APC Back-UPS units question

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Oleg34

Limp Gawd
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The battery in mine is still fine after 8 years. I wouldn't worry about it. It's going to vary based on your use, battery age/condition, etc. They aren't too expensive to replace, just don't buy one that's been sitting on a shelf for half a decade.
 
Working with more than 20 APC Back UPS ES500 500VA 300+watt units, the batteries on ours last anywhere from 3-5 years.
 
timta2 said:
The battery in mine is still fine after 8 years. I wouldn't worry about it. It's going to vary based on your use, battery age/condition, etc. They aren't too expensive to replace, just don't buy one that's been sitting on a shelf for half a decade.
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Have you actually ran it to see how long it will hold up?
I have seen them that old while testing fine had less than 10% of the rated capacity after that amount of time.
Be forewarned doing so has a strong chance of killing it.
I view any sla battery over 5 years old as suspect.
 
timta2 said:
The battery in mine is still fine after 8 years. I wouldn't worry about it. It's going to vary based on your use, battery age/condition, etc. They aren't too expensive to replace, just don't buy one that's been sitting on a shelf for half a decade.
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Define: "Fine", I doubt it's still working properly after 8 years.

stormy1 said:
Have you actually ran it to see how long it will hold up?
I have seen them that old while testing fine had less than 10% of the rated capacity after that amount of time.
Be forewarned doing so has a strong chance of killing it.
I view any sla battery over 5 years old as suspect.
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My thoughts exactly though I tend to utterly forget about mine until the power blips and the UPS can't take over. Then begins the last minute search for a local replacement. There's a local place that I go to that has good prices though I always forget it's name and have to find it again. (have two units but it'll be years between batteries, even with the two)

I'll second the 3-5 years sentiment as far as batteries goes.
 
3-5 years is what I've been getting.
I currently have 3 APC units now, my RS-1200 is 7 years old and had the batteries replaced maybe 3 years ago, the other 2 are the 1300va ones with the LCD, one is 3 years old and the other is 6 months old.
 
Maybe it depends on system set-up or UPS load. I am not a gamer, therefor my current CyberPower UPS is using anywhere from 168 watts up to 190 watts. I would probably RMA APC unit and get newer CyberPower EC550G ECO 550VA version.
Code: 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16842102215
. As i hate replacing batteries.
 
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Those cheap APC BackUPS units have been awful at my work. The batteries have often not even lasted 4 years, let alone 6. We've had several fail within 1-2 years.

I would never recommend these units to anyone.
 
Well. I just do not know why i have even decided to order APC unit when CyberPower works great. So i have returned APC unit.
 
Oleg34 said:
Well. I just do not know why i have even decided to order APC unit when CyberPower works great. So i have returned APC unit.
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Well, to most people APC is the most reputable brand for UPS. Personally I prefer Emerson/Liebert and Eaton/Powerware, but some of APC's products are good as well. But the cheap Back-UPS ones aren't great. The Cyberpower ones do seem a bit better.
 
Thanks for your input and suggestion dandragonrage. Just have taken a pick at APC unit's Specifications and the unit is bulky as fuck.

Weight of the UPS unit (s) is 12.13 lbs.
Dimensions
3.46" x 7.09" x 11.89" (H x W x D).

WTF??!!!.
 
Oleg34 said:
Thanks for your input and suggestion dandragonrage. Just have taken a pick at APC unit's Specifications and the unit is bulky as fuck.

Weight of the UPS unit (s) is 12.13 lbs.
Dimensions
3.46" x 7.09" x 11.89" (H x W x D).

WTF??!!!.
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Lead Acid Battery is heavy. Basically the same type of battery found in your car.

As far as UPS. I have 2 APC SmartUPS SUA1500 and a CyberPower PR2200. I've had the APC units a lot longer and generally have to replace the batteries every 2 or 3 years. Haven't had to replace the CyberPower battery yet but it will be a whopping $250 when I have to.

American Battery Company is where I get mine on-line or locally at a Batteries+ store. The cost is about the same except for any local sales taxes once shipping costs are factored in.

APC has been accused of prematurely failing their batteries in the past but not sure what became of it. Battery replacement is a profitable side-business for UPS makers and probably is why they haven't moved away from lead acid batteries.
 
I am responsible for over a hundred sites with UPS units. I recycle batteries every three years on the most vital sites and five years max on the others.
 
jevans64 said:
Lead Acid Battery is heavy. Basically the same type of battery found in your car.
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Yeah.. there's reasons i'll usually buy something locally (Best Buy, etc..) when i'm looking for a new unit.
Saves on shipping something that large and heavy, can usually get a decent unit at a decent price. Somewhat more expensive than online but way cheaper if you take shipping into account.
 
I personally will not buy APC anymore.

We ordered a new 2200VA unit for work to replace a really old one.

The first time we had a power outage after I purchased it, one of the outlets died.

I RMA'd it and they sent me one that had the normal "everything has passed testing" tags on it.

Only the cooling fan was faulty... could easily tell that the bearings were bad.

So I RMA'd it again and they sent me one that would not enable the second bank after power was lost. The only way to get it to come back on was to turn it on manually. No amount of messing with settings changed it.

So then they sent me a 4th one and it has been working fine.

Never again will I buy an APC unit. Their QA is crap and their testing department is crap.
 
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As suspected UPS battery on it's last legs. It does not hold charge as it should.

Does anyone knows a good place online to buy batteries for UPS units at reasonable price?. I have found some online stores that sells batteries for $16 - $20.
 
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Oleg34 said:
As suspected UPS battery on it's last legs. It does not hold charge as it should.

Does anyone knows a good place online to buy batteries for UPS units at reasonable price?. I have found some online stores that sells batteries for $16 - $20.
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Personally i'd say look locally first, shipping on a SLA battery is going to be a bunch. Plus if you buy locally you won't have to find somewhere to take the old one for recycling, the shop should take the old one.
 
A local electronics supply store will have them. Hopefully you're near enough to a decent one. Buying local will save you on shipping although price will be higher than online. But someone who can look at the old battery and get you one with exact same specs is pretty valuable. BatteriesPlus has stores all over and might have an exact replacement.
 
How about Newegg?. Great prices, low shipping cost if not free, good CS. As for buying electronics locally at big retail chains. There is no way!!!
 
Oleg34 said:
I have read this article here. http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1272971 but i am still not understanding what interference is better.
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For a home user a cheap standby unit is perfectly fine. Almost every PSU out there should be able to survive briefly without power while the thing transfers to battery.

Are there "better" units out there? Yes, however they get very expensive very fast. There's models out there that run the inverter all of the time but those are quite costly and largely unnecessary.
 
Either will work fine. The first will give you more runtime and more expansion room should you need it.
Very much so not worth the restocking fee and large fees to ship it back for the cheaper unit.
 
Thanks FnordMan for your answers and help. Thing about Newegg i have recently found out. They would not charge you for shipping or restocking fee, if the package is unopened.
 
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I would not make this switch. You will be switching to a smaller capacity battery for the same load putting more load on the battery each time it needs to be used. I would expect this to be worse than the original APC you had.
 
Oleg34 said:
I have just bought a APC Back-UPS BE550G 550 VA 330 Watts unit, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16842101343

A lot of people are saying the battery wears out quickly in APC units. I have an old CyberPower CP550SLG Standby UPS 550VA 330W unit http://www.amazon.com/CyberPower-CP550SLG-Standby-550VA-Compact/dp/B002QAUN2M after 7 years and the battery has not worn out yet. I have read in APC Back-UPS units battery wears out within 6 years. Is it a fact?.
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APC units come in many sizes forms and shapes.

Their older pro models (the Smart-UPS or SUA models from a few years back) are generally very good, built like tanks and rock solid.

The consumer "Back-Ups" models and newer Smart-UPS models can be hit or miss.

I have two older APC SUA models, an SUA-1500 and an SUA-750 and I wouldn't trade them for the world. They are built like tanks, and completely solid and reliable.

If I needed any more, I would go on eBay and order more of these same models, before I tried any other brand, or any new APC units.
 
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