The circulation pump is an inconspicuous device, but it fulfills a very important role. It contributes to the smooth and trouble-free heating of the household. But for this it needs an unlimited supply of electricity. Have you ever thought about what you would do in the event of a longer-term power outage? How would you drive your circulation pump? The answer is simple – the pump would definitely need a backup source.
What is a circulation pump for and what is it actually?
The circulation pump is an inconspicuous electronic device, but it is an integral part of the heating system. It ensures the circulation of water from the boiler to the radiators. In addition, it can also be used to circulate water in underfloor heating. In addition to heating systems, these devices are also used in air conditioning systems or in water supply systems.
We will now be further interested in the circulation pump in the heating system. By ensuring the circulation of water in it, it also ensures the safety of the entire system. As? The answer is simple - the hot water from the boiler simply has to circulate. But what would happen in the event of a power outage? Catastrophe. To avoid it, you would have to throw a backup source to the pump.
Why do you need a backup power source for a circulation pump?
Backup sources for circulation pumps are simply a must. In the event of a power failure, they ensure the operation of the circulation pump and thus the circulation of hot water from the boiler. If the circulation pump were left standing during a failure, the boiler would overheat and major damage to your property could occur. The spare source for the circulation pump thus contributes to the safety of the entire heating system.
Which backup source to choose for the circulation pump?
It can serve as an excellent backup source for the pump generator. The range of generators consists of several types of these devices.
At the moment, we are not even interested in the drive of a specific generator (it can be diesel fuel, benzine or gas), rather than regulation of its voltage. Why is this important? Simply because the method of voltage regulation will have a lot of influence on what you will be able to plug into the generator.
So what types of voltage regulation do we know in generators and what can we connect to each type?
The first type are generators with capacity regulation. This regulation is not able to react quickly, and therefore the resulting voltage of the generator can fluctuate a lot. This means only one thing – it will be enough to drive simple devices (power tools, light bulbs) including pumps, but you will not be able to use it for anything else. Because of the large fluctuations in voltage, it is not suitable to drive more sensitive electronics.
The most common type of voltage regulation that you can encounter most often in generators is the AVR regulation system. Although this type is already capable of solidly powering common household appliances, a problem could arise when you decide to use such a generator as a spare source for the pump and at the same time as a drive for more sensitive devices (that is, de facto for every power outage). The circulation pump repeatedly turns off and on during its operation. Every time it is switched on (circulation of water in the heating system, when driving water pipes, for example, simply running water from the tap), the pump needs to start up, and its start-up current can be much higher than the operating current. The AVR control may no longer react quickly enough to this change, and this may cause fluctuations in the resulting voltage of the generator. If more sensitive devices are connected to it at the same time as the circulation pump, it could damage them. However, if the generator with AVR regulation will only serve as a backup source for the circulation pump, it is completely safe and sufficient.
The third and final type is inverter generator. It provides highly stable output voltage. The inverter produces a sinusoidal 230 V / 50 Hz output. Choose this type if you want to power circulation pumps and ordinary household appliances together during an outage. Its stable output is also suitable for sensitive electronics, subject to the requirements of the connected equipment.
In conclusion
A backup power supply for the circulation pump is simply a must. Even a short-term power outage and pump inactivity could quickly lead to disaster.
So you will need the generator anyway in case of an emergency. However, if you will be using it to power other devices in addition to the pump in the event of a failure, you should definitely not think twice and should invest in a reliable inverter generator. It will become your reliable backup for all cases and nothing will surprise you anymore.