Chainsaw's Simple 12V DIY Backup System

Erich

jimsta10 wrote:

However it can only do 38LPM, would this be sufficient for my 1000lt IBC?

38 is 2280 per hr. Suggest equivalent of FT Water volume per hr so definitely yes

jimsta10

Erich wrote:

jimsta10 wrote:

However it can only do 38LPM, would this be sufficient for my 1000lt IBC?

38 is 2280 per hr. Suggest equivalent of FT Water volume per hr so definitely yes

Cheers

Journeyman

I have several battery backed air pumps so I doubt I need this for air - the relay might be an good idea so if power fails, I can use the working air pumps till the battery dies (best one is about 10 hours) then have it fail over to a back up. Might be a bit more complex depending on the output of the battery in the air pump and how easy it is to get to...

What I might use this for though is to run a low watt backup pump - if power fails it would be enough to keep water trickling through the system to keep fish healthy for an extended period. Shouldn't be difficult to add in a light that turns ON to warn when things are running via battery.

Erich

Journeyman wrote:

What I might use this for though is to run a low watt backup pump - if power fails it would be enough to keep water trickling through the system to keep fish healthy for an extended period. Shouldn't be difficult to add in a light that turns ON to warn when things are running via battery.

lol - my backups are for the little failures that last maybe even 3 hrs. Air bubbling in a FT only will be fine for the fish only and if its a hot day, the plants may wilt a little. Extended power out - different story

Marc d W

trout wrote:

I was just reading this thread and thought its being a while since I tested my backup system.

It didn't work.

I bought mine from Murray Hallam a couple of years ago so is well out of warranty.

I pulled it apart and found it was only a badly soldered joint.

But just for interest I thought I would take a photo of it and post it here.

what is used is a 12amp 250VAC relay.

It has the advantage that you don't need a 12 volt transformer as you just hook it upto the 240VAC

The disadvantage is that you have to work with 240 volts hence you need to know what you are doing.

Obviously, anything to do with 240 VAC needs to be checked by a qualified electrician before use.

cheers Lou

Attachments:
backup 002.jpg

Following Trout's initiative I pulled apart my old Backup Power Fail switch from Murray Hallam and found that the new improved model has a constant current LED driver in the box as well as the relay.
Mine died a year or so ago and I have no idea which bit is broken or how to fix it so I bought another. However when this one dies I will be using chainsaw's power fail switch.
Here are some photos of the new improved model

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nebbian

That has not been put together by someone who knows how to solder...

RupertofOZ

That's a worry... because the first model was put together by someone that didn't even know what a soldering iron was....

Or which bits were supposed to be soldered to what bits... :lol:

Marc d W

but it was put together by someone who knows how to charge like a wounded bull!

nih

trout wrote:

I was just reading this thread and thought its being a while since I tested my backup system.

It didn't work.

I bought mine from Murray Hallam a couple of years ago so is well out of warranty.

I pulled it apart and found it was only a badly soldered joint.

But just for interest I thought I would take a photo of it and post it here.

what is used is a 12amp 250VAC relay.

It has the advantage that you don't need a 12 volt transformer as you just hook it upto the 240VAC

The disadvantage is that you have to work with 240 volts hence you need to know what you are doing.

Obviously, anything to do with 240 VAC needs to be checked by a qualified electrician before use.

cheers Lou

Hmm.. interesting. That product should not be sold. It does not adhere to electrical safety standards.

If the live 240v wire were to become detached from it's terminal it could easily touch one of the wires for the low voltage side and provide a fatal electric shock.

Also, that relay is not designed to be directly soldered to. The terminals are designed to plug into a relay base.

Obviously not a professionally made product.

nih

Marc d W wrote:

trout wrote:

I was just reading this thread and thought its being a while since I tested my backup system.

It didn't work.

I bought mine from Murray Hallam a couple of years ago so is well out of warranty.

I pulled it apart and found it was only a badly soldered joint.

But just for interest I thought I would take a photo of it and post it here.

what is used is a 12amp 250VAC relay.

It has the advantage that you don't need a 12 volt transformer as you just hook it upto the 240VAC

The disadvantage is that you have to work with 240 volts hence you need to know what you are doing.

Obviously, anything to do with 240 VAC needs to be checked by a qualified electrician before use.

cheers Lou

Attachments:
backup 002.jpg

Following Trout's initiative I pulled apart my old Backup Power Fail switch from Murray Hallam and found that the new improved model has a constant current LED driver in the box as well as the relay.
Mine died a year or so ago and I have no idea which bit is broken or how to fix it so I bought another. However when this one dies I will be using chainsaw's power fail switch.
Here are some photos of the new improved model

Attachment:

2013-06-01 12.19.45.jpg

Attachment:

2013-06-01 12.22.24.jpg

Attachment:

mail.google.com.jpg

Well, this one is still dodgy, but a lot less likely to kill someone.

torcz

Thanks for the post.

Is there any reason you are using a 150a relay? I can't get hold of a the 150a here tonight so will pick up the 60a horn relay ..

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=SY4074

Stuart Chignell

nih wrote:

Hmm.. interesting. That product should not be sold. It does not adhere to electrical safety standards.

If the live 240v wire were to become detached from it's terminal it could easily touch one of the wires for the low voltage side and provide a fatal electric shock.

Also, that relay is not designed to be directly soldered to. The terminals are designed to plug into a relay base.

Obviously not a professionally made product.

Leaving aside whatever opinions people may have of this AP "guru" is this a serious enough breach of code that it would be unethical to not report it?

mattyoga

Not condoning the workmanship/design, though I think a thorough check on which code it actually breaches would be required before reporting.

From memory I've seen 240V AC inside the same enclosure as dc in other appliances, such as PC power supplies. I know some people talk about a '50mm seperation' rule, or physical barriers, though have never seen where this comes from eg clause in AS3000.

Stuart Chignell

Don't know much about wiring so I'll leave it to others.

Bodgy

Just wondering if there is any problem running the 12v pump continuously off a battery hooked up to a smart charger?
Running it like a 12v UPS I guess.

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Chainsaw's Simple 12V DIY Backup System

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