Re: ABCs of APC UPSs
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,458
shareholder in the making
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OP
shareholder in the making
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Hmmmm.. I'm not familiar with it. Thanks, I'll look into it!
::::::: No disrespect to Axiom, but my favorite woofer is my yellow lab :::::::
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Re: ABCs of APC UPSs
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,786
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,786 |
Speaking of failing batteries... Is there any way to test, or tell if a battery is close to failing?
I can just wait and every time a production computer crashes due to power outage, but I prefer a more elegant solution.
Fred
------- Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
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Re: ABCs of APC UPSs
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 18,044
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 18,044 |
There should be some sort of management interface you can use; there's also the test button on the UPS--whatever that does. You could always just unplug it from the wall...
I am the Doctor, and THIS... is my SPOON!
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Re: ABCs of APC UPSs
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,458
shareholder in the making
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OP
shareholder in the making
Joined: Sep 2004
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The way the UPS uses the battery is what cuts its life in half. Because the UPS wants to deliver a maximum run time in the event of power failure the battery is always topped off. Normal use of a battery is to run it down quite a bit before charging it again.
To the best of my knowledge (and I'm pretty sure about this), this is NOT a good idea with lead acid batteries. NiCad, definitely, and nickel metal hydride & li-ion sometimes, depending upon use patterns and "memory" issues.
::::::: No disrespect to Axiom, but my favorite woofer is my yellow lab :::::::
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Re: ABCs of APC UPSs
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,185
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,185 |
As an engineer who uses a lot of rechargeable batteries and replaced my Macbook battery 4x, I should've realized this. My APC UPS beeped years ago after about 5 years of use. It never occurred to me that it was the battery. I just stopped using that block of plugs out of sheer laziness.
Are there any reasonably priced UPS's that have a replaceable battery? Or are home users just expected to buy new ones every few years? That'd be a waste.
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Re: ABCs of APC UPSs
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 18,044
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 18,044 |
They're replaceable. Just expensive.
I am the Doctor, and THIS... is my SPOON!
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Re: ABCs of APC UPSs
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,185
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,185 |
I should've said is there a type that has 'reasonable' replacement batteries or does it end up costing the same buying new ones?
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Re: ABCs of APC UPSs
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,786
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,786 |
There should be some sort of management interface you can use; there's also the test button on the UPS--whatever that does. You could always just unplug it from the wall... I do the unplug thing every once in a while, but I know I checked the one that failed today when the first one failed and it showed no problems. I noticed the computer connection on the new ones today. Guess I have something to check out at work Tomorrow night.
Fred
------- Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
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Re: ABCs of APC UPSs
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,458
shareholder in the making
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OP
shareholder in the making
Joined: Sep 2004
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Is it ever recommended to just apply a load to these (say, a 60 watt bulb) and just let them run down occasionally (NOT down to the point of -0- amperage, but just down to, say, 15%)?
::::::: No disrespect to Axiom, but my favorite woofer is my yellow lab :::::::
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Re: ABCs of APC UPSs
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,333
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,333 |
It's been hit or miss with our units at work. We've had some on line for 6+ years without a hickup and we've had others that lasted about a year including a HUGE APC unit with 2 - 20 Amp circuits that will run over an hour at full load! The batteries on that unit died about a week after the warranty expired. I got replacement batteries from Planet Battery and it's been fine for several years now. Scott
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