Power failure alarm idea ?

[Trevor Pleco]

I am keen to install a simple and cheap electronic device/alarm linked to my tank set-up that tells you that the power has tripped/gone off. This might sound stupid, but I had a situation recently when I was away when certain plug circuits in the house tripped. My staff only picked up on it seven hours later during an evening feed, so the canister filter and tank was off for a dangerously long period. My lights are not all the time during the day and you have to look carefully to check if the plants are moving to see if the filter is on, so it’s quite easy not to realize the tank is off, especially for the non fishy folk. I was thinking of plugging in one of those 12 volt rechargeable lights, which only come on when the power is off, but was wondering if the DIY folk out there might have any other suggestions, ideally with an alarm sound ?

[mark d]

just get a 60 Wat light connect it to your tanks circuit and place in on top of the tank. When the power is off the light will not shine.it will cost you about 50 bucks.

[Trevor Pleco]

Thanks dude, but running a 60w bulb 24/7, will certainly add up come 2015, even if it is an energy saver ? Ideally I want an audible alarm ...

[mark d]

Hmmm.I know you get LED lights try them.

[Trevor Pleco]

Yea, a small alarm light LED working off a transformer would work for me, but as I'm away quite a bit of the time I really need something for my staff and
fish-sitters. They are more likely to take notice and react to an alarm noise or if a warning light has gone on, rather than a light that has simply gone off, hope I am making sense ...

[Slimpiet]

I saw a 12v buzzer at mica today. Perhaps use a 220v relay with 12v battery and buzzer (or 12v siren). Connect battery and siren/buzzer to normally closed, hook up 220v so relay is opened.
If power goes off buzzer will sound using battery power. Can even hook up those alarm flashing lights (used on home alarm systems) to the same circuit. Light and sound

[azurekoi]

Hey Trevor --> PM ZS6WDL about his cellular phone driven alarm system to let him know when the power trips in his fish house...super cheap,inovative and on the ball... + electro morons like me can make it work,so.....

[10i]

A ups will scream when disconnected from power. when more than 3 or 4 years old the battery cant run a pc any more and you might be able to get one for free if you look hard enough.

[mark d]

I know most electrical shops sell these safety lights that are put onto mining cars .Why don't you buy one and take that alarm system and hook it up to that.The light will flash.Maybe you can rewire a ups to do it.

[Trevor Pleco]

Thanks folks for all the creative ideas, which I will certainly look into and report back. At this rate my tank set up might well end up being better alarmed than my house!

I'm quite surprised there is not a simple gadget available at the LFS for this, as presumably it's pretty essential for all fish keepers..

[mark d]

I just listen to my garage doors electronic motor.it makes a peep sound and i can hear my fish tanks water flow.

[Rory]

When I'm at home my alarm will start beeping and show trouble for "AC failure". Best for me would be to just add a gsm module for when I'm away. On my old tank I had a UPS that beeped when power went off. Someone on MASA made an app for Nokia s60 phones that smses you when it gets unplugged or power goes off. Also when it goes back on. You might have an old phone lying around that could run this. Or find a cheap second hand one.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

[mark d]

thats cool.I wanna get that.

[Slimpiet]

Rory can you try and get more info on this app, or even a download link if possible.
This is something that I would like to add to my house.
My alarm system was supposed to notify the response company, but it never worked.

[f-fish]

Just be carefull ... cellphones (or was that the charger) do not like to be plugged in charging the whole time - I seem to recall that they have a tendency to melt or somthing nasty like that.

Later Ferdie

[Rory]

Here you go:
http://code.google.com/p/tankwatch/

It was written for Symbian Series 60 2nd edition. List of phones here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S60_(software_platform)

f-fish it's probably not ideal for the battery and while the battery is less than 100% and it's on "full charge" (pun intended) the battery would warm up a little bit but once it's at 100% it should be ok. Use it on an old phone :p Ideally you should plug it in on the same circuit the tank is on.

[Slimpiet]

Thank you. Will try it out

[mark d]

Will also try another idea.

[10i]

This good, sending a sms and all. but the phones needed are expensive. my ups wakes me up when the power fails and is enough for now. i would love to try the cell phone thing, but dont own a symbian phone.

[Zoom]

Do you remember as kids we use to have remote control cars, and whenever they broke, we always took out the motor and connected it to batteries and played around with that!? Why not get yourself one of the plug in lights... you know the ones that turn on automatically when the power goes off. And then do some minor adjustments and put that type of motor instead of the globe. If the motor is "Strategically" stuck to the housing of the plug, when it goes off it will make quite a noise.

[Rory]

You should be able to get a compatible phone for under R1000 second hand. In comparison to a dedicated GSM unit, an addon GSM unit for a alarm system or aquarium computer this is quite a bit cheaper. Also it's all relative to the cost of your livestock. It was written more for marine tanks where livestock is generally worth quite a lot more than freshwater tanks.

---------- Post added at 08:11 ---------- Previous post was at 08:11 ----------


Do you remember as kids we use to have remote control cars, and whenever they broke, we always took out the motor and connected it to batteries and played around with that!? Why not get yourself one of the plug in lights... you know the ones that turn on automatically when the power goes off. And then do some minor adjustments and put that type of motor instead of the globe. If the motor is "Strategically" stuck to the housing of the plug, when it goes off it will make quite a noise.

If you're going to open it up why not just connect a buzzer? You can get piezoelectric buzzers for about R40 and those lights for about R120-200. Probably easier than DIY'ing completely.

[Vis]

Does it need to be a remote alarm or for the people on site?
Why not just use a cheap UPS? They have beepers and you even have backup power.

[Trevor Pleco]

Do you remember as kids we use to have remote control cars, and whenever they broke, we always took out the motor and connected it to batteries and played around with that!? Why not get yourself one of the plug in lights... you know the ones that turn on automatically when the power goes off. And then do some minor adjustments and put that type of motor instead of the globe. If the motor is "Strategically" stuck to the housing of the plug, when it goes off it will make quite a noise.

Thanks Zoom, good one I remember the times, sherrrrrrrrrrrr I will simply strip my son's new birthday gift, as soon as he gets to sleep, heee hee hee