Hello everyone, I want to make my pond air pump turn on automatically when power is out.
I'm going to use my 12v 20ah deep cycle battery, battery charger and 150w inverter. My pond airpump is 10w 240v.
I can run the air pump with the battery and inverter without any problem as long as i'm there to turn it on.
1. Can I use something to make it automatic ? Like turn the pump on from battery when power goes out like an emergency light.
2. Emergency lights turn of when ther's mains power and turn on when power cuts. So do I have to use a second pump as my everyday pump or can I use only one pump ?
please help. circuit diagram and things I need.
thanks.

 

Are you using a switch to operate pump now?

 

Are you using a switch to operate pump now?

I'm not using a switch. Just clip the

Are you using a switch to operate pump now?

No I just clip the crocodile connectors of the inverter to the battery when there a power cut. Sometimes power cuts can last up to 8hours. Don't want to loose my fish. Thanks .

 

Have you ever wired up a relay?

 

Have you ever wired up a relay?

I can wire a relay but can you tell me which one to buy. I don't know which one to buy. Thanks.

 

I can run the air pump with the battery and inverter without any problem as long as i'm there to turn it on.

If it were me, I'd just buy a UPS and plug the pump in it. When power is lost, the UPS will power the pump. When power is restored, the UPS will switch to line voltage and charge the UPS battery.

 

If you feel comfortable with 240 AC, then something like this should work.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Deltro...025934&hash=item3d3022ac1c:g:6ZwAAOSw9GhYdCIB

You will need some type of enclosure. They also have enclosed relays and sockets for more money. But you will still need an enclosure for the AC connections.

Your AC power line switch will control this relay. This relay will route AC line to your pump as long as there is ac line voltage. When the line fails....the relay will connect the battery to the inverter.....and switch pump input to inverter output.

Does that make any sense?

 

If you have a smart battery-charger then you may be able to just run off the battery-charger, battery, and inverter all the time, rather like a UPS.
The charger will run the inverter (which should only take an amp or two), as well as keep the battery charged, when AC power is available.
When the AC quits, he battery will continue to run the inverter.

 

Don't want to loose my fish. Thanks .[/QUOTE]

Fish and other underwater pond life that require oxygen to survive have developed the ability to extract the dissolved oxygen in the water. Having a fountain or other splashing of the water will increase the dissolved oxygen – but oxygen will naturally dissolve in a body of undisturbed water. So your fish will be in no danger whatsoever in the event of an extended power outage.

During my childhood I kept a goldfish in a bowl that survived for quite a while with no aerator or other disturbance of the water to increase the dissolved oxygen content.

So while your proposed project might have a noble purpose – its actual benefit will be zero to none.

 

Oxygen content of water can be extremely variable in natural circumstances. Massive fish kills due to oxygen depletion in natural lakes are not uncommon. Dissolved oxygen content of water is heavily contingent on temperature, algae and other plants, light (because of its influence on plants), etc. A small pond with a lot of fish can go fatally anoxic pretty rapidly in bad circumstances. To say that there is no benefit to aeration is unsupportable.

 

After you decide on your system control......you might consider a water pump. It is more efficient to pour the water thru the air.....than the air thru the water. As mentioned.

Is the pond stream fed?

 

It is more efficient to pour the water thru the air.....than the air thru the water.

How so?
Water takes a lot more energy to pump than air.

 

I'm in the process of setting up a pond and my research has found the number of fish that can be accommodated without aeration is surprisingly small.

 

I have two experiences with it. First was wastewater. Blowers and diffusers....surface brushes....and fountains, and just plain surface area....for aeration. Studies favored fountain.....but safety and odor issues were no go. Diffusers and brushes remain. That was early 80s.

And then commercial fish farms for O2 control. We design an almost totally automated cat fish farm.
Just finished tuning it and got it perfect. And then they sold it to private co. I had heard the private co. was going fountain. Was even offered a job.....but cat fish gets old. That was in the late 90s.

I haven't heard anything different....so I assume it remains true.

But they might have new techniques now.

 

If you have a smart battery-charger ....

What smart feature are you suggesting? I think even a stupid charger would work?

 

What smart feature are you suggesting? I think even a stupid charger would work?

Stupid chargers generally will overcharge a lead-acid battery if left connected since they don't limit the charge current or voltage after the battery becomes charged.

A typical smart charger has a constant-current charge until the full-charge voltage is reached (usually about 14.4V for a 12.6V battery) and then drops to a trickle/maintenance charge voltage of about 13.6V.

 

Stupid chargers generally will overcharge a lead-acid battery if left connected since they don't limit the charge current or voltage after the battery becomes charged.

A typical smart charger has a constant-current charge until the full-charge voltage is reached (usually about 14.4V for a 12.6V battery) and then drops to a trickle/maintenance charge voltage of about 13.6V.

Ah, got it. I didn't realize stupid chargers were still around because I haven't seen one for decades. My "smart" charger doesn't really seem so smart – it cycles on and off while charging because it overheats – but it does properly charge and tend a battery.

 

I didn't realize stupid chargers were still around because I haven't seen one for decades.

Being an old codger, then it's quite possible I'm behind the times and they don't make stupid chargers anymore.
I have one but I bought it from Sears many moons ago.

 

Oxygen content of water can be extremely variable in natural circumstances. Massive fish kills due to oxygen depletion in natural lakes are not uncommon. Dissolved oxygen content of water is heavily contingent on temperature, algae and other plants, light (because of its influence on plants), etc. A small pond with a lot of fish can go fatally anoxic pretty rapidly in bad circumstances. To say that there is no benefit to aeration is unsupportable.

Personally I’d be more concerned at the food in my fridge/freezer spoiling due to an extended power outage – than any fish in a pond.

 

Personally I’d be more concerned at the food in my fridge/freezer spoiling due to an extended power outage – than any fish in a pond.

Well, we all have our priorities.