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'APC' UPS, Battery Gone

Stigura

ES 550.Bought it in Nov' 2012! I don't think it owes me anything. But, it can now ~ quite suddenly, I think ~ hold my desk top for just seconds, when a cut hits. Presumably the battery?

Buy a fresh battery? Or, pay twice the cost and get a whole new UPS?

Thanks :)

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kirk.

Has the tech changed much re; charging and discharging batteries

CrazyEric

You can buy a battery from Screwfix for €35.45. Probably worth a punt to see if it works. those batteries are usually only supposed to last 4 to 5 years but a 12 year old UPS will still be a good one.

https://www.screwfix.ie/p/sealed-lead-acid-battery-12v-7-0ah/38315?tc=FI4&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwkY2qBhBDEiwAoQXK5VDhjKIFwzRc928qz2M1RvFbd36ZPSS7VN6kAfX_3QXf9OuaDTfzOxoCKD0QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Stigura

I wouldn't have said so. It only comes into operation when there's a cut ~ doesn't it?

It's just that I used to sit here, think; 'Damn! Power's gone. I'll just finish writing this post. Power off and go make a brew.'

Now? I think; 'Damn! Power's gone. Click! Oh. So's the computer 😐️'

Stigura

Eric; Ah. Yes. I see what ye saying. So, I've been damn lucky with the battery. But, there'll be little to gain in buying a more 'up to date' UPS. Because it'll be much the same as what I have?

Must admit, I did notice the only difference, with Amazons favourite, was USB plugs. I have those elsewhere.

Any reason why the Screwfix batteries shouldn't work?

Stigura

Know what, lads? I've just taken a close look at the box. I reckon I could do with a manual! There's two buttons on there: " Power On " and " Master Enable "? I don't even know what they Do any more!

Think I'd better have a further dig. And add one of those batteries to my pay day list! 👍️

tphase

where are you based? I've a few of those batteries going spare. Not new but should be OK. They were in a UPS for a year, UPS failed and I recovered the batteries before it went in the skip

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121315079#Comment_121315079

The Screwfix battery should be fine but they aren't the exact ones for most UPS's. You'll probably find the terminals on them are smaller than the original in the UPS. You can still make them fit. Not ideal but works.

Stigura

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121315186#Comment_121315186

UPS failed? After a Year?! Wow! I've been Seriously lucky then, it seems.

'Unfortunately', I'm in Leitrim. Appreciate the thought though 🙂

Stigura

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121315237#Comment_121315237

Still make them fit ..... Oh. That's a bit scary so. Says the man who doesn't even know what buttons mean. Especially if I'm to be jerry rigging something that handles much of the electricity in this room. Soldering iron comes into play and I'm tapping out! 😕

tphase

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121315318#Comment_121315318

no, the UPS was much more than a year old....the batteries were only in the UPS for a year

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121315377#Comment_121315377

Just take your old battery along and check in screwfix if the terminals are the same size. If they are smaller on the screw fix one then you need to make the best connection you can with the larger push on spade terminal - use one side of it then tighten by squeezing up the joint slightly with a pair of pliers. Plenty of people bodge it that way because most of the cheaper replacement batteries have the smaller terminals.

tphase

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121315237#Comment_121315237

the two common sizes for tab terminals. F2 connectors can be made to fit on F1 tabs with judicious use of a pliers. As you say, not ideal but it works

Edit: beat me to it 🙂

Stigura

Ahh! Cool. I don't pretend to know jack about these things. But, I didn't imagine there should be too much to go wrong inside a box that, basically, just seems to sit there 99.9% of the time.

Saying that? I'm gonna look up these buttons. Always that niggling doubt; 'Did I touch anything?' 🙄

tphase

before you go spending money on a battery, take out the existing one and try to charge it. If it won't charge or hold a charge, then it's knackered. If it will charge and hold it, then the UPS is knackered. Obviously a voltmeter and charger would be useful to have for this task - assuming you don't have either, a friendly mechanic might be able to help you out

Stigura

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121315667#Comment_121315667

That's a bloody good idea! 😁 Thanks!

Jnealon

A battery that old is well past it's sell by date. Shake it, if it rattles it's gone

Battery World will have them, 12v 7AH

tphase

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121316277#Comment_121316277

A UPS that old is also past its sell by date so definitely worth determining if it's fcuked before shelling out for a battery. These days batteries and UPS's don't last like they used to. Certainly APC aren't as good as they were back in the '90's, some their cheaper models are just re-badged Chinese junk (according to one of their service engineers). The best UPS's I ever came across were made by Best (sadly defunct) - they ran problem free for longer than any other unit I've used. I still have a 110V one from 1994, changed the batteries no more than 3 or 4 times and it's been running more or less continuously since it was installed. 2nd place goes to Falcon, I've a 6kVA unit that's been running since 2003. Apart from battery changes and fan replacements, I had to replace the main board when a transistor blew (a 100A IGBT for those who know what that is). Kept the old board, replaced the transistor so I've a spare in case it happens again 🤑. Can't complain about the tech support from Falcon - the engineer I dealt with warned me to be careful around a couple of very large capacitors on the board - "they'll send you to Jesus"....

Stigura

Okay, lads; Many thanks for all ye thoughtful ~ and thought provoking ~ inputs. Really appreciate it 🙂

So ..... Can't complain, can I? Over a decade of saving my computers? Time to bid a fond farewell and get shopping, again 😶

I must admit, as an Amazon Prime member, I automatically go straight there. Been there, however. Couldn't find 'Falcon' in the search bar.

Anyone ....? Anything on Major Tom's worth thinking about? Or is there some sort of 'UPS's R Us. ie' that I'll not have heard of?

Don't need anything a ward of ICU's could rely on. Though, this one having eight plug holes did take some strain off my wall sockets.

This, and a Dehumidifier to take care of? Thank god I don't 'Do' xmass! 😏

tphase

https://www.falconups.com/

doubt they sell through Amazon

Stigura

Oh, jesus! No. I don't s'pose they do! 😄

Guess it'll just be an old fashioned case of trawling through a few pages then. Seeing if any pictures catch my eye. Then studying the writes ups.

Ton / ton 'n half will be about my guideline too. So, I'm hardly expecting state of the art, industry leading stuff anyway 😐️

CrazyEric

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121315146#Comment_121315146

https://docs.rs-online.com/dfe3/0900766b80d9b0e1.pdf.

Manual explains Master enable

whizbang

I recently binned a UPC 650 UPS because it using a continuous 60-80 watts while offline with batteries fully charged.

Any bigger electrical supplier will probably have those batteries, but You could use almost any 12v SLA battery with a couple of heavy fly leads.

Stigura

" I recently binned a UPC 650 UPS because it using a continuous 60-80 watts while offline with batteries fully charged. "

😱 That's Outrageous!!!

Unbelievable thing is? This Evening, prompted by a completely unrelated post, on another forum entirely, I was thinking to myself:

'With all this whizz kid gadgetry around these days, I really must check out these plugs that tell ye how much something's pulling.'

I had a dehumidifier in mind. But, dear god! Sounds like we might all do well to check out UPS's as well, eh?

Was this a 'freak occurrence'? Or do they just Do that? 😕

whizbang

I have an older APC 1600 with 2 x 100Ah batteries on it, uses 30- 40W standby, but I'm happy enough with that.

Almost comical how they advertise super efficiency ratings at full load, but absolutly no indication of how much power they use just idling 24/7

Stigura

Thank You! That's a Real bloody eye opener!

Probably not a whole lot we can do about it, I'm guessing? But, forewarned 'n all that. Something I'll certainly be digging for, in the most hidden small print of what ever I look at next!

B@stards!

deandean

I have an 850VA UPS that I bought in about 2010. The battery died a few years ago. The batteries in these UPSs are tiny!

I went to Europower in Glasnevin and I bought a 12V 20AH SLA battery. I extended the wires to the original battery and connected the new one which sits on the floor behind the UPS.

It works really well! It'll power my computer system for 3+ hours. This was an easy job and is well worth doing. I'll try attach a photo of the external battery...

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121322376#Comment_121322376

Is it a double-conversion type?

10-10-20

BTW Stigura, you can often get alarm-type batteries from electrical wholesale shops for cheaper, such as 12v 7ah types. They do fine on UPS's too.

Wearb

Motor cycle batteries?

Electric fence batteries?

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121332120#Comment_121332120

As long as those batteries can maintain a reasonable discharge current then all of those are acceptable as long as you're willing to slightly rewire the UPS. 👍️