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exocet_cm
Writing
Premium Member
join:2003-03-23
Brooklyn, NY

exocet_cm

Premium Member

Reconditioning UPS

Might not be the correct forum but I'll ask anyway.
I just scored a Tripp Lite SU3000RTXL UPS with an additional external battery pack for a killer price. It comes with batteries that only an educated guess could determine how long they've been in there. Might even be originals, no idea.

Before I pull the trigger and drop a few hundred dollars on new batteries, what can I do to potentially recondition these batteries and then determine run time?

LazMan
Premium Member
join:2003-03-26
Beverly Hills, CA

LazMan

Premium Member

Not a lot you can do on the small VRLA blocks...

Most often, they have dried out, and that's why they've lost their capacity.

Check the open-cell voltage (so with no load) then put a lightbulb across, and check the voltage again... If it drops substantially, batteries are toast.

Thane_Bitter
Inquire within
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join:2005-01-20

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Plug them in and let them charge up for 24 hours, with no load attached to the UPS and then do a runtime test (attach a load of around 30-40% that is constant and pull the plug). If the unit has a network card installed you can run the test through it and monitor how the unit is doing over the net.

However before you do that I would measure the voltage of each individual battery (disconnecting the connectors as necessary) and test each one as LazMan describes. If a battery is bloated, or shows signs of leaking don't use it, its toast; if it the voltage drops like a rock it is toast.
Not much you can do to restore/refurbish a SLA battery

dennismurphy
Put me on hold? I'll put YOU on hold
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join:2002-11-19
Parsippany, NJ

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UPS batteries usually need replacing every 3-4 years at best. It's a great UPS unit for sure, but you're going to have to make that battery investment every now and again.

I've got SmartUPS's all over the place - a pair of 1500's and a pair of 1000's. I usually change at least one set of batteries a year, sometimes two.

exocet_cm
Writing
Premium Member
join:2003-03-23
Brooklyn, NY

exocet_cm

Premium Member

I've used BatterySpec for battery purchases in the past but wasn't too pleased with them this past year. Maybe I got a bad batch of batteries or something for my SU1500RTLX.

Who do y'all recommend for battery purchases?
quote:
However before you do that I would measure the voltage of each individual battery (disconnecting the connectors as necessary) and test each one as LazMan describes.
After a full no-load 24 hour charge or whatever the condition the unit arrives in?

Thane_Bitter
Inquire within
Premium Member
join:2005-01-20

Thane_Bitter

Premium Member

Before you plug it in, no point waiting a day trying to charge up a dead battery.

If you need to you can always scavenge cells from the ones in the external battery pack. Assuming they have aged evenly (that is to say no battery is really bad) they all should have similar voltage readings between them and a similar voltage drop when tested with the light bulb. If they are all good to go, plug the thing in and let it charge. The manual for your UPS should give an idea how long it will take to be fully charged (APC specifies 24 hours for their UPS' but that could be for a UPS with one or up to ten battery packs, it's a safe number for them to hand out as it give ample time regardless of the exact configuration).

I got my most recent set through a place called UPSforless.ca (the do have a US site UPSforless.com).

former qwest
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join:2014-01-04
out there

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from tripplite's battery finder: (don't forget to recycle, i get .18 a pound) Reseller Prices for RBC963U
Reseller Reseller Number Price
PC Connection, Inc. 7547703 $223.95
Zones.com 02051342 $233.99
Provantage TRP902Y $186.04
Rakuten 204318556-0 $225.99
CDW 1381334 $236.99
PCM 7224457 $254.99
newegg.com N82E16842111204 $229.99

dennismurphy
Put me on hold? I'll put YOU on hold
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join:2002-11-19
Parsippany, NJ

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This is what I bought most recently for my SmartUPS 1500 ... So far, very happy!!

USBattery by BTI »www.amazon.com/dp/B000JL ··· b16GSG28
snowsam
join:2001-04-11
Signal Mountain, TN

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I suggest Gruber Power for your replacement batteries --> »www.gruberpower.com/ .

3 years ago I bought a refurbished 30 KVA UPS from them and just had to replace the batteries for it this fall. The refurb was like brand new and the price was right.
mikefxu
join:2004-10-05
Titusville, FL

3 edits

mikefxu

Member

I have gotten some really good deals on open box Tripp Lite UPSes on eBay. About half what they go for new.
said by snowsam:

I suggest Gruber Power for your replacement batteries --> »www.gruberpower.com/ .

3 years ago I bought a refurbished 30 KVA UPS from them and just had to replace the batteries for it this fall. The refurb was like brand new and the price was right.

+1, I buy replacement batteries via their eBay store. They are cheaper there versus their own website. Usually battery packs are multiples of standard 7AH 12V batteries. »stores.ebay.com/Gruber-P ··· Services
said by former qwest:

from tripplite's battery finder: (don't forget to recycle, i get .18 a pound) Reseller Prices for RBC963U
Reseller Reseller Number Price
PC Connection, Inc. 7547703 $223.95
Zones.com 02051342 $233.99
Provantage TRP902Y $186.04
Rakuten 204318556-0 $225.99
CDW 1381334 $236.99
PCM 7224457 $254.99
newegg.com N82E16842111204 $229.99

RBC963U appears to be six standard 7AH 12V batteries. That would be $81.16 shipped from Gruber via their eBay store.

exocet_cm
Writing
Premium Member
join:2003-03-23
Brooklyn, NY

1 recommendation

exocet_cm

Premium Member

Maybe I got lucky or the UPS had recently replaced batteries.
Over the weekend I did as y'all recommended using a 100 watt bulb per battery and the voltage drop was negligible.
The batteries are non-distended.

I let the unit charge for 24 hours between Saturday and Sunday and used the Tripp Lite run time calculator for a 100 watt pull with the unit and extended battery. Run time should have been around 8:31 minutes and I got 8 hours.

dennismurphy
Put me on hold? I'll put YOU on hold
Premium Member
join:2002-11-19
Parsippany, NJ

dennismurphy

Premium Member

said by exocet_cm:

Maybe I got lucky or the UPS had recently replaced batteries.
Over the weekend I did as y'all recommended using a 100 watt bulb per battery and the voltage drop was negligible.
The batteries are non-distended.

I let the unit charge for 24 hours between Saturday and Sunday and used the Tripp Lite run time calculator for a 100 watt pull with the unit and extended battery. Run time should have been around 8:31 minutes and I got 8 hours.

You win!