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UPS Battery Life?

Connect some kind of brief load like an 1156 auto backup bulb across the terminals. Pb type batteries can have a 'top off' charge higher then the nominal voltage. Doesn't take much draw down to get the battery to revert to the more normal 12~13v. Could be that after years of continuous charging, they have developed a bit of weird chemistry to keep the higher voltage. Despite being in use for over a century, we don't have a full understanding of what goes on in a lead-acid battery.

As long as you are not drawing max UPS VA load, the 7AH batteries should be fine.
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
Alos, If I may ask, why did you get rid of the SUA1500's? And what did you replace them with?

Apart from this battery problem (which I suspect is battery and heat related, not UPS related) the SUA1500 has been a real champ, and it's built like a tank.

I haven't been as impressed by the newer APC models I've seen.


Power went out today again with this stupid storm.

(Not quite sure what is going on, first three years we lived here we went through several major storms without losing power, but the last two ones both knocked out the power.)

It went down so fast it's a miracle my server shut down cleanly.

I really need to order those replacement batteries and soon. I'm thinking of trying those ABC batteries you mentioned.
Click to expand...

I initially bought 4 of the SUA1500 all within two years because I was setting up computers for Folding@Home. I wanted these computers on backup because if power is lost, the work units in progress restart from the beginning. I decided I wanted something with a little more power-handling but still work with 20 amp, so I bought a CyberPower PR2200LCDRT2U. When I shut down the Folding farm I sold two of the SUA1500's and kept two to power my router, cable modem, and NAS in another room. Gave one to my dad and it died a couple of years later. Last one I had died a year or two ago. All of these SUA1500 were from 2004 to 2006. I've had the CyberPower since 2009 and still on the original set of batteries. I bought another CyberPower PR2200LCDRTXL2U ( XL means I can add additional battery packs to it for extended run-time ) for my main gaming systems. These CyberPower UPS's are about twice the cost of the SUA1500 and are a cut above the SUA... really meant for business-class battery backup.
 
I have had a lot of issues with the battery plus ups batteries. They all seemed to go down hill around the 2 year mark.
 
Well, it took me long enough to get around to it, but when the bright red "REPLACE BATTERY NOW" LED finally went on, I couldn't ignore it any longer.

Based on th erecommendations earlier in th ethread
jevans64 said:
I've had good luck with batteries from American Battery Company for my SUA1500's ( when I had them ) but with anything they are hit-and-miss. Some have lasted 5 years while others didn't even make it beyond their 24-month warranty. I just called them up and got a free replacement while under warranty. ABC used to make the batteries for APC but that was more than 10 years ago. I did try the Batteries Plus a couple of times when I needed replacements in a pinch. Those didn't even last two years and the warranty was only a year. The batteries in the SAU1500 can degrade quite a bit before the replacement warning goes off.

I'd say keep using the current battery unless it shows physical signs of bulging or leaking but be prepared to buy a replacement on short notice. Amazon has the ABC RBC7 batteries for $110.

Now I'm thinking that I've had my CyberPower PR-series 2200VA for a while now and the batteries are probably living on borrowed time. They still have 2 hours of run-time on backup at 6% usage.
Click to expand...

Well, it took me long enough to get around to it, but when the bright red "REPLACE BATTERY NOW" LED finally went on, I couldn't ignore it any longer.

Based on the recommendation above, (and the fact that it has a 2 year warranty) I ordered and installed the American Battery Company RBC7 unit. It's going through the 24 hour initial charge now (though it appears to have shipped with nearly full charge, based on the front panel indicator Is that normal?)

A few questions, as this is the first one I have replaced.

1.) How do I get rid of / recycle the old ones?

2.) Are they worth anything, like with the "core deposit" involved when you replace a car battery?

3.) Do you typically run a calibration cycle with some halogen work lights or something like that, or does that just needlessly shorten the life of the new battery by adding a full discharge cycle to it?


Much obliged,
Matt
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
1.) How do I get rid of / recycle the old ones?

2.) Are they worth anything, like with the "core deposit" involved when you replace a car battery?

3.) Do you typically run a calibration cycle with some halogen work lights or something like that, or does that just needlessly shorten the life of the new battery by adding a full discharge cycle to it?


Much obliged,
Matt
Click to expand...

Most technology recyclers will take any and all spent batteries. If you have a Batteries+,Bulbs+ retail store near you, they take them. I dropped off a whole box of misc. rechargeable batteries ( cordless drills, digital cameras ) plus a spent RBC-7 not too long ago. You won't get anything for them but you won't have to pay for disposal either.

I set the calibration/test cycles to their maximum value ( via their software ) or turn them off since, over time, they will deplete the battery. I figure I'd just press the TEST button when I want to run a cycle.
 
If you have a Batteries+,Bulbs+ retail store near you, they take them.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I did not know that. I probably have several dozen SLA batteries between home and work that need recycled.
 
jevans64 said:
Most technology recyclers will take any and all spent batteries. If you have a Batteries+,Bulbs+ retail store near you, they take them. I dropped off a whole box of misc. rechargeable batteries ( cordless drills, digital cameras ) plus a spent RBC-7 not too long ago. You won't get anything for them but you won't have to pay for disposal either.

I set the calibration/test cycles to their maximum value ( via their software ) or turn them off since, over time, they will deplete the battery. I figure I'd just press the TEST button when I want to run a cycle.
Click to expand...

Appreciate the info!
 
TIP: SLA batteries, even when they're too weak for proper UPS usage (they only give like a minute), can be connected into a pair in parrallel and used to jump start a ICE car.
 
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