DIY UPS for heating circulation pump

Every person who uses electric heating in their home has encountered the fact that at the most necessary moment it can turn off . This problem is solved by uninterruptible power supplies - sources of electricity that work even when the full power supply is turned off. It is quite possible to not only purchase a UPS for heating systems in a store, but also make it yourself for your home, cottage or apartment, and below we discuss in detail how to do this.

Causes

The pressure in the system is to blame: with natural circulation it does not exceed 0.6 mPa, and this is not enough to provide heating for a multi-story or just a large building. To increase pressure and improve water circulation, you need to either create a closed system using larger diameter pipes, or build in a circulation pump.

Since reconstruction using larger diameter pipes is not a cheap procedure, the best solution in this case is a circulation pump.

Operating principle and device

All circulation pumps have one goal - to start forced circulation of water in a closed heating system. Their structure resembles the structure of a drainage pump, and the body is made of an alloy or metal that is not susceptible to corrosion. It can be bronze, brass, cast iron, steel or aluminum. The pump is equipped with a rotor and an electric motor. The rotor shaft is made of steel or ceramic and has a blade wheel - an impeller. The electric motor drives the rotor.

After installation in the system, the circulation pump, through the use of centrifugal force, sucks in liquid from one side and pumps it out from the other. The rotation of the impeller creates centrifugal force. If the pump operates evenly, the water level in the tank will be static. It turns out that one such pump is not enough to increase the pressure and improve heating.

It is in this case that it is necessary to connect circulation equipment. It will help the fluid overcome the resistance that arises in different parts of the system.

So, if there is no circulation pump, this leads to increased fuel consumption for heating and increased costs.

Solutions

You can get around the problem of power outages by simply installing larger diameter pipes into the existing system. The liquid in this system circulates naturally - due to the force of gravity. However, such a system is not convenient to regulate.

You can also use a generator. However, the generator requires special operating conditions: maintaining the same fuel level and having a special place. All this, as a rule, requires finance, and besides, it is unsafe. During operation, there is a possibility of power surges, which can lead to breakdown of the electronic control system of the boiler.

It is much more convenient and easier to solve the issue using a UPS - an uninterruptible power supply. “Uninterruptible power supply” automatically turns on when there is no power, so the system will work in any case. UPS equipment can be installed in any room without any special maintenance - the batteries are replaced every 2-3 years. This device operates almost silently. It should also be noted that installing a UPS is much cheaper than buying, for example, a generator.

Possible problems in the operation of the uninterruptible power supply

During operation of the equipment, the following malfunctions may occur:

contamination of the internal surface of the UPS, dust settling on it (especially during construction work indoors);
Frequent overloads in the operation of an uninterruptible power supply can lead to the inverter failing;
the end of the battery life (with long-term use of the device);
The special lubricant on the cooling fans may dry out, which can also cause the device to fail.

The nuances of the “uninterruptible” operation

However, there are some subtleties here too. The UPS, as a rule, produces a constant voltage, while the pump requires an alternating type of voltage. Therefore, for an uninterruptible power supply it is necessary to purchase an inverter - a kind of current converter.

An inverter is an essential component of the heating system, which will ensure the operation of the circulation pump.

Most often, a modern UPS is a mechanism consisting of an inverter and a battery (or there may be several of them). The advantages of a UPS that includes an inverter are as follows:

a pure sinus is created, thanks to which the circulation pump functions;
energy saving;
the ability to increase the number of batteries used;
automatic switching on during power outages and overall ease of operation.

Classification of “uninterruptible power supply”

There are several types of UPS:

linear type is the simplest, it does not have a voltage stabilizer. If there is a power outage, the device automatically connects to battery power;
Line-interactive uninterruptible power supply. It contains a simple stabilizer and from one to four batteries, the charge of which the system controls independently. These types of devices have lower internal voltage.

Essentials

Everything you need for a homemade UPS is on the Ali Express trading platform:

A pair of batteries for a 18650 series screwdriver.
Built-in charge indicator.
Converter board.
Charging board.
Power adapter 9 V 2 A.
Plastic housing.

Full set of parts:

Installation

The procedure for installing a UPS with an inverter depends directly on the device model. The difference between such 12/220 voltage converters lies in the type of automation, which determines the installation process.

Thus, some units are mounted directly on the motor of pumping equipment. Another type of uninterruptible power supply is wall-mounted only and only operates in a vertical position. There is also an uninterruptible power supply of rectangular shape and impressive size. This type of automation is installed next to the circulation device. You can connect the 12/220 voltage converter yourself, using the instructions.

Houses and apartments located outside the city limits use their own water heating for heating. A pump is used to pump liquid. When the electricity is turned off, the circulation of water stops, and this threatens to rupture the boiler. If residents are at home, they themselves can open the tap to bypass the flow of water, but when they are not there? Therefore, they increasingly began to use (UPS) for the heating circulation pump.

Read also: Wiring diagram for a two-key switch with four light bulbs

UPS assembly

Connection diagram

Let's consider a diagram for connecting an uninterruptible power supply with two batteries. In this case, the batteries are connected in parallel, which will increase their total capacity. Let's calculate the operating time and cost of such a system.

Connection diagram of an uninterruptible power supply to the heating system

Note! With an increase in the number of batteries, their total capacity will increase and the operating time of the heating pump and additional devices that are connected to the UPS will increase.

As the power of connected devices increases, their operating time in offline mode will increase. The pump itself, when operating in standard mode, has a power of 50 watts, in which case two powerful batteries will ensure 50 hour operation of the device. If you connect another native consumer to the UPS, for example, a light bulb with a power of 100 watts, then their battery life will decrease to 18 hours. At a load of 500 watts per hour, two new charged batteries will completely lose their charge after 5 hours of operation.

Uninterruptible power supply with batteries

As for costs: an average-priced uninterruptible power supply will cost 17 thousand rubles, plus two batteries for 14 thousand rubles. We will get 31,000. For this money you can buy a gasoline electricity generator, but this requires additional expenses for gasoline and certain skills in working with the installation. Of course, a UPS can be bought cheaper; a gas generator is used here as an alternative option.

Operating principle and design of the UPS

The name itself shows the purpose of the device - to provide uninterrupted power supply from a reserve when the main source is turned off. The first uninterruptible power supplies appeared after the creation of computers and were intended to maintain high-quality power supply and short-term continuation of work after the main power was turned off. The UPS filters the incoming voltage, and if it does not meet the required parameters or disappears, it automatically supplies power to the consumer.

The UPS consists of the following main components:

power switching system (bypass);
Charger;
DC to AC converter;
governing body;
battery.

Internal Components

A switch is needed to switch the voltage source. The working element can be a power relay (in cheap models), thyristors, and recently IGBT transistors have begun to be used. The response time ranges from 6–10 ms. The ability to switch a current of a certain power affects the power of the entire device. In interactive circuits, the commutator is also used to switch the terminals of the autotransformer windings.

The charger unit converts the input AC voltage into a rectified voltage of the required value to charge the battery. This device will determine which batteries can be charged.

Carefully! When choosing a battery, it is important to know its charging current; usually it is 1/10 of the capacity; if it exceeds the capabilities of the device, the battery will not charge.

The conversion of the battery's direct current into alternating voltage is carried out by an inverter. It is he who is responsible for the voltage quality and power of the UPS. The battery is the source of energy for such a conversion, and its capacity will determine how long the uninterruptible power supply can provide energy to consumers.

Schematic diagram

Electrical components, buttons, and switches act as the control body. LCD screens can be used for visual control. According to the principle of operation of UPS for heating there are:

reserve;
interactive;
double conversion.

To understand what is their difference, it is worth analyzing each circuit; in the future, this will help solve the question of how to choose a UPS?

Reserve

The simplest circuit uses a simple filter at the input that can delay high-voltage and electromagnetic pulses; it is made in the form of a capacitor (C) or a coil and capacitor (LC). The load is connected directly to the network. If the power quality deteriorates significantly or if it disappears, the supply voltage is supplied from the UPS. Used in simple and cheap models. Often used to power computers, it has a high efficiency of about 99%.

Appearance of a computer UPS

The disadvantage is the complete lack of ability to change the voltage amplitude and frequency of the mains current. The inverter circuit is simplified as much as possible, which leads to distortions in the shape of the sine wave. Instead of a sinusoid, as a rule, there are rectangular signals. They are not dangerous for the computer, since the current is immediately rectified.

Important! Asynchronous motors used in pumps can only operate normally with the correct sine wave; if low-quality energy is supplied, they will function poorly and quickly fail.

For lighting and heating devices, the signal shape does not matter.

Linear interactive

This circuit is more suitable for an uninterruptible power supply for all heating system pumps. The main difference from the previous circuit is the ability to change the input voltage. To do this, a transformer is installed in the input circuit, the primary winding of which has several terminals; it acts as a stabilizer.

At rated voltage, no adjustment is made, and if the balance is disturbed, additional turns are automatically connected or disconnected. This stepwise switching allows the battery to be used less, which significantly extends its life.

Interactive UPS diagram

The inverters used produce rectangular, trapezoidal, step or sinusoidal voltage, it all depends on the complexity of the device. Naturally, this affects the cost.

Inverter

The inverter or double conversion circuit is very different from the previous two. There is no direct connection of the load to the network, but the connection occurs according to the following scheme: the network voltage passes through a surge filter, a rectifier, after which part of the energy, if necessary, goes to charge the battery, and the rest goes to the inverter, is converted into alternating current and goes to the consumer.

Appearance of the inverter UPS

A fully automated system capable of controlling amplitude and frequency, the output signal shape is as close as possible to a sine wave. When the mains power is turned off, the UPS continues to operate from the battery, which has virtually no effect on the output signal.

Advantages and disadvantages of different types of UPS

We can sum it up. UPSs with a backup power circuit are easy to use and lighter than their counterparts. Since the electrical circuit is cooled naturally, it does not produce noise. If you compare the price level, they are the cheapest. However, for all their attractiveness, they have a very significant drawback - they are not able to provide high-quality power to asynchronous motors.

Interactive uninterruptible power supplies, thanks to the built-in transformer, are able to control the amplitude of the input voltage. True, in simple models the adjustment is limited to 1–2 steps, producing larger changes in the signal. More complex types have the ability to lower the voltage, and installed filters improve the quality of power from the network.

The inverters used on expensive models produce a signal close to a sine wave, which allows the use of such UPSs to power a circulation pump. Compared to backup ones, these are more expensive models.

Choosing a UPS for a circulation pump

For those who want to protect themselves from unexpected power outages, we have made a small selection of mandatory parameters that should be focused on first.

Outgoing current parameters

As mentioned above, a distinctive feature of a proper UPS is a clean or correct sine wave of the output signal. Deviations in the sinusoid are unacceptable. For the proper operation of a gas and solid fuel boiler with circulation pumps, such devices with dubious characteristics are absolutely unsuitable.

Before purchasing, you should look at the product data sheet and ask what type of sine wave this UPS has.

Starting power

For reliable operation of the UPS, it will be better if its power is sufficient to meet all the needs of the connected equipment. In this option, we are more interested in having enough power to operate the boiler circulation pump. It's best if UPS covers the stock by at least five times. And it’s even better if it is 7 times more than the calculated value.

You can find out the power consumption of an electric pump for a boiler room from its technical data sheet.

Source performance

Now we have smoothly moved on to batteries. The safe operation of boiler equipment is not limited to the presence of an uninterruptible power supply. A battery is vital for servicing the heating system. It’s better not even one, but several. The main thing is the battery capacity. It is measured in Ampere hours (Ah). Everything here is quite clear, the larger the capacity, the better.

But there can be several types of batteries:

Almost every amateur motorist has the cheapest and fairly well-known acid-lead one. But they have a very unpleasant trait. During operation, harmful electrolyte vapors are released.
There are nickel-cadmium batteries. Relatively safe and inexpensive. But they are afraid of deep discharge. If this happens, part of its capacity is lost.
The best option for a home energy supply system is a lithium source of electricity. It does not have the disadvantages of other modifications, but they are very expensive.

When choosing an uninterruptible power supply device for a heating boiler, in addition to the main characteristics listed, there are other parameters that you should definitely pay attention to. They are purely subjective and do not affect the operation of heating systems in any way:

Appearance
Availability of display. It displays information about voltage and frequency.
Accommodation option. It can be either floor or wall mounted.
Product price. Different manufacturers of such systems have different prices.

Criteria for selecting a backup power source

When the question arises of which uninterruptible power supply to choose for a heating pump, here's what you should think about. How often is power cut off and for how long? Will anything else be powered by the uninterruptible power supply? What is the quality of the supplied energy? How much money can be spent on a UPS? Some may find it necessary to consider certain models or manufacturers. Already at the point of sale, you will have the opportunity to pay attention to the design and color, dimensions and weight of the future purchase.

Determining the required UPS power

To determine the power, it is decided which consumers will be connected. In the passports of these devices, they find the required indicator and add it up. Modern UPSs have a power reserve for starting engines; this is usually indicated in the data sheet. The duration of peak loads is short, but this is quite enough to start the pump. Usually there is no need to start it, since the automation works quickly and the pump continues to spin.

Battery capacity

The operating time of the UPS directly depends on the energy stored in the battery. It would seem that the larger the battery capacity, the better, however, there are pitfalls here.

Note! The rectifier designed to charge the battery has a current limitation.

What current the charger is designed for must be indicated in the document or on the UPS itself. You can select one battery or several for this current. If several are selected, the charging current of each battery is summed up. Some people still purchase such batteries, but charge them separately through an additional rectifier.

Batteries are divided into two groups:

Starters are able to quickly release a charge, but after that they need to be charged as quickly as possible. An example is batteries on rolling stock. Their difference lies in the presence of filler holes with plugs, through which water or acid (alkali) is added. They cost much less than traction ones, so they attract attention.

Starting battery

When installing such batteries, it becomes necessary to monitor the density of the electrolyte. They can be placed in non-residential premises, away from heating boilers. The life of the batteries will directly depend on how long they are left in a discharged state.

Traction batteries, on the other hand, are specially designed to withstand prolonged discharge. They do not need to be monitored for the presence and density of the electrolyte; they can be installed in residential areas and operate at high temperatures. The disadvantage is the high price.

Traction battery

Input voltage

In the case when the UPS is made according to a backup or interactive scheme, the input voltage, if available in the network and meeting the permissible characteristics, is directly supplied to the load. In the second circuit, the voltage can be regulated within a fairly wide range; in the first case, it is not regulated at all. Small voltage surges of short duration are damped by capacitors.

Output voltage and its shape

The output voltage is more stable due to a constant source and a constant load, but the shape, with the exception of the inert circuit, differs from the sinusoidal one. This is explained by the operation of the electronic key on which the frequency generator is made. The key transistors are in two positions: on, off. Therefore, the waveform is rectangular. By adding smoothing capacitors it can be slightly changed, transforming it into a trapezoidal one. More complex circuits make it possible to achieve an approximate sinusoid shape, but they are more expensive.

Rice. 9. Sinusoidal and trapezoidal current

Uninterruptible power supply units for heating pump

Externally, the device resembles a large system unit. Often the front panel has a display with a clock and a panel with buttons. Intuitive controls - all basic data is displayed on the screen: input and output voltage, battery charge level, current strength and others.

The essence of its work is to accumulate energy in batteries and then release it when necessary.

Connecting an uninterruptible power supply to the heating system

uninterruptible power supply unit;
12 V battery(s).

The voltage of 220 V is converted to 12 V and supplied to the charger. At the same time, energy feeds the boiler from the network. When the battery(s) are fully charged, the current supply is automatically stopped, i.e. it continues to arrive, but in transit.

If the network is turned off, the UPS begins the reverse conversion - constant from 12 V batteries to alternating 220 V.

Operating principle of an uninterruptible power supply

The automation will automatically turn on the backup power supply, and when the power supply is restored, it will switch to operation from the network. No human intervention is required to charge the batteries. It works silently.

Most often, batteries made using AGM technology or with gel electrolyte are used. Connect them in series. All end bends and jumper cables are included.

There is one caveat - the UPS takes longer to charge than it discharges. Therefore, an uninterruptible power supply for a circulation pump will not be able to completely replace the power plant for a long time.

The need for a UPS

In addition to the situations already listed (power outages and power surges), a UPS is also useful when the energy source is an air-cooled generator - diesel or gasoline.

The voltage produced from it has a sawtooth output when a pure sine wave is required. A double conversion UPS installed between the boiler and the generator solves the problem.

So, here is a list of requirements for a UPS:

voltage stabilization;
possibility of long-term operation without external power supply;
voltage supply in the form of a smooth sinusoid;
frequency accuracy;
smooth and instant transition to batteries;
reliability.

Read about the installation of heated floors and energy costs for heating here.

Is it possible to replace the UPS with a computer uninterruptible power supply or use a car battery?

No. Computer UPSs have output voltage in the form of teeth - rectangles. They overheat the circulation pumps.

UPS models

In the trading market, ratings of UPS models are constantly changing, but some can be paid attention to. Russian UPS Energy PRO-500 is an inverter with high stabilization (5% at the input and 1% at the output). Produces a pure sine wave, battery charging current is 20A, and has overcharge protection. Built-in automation protects the battery from excessive discharge, which extends its service life and prevents short circuits. There is a light indication and a color display.

Chinese Guarantor 500 refers to interactive UPS. Capable of delivering up to 300 W. The kit includes a 100 A/h battery, which is charged with a current of 10 A. The following video “how to choose an uninterruptible power supply for a pump” will give some more useful tips:

Linear (on-line)

Such intelligent equipment is characterized by double conversion of electricity online. Thanks to these features of the device, voltage surges in the network are leveled out and frequency balance is established. The supply voltage of the heating pump is always stable, 220 volts, which helps to extend the service life of the described device.

Note! This type of UPS quickly turns on the pump during power outages. This is possible through double voltage conversion in the network.

How to make an uninterruptible power supply for a pump with your own hands

If for some reason you need to make a UPS for an asynchronous heating circulation pump with your own hands, then you need to purchase the following components:

inverter;
Charger;
battery;
switch;
fuse;
wires.

When purchasing an inverter, it is important to choose a model with the most accurate sine wave shape of the output voltage. The connection diagram is shown in the video:

A properly selected UPS will allow you not to worry about the pump during a power outage and will extend its service life.

18650 battery and its varieties

The main element of the future uninterruptible power supply is a 18650 lithium-ion battery. In shape and size, it is similar to standard AAA or AA AA batteries.

The capacity of AA batteries ranges from 1600–3600 mAh. With an output voltage of 3.7 V.

There are several types of 1865 class batteries. The differences are only in chemical composition:

Lithium Manganese Oxide.
Lithium Cobalt Oxide.
Lithium Iron Phosphate or Ferrophosphate).

All of them are successfully used:

in phone chargers;
in laptops;
flashlights and so on.

What will you need?

If you are making an uninterruptible power supply for a gas boiler or for a heating circulation pump with your own hands, then one of its most important parts is the inverter .

An inverter is a device that converts the direct voltage of a battery into an alternating voltage of 220 V. It is clear that the uninterruptible power supply itself is better made from rechargeable batteries; they are much cheaper than various generators.

In order for the boiler, which is dependent on electric current, to function normally, it is best to install CPS type inverters (the best index options are 3500, 7500 and 5000 PRO).

In addition to the inverter, you also need the batteries themselves, which provide uninterrupted power for the boilers/pumps, as well as a charger.

Self service

If you managed to assemble a UPS for the boiler with your own hands, then servicing it is often not difficult . You will only have to change the batteries at certain intervals and periodically check the integrity of the entire system.

It is better to install the UPS either in the basement or semi-basement so that it does not occupy the space of the apartment, but moisture penetration, of course, is unacceptable in any case, so placing it in a small closet would be a good option.

Watch a video on this topic

Step by step instructions

The choice of inverter was mentioned earlier .

Batteries are selected with the largest capacity - the larger it is, the longer the uninterruptible power supply will last. If the equipment capacity is 45 ampere-hours, then it will operate for 8 hours, but at 95 ampere-hours it will operate for up to 24 hours.

The charger must match the battery capacity.

If you purchased a ready-made inverter, batteries and charger, then all that remains is to do the following :

Connect the two symbols “+” and “-“, which are marked on the UPS inverter for a gas boiler, to each other with a powerful wire with similar marks on the battery.
Insert the boiler plug into the inverter.
Click "Enable". That's it, the device is working.

But, of course, not everything is so simple, and the following nuances should be taken into account :

It is better to use thick and copper wires for connections;
The places where these wires are connected to the devices must be extremely reliable - this should be carefully monitored;
The connections should be checked in the future, because there is a risk of metal oxidation and deterioration of the system.

More details about what else is important to consider are in the next section.

What to look for?

Most modern heating systems use methane as fuel. But for the system to operate stably, it must have a current source that produces continuous voltage without any interruptions. If the power supply is abruptly turned off, the coolants will gradually cool down, and this is very unpleasant, since cracks may eventually appear on them in some places - first small, and then larger.

Therefore, carefully monitor the stability of the device!

As a result…

Making your own uninterruptible power supply for a gas boiler is not difficult if you have the appropriate skills. To make the device you will need an inverter, charger, batteries, wires and tools. After making a UPS for a circular pump, you will need a harmonious system for voltage filters, which will help you monitor the stability of the device. You can use the diagram posted above.

Question

Write in the comments whether you think it’s easier to make an uninterruptible power supply yourself or buy it?

Nuances of assembling an external harmonic filter

And the so-called harmonious system for voltage filters will help us with this.

Here too, you can take the initiative and do it yourself, but it’s better to at least install and find a proven scheme first. Such filters consist of various resistors, transformers and other auxiliary devices.

A properly assembled system should be guaranteed to stabilize any source of electric current.

However, the circuit of such a filter is simple, it can be seen below .

The main difficulty here lies in calculating the parameters. The circuit elements are calculated and made identically, only they are assembled in different ways - one is serial, the other is parallel, but in both cases they are tuned to a frequency of 50 Hz.

It is necessary to calculate the parameters of the inductors for the available core.

You will also need to make a gap between the turns in the core.

The formulas for calculating the parameters are as follows:

Clearance in millimeters = 1.257E-3 * max. current in amperes * number of turns.
Number of turns = 1.257E6 * max. current in amperes * inductance of the inductor in H * cross-sectional area of the core in square millimeters - round the result up
For a series circuit: the maximum current in amperes is 1.4 * <load power, W>/ 220 V.
For a parallel circuit: the maximum current in amperes is 1.4 * 220 V/ 28 * <signal frequency, Hz – 50 Hz>* < inductance of the inductor, H>.

Precautions and possible errors

First of all, if you decide to make an uninterruptible power supply for a heating pump with your own hands, you need to wear gloves so as not to receive an electric shock from exposed wires or contacts.
You should carefully examine the wires - they should not have even slight damage, because... A short circuit is very dangerous and can not only harm human health, but also cause a fire.
For the system, you should connect several batteries (it is best to take 2-4 fully charged ones) and connect them in parallel.
In no case should you save money and buy cheaper devices, since the quality and service life usually correspond to the price.
Do not connect everything to the device; use it exactly for those devices for which it is designed for its power. However, for computers, as a rule, this power is quite enough, the main thing is that the total power does not exceed the maximum permissible.
The best choice, as experts advise, would be models with phase-dependent equipment.