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testing a UPS

Discussion in 'Other Hardware' started by Tedster, May 18, 2005.

  1. Tedster Techspot old timer..... Posts: 10,047   +11

    I bought a used UPS that the battery is old and flakey. It will charge to 100% but won't hold a load. I even tested it on just a house lamp. The lamp stayed lit for about 15 seconds on battery power.


    I know I have to replace the battery. Easy enough. The question is how often do I have to deep cycle UPS batteries?

    The UPS was $50, a replacement battery $30. A new UPS is $120 for the same wattage (500). So I guess I saved a few bucks.

    Its a APC Back-UPS pro 500 with USB interface made in 1999.
    Tedster, May 18, 2005
    #1

  2. nein Banned Posts: 226

    If the battery is something other than lead-acid battery, then you deep-cycled whenever it became flaky, not holding a sufficient charge.

    If it is a lead-acid battery which most of the heavy duty UPS batteries are then you don't deep-cycled it at all.
    nein, May 18, 2005
    #2

  3. Tedster Techspot old timer..... Posts: 10,047   +11

    it's definately a lead battery. My understanding is lead batteries develop a memory.
    Correct me if I'm wrong. I was told a long time ago to drain an UPS at least once a month.
    Tedster, May 18, 2005
    #3

  4. zephead TechSpot Paladin Posts: 2,483

    i thought is was nickel-cadmium (ni-cad) batteries that had a 'memory' and required calibration. is it a sealed lead-acid battery?
    zephead, May 18, 2005
    #4

  5. nein Banned Posts: 226

    All of them do to one degree or another, lead-acid is a special case - you have to know the specific how-to and have to have the patience required to do a deep-cycled properly. Most people don't know the how-to and neither had the patience which ruined the batteries every time they tried.

    Essentially all lead-acid chargers nowaday have included built-in deep-cycled charging algorithm to do it for you, therefore no one really further needed to know the how-to nor the patience required.

    If your car lead-acid battery no longer hold a charge properly, don't bother with deep-cycled charging on your own.
    nein, May 18, 2005
    #5

  6. Tedster Techspot old timer..... Posts: 10,047   +11

    yes, it is sealed.
    Tedster, May 18, 2005
    #6
     

  7. Tedster Techspot old timer..... Posts: 10,047   +11

    supposedly APC has a program to do this special type of deep-cycling with a hardware adaptor. of course they charge for it. Not worth it for me. If all I have to do is drain it completely once a month or every other month, that's ok for me.
    Tedster, May 18, 2005
    #7

  8. poertner_1274 secroF laicepS topShceT Posts: 4,745

    Heh, I use my UPS simply as a surge protector. I have the UPS 500 as well, but I have both my machines hooked up to it, I get about 4 or 5 seconds of backup. But it is a very nice surge protector nonetheless.
    poertner_1274, May 19, 2005
    #8

  9. Tedster Techspot old timer..... Posts: 10,047   +11

    4 or 5 seconds? Windows takes longer than that! heh heh....

    kind of an expensive surge protector huh?

    pssst... wanna bad a USED flakey battery!

    hahahaha :grinthumb
    Tedster, May 19, 2005
    #9

  10. poertner_1274 secroF laicepS topShceT Posts: 4,745

    I got it for free, so I'm not complaining :D And it does the job. Sure windows doesn't get shut down, but it still saves my components.
    poertner_1274, May 19, 2005
    #10

  11. Tedster Techspot old timer..... Posts: 10,047   +11

    like king of the hill...... yup
    Tedster, May 19, 2005
    #11
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