ParkersReef I think if they was able to run half power you'd get alot more run time. Either way, its a nice system.
Run times isn’t an issue with my system :)
For about $4k, I had a Cummins 17KW natural gas generator installed...power goes out, it runs the whole house, along with the reef tanks.
That’d be ideal 👏🏻
@@ParkersReef I watched the part about you getting quotes...and I understand. I live in the mountains and getting anyone to come out to do anything is difficult. When it comes time to buy new batteries, I would revisit the idea and try getting some fresh quotes. Good luck!
Fresh batteries will only be $1k and shouldn’t be for 5 years, so it’ll be hard to beat that.
Plus by then, batteries will be cheaper again and generators will likely be more expensive :(
I spent about $100 on 4 battery air pumps that used 2 D batteries that last 24 hours. I was without power for 8 days. Didn't lose a fish or sps coral. The key was temperature which the house stood cool even in heat wave Tank in basement. I going generator, But regular battery pumps was a life saver
Yeah they are good, especially if you can be home to get them in place 👍🏻
8 days wtf, do you live in Afghanistan?
Just the video i was waiting for haha
thought you might be interested!
cool system mate
thanks!
Have I factored in that lead acid batteries should not be used below 50% their capacity. A great option if you haven’t considered it would be for Lithium phosphate batteries that can be depleted to 99% approx. But yes they are significantly more expensive.
Yeah, lithium are great - just so expensive still!
That’s for sure! Hopefully soon they come down in price.
Great video did, you think about having the solar wired to the Victron so I can charge the battery in the day time in case of a prolonged power outage?
Thought about it, but I believe there are some legalities around that which I wasn’t interested in dealing with. Realistically, this setup can power my “essentials” for a day or more, if the power is going to be out that long - it gives me time to look into a longer term solution :p
Hey Sam, will your fish room be connected to the battery back up at all?
It will not. Alternate plans for there :)
What do you recommend for a 4 x 2 x 2 tank? Any other viable options other than EcoTech or fiddle diy jobs?
really comes down the your own situation. Ecotech is great if you have their gear, are not capable of much DIY and want a neat solution. DIY will give you a BIGGER option, but it won't be cheaper...
Parkers Reef thanks looks like EcoTech is the way to go in that case
They are a great solution, nothing wrong with them at all
Parkers Reef do you know how long the vectra pumps last for on battery back up? Presumably, less than the wave makers? Would prefer to use some non EcoTech wave makers like the Tunze or Ai neros instead - lot more affordable!
If you can find the watts they use and can point me towards the battery backup you want to use, I can work it out for you :)
Those quotes sound like here in KY,USA,every worker has 4 PhD's and 80 years experience (WELL!!!they think they do ,anyway). Stay safe Melbourne-ites,Doc BC
Hahahaha yeah, I’m all for making a living - but it did seem like price gouging
Geez😬 those quotes for installation for the generator are a bit nuts. Were they rewiring the switchboard or something?
Mate, they reckoned it needed a new feed from the gas mains and all sorts done to the switchboard.
The mobs that quoted usually install commercially, so I reckon they quote with decent margins :p
@@ParkersReef yeah, commercial would make it worth it for them.
Thats sucks, but i guess you found a better solution
I think so!
👍
Cheers :)
great video however I think you made a mistake with your costing. 4*1100 batteries + 1800 inverter+500 install equals 6700 not 3000. regardless even 1 battery using this system to run the return pump and skimmer untill you could connect a generator would be well worth it. thanks
Batteries are $1148 for the set of four, inverter is $1478 and installation actually only ended up at $390. So total was $3016
Here is the battery link if interested:
www.aussiebatteries.com.au/batteries/deep-cycle-agm/4x-140ah-12v-agm-deep-cycle-battery-cables
@@ParkersReef sorry I thought you gave the figures I used during the video. At that price its even more worth it .
Yeah sorry mate, I may not have explained the battery package price well enough :)
But yes, totally agree - at $3k it’s a great setup
Legend!
Cheers Franklin!
If you want your batteries to last, don't draw them down to less than one half capacity, ie they are now 70 amp hours not the full 140 amp hours. Your batteries could then last 8 to 10 years.
Ideally yes, spot on.
I agree, that's the reason I switched to lithium batteries.
Just the cost....
But with this system I can switch to lithium in a few years when these have done their duty and lithium is (hopefully) cheaper :)
Good vid, but 18-22k to install the generac, sounds like they are into ripping people off. One point you said it’s not your place to question these things (approx 11 mins into vid)of coarse it’s your place to ask why a certain qualified electrician, gas plumber etc is charging what they are. Any decent/honest contractor should be happy to explain why the charge is what it is.
I did ask, they were not willing to divulge the info in anymore detail.
I took from it, that they didn’t want to do the job - so put a bs figure in it to either make me go away or pay a premium
@@ParkersReef wow, thankyou for replying so fast, you have said you do reply to each person, just did nt not expect so fast. 👍🏻. Yeah, in that case they do sound like they gave you some bs, to dodge the job, and not divulging the costs would raise red flags straight away. I am in the process of waiting for a new build myself (display 4x3x2ft) and find your vids very informative, please keep up the good work. I have actually based my sump build on yours, although a lot smaller 3x2x1.5 ft and 5 sections. I will also be adding the Phillips hue leds as featured in another vid.
Beers cold #1 lol
Priorities!!!
I swear i didnt dislike it. But i did 33:22 it. Im sorry, i only have 30min break-
Hahahah that’s ok mate, thanks for taking the time to watch what you could :)
@@ParkersReef Sub! There you go! I think i like your videos. Did watch your tunze skimmer 9001. Freshwater here, switching to saltwater. 1yr old in progress and still learning. Thanks bro!
Thanks so much mate, really appreciate the support!
Not to be a pain in the butt, can you guys not get portable small generators or jump packs
Not a pain at all! Generators are fine if you are home and jump packs work if you have 12v equipment to connect to them.
Ultimately I wanted something that could automatically take over and run the majority of the tank without any input from me