UPS - dead battery, or something else?

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deadlyllama

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#296241 1-Jun-2022 11:45

I've got a hand me down Digitus UPS.

When I started using it two years ago it was fine. Cut the power, it would beep loudly and keep the NAS, router, ONT, etc powered up for a good half hour.

It claims the battery is at 100% and the load is 8%. 70W or so.

When I pull the power it just turns off completely.

It looks like the batteries have leaked, there are rust coloured deposits on the underside of the UPS and white deposits on metal inside it.

Is replacing the batteries a good idea or should I just chuck the whole thing out and get another second hand UPS?

davidcole

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#2921390 1-Jun-2022 12:43

if they have leaked I would say probably time for a new one. But if they hadn't leaked just get a new battery(s)

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BlakJak

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#2921391 1-Jun-2022 12:45

UPS even at the light commercial spec are really only good for two battery lifecycles. I imagine residential-grade ones are worse.

Max battery age should be 3-5 years.

You describe obvious signs of damage/failure and degradation. If you place value in the UPS functions i'd be going for something that i'd trust to do its job.

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deadlyllama

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#2921398 1-Jun-2022 13:10

Oh wow

Lots of white deposits & rust. Yes I was wearing latex gloves.

The batteries themselves have got gaffer tape on them holding the tops on! I'd love to know how that happened.

New UPS time :(

decibel

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#2921462 1-Jun-2022 15:43

Have you thought about one of these as an option?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32856831739.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4d5noGo2

tweake

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#2921519 1-Jun-2022 18:05

deadlyllama:

Oh wow

Lots of white deposits & rust. Yes I was wearing latex gloves.

The batteries themselves have got gaffer tape on them holding the tops on! I'd love to know how that happened.

New UPS time :(

previous person has reconditioned the batteries. i've done it on quite a few batteries. it gets a bit more life out of them.

but lead acid doesn't last long and some batteries cost more then a new ups.

1101

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#2921687 2-Jun-2022 08:56

deadlyllama:

.... and get another second hand UPS?

why even consider buying someone elses garbage ? :-)
Buy a NEW UPS .

Or dont buy one at all. Do you REALLY need it ?
Most people dont need one .

Tinkerisk

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#2921704 2-Jun-2022 09:14

Before buying any UPS it‘s mandatory to check the type/price of the (compatible) replacement batteries. Most expensive vendor type batteries are just re-labeled standard batteries you can get much cheaper from renowned battery manufacturers directly. For me it doesn‘t make sense to buy a 1 RU 19“ shiny new UPS with all whistles and bells, when it uses a special flat expensive battery type to fit in that 1 RU.

My 1600 VA and 800 VA UPS use the same standard battery type, one with two and one with a single battery and I can replace all for approx. 60-70 USD every 3-4 years (depending of the amount of deep discharge cycles). And they both are 19“ rack mountable with an optional 2 RU shelf - if needed. Both are live monitored and protected by a NUT server instance via USB communication.

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deadlyllama

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#2921733 2-Jun-2022 10:29

1101:

deadlyllama:

.... and get another second hand UPS?

why even consider buying someone elses garbage ? :-)
Buy a NEW UPS .

Or dont buy one at all. Do you REALLY need it ?
Most people dont need one .

My budget copes with second hand better than new.

I'd prefer my NAS/home server/etc to not have its power cut too often, although power here (Wellington) is generally better than where we last lived (rural South Canterbury).

BlakJak

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#2922013 2-Jun-2022 17:43

Tinkerisk:

Before buying any UPS it‘s mandatory to check the type/price of the (compatible) replacement batteries. Most expensive vendor type batteries are just re-labeled standard batteries you can get much cheaper from renowned battery manufacturers directly. For me it doesn‘t make sense to buy a 1 RU 19“ shiny new UPS with all whistles and bells, when it uses a special flat expensive battery type to fit in that 1 RU.

My 1600 VA and 800 VA UPS use the same standard battery type, one with two and one with a single battery and I can replace all for approx. 60-70 USD every 3-4 years (depending of the amount of deep discharge cycles). And they both are 19“ rack mountable with an optional 2 RU shelf - if needed. Both are live monitored and protected by a NUT server instance via USB communication.

In my former life as a datacentre operator, our vendor made it very clear that the 80kvA UPS's we operated (and we had three of them) would themselves require replacement after two battery replacement cycles (the cycle was 5-7 yearly; so UPS effective max age was 14 years).

So if your UPS is 10 years old i'd be seriously thinking about full replacement, not just the battery - though again it depends on how critical the load is and the 'spec' of the UPS. Rack mount ones are likely to be better than little residential-grade units.

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SomeoneSomewhere

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#2922024 2-Jun-2022 18:06

An 80kVA UPS is a bit of a different beast to a typical <1kVA residential/light commercial UPS.

For starters, it's probably a double-conversion on-line type. It's running the load through power electronics, all the time. That puts heavy demand on filter caps, semiconductors etc. A small standby/line interactive UPS is much more idle when not actually providing backup.

Tinkerisk

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#2922059 2-Jun-2022 23:13

BlakJak:

So if your UPS is 10 years old i'd be seriously thinking about full replacement, not just the battery - though again it depends on how critical the load is and the 'spec' of the UPS. Rack mount ones are likely to be better than little residential-grade units.

There might be a slight difference between an IT guy and an engineer with a master degree in electronics and equipment in his lab capable to repair even such units - when needed. Unfortunately the IT guy is damned to believe what a manufacturer says regardless of his UPS horsepower and he can‘t repair it with a DO UNTIL loop. The UPS are three and one years old BTW. ;-)

Tinkerisk

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#2922305 3-Jun-2022 15:56

By the way, there is a manufacturer whose electrotechnical products can also be found in aircraft, for example. Their off-line UPSs have a curve shape that is problem-free and sufficient for today's switching power supplies, are inexpensive, reliable and do not consume unnecessary energy.