Battery Backup Guide

Rick James asked:


First, I guess I should ask if anyone thinks a battery-powered pump is a better option. I have a small home and now (with a bit of snow on the ground here in MA) the pump comes on maybe once every 1 1/2 - 2 hrs. I have city water, so I have been reading that the water-powered backup pump is an option. I have read some complaints about the battery backups, but I have not seen anything to dissuade me from the water-powered one. I was wondering if anyone can give me a ballpark price on having someone installing one of these. Thanks in advance!

chippy69 asked:


I have a marine aquarium and had a very lucky escape last night after a power cut.Fortunately I managed to save all the fish and corals but am now worried that a longer power cut will wipe out the lot.
As I’m no electrician and don’t understand the technical data given after having typed ‘Battery back-up’ into Google,I need some help please.
I’m looking for a simple plug-in system that will support the essentials,(heater,filter box & maybe one powerhead)for as long as possible I guess…something that re-charges itself once power is restored.I need the essentials to plug into it using standard UK plugs.
Is such a thing available or have I just come up with an idea for the ‘Dragon’s Den’ with no brains to make it happen????

radicalbender asked:


We just moved into a new house and we have a hardwired smoke detector chirping incessantly. I know that means the battery backup isn’t present/working, except that adding a battery never stops the chirping.

However, right next to the chirping smoke detector is a newer, *working* smoke detector. My guess is that the previous owner couldn’t fix the hardwired smoke detector either and decided to just live with the incessant chirping and installed a second one right next to it.

So, skipping the caveats of the potential safety hazards of disconnecting a hard-wired smoke detector, what to I have to do to make the chirping stop? How can I disconnect this now-redundant, loud smoke detector?

KennyMo asked:


The backup battery is sized at 6VDC and 1.2Ah and is said to run the panel for 24 hours. We were thinking about this one..but I guess it may not have enough mA (whatever those are.)

http://store.sundancesolar.com/brso6wafosop.html

We plan to change the back up battery to allow the system to run off it for at least 2 weeks. Not sure what battery size will all that yet.