IceCap Backup Battery v3
SKU: IC-BTBK3
MSRP: $ 202,11
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Available Through Authorized Retailer
- Cross-Brand Control Compatibility: Universally engineered to back up most 12 to 24-volt variable-speed DC flow pumps from major brands like Maxspect, IceCap, and Reef Octopus.
- Instantaneous Hardware Fail-Over: Internal solid-state switching monitors main line voltage and turns on immediately during a power failure with zero manual intervention.
- Extended Life-Support Operation: Capable of running a single average flow pump for up to 35 hours (or dual synchronized pumps for up to 17 hours) to maintain critical dissolved oxygen levels.
- Expandable Dual-Unit Daisy Chaining: Features built-in interconnect links allowing you to plug two v3.0 battery units together to double your total emergency runtime up to 70 hours.
- Multi-Pump Support Terminals: Outfitted with dual independent output ports to safely drive two wavemakers or circulation pumps simultaneously from a single battery core.
- Wall-Mountable Space Optimization: Compact, low-profile chassis comes ready to screw directly to the inside of your wooden cabinet stand or structural gear room wall boards.
IceCap
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IceCap Battery Backup Version 3.0 for Aquarium DC Pumps (IC-BTBK3)
The IceCap Battery Backup Version 3.0 (SKU: IC-BTBK3) is an authentic, emergency power-reserve module distributed by CoralVue to insulate sensitive marine reef and freshwater aquariums from catastrophic power outages. In a closed aquatic ecosystem, a sudden loss of water circulation is an immediate, high-stakes emergency. Without continuous surface agitation and internal cross-flow, dissolved oxygen levels can plummet to toxic, lethal thresholds in as little as 4 hours—long before ambient water temperature drops become an issue. The IC-BTBK3 acts as your tank's dedicated insurance policy, stepping in the exact millisecond municipal power drops out to keep critical water-moving powerheads humming uninterrupted.
What truly separates the IceCap Version 3.0 from competing single-brand backups is its open compatibility profile. Rather than restricting you to a single manufacturer line, this unit ships with an array of standardized connecting cables and adapters. This makes it fully compatible with major variable-speed wavemakers like the Maxspect Gyre series, IceCap Gyre setups, and Reef Octopus Octo Pulse lines. Internally, the v3.0 utilizes a robust 2.5Ah cell capacity balance designed to safely feed the demanding voltage rails of modern DC wavemakers. Packing massive power into a highly compact, aesthetic housing, it provides the peace of mind needed to withstand seasonal rolling blackouts, localized transformer blowouts, or severe weather events without risking a total system crash.
Key Features
Protects Complex Livestock Investment: Preserves expensive, slow-growing coral colonies and high-end fish species by maintaining the vital gas exchange loop when the main grid fails.
User-Serviceable Fast-Blow Fuse: Outfitted with an integrated, easily accessible 250V 10A fast-blow safety fuse to protect both the battery cells and connected pump controllers from sudden external electrical surges.
Zero Sump Flood Risk: By focusing emergency power strictly on internal display tank flow pumps rather than your main return pump, it ensures the sump won't overflow or break siphon loops during an outage.
(Note: This emergency power package includes the standalone v3.0 battery backup chassis, the dedicated 27V DC wall charger adapter brick, dual connection installation cables, and multi-pump adapter tips. It is NOT natively compatible with EcoTech Marine, AI Nero, Tunze, or Reef Octopus VarioS return pumps).
What’s Included:
(1) IceCap Battery Backup Version 3.0 Main Module Housing
(1) 27V AC/DC Power Charger Supply Wall Adapter
(2) Dedicated DC Pump Connecting Interface Cables
(1) Set of Multi-Brand Cross-Compatible Adapter Terminal Tips
Technical Specs:
Official Manufacturing Title: IceCap Battery Backup v3.0
SKU / Factory Part Identifier: IC-BTBK3
Universal UPC Product Barcode: 810127681347
Total Physical Unit Dimensions: 5.75" x 5" x 3.125" (W x L x H)
Net Structural Dry Weight: 3.85 lbs (1.75 kg)
Internal Cell Charge Capacity: 2.5Ah (2500mAh)
Dedicated Power Charger Inputs: 100V–240V AC 50/60Hz Matrix
Dedicated DC Charger Output to Unit: 27V DC @ 600mA
Main Unit System Output Specs: 12V / 24V Auto-Sensing @ 2.5A Max
Onboard Protection Fastener: 250V 10A (5x20mm) Fast-Blow Fuse
Warranty
CoralVue, Inc. hereby guarantees this product to be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of:
- 1 Year
Warranty is activated on the date of purchase.
This Standard Limited Warranty applies and is limited as follows:
- To the product only as long as it remains in the possession of the original purchaser.
- To the product that has not been subject to accident, misuse or abuse.
- To the product that has not been modified, altered, defaced, or had repairs made or attempted by other than CoralVue, Inc.
- That CoralVue be immediately notified in writing within ten (10) days of first knowledge of defect by owner or his agent.
- That CoralVue, Inc. shall be given first opportunity to make any repairs, replacements or corrections to the defective construction within a reasonable period of time.
- Under no circumstances shall CoralVue and/or the Manufacturer be liable by virtue of this warranty or otherwise for damage to any person or property whatsoever for any special, indirect, secondary or consequential damages of any nature however arising out of the use or inability to use because of the product defect.
- Unpack your IC-BTBK3 battery unit and mount the housing upright in a well-ventilated, dry area near your pump controllers, away from open water spray or high-humidity zones (ideal environment: ~70°F).
- Connect the included 27V DC wall charger brick to your home's standard wall outlet (ideally a grounded GFCI outlet) and plug the barrel jack into the input port of the battery to let the cells fully charge.
- Unplug your compatible wavemaker pump's main power cable from its standard wall outlet or power bar strip.
- Insert one of the included IceCap dual-sided connection cables into the designated output port on the bottom plate of the battery module.
- Connect the opposite end of that IceCap cable directly into your wavemaker's electronic control box input, using the supplied adapter tips if necessary to match the barrel configuration.
- Plug your wavemaker pump's original factory power supply into the secondary pass-through terminal on the battery loop; this setup allows the pump to run on wall power normally while keeping the battery primed for a grid loss.
Battery Backup Best Practices for Operation & Maintenance
The IceCap Battery Backup v3.0 should be kept in an environment with a temperature of approximately 70º F for optimal operation. The life of the battery will depend on the number of discharges that the unit has cycled through. Every time the unit cycles, the life of the battery and its capacity are reduced.
NOTE: Depending on the pump and pump controller you are using, the pump may not slow down during a power loss when the battery backup is activated, as you might expect with a 12V battery (this is a 24V battery).
How to Calculate Battery Run Time
The IceCap Battery Backup v3.0 has a capacity of 2.5Ah.
Using it with a pump that is drawing 0.2 Amps (0.2Amps = 200mA), the time that the battery will last is (2500) ÷ (0.2 x 1000) = (2500) ÷ (200)= 12.5 Hours.
If instead of the current you have voltage and watts, then the formula is (mAh x Volts) ÷ (Watts x 1000) = (hours). If you have a pump that is drawing 12volts and 20 watts from the battery, it will last (2500 x 12) ÷ (20 x 1000) or 30000 ÷ 20000 = 1.5 hrs.
Pro Tips:
- Avoid Storing or Mounting the Battery Box Directly Inside a Humid Sump Cabinet. While it is tempting to mount all of your controllers inside your under-tank cabinet to hide the wiring, the high ambient evaporation and salt creep common in open-sump cabinets will rapidly degrade electronic components. Moisture can work its way into the fuse chamber or ventilation slots, causing premature cell breakdown or internal short-circuits. Always mount the battery unit on the outside of your stand, on an adjacent dry wall panel, or inside a completely separate, dry electronics enclosure.
- Test the Battery System Manually Every Few Months to Verify Cell Health. Like all advanced backup power systems, you shouldn't wait for a real hurricane or summer blackout to find out if your system is functioning perfectly. Make it a routine practice during your monthly or quarterly tank maintenance to manually unplug the battery's wall charger from the wall. Verify that your display powerhead immediately switches over to battery reserves without stopping or losing its programming, confirming your backup loop is ready for a real emergency.
- Keep Spare 10A Fast-Blow Fuses on Hand Inside Your Fish Room. The IceCap v3.0 features a 250V 10A (5x20mm) fast-blow fuse designed to act as a sacrificial barrier if your pump experiences a severe mechanical lockup or an electrical short. If a stray snail jams your pump impeller, the motor drawing excess power can pop the battery's fuse to protect the internal circuitry. Keeping a cheap pack of replacement 5x20mm 10A fast-blow fuses in your dry utility drawer ensures you can restore emergency power in minutes rather than waiting days for a shipping container to arrive.