I picked up a rackmount APC 700VA off of craigslist for $20 a while back knowing the batteries were bad.  They are about 10 years old, so they are to the point where the don't even last for an instat when power is pulled.

 

I'm looking to get some replacements, and there seems to be a wide range of prices to say the lest.  My replacement number is RBC22.  Although there are 4 batteries in the cartridge (RBC23), so I'm wondering if the faceplate is wrong.  I need to check what the systems reports back over serial.  I did notice that the tray says 1000VA in the warning, but I was thinking that might be just a safety thing.

 

Anyway...  what do you guys recommend?  The APC brand is around $270 from a quick search.  If you go to ebay you can get the 4 batteries for about $50.

 

Researching online it says that you will have to replace the generics more often than the APCs, but even if I have to replace the generics every year (which I would kind of doubt) it is still about half the price.

 

What do you guys do?

 

Thanks,

flips

Any 12v 7ah  sealed battery will work just fine.  I go to a local battery store and get them for ~20 dollars.

I've had good service from these guys

  http://stores.ebay.com/Gruber-Power-Services

but shipping on a Back-Ups 1000 battery was as much as the battery.

Still a good bottom line price, but it hurts that 50% of my dollars went to UPS.

APC

 

RBC23 - Pack is for one ups, (4) 12V 8AH Batteries

 

APC-132

 

$75.60

 

batterywholesale.com - had good luck w/ recent replacement of battery packs for several UPSs - different brands and models.

Anther place to try.

Refurb UPS

 

http://www.refurbups.com/s.nl?search=RBC23

Back in the day, I ran a BBS, and rather than pay $$$ for proper replacements, I'd go to Lowes (or Wal-Mart, now) and buy a $28 lawn/garden battery.  Significantly more amperage capability than needed, and not sealed, but my UPS were never tipped- nor were their large outboard batteries.  And I weathered some long outages.  But that was a wife-time ago.

 

Are you single? 

 

 

 

 

Are you single?   

 

 

Nope..    That seems like a very interesting option.  As much as I don't mind kludging stuff..  I think that is going a bit too far for me.  lol..

 

@aim60  The cheapest on ebay is just a couple bucks less than GPS, but probably will go with your link.  How long have they lasted?

 

Battery Geek seems to be the cheapest on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/RBC25-UPS-Battery-Pack-SU1400RMXL3U-RBC8-RBC23-RBC24-/200468876592

$52 shipped, versus GPS is $56 shipped. Also, battery geek is 0.5 ah higher, but not sure that is that big of deal for me.

 

Thanks,

flips

 

 

Alright, if I can't interest you in that, how about the prospect of rejuvenating your current battery?  I honestly didn't know about this process until about half an hour ago.  But I've found almost identical information in several (regularly reputable) sites, and I'm sitting at work now, eager to go home this evening and give it a try.  $2 to restore a battery....I'll try that!!

 

http://www-rci.rutgers.edu/~crisitel/EV/Battery%20repair.doc

You were closer with the first option… 

 

I have heard of doing that with car and lawn mower batteries, but those are not sealed batteries.  AUPS battery is a sealed battery, so you would have a heck of a time getting the thing sealed up again especially since they side on their sides while they are installed.

 

Now if you combine the two options with a car battery and then a lifetime of replacements for $2 a time.. then you might have something. 

 

flips

I researched this myself recently, and the source I was most impressed with was:

  http://www.upsforless.com/

  http://www.upsforless.ca/ (for our Canadian friends)

 

UPSforLESS currently has a 10% off special.  They carry both new and refurbished UPS replacement batteries, but unless you know you can trust the vendor and it's a really good deal, new is generally always the better choice in batteries.

so you would have a heck of a time getting the thing sealed up again

 

Actually, the first one I took apart this evening, was nice enough to have friction-fit rubber caps on the cells.  Almost like they wanted me to try something...

 

At least..... that's how I look at it.   

 

Actually, the first one I took apart this evening, was nice enough to have friction-fit rubber caps on the cells.  Almost like they wanted me to try something...

 

How did this science project work out? I'd love to hear more details!...

I learned the hard way, that "spill proof" means there's no liquid in there to replace!    The plates are coated with some sort of paste whose chemistry doesn't seem to be compatible with epsom salt method.  Nothing interesting happened when I filled the cells, so I let it sit overnight.  No reaction.  Next day, I hooked it up to a charger and got a quick reaction.  The liquid started bubbling out of the cells almost immediately.  I figured that wasn't a good sign, and I wasn't set up to contain a little volcano/battery, so I turned things off and admitted defeat with non-spillable batteries, which I found were in ALL my units. 

 

All the accounts I've read online say the method does work with lead/acid batteries, but they're all referring to liquid acid types.  Still have a small (standard liquid acid) lawn-tractor battery that I'm using with one UPS, but it's still in good shape, so I've not had reason to attack it yet. 

 

 

Very Interesting! Thanks for telling us about your results!

Wow..  you weren’t doing this on your kitchen table were you?

 

Can you share some photos???

All batts are not the same, even with the same ratings.  If you buy a lawn/garden battery like for starting a lawn mower or a motorcycle, those are not necessarily "deep discharge" as they are designed for cranking amps... not deep discharge like a UPS needs.

Are you single?   

 

 

Nope..    That seems like a very interesting option.  As much as I don't mind kludging stuff..  I think that is going a bit too far for me.  lol..

 

@aim60  The cheapest on ebay is just a couple bucks less than GPS, but probably will go with your link.  How long have they lasted?

 

Battery Geek seems to be the cheapest on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/RBC25-UPS-Battery-Pack-SU1400RMXL3U-RBC8-RBC23-RBC24-/200468876592

$52 shipped, versus GPS is $56 shipped. Also, battery geek is 0.5 ah higher, but not sure that is that big of deal for me.

 

Thanks,

flips

 

 

 

They lasted 3 years.

 

The first set they sent were their own private label batteries.  Their replacements, 3 years later, were another brand.  These guys refurb large (as in pallet jacks and fork lifts) UPS's, so I figured they wouldn't risk their reputation selling junk.

 

Toured a large datacenter the other day.  They used [uPS's] without batteries.  Utility Power -> [electric motor -> large flywheel -> generator] -> load.  In case of a power outage, the flywheel keeps the UPS going long enough for diesel generators to kick in and replace utility power.  Great idea for anyone that has a diesel generator at home that can kick in in 5 seconds.

those are not necessarily "deep discharge" as they are designed for cranking amps... not deep discharge like a UPS needs.

 

It is true that lead-acid batteries aren't designed for deep discharge, but no UPS (that I've ever owned) deep-cycles the battery.  The UPS quits long before the battery's completely discharged. 

There are different lead-acid battery types for different applications.  Some are optimised for regular cycling and some of these will be designed to support deep discharge.  Others are designed to be kept on a top-up charge for standby use, such as batteries for alarm systems.  UPS applications fall between these two categories.  They are often kept fully charged with a trickle charge current for weeks or months, but when they are needed the discharge currents are often very high.  Again, this has an influence on the internal design of the battery.  For domestic use one might compromise.  For commercial use I would seek out batteries specifically suited to UPS applications.

You have no choice with the batteries they have to be new.

 

I used these guys (same company)

 

http://www.lextec.com/prod_sla_batteries.html

 

http://www.lextec.com/prod_sla_batteries.html

 

They're in Canada.

You shouldn't just scrap your UPS because the batteries died.

These guys supply replacement batteries.

 

http://www.lextec.com/prod_sla_batteries.html

 

They also sell UPS and you can get them to set you up with what you need.

Take your old batteries with they recycle too.

You shouldn't just scrap your UPS because the batteries died.

These guys supply replacement batteries.

 

http://www.lextec.com/prod_sla_batteries.html

 

They also sell UPS and you can get them to set you up with what you need.

Take your old batteries with they recycle too.

I have sent this user a PM asking if they are actually interested in unRAID. I will be banning them and bilging their posts soon. Left their first post since I thought it might be useful but looks like they are just a spammer.

You shouldn't just scrap your UPS because the batteries died.

These guys supply replacement batteries.

 

http://www.lextec.com/prod_sla_batteries.html

 

They also sell UPS and you can get them to set you up with what you need.

Take your old batteries with they recycle too.

I have sent this user a PM asking if they are actually interested in unRAID. I will be banning them and bilging their posts soon. Left their first post since I thought it might be useful but looks like they are just a spammer.

I agree.  Still no external spam indicators though, but he only comes here to post about a commercial site, no minutes otherwise.  Perhaps a small-time spammer, a friend of the business, trying to help it.  But it's still spam.

 

A case could be made though that it provides info to the community, therefore benefits the community ...  I wonder what others think ...

We could leave his first post as useful, bilge the other one, and if he does it again ban him.

My $0.02cnd

 

Had he not posted twice so close together I would be OK with it. As stated, it is a good note for the community.

 

I'd probably use a baseball analogy here... 3 strikes and you're out.