Replacing the battery on Ecotech battery backup...

[vetteguy53081]

This is a whole new way to consider a battery back up !!

 

[bckey]

ReefDudes video is pretty worthless as far as diy is concerned. He is basically just showing you his own backup battery setup and not how to build one.

watch these videos

The other 2 videos from DBR_Reef show you excellent step by step how to build your own battery backup. One video is about replacing your old eco tech marine battery and the other video is how to build your own from scratch.

watch these videos

 

[TheHarold]

I added a voltage monitor to mine, so I can check the battery health.

 

[Dragon52]

Would a 12V 20ah battery also work in place of the 12V 18ah?
Thanks

 

[Dragon52]

I added a voltage monitor to mine, so I can check the battery health.

Can you explain how you did it?
Thanks

 

[TheHarold]

Can you explain how you did it?
Thanks

Cheap voltage monitor from eBay, wired to the Ecotech battery cable. In a printed housing,

 

[Maxx]

Thanks for posting this up.

My Vortech battery back up died recently, (after several years of service). I emailed Eco-tech and asked them what my options were. I was told they do not service those and I pretty much had to purchase a new one.
Naturally, I wasnt wild about spending $165 for a new one and started digging around....and found this thread.

I just found this battery on sale at Walmart (online):
Powersonic PS 12180-NB

The same battery at Batteriesplus: https://www.batteriesplus.com/productdetails/powps=12180nb

for about $40 more than Walmart.

The original battery lifetime was 3-5 years, (I got about 5) and this one is supposed to get 10-12 years. The price difference between the replacement battery that OP mentioned and the one I'm buying is about $3.

Thanks again for posting this guys, you just saved me some money.

 

[Maxx]

My replacement battery came in and I swapped it out. 20 minutes worth of work (going slow with the drilling) and $45 in machine screws and battery, and I've saved myself $120 vs buying a new battery back up.

Really appreciate this thread.

Thanks again guys.

 

[Aquariums To Go]

How long before Ecotech catch on put some "feature" in place to make it harder to diy replacement?

 

[TheHarold]

How long before Ecotech catch on put some "feature" in place to make it harder to diy replacement?

Virtually impossible for them to detect an aftermarket battery, unless they completely change the design of the battery backup. Its a "dumb" battery; there are no electronics inside.

Any 12v lead acid battery is a suitable replacement, and the controller could not know the difference.

 

[BullyBee]

I love this thread.

 

[Maxx]

This thread is great. Saved me a bunch of money I was able to spend on other reef related items.
I was surprised Eco-Tech chose not to refurbish their battery back up systems, it seems like a simple money making avenue to me. If the battery back up brand new is $165, hen refurbishing the battery back up for what amounts to about $20 in supplies and charging $83 for the service seems pretty easy to me.

No doubt they have other costs to factor in such as battery disposal fees, and employee wages to factor in, so I'm sure there are reasons why they dont do it.

Mine is back in action and working flawlessly. Next on my list is doing the entire DIY battery back up for my small DC return pump.

 

[Jamesmost]

My backups are 2012 and still strong.

Just ordered 2 batteries....

 

[sherb]

Reviving an old thread… I’d like to DIY my own battery solution. Does anyone have a part number or specs for the cable running from the Vortech controller to the battery?

 

[Isaac Alves]

Reviving an old thread… I’d like to DIY my own battery solution. Does anyone have a part number or specs for the cable running from the Vortech controller to the battery?

Any 18awg wire, a 2amp fuse , and a 1.3mm DC power plug (size H).

 

[Jamesmost]

Now theres an answer

 

[FlyPenFly]

I wonder if there’s a new Lifepo4 battery we can use? Much longer life and longevity.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

I wonder if there’s a new Lifepo4 battery we can use? Much longer life and longevity.

Yes. I was planning on switching to a LiPo for mine. I did a brief search on Amazon for that battery size replacement and a few popped up. But I haven’t decided whether to do that or to do something with cordless tool batteries, which I have a number of them from work. But you would have to get a float charger to charge the battery.

 

[Isaac Alves]

For my simple setup in the office I picked up:

1. Miady LFP16AH Battery
   And this is a 12V 20Ah LiFePO4 Battery. I picked up a 36ah version -- amazon link here
   
   
2. ExpertPower 12V 5A Smart Charger for Lithium LiFePO4
   Here's the exact one I picked up
   
   
3. An Emergency Automatic Switch Module
   Similar to this one here on amazon.
   

I just had a power outage a few times on this setup and it runs my vectra m1, my icekap 2k gyre for at least 7 hours...I never needed it longer.

 

[CoralB]

The battery back ups power use is controlled by the MP pump controller. When the controller gets a power outage the controller automatically switches to the 12v Battery. If no battery is there then the pumps shut down. If a 12v source is there then it falls back to it’s program.


It is that easy, some folks use huge deep cycle batteries. Ecotech has made it very easy to use something other than their battery back up.

Look at the first picture in post #1 there are no electronics what so ever in the back up. The first plug is for a 12v battery charger to charge the battery. The next to plugs are the ports to allow wires to connect to the battery from the pump controller. They are all wired in parallel.. very basic set up.

watch these videos

Thank you for the informative clips . Would there be a benefit of using a sealed non serviceable AGM or lithium ion battery to these applications ,