Battery for backup sump pump

Am I crazy? In a real emergency (no electric) just how much water can a single such battery be expected to pump? How much water is it likely to need to pump. I suspect that it is likely any such battery powered pump system is going to fall far short of the liekly need.

Reply to
sligoNoSPAMjoe
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We do have a generator that would run the main pump.

Claimed capacity of the "Basement Watchdog" unit is 1000gph with a 10ft lift. The smaller of the two batteries is claimed to be able to run the pump for 6 hrs continuously; the larger battery for 7.5 hrs continuously.

Perce

Reply to
Percival P. Cassidy

Where it either runs back in or into the already overloaded storm sewer - which then still gets back inside.

Reply to
clare

Thats on a new battery, and full battery power is over 70f, if yours died in 6 years figure what its pumping in 3 years, get a real charger- float charger you can calibrate.

Reply to
ransley

Yea, Battery powered pump =3D flood.

Reply to
ransley

If thats the case nothing works for your situation, But water powered just makes sense, it out performs and works when needed. I also bet the electric cost of a 24x365 charger is noticeable, figure in 5 years of that, new batteries and crappy chargers that ruin batteries. It should be called the Basement Bitch, it will make you pay and only perform when happy.

Reply to
ransley

e:

Geez, talk about jumping to conclusions. I've seen lots of sump pump installs where the water neither runs back in nor goes into the storm sewer system. For example, it simply gets discharged 20 ft away and disipates down a grade away from the house in the backyard. Ransley's water powered recommendation could be a good solution, depending on the specifics of the actual installation.

Reply to
trader4

I found a 75AH sealed lead-acid battery with the "Campbell Hausfeld" brand at Menards with the sump pumps. Not cheap, but it won't have to be topped up -- and it fit in the bag, which got me a 15% discount.

Perce

Reply to
Percival P. Cassidy

No, it'll just boil dry. Unless you are willing to get a decent charger, don't expect a battery to be there when you need it.

Reply to
Chris Hill

I don't see that a charger fed from a 900mAH wall wart could do much damage to a 75AH battery even if the controller circuit didn't switch from "charging" to "charged" (i.e., stop charging) for long periods.

And the idea of the sealed lead-acid battery is that the hydrogen and oxygen generated get recombined in the cell to form water again.

Perce

Reply to
Percival P. Cassidy

You need to learn about crappy chargers, a wall wart can put out anything and everything, you think because its small it cant do harm, thats funny. It can ruin a battery in less than a year if not operating to the batterys specifications.

Reply to
ransley

To which I'd add, I doubt the wall wart is 900 mah as their rating doesn't have a time component.

Reply to
trader4

there are many web sites that explain the problems of over or under charging a lead acid battery...here is just one..

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Mark

Reply to
Mark

No. That is wishful thinking. Sealed just means you can't add water. The hydrogen and oxygen still get boiled off, there is a vent somewhere on that battery. 900ma at 120v is 9a at 12v. That can definitely do damage.

Reply to
Chris Hill

If they combined as you suggest, there's be a fire, possibly an explosion.

Reply to
AZ Nomad

That's not what the manufacturer's description says.

900ma at 120v is 9a at 12v. That can
900mA @ 15v not @ 120v.

Even if the controller did not switch out of charge mode for long periods, 900mA is hardly any more than a "float charge" rate.

Perce

Reply to
Percival P. Cassidy

900 ma 15 v continous will kill a battery, Float chargers cycle the charge inbetween a set low peak and high peal level to maintain 100% charge.
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will help you to do your own testing to see what is really going on in voltage. A new battery with your same charger will give you a half dead battery in a few years. My float charger and big battery charger I can adjust voltage and I have as they drift over the years. I trust my V meter more than any chargers accuracy.
Reply to
ransley

Joseph Campbell There is a difference between sealed flooded cell lead acid and recombinent AGM batteries. Recombinent agm batteries are "starved electrolyte" batteries and unless grossly overcharged do NOT lose water or boil dry. They DO have a limited lifespan, but 5 years on a properly sized and set up unit is not a stretch - and the charging system does not need to be "sophisticated"

Reply to
clare

Not so. They DO work. And catalytic caps are available for flooded acid batteries that do the same as long as they are not GROSSLY overcharged.

Reply to
clare

Joseph Campbell

Hmmm, I believe the op was talking about a sealed lead acid, he didn't mention AGM. I'm not sold on agm myself, I have one out in the garage with one terminal corroded beyond the point of utility. Nice idea, but just as bad as all the others from what I've seen.

Reply to
Chris Hill

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