I would like to know the best UPS Battery Back up

[JASTECH]

I am looking for new BBU's. I have :

CyberPower 1250 AVG
IBM 500
APC 300
APC 350
CyberPower 350
Alpha Technologies 2000 CFR with 2 external battery packs

All no longer use the battery and some are dead all together. The only one that is still somewhat working is the CyberPower 1250 AVG.

But when power goes out so does my computer so maybe just the Surge and AVG still work. I am tired of buy these and them not lasting.

I looked on Newegg and many complaints about APC, CyberPower and OptiUps for which I use to use. Please give your opinions as my systems need good protection.

Thanks, JASTECH

 

[Brutus04]

I just found an APC 550 at Fry's for 39 bucks....sweet!

 

[JASTECH]

All of mine seem to need batteries! We had a sever storm come through and 2 of my rigs are all wet SCSI U320 systems all kinds of house damage. My main UPS is a Alpha Technologies CFR 2000 with 2 extended battery units and all got drenched and not working. My small units that I thought were good for back-up UPS's all batts are shot so I am not having a good week over here to say the least! I have Home Owners Insurance so that will help and they will not like the cost I don't think.

Thanks, JASTECH

 

[BonzaiDuck]

It's a b****, ain't it? You buy these things, and the batteries may last 3 to 5 years at most.

Here's what I can tell you.

The UPS' life is shortened (sometimes severely) if the batteries are allowed to drain completely during a power-outage. APC and possibly Tripplite provide some decent software and "smart" USB connectivity that will force the OS to shut down the computer after a preset number of minutes. Some units will even force the UPS to shut down after that -- so that peripherals still drawing power won't drain the battery.

We have sustained outages here in So-Cal maybe once or twice a year, and the house is alive with the "beep-beep-beeping" of the UPS warning signals. I make it a practice to shut down the machines manually if I get to them before the software kicks in. Some of those outages have lasted 3 hours.

You can replace the batteries, but the batteries are the most costly part in a UPS. For the price of battery replacement, you could just go buy a new unit for 125 to 150% of the battery-cost. And if you order the batteries from a specialty house, the weight of those suckers is going to figure in the shipping cost.

Right now, I'm partial to APC. We have a Tripplite or two, but I've had rising confidence in the APC units after varying experiences with both.

 

[Modelworks]

An alternative to using the batteries that APC provides is to visit your local boating supply store. They sell marine batteries that are great replacements and have run times that are 10x that of the apc batteries due to their size.
They do cost more but last for years and years. I recommend using them on UPS that have a external battery connector on the back and removing the old internal batteries.

The batteries you want are usually labeled Marine, RV, or Deep Cycle. About $75 each for a decent one. Usually you need two wired in series for 24VDC which is what most UPS use internally.

If the UPS does not have a external connector you can still add external batteries, its just that sometimes the UPS without external connectors are not designed to be run for long periods of time without heating up.

If you do add new external batteries be sure to re-calibrate the UPS. That is done by plugging in enough stuff to put the UPS under a 30% load then uplugging it from the wall and letting it run till it turns off. The UPS will measure the time it takes to drain the batteries and calibrate its run time to match.


Example of the type battery.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_1...tery#descriptionAnchor

The ones that are typically used in a ups are 12A or so , these are 100A+
Great if you live in an area prone to hurricanes like I do.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Nice to know, Modelworks, and you would be the one to consult given your hurricane experiences.

My only gripe with your suggestions in the link: they're "external," two of 'em take up more space than a single UPS, and a lot of people would just want replacement batteries to fit inside their units.

But on these marine batteries, do you have to keep them in a vinyl tray? Do they ever leak? Is there ever a problem of "gassing" when they recharge? I'm trying to remember precisely, but I thought automotive-type batteries can give off H2 hydrogen gas sometimes when they are charging . . . thus, a potential hazard.

 

[Modelworks]

Originally posted by: BonzaiDuck
Nice to know, Modelworks, and you would be the one to consult given your hurricane experiences.

My only gripe with your suggestions in the link: they're "external," two of 'em take up more space than a single UPS, and a lot of people would just want replacement batteries to fit inside their units.

But on these marine batteries, do you have to keep them in a vinyl tray? Do they ever leak? Is there ever a problem of "gassing" when they recharge? I'm trying to remember precisely, but I thought automotive-type batteries can give off H2 hydrogen gas sometimes when they are charging . . . thus, a potential hazard.

They are bigger and take room to store. But I have wooden cabinet that has a large area inside it with double doors that I put the ups and batteries. You could also buy something like a rack mount ups and put all the batteries you wanted on it and store it somewhere like a basement, then run a dedicated line to stuff you want to power in down times.Similar to what hospitals do by installing red outlets.


The batteries do not leak. Older batteries did give off hydrogen when charging which is why you had to add water back to them. The batteries marked as maintenance free do not except under extreme cases like overcharging. And you can also get marine batteries that are completely sealed. There also is not a lot of water in batteries to begin with so even if you converted it all to hydrogen there really isn't much that will be produced before the battery runs dry.

 

[JASTECH]

Modelworks, What about my main UPS "Alpha Technologies CFR 2000 with 2 extended battery units"?

Thanks, JASTECH

 

[Modelworks]

Originally posted by: JASTECH
Modelworks, What about my main UPS "Alpha Technologies CFR 2000 with 2 extended battery units"?

Thanks, JASTECH

That is a very nice UPS .
Your are not going to be able to cheaply replace that UPS. It has a pure sine wave output while most of the cheaper UPS have modified sine wave/square wave. It is also a high wattage unit.

I would put some marine or deep cycle batteries on it.
Which battery units do you have ? They seem to have two types, one is 24V and the other 48V.

If 24v then you need 2 batteries wired in series, 48v and you need 4 batteries.

Capacity is up to you, depending on what you want to spend. It should have no problem running for as long as you can supply it battery power. It was designed for extended run times, so no problem there.

The biggest issue most people have with using marine batteries is where to put them , other than that they I think it is the way to go.

 

[JASTECH]

Modelworks, I do have 2 battery racks from back in the days when I sold Optima batteries when they first come out. Hey, maybe the Blue Top Optima battery? I am having a 3rd party computer shop do the replacement cost and Fax it to my insurance carrier. It is about 3,000.00 for the main Alpha 2000 unit and plus the 2 extended battery units so maybe 4500.00 will replace them. They will give me about 5 hours before they are dead I think. I may still use your idea and get 4 Optima Blue Top on a rack and hooked to a CPU ran charger to keep them up to par and add one of them red plugs (you know what ones I am talking about?) to it so I can just plug them in the back of the 2nd extended battery pack.

Thanks, JASTECH

 

[Rubycon]

The best is BEST. They were bought out by Emerson electric. Used ferroresonant transformer technology (FERRUPS).

MAKE SURE if you extend the run time that your inverter can handle the load for that long! AGM batteries are the best as they are non spillable.

 

[Modelworks]

Originally posted by: JASTECH
Modelworks, I do have 2 battery racks from back in the days when I sold Optima batteries when they first come out. Hey, maybe the Blue Top Optima battery? I am having a 3rd party computer shop do the replacement cost and Fax it to my insurance carrier. It is about 3,000.00 for the main Alpha 2000 unit and plus the 2 extended battery units so maybe 4500.00 will replace them. They will give me about 5 hours before they are dead I think. I may still use your idea and get 4 Optima Blue Top on a rack and hooked to a CPU ran charger to keep them up to par and add one of them red plugs (you know what ones I am talking about?) to it so I can just plug them in the back of the 2nd extended battery pack.

Thanks, JASTECH

Yeah the plugs you are talking about should work fine. Just make sure to use a large enough wire gauge to connect it all.

 

[SparkyJJO]

My APC is still working 3 years later, though I think the battery has gotten weak.

 

[JASTECH]

Modelworks, It reads 48v for the external batteries.

Thanks, JASTECH

 

[JASTECH]

Modelworks, It reads 48v for the external batteries.

Thanks, JASTECH

 

[JASTECH]

Rubycon, My Alpha Tech 2000 CFR has 2 extended battery units that are already hooked to it from Alpha Tech. If they are all bad do to the water damage I suffered and still getting more my insurance will have to replace the units or ship them to be rebuilt IF they can do it, the 3 units weigh approx. 1000 pounds so the freight would be a little high and insured shipping ect. plus I can't lift these so in house service would be needed. I think they are very good quality but maybe not very well known in the desktop market?

Thanks, JASTECH

 

[Gillbot]

I like this model: http://www.cryo-laboratory.com...cked-my-ups-today.html

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: JASTECH
Rubycon, My Alpha Tech 2000 CFR has 2 extended battery units that are already hooked to it from Alpha Tech. If they are all bad do to the water damage I suffered and still getting more my insurance will have to replace the units or ship them to be rebuilt IF they can do it, the 3 units weigh approx. 1000 pounds so the freight would be a little high and insured shipping ect. plus I can't lift these so in house service would be needed. I think they are very good quality but maybe not very well known in the desktop market?

Thanks, JASTECH

It may be a high quality unit but my reminder of extending run time goes out to anyone trying to buy large batteries for a desktop UPS.

It sounds like you need to source your batteries locally to avoid expense of shipping. A 48V supply will need four traditional batteries. 100Ah is a good start for that size unit and should provide adequate run time. If you live in an area prone to frequent power interruptions you should consider a UBS design which is generator based using a generator to keep the batteries charged and the inverter powers your load throughout the blackout. Ferrups can do this because the inverter is 100% rated continuous even though it does NOT run when normal utility power is present.

Additionally if your workspace is subject to flooding you should really have the units off the floor!

EDIT:

I looked up your product and it's ferroresonant based. These are amongst the best types of UPS out there. The inverter should be continuous rated on these just like the BEST/Eaton line. The ferroresonant transformer can also produce computer grade [sic] power from a utility generator output as well! A 2kVA unit's transformer is too big to start off the mains without tripping the circuit breaker in most cases so you need enough battery power to run the inverter to "charge up" the ferro just to switch to line condition mode.

 

[JASTECH]

I do have a Miller Bobcat 250 welder with a 10k watt generator. I will be installing a new upgraded panel soon and the switch will be a consideration. The UPS is going to be hooked up closer to the computer systems sense a CH sub-panel is now installed and all the computer circuits will be going there and each will be a home run. I will have to wait and see what the insurance company wants to do. I would not want to ship 1,000 pounds of UPS to try and get fixed if it is even possible. I will keep you posted here. And it started raining again last night and still is so I was trying to cut carpeting out and the false ceiling is drooping ect. This is not good over here, all the MB's are opaque in colour from water. I found more things bad too.

SONY G520
XEROX FAX Centre
Epson photo printer
7 15k SCSI drives

Thanks, JASTECH

 

[JASTECH]

Gillbot, I can't DL th epic, can you post it here? My wife may want one for here cell phone so she can still text message when battery is dead, ROTFL

Thanks, JASTECH

 

[Gillbot]

rehosted pic:
My UPS

 

[JASTECH]

Gillbot, looks like a Belkin UPS? Sense mine is 48v on the extended battery packs I will need 4 batteries. So if I use 4 Optima Blue Top that should give me a long run time depending on the load. If the insurance won't fix or replace my units then I will be upset!

Thanks, JASTECH

 

[Gillbot]

yes, it's a belkin. You just need to supply the ups with the proper battery voltage and it should work fine. I recommend topping off the batteries with a real charger before hooking them up to keep the strain off of the ups's charger.

 

[JASTECH]

Gillbot, that is for sure! That would be a lot to charge up. I hope the charging circuit can handle keeping those batteries charged. I guess it will be a test, the UPS batteries all 4 for 221.36 and they weigh 13.36lbs each. The extended battery pack is a EBP 48A but I can't find a price on the units or how many batteries are in each one. Maybe I will take the case off of one and take a pic and post to see if it's as cool as yours?

I went ahead and opened one of the extended battery units up and there are 4xUPS12-275 batteries in it so the other one must be the same. I hooked up my battery charger with a CPU in it and set for AGM and 2A and I could hear a faint alarm sound from the charger so I up'd the rate to 12A and the charger showed battery error so they must be bad. And yes I disconnected the battery out of the line
So the main unit has to charge these at 48v sense they are all connected together correct?

Thanks, JASTECH

 

[Rubycon]

A little warning about changing battery type on your UPS. The battery charger output voltage is programmed for SLA type batteries. Be SURE to know what your battery type is for volts/cell float, equalize and standby is! Most likely if you ignore this and hook up four standard wet type marine batteries they will be overcharging slightly. This causes excessive gassing and premature electrolyte depletion and (ultimately) reduced battery lifetimes.