Power Conditioner to prevent pump "error" state///

[FishTruck]

I want to know if anyone uses a power conditioner versus UPS for mission critical "smart" reef pumps - specifically to prevent an "error state" shut down.

Twice this month (once on vacation) I have come home to find my Abyzz pump shut off in an error state. I unplugged and it restarted fine. The second event two days ago was witnessed by my wife as a whole house power surge or dip, which triggers an error state by the abyzz power supply, but, it won't restart itself without being unplugged for a minute.

I can't use my apex for this situation, due to the pump consuming 1200 watts (10 amps), too big for the power bar.
I realize that a UPS would be ideal, but, they cost about 1200 bucks for a 15 amp UPS. The cheap solution is to just put a heavy duty timer on it that cycles the power once per day to "reboot" it in case I am gone (at noon every day for example) - perhaps to only use on vacation.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I'm not sure if this is your problem, but it sure sounds like a similar problem I was having with my return pump....a Waveline DC6000....no longer available. Anyway, what was happening is that when we had a short power failure, it wouldn't restart. This was driving me crazy until someone told me that a short power failure causes water to backflow in the pump, spinning the impeller in the wrong direction. If the power comes back on with this happening, it stalls the pump. The solution is simple. I picked up a surge/delay restart gizmo that is typically used for refrigerators/freezers. It has a three minute delay restart, and that fixed my problem. This it the one I got:

Note that if you have an Apex, I'm pretty sure you can program it to do a delayed restart. I think this is the programming for a 3 minute delay restart:

Fallback ON
Set ON
If Power EB832_2 OFF 003 Then OFF

 

[FishTruck]

I'm not sure if this is your problem, but it sure sounds like a similar problem I was having with my return pump....a Waveline DC6000....no longer available. Anyway, what was happening is that when we had a short power failure, it wouldn't restart. This was driving me crazy until someone told me that a short power failure causes water to backflow in the pump, spinning the impeller in the wrong direction. If the power comes back on with this happening, it stalls the pump. The solution is simple. I picked up a surge/delay restart gizmo that is typically used for refrigerators/freezers. It has a three minute delay restart, and that fixed my problem. This it the one I got:

Note that if you have an Apex, I'm pretty sure you can program it to do a delayed restart. I think this is the programming for a 3 minute delay restart:

Fallback ON
Set ON
If Power EB832_2 OFF 003 Then OFF

That's exactly what I need. The apex can't handle the AMPS. Thanks so much!!!!

 

[redfishbluefish]

Just a heads up....the first one I purchased (2018), just recently crapped out in April. I replaced it with a two-pack from Amazon so I'd have a backup. HERE's the two pack I purchased.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

Was the issue a power surge (lights got brighter for a moment), a power sag (lights got dim for a moment but didn't turn off, or a power reclose (power shuts off for a moment completely. A few seconds later power back to normal)

Which one of those conditions is causing the error changes the ideal fix significantly.

If a surge, you need a surge protector on that pump

If a sag, either a power conditioner and/or using a neptune flow meter plus a 15A contactor are the way to go.

If is the reclose, you need a delay start relay, or a 15A contactor connected to a 1link 24V port and/or a flow meter.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

Example way to connect the pump to your apex. Use DC24 bare wire connector connected to one of these and connect this to a surge protector.

Agrowtek RX1 Single Relay Outlet 15A/120V

 

[FishTruck]

Was the issue a power surge (lights got brighter for a moment), a power sag (lights got dim for a moment but didn't turn off, or a power reclose (power shuts off for a moment completely. A few seconds later power back to normal)

Which one of those conditions is causing the error changes the ideal fix significantly.

If a surge, you need a surge protector on that pump

If a sag, either a power conditioner and/or using a neptune flow meter plus a 15A contactor are the way to go.

If is the reclose, you need a delay start relay, or a 15A contactor connected to a 1link 24V port and/or a flow meter.

Unable to determine which, it only occurs when I am not home - I can interrogate my wife some more to see if she can remember.

Ideally protection against all three. Since the smart pump seems to be able to protect itself, I really just need a restart - so a delay start relay makes sense - so long as it correctly detects either a surge, brownout, or reclose.