The Necessity of Alarm Clocks' Battery Backup - The Battery Backup to Keep Alarm Clock's Functions

In today's market, there are alarm clock brands featuring projection displays, high fidelity sounds, and iPod docking system on their packages. In shopping for an alarm clock, however, let us never forget the importance of some necessities despite the variety of sophisticated features. Among these necessities is the alarm clocks' battery backup.

Alarm clocks' battery backup is so necessary because all the features of the clock would deem futile without the power source. Furthermore, the main function of the clock is to wake you up on time through its alarm. Electricity supply failure can cause the alarm clock to reset at the middle of the night, making you oversleep as a result.

The battery backup is definitely essential to preserve the clock's circuitry running. So, in case there should be a power failure at night, the alarm will still sound to wake you up. The backup however is not sufficient enough to keep the display illuminated. But the fact that it prevents you from over sleeping the following morning is a great relief for your part.

A few decades back, the main problem with the first digital clocks was that when there was a power failure, the clock will reset itself after power was resumed. When there were power cuts during at night, the alarm clock will reset itself to 12:00:00.

The solution to this is the inclusion of battery backups with recent designs. With this backup, the battery would still maintain the power and prevent the clock from resetting by maintaining the availability of electrical charge.

With battery backups, there are two types used in most common alarm clocks in the market today. The first one is the type of clock using capacitors for storage of electricity just to keep the clock's settings, especially the alarm time, in the instance of an hour or so power supply failure. The problem with this type however is that the power stored may not let the alarm sound or illuminate the dial. It will only keep the clock run and avoid the resetting until the power supply is restored.

The second type of battery backup is the use of actual dry cell or battery. The battery will work like just the same as the capacitors but for longer periods of up to a few days. It can also let the clock's alarm sound like when in normal function with main electricity supply.

In conclusion, the alarm clocks' battery backup is truly important even with just a simple role in restoring the clock's functions. Now, you can avoid oversleeping while you expect your alarm to sound on time whether with or without power.

The Importance of a Battery Backup Sump Pump System

Basements can quickly fill with water and ruin carpet, furniture, drywall and everything else so it is extremely important to me to have a good backup sump pump system in place. Most Basement battery sump pump batteries are shipped dry without acid so that they will remain fresh until you activate them. Filling the battery can be done easily. Many companies have developed an even more impressive system called the Ultrasump. This system is actually a second sump that piggie-backs on top of your original system.

A will often come with an alarm. If the water rises too high, the alarm will sound while the backup sump pump continues to run. A battery backup sump pump is essential if the basement is finished, especially with carpeting or hardwood floors. A controller automatically switches from electricity to the battery in the event of a power outage so there is no needs to worry while your home, away, at work or vacation. The peace of mind that a battery powered back up sump pump offers is priceless.

Electricity is not 100% reliable as many storms can cause power failures. You can feel safer with a backup protection device in place that runs without electric power? Most major plumbing or larger national size home centers carry a large selection of electric generator accessories perfect for all types of electric generators. If you finish off your basement a backup sump should be on the top of your list.

Sump pumps are usually hardwired into a home's electrical system, and may have a battery backup. Some even use the home's pressurized water supply to power the pump, eliminating the need for electricity. Sump pumps are installed in the lowest section of the basement and will pump out any water that has entered the basement before it starts flooding the basement floor. As groundwater makes its way into the basement, it is diverted into the sump pit or sump basin. Sump pumps normally work in combination with a sump pit. The sump pit is simply a hole dug into the ground, generally in the basement of a house, which allows water to collect into it. This sump basket is made of a high strength plastic and installed by the plumber during the rough plumbing phase of construction.

A sump pump, in general, is a category that encompasses a number of styles of pumps that are used to pump out collected fluid. This classification includes bilge and ballast pumps, centrifugal pumps, cantilever pumps, sewage pump pumps, submersible sump pumps and utility pumps, among others. Sump pumps are rated in gallons per minute (GPM). They also are rated by motor capacity. Sump pumps may also have a battery backup installed to ensure continuous operation.

Submersible pumps are quieter and tend to have a longer life because their sealed, oil-cooled motors are protected from moisture and dust. For the typical 1/3 HP sump pump, the average lift ability is 25 feet and flow capacity is about 25 GPM. Submersible pumps are designed to be submerged in water and sit on the bottom of the sump. The on/off switch, which is attached to the pump, can be a ball float connected to an internal pressure switch or a sealed, adjustable mercury-activated float switch. Submersible pumps are entirely mounted inside the pit, and they have a specially seal to prevent electrical short circuits.

The usual life span of a sump pump depends directly on how often the sump tank fills up, the depth of the properties water table, if any debris has made their way into the basket and even the quality of the pump that was installed. The sump pump is definitely something not to take lightly and to have the piece of mind that the basement you just spent a lot of money on will not get ruined during the next big rain or power outage.

Backup Sump Pump Systems - Choosing the Right Battery

For years, I have been advocating the necessity of battery backup sump pump systems for homeowners serious about waterproofing their basements. A backup system by itself, however, is not the only necessary measure. Another factor that may be just as important, if not more is the battery. The best backup system in the world may be completely useless if the actual battery is one of poor quality.

Deep-cycle, no-maintenance marine batteries are the best designed battery for supplying DC currents to battery backup sump pump systems. Most large rechargeable batteries are lead-acid type, as opposed to NiCads, which are generally more expensive. The acid in a lead-acid type marine battery will generally contain 30% sulfuric acid at a full charge. Through my 22 plus years experience as a supplier of battery backup sump pump systems to contractors around the United States and Canada, the most effective battery is AGM - Absorption Glass Mat.

Most typical gelled batteries contain the combination of acid and silica gel. AGM batteries provide all the advantages that come with gelled batteries. They do not, however, exhibit the disadvantages of gel batteries. The acid in an AGM battery is contained by the fiberglass mat, and yet is still available for the battery's plates, resulting in faster migration of acid. This gives the battery a higher rate of delivery and absorption of amperage. Most typical gelled batteries must be charged at a slower rate to prevent cell damage from excess gas.

AGM batteries can be charged at normal voltages, without the need to recalibrate, or purchase special chargers. There are no charge or discharge current limits. With AGM's low internal resistance, the buildup of heat is almost non-existent, during normal and heavy charged and discharged currents. Other gelled batteries have the potential to lose capacity if overcharged due to voids developing in the gel.

With the AGM battery's low self-discharge of one to three percent average per month, they are able to be stored for a longer period of time without charging versus other batteries. Even if discharged for more than 30 days, an AGM battery can be recharged to almost full capacity.

Through electrolysis, AGM batteries preserve water as they charge. This is possible because of the recombining of hydrogen and oxygen, thus converting to water while inside the battery. Water loss in other gelled batteries, especially in hotter climates, is quite common and often leads to the premature death of a battery after a few short years. With the AGM battery, water loss is not a problem, making it maintenance-free.

Because of the mounted plates, acid will not leak or spill from AGM batteries. Because the plates are packed tightly, they can withstand shock and vibration. AGM batteries are completely non-hazardous, making them a more viable (and cheaper) option for shipping.

When considering the purchase of a battery backup sump pump system, insisting that the pump uses an AGM battery would be the wisest choice in order to maximize the effectiveness of the sump pump.

AC Versus DC Powered Battery Back-Up Systems

Power outage can be a common occurrence during a severe rain storm. The sump system in a home typically relies on a heavy duty AC primary pump to discharge water entering the home through its drainage system. To compensate for the possibility of a power outage, the sump pit may include a battery-operated DC or AC driven pump in addition to the primary pump. How do these AC/DC pumps differ in function and performance?

A DC based back up system typically consists of a DC pump, a 12 volt deep cycle battery (2 batteries if a 24 volt system), and a charger. Most DC pumps used as part of a back-up system were initially designed to be bilge pumps for boats and are not heavy duty, but some work well. A characteristic of a DC system versus an AC system is that the rate that it discharges is related to the degree that the battery power source is charged. A fully charged 12 volt battery will power the DC pump to its maximum capability. As the charge of the battery is consumed, the pumping rate of the DC pump diminishes. For example, a given pump will discharge at the rate of 30 gallons per minute with a fully charged battery, but may only be pumping at 15 gallons per minute when half of the charge is still left with the battery. At the end when the battery is about to be depleted, the pump may be discharging at less than five gallons per minute. DC systems efficiently consume DC current and can run continuously for several hours (up to 10 hours continuously and intermittently for several days).

An AC based back-up system typically consists of an AC heavy duty pump, a 12 volt deep cycle battery (or two batteries if a 24 volt system), and an inverter with a battery charger). An inverter converts the DC power of the battery to its AC counterpart. Unlike a DC pump, an AC pump will run close to its maximum potential capability until the battery charge is depleted. For example, if the AC pump can pump at a rate of 50 gallons per minute, it will continue at close to this rate (with minimal loss over time) until the battery power source is depleted. It is important to select an AC pump with efficient amperage rating (3-7 amp hours), otherwise the system will not run long enough before the battery source is depleted and the system shuts down. An efficient AC pump can discharge as much as the best DC system because it is discharging at a greater rate than most DC systems even though it shuts down faster than a good DC pump system. The key advantage of going with an AC system is that it is easier to match it up with its primary pump counterpart. Since the AC system requires an inverter, it is typically more expensive than DC systems which do not require an expensive inverter for its operation.

The best way to compare different available systems is to compare the total amount of gallons discharged with a given battery (beginning with a fully charged battery recommended by the manufacturer) and that the data, ideally determined by an independent testing agency, represents the time and performance until the system shuts down). The values should have been generated at an 8-10 ft. head. The head is the distance that the pump discharges vertically (in a basement, it is usually 8-10 ft).

For the most part, A DC system will discharge at a rate less than the primary pump can discharge. Whether this is good enough is something that the homeowner and/or contractor must make a judgment call on. An AC system can be matched more effectively to the performance of the primary pump. The best scenario is that the homeowner has determined how effectively his primary pump has performed during a major storm and matches that performance with that of the back-up system, whether it be an AC or a DC system.