UPS battery replacement schedule

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per 1PW:

In a previous life, I oversaw many systems with UPS protection.

Here's a question that's been in the back of my mind since I
found out that my APC unit uses a proprietary battery: How about
a UPS that uses a plain old non/vented automobile battery?

- Definitely non-proprietary.

- Probably has a lot more capacity than most consumer-level UPS's

- Quickly replaceable

- Probably cheaper, since it's a commodity

??
--
PeteCresswell

 

[1PW]

On 02/05/2009 05:39 PM, (PeteCresswell) sent:

Per 1PW:
In a previous life, I oversaw many systems with UPS protection.

Here's a question that's been in the back of my mind since I
found out that my APC unit uses a proprietary battery: How about
a UPS that uses a plain old non/vented automobile battery?

- Definitely non-proprietary.

- Probably has a lot more capacity than most consumer-level UPS's

- Quickly replaceable

- Probably cheaper, since it's a commodity

??

Hello Pete:

We never had to try something like that. We only needed something to
absorb sudden dips and spikes. Our UPS systems just needed to last long
enough for our banks of big diesel driven generators to start, stabilize
and switch in.

However, your question is excellent. The problem lies in the design
differences of the batteries.

Typical thin plate automotive batteries will not withstand many deep
discharge cycles.

I believe the old adage that an automotive battery looses one year's
life for each deep discharge, is still mostly true. I believe that
sulphate damage begins with the very first deep discharge and would
accumulate with each additional deep discharge.

Industrial grade Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) batteries are constructed to
withstand these cycles with extra thick plates. This is not to say that
an automotive battery couldn't be used in a rare emergency, but to see
continued use would call for the proper industrial deep cycle type battery.

Someone may post a follow-up in this thread regarding the unmodified
UPS, sensing the automotive battery's soon dwindling voltage as an
unanticipated/early battery discharge.

I suppose you could look into using true/real marine/RV batteries, and
possibly modifying your UPS. However, UPS manufacturers are usually not
very forthcoming with their product's maintenance manuals, schematics,
piece parts, etc.

I encourage you to Google this for a deeper understanding.

My warm regards to you.

Pete
--
1PW @?6A62?FEH9E=6o2@=]4@> [r4o7t]

 

[PeterD]

On Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:39:53 -0500, "(PeteCresswell)" <x@y.Invalid>
wrote:

Per 1PW:
In a previous life, I oversaw many systems with UPS protection.

Here's a question that's been in the back of my mind since I
found out that my APC unit uses a proprietary battery: How about
a UPS that uses a plain old non/vented automobile battery?

- Definitely non-proprietary.

- Probably has a lot more capacity than most consumer-level UPS's

- Quickly replaceable

- Probably cheaper, since it's a commodity

??

You would want a deep cycle battey... Which will not be cheap(er) but
whatever floats your boat so to speak!

I'd use something like an Optima (there are many similar brands). A
regular non-deep cycle battery *will* fail very quickly as they don't
like being fully discharged.

Check WalMart (if you're in the US) for deep-cycle batteries.
(Sometimes these are referred to marine batteries, but check
carefully!)

 

[Peter Hucker]

On Tue, 03 Feb 2009 01:34:13 -0000, Warren Post <wpost@hondutel.hn> wrote:

I just replaced the battery in my UPS, and notice that the old one was
swollen and hard to remove. Searching this NG and elsewhere on the net, I
see this means that the battery had reached the end of its life some time
ago and should have been replaced sooner. Okay, replacing the battery
when it reaches the end of its life cycle instead of waiting until it
obviously fails is fine by me.

So how do I know when to replace a UPS battery? This particular UPS has
no self test feature and no com port with which to communicate with the
computer, and I don't want to toss perfectly working equipment into the
landfill just because it lacks bells and whistles to make my life a
little easier.

Is this a sealed lead acid? I've never seen one of those swell.

--
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The boys could see her thighs

Mary had another skirt
With a slit right up the front
She never wore that one...

 

[Warren Post]

On Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:41:26 +0000, Peter Hucker wrote:

Is this a sealed lead acid? I've never seen one of those swell.

Yes, it is. It is so swollen it was quite a challenge to remove it from
the UPS.
--
Warren Post
Santa Rosa de CopĂĄn, Honduras
http://srcopan.vze.com/

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

Warren Post wrote:

On Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:41:26 +0000, Peter Hucker wrote:

Is this a sealed lead acid? I've never seen one of those swell.

Yes, it is. It is so swollen it was quite a challenge to remove it from
the UPS.

I have had to completely dismantle a couple UPS that had the battery
so swollen it couldn't be pried out of the battery compartment.


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[Peter Hucker]

On Fri, 20 Feb 2009 03:30:03 -0000, Warren Post <wpost@hondutel.hn> wrote:

On Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:41:26 +0000, Peter Hucker wrote:

Is this a sealed lead acid? I've never seen one of those swell.

Yes, it is. It is so swollen it was quite a challenge to remove it from
the UPS.

I wasn't aware those type of batteries swelled up under corect usage. Maybe the UPS is faulty and overcharging it?

--
http://www.petersparrots.com http://www.insanevideoclips.com http://www.petersphotos.com

Money can't buy you true love.
It does however put you in a good bargaining position.

 

[rebel]

On Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:32:01 -0000, "Peter Hucker" <none@spam.com> wrote:

On Fri, 20 Feb 2009 03:30:03 -0000, Warren Post <wpost@hondutel.hn> wrote:

On Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:41:26 +0000, Peter Hucker wrote:

Is this a sealed lead acid? I've never seen one of those swell.

Yes, it is. It is so swollen it was quite a challenge to remove it from
the UPS.

I wasn't aware those type of batteries swelled up under corect usage. Maybe the UPS is faulty and overcharging it?

The main cause of small (home and SOHO) UPS failure is barttery failure. The
main cause of battery failure in small (home and SOHO) UPS is overcharge.

(They nearly all overcharge.)

 

[Peter Hucker]

On Sat, 21 Feb 2009 02:48:54 -0000, rebel <me@privacy.net> wrote:

On Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:32:01 -0000, "Peter Hucker" <none@spam.com> wrote:

On Fri, 20 Feb 2009 03:30:03 -0000, Warren Post <wpost@hondutel.hn> wrote:

On Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:41:26 +0000, Peter Hucker wrote:

Is this a sealed lead acid? I've never seen one of those swell.

Yes, it is. It is so swollen it was quite a challenge to remove it from
the UPS.

I wasn't aware those type of batteries swelled up under corect usage. Maybe the UPS is faulty and overcharging it?

The main cause of small (home and SOHO) UPS failure is barttery failure. The
main cause of battery failure in small (home and SOHO) UPS is overcharge.

(They nearly all overcharge.)

The only failure I've seen in small and large UPSs is a drastically reduced battery capacity.

--
http://www.petersparrots.com http://www.insanevideoclips.com http://www.petersphotos.com

The state of Texas has executed yet another inmate. But Unforeseen legal issues have arisen. The state has killed so many people this year, it must now register as a tobacco company.

 

[rebel]

On Sat, 21 Feb 2009 19:20:59 -0000, "Peter Hucker" <none@spam.com> wrote:

On Sat, 21 Feb 2009 02:48:54 -0000, rebel <me@privacy.net> wrote:

On Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:32:01 -0000, "Peter Hucker" <none@spam.com> wrote:

On Fri, 20 Feb 2009 03:30:03 -0000, Warren Post <wpost@hondutel.hn> wrote:

On Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:41:26 +0000, Peter Hucker wrote:

Is this a sealed lead acid? I've never seen one of those swell.

Yes, it is. It is so swollen it was quite a challenge to remove it from
the UPS.

I wasn't aware those type of batteries swelled up under corect usage. Maybe the UPS is faulty and overcharging it?

The main cause of small (home and SOHO) UPS failure is barttery failure. The
main cause of battery failure in small (home and SOHO) UPS is overcharge.

(They nearly all overcharge.)

The only failure I've seen in small and large UPSs is a drastically reduced battery capacity.

I'd suspect that is due to electrolyte drying as a result of ... overcharging.

Normally a UPS sits there being with its battery being slowly baked while the AC
supply is present. UPS failures become apparent to *most* home/SOHO users when
the AC fails as they do not have a testing regime in place.

Depending what you mean by "drastically reduced battery capacity" you may have
seen it a bit sooner than most. But drying electrolyte is the most common
capacity reduction mechanism, accompanied at later stages by the characteristic
case swelling and often splitting.

 

[Peter Hucker]

On Sun, 22 Feb 2009 03:51:42 -0000, rebel <me@privacy.net> wrote:

On Sat, 21 Feb 2009 19:20:59 -0000, "Peter Hucker" <none@spam.com> wrote:

On Sat, 21 Feb 2009 02:48:54 -0000, rebel <me@privacy.net> wrote:

On Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:32:01 -0000, "Peter Hucker" <none@spam.com> wrote:

On Fri, 20 Feb 2009 03:30:03 -0000, Warren Post <wpost@hondutel.hn> wrote:

On Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:41:26 +0000, Peter Hucker wrote:

Is this a sealed lead acid? I've never seen one of those swell.

Yes, it is. It is so swollen it was quite a challenge to remove it from
the UPS.

I wasn't aware those type of batteries swelled up under corect usage. Maybe the UPS is faulty and overcharging it?

The main cause of small (home and SOHO) UPS failure is barttery failure. The
main cause of battery failure in small (home and SOHO) UPS is overcharge.

(They nearly all overcharge.)

The only failure I've seen in small and large UPSs is a drastically reduced battery capacity.

I'd suspect that is due to electrolyte drying as a result of ... overcharging.

Normally a UPS sits there being with its battery being slowly baked while the AC
supply is present. UPS failures become apparent to *most* home/SOHO users when
the AC fails as they do not have a testing regime in place.

Depending what you mean by "drastically reduced battery capacity" you may have
seen it a bit sooner than most. But drying electrolyte is the most common
capacity reduction mechanism, accompanied at later stages by the characteristic
case swelling and often splitting.

Ah... yes I see what you mean. I probably don't leave them long enough. Come to think of it the old car batteries in my solar power system do sometimes become warm when they get really old. But they don't get a chance to do something worse as the system immediately alerts me to a rogue current draw.

--
http://www.petersparrots.com http://www.insanevideoclips.com http://www.petersphotos.com

A bunch of lawyers were sitting around the office playing poker.
“I win!” says Johnson at which point Henderson throws down his cards. “That’s it! I've had it! Johnson is cheating!!!”
“How can you tell?” Phillips asked.
“Those aren't the cards I dealt him!”