12v 7ah SLA Batteries Orientation - Permanent inverted.

[WorkshopChris]

One for the collective as we have member with all sorts of experiences.
The 4 batteries in my ups have given up, i was just going to order 4 new ones then noticed they are listed as not to be permanent inverted.
In my last workshop it was horizontal in a rack and was working well, i moved it into the new space a few weeks back and used the manufactures supplied cradle to stand the ups up vertical, shortly afterwards the alarm went and the batteries failed. Was this just a coincidence or was this something internal in the batteries shorting or failing?

Off the top of my head i can not remember what the voltages were when i removed them but 2 were well down.
https://www.lamps-on-line.com/yuasa-np7-12-vrla-battery-12v-7ah.html

In the horizontal position all 4 are orientated to be on there sides, but when vertical 2 are as normal and 2 inverted.

 

[MoreWellie]

Go with battery manufacturers recommendations. I have had apc ups with inverted batteries that lasted well.

You will probably find the original specced batteries are not excluded from inverted use otherwise the ups manufacturers couldn't offer their warranties

The failure may have been coincidence or the result of poorer air flow. I know disk drives often fail quickly if their orientation is changed after years in one position

Edit: I am sure that I have had apc units with that exact battery inverted. Maybe yuasa have been seeing more failures in that orientation

 

[J1nx]

Afaik, APC don’t offer designs with inverted batteries?
I’ve never seen it and I’ve seen more than most people, albeit larger UPSs mainly, I may be wrong but it’s certainly not common.
The sealed batteries have a pressure vent on the top, despite being ‘dry’, they do contain some liquid.

 

[MoreWellie]

Afaik, APC don’t offer designs with inverted batteries

I am thinking of the old cream coloured devices, not 100% but when I replaced the yuasa batteries in at least one of those designs I am pretty sure the battery was upside down, I think the access panel was on the bottom
I am saying that Chris should go with the battery manufacturers recommendations rather than how they have been used previously so whether my memory is accurate or not probably doesn't matter

 

[WorkshopChris]

I think i will make a cradle to hang it under the desk so the batteries are side on rather than inverted.
Its a APC-Smart-UPS-SC-1500VA this RS page shows the set up as fitted, https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/products/7794024/?grossPrice=Y&cm_mmc=UK-PLA-DS3A-_-google-_-PLA_UK_EN_Power_Supplies_And_Transformers-_-Uninterruptible_Power_Supplies_Ups|Ups_Accessories-_-PRODUCT_GROUP&matchtype=&pla-393304988368&s_kwcid=AL!7457!3!243856857080!!!s!393304988368!&gclid=Cj0KCQiAi57gBRDqARIsABhDSMoVBxmo5voI3e8hlucbWF__8qqHTSVXLpY4V61IVmyCU-PAedBL7iQaAua0EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
I wonder if APC originally had a special battery design or if it was found to shorten life.
Looks like I can get 4 batteries for about £60.00

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

They are designed to be positioned with terminals uppermost.
This will allow the gel to remain at correct level.
The vents to open to vent.
And no chance of shorting the terminals out.

If they are positioned in an incorrect way the battery will not be working at proper capacity.

In

 

[J1nx]

Oh a combined rack/tower UPS, no one is actually supposed to use them tower wise
The new RT is not bad, I rarely see small systems but these are quite reliable it seems (compared to previous sub 10KVA systems), I’ve seen a couple of battery packs fail but we simply pull the pack, fill in the return slip and pop a new pack in, ive never even bothered to peek inside.

Here is the data sheet from Yuasa for the commonly used NP7-12, they will all be similar, APC don’t have custom made batteries. Enersys batteries are by far the best UPS batteries just FYI although all these small ones perform poorly.
https://www.yuasa.co.uk/yuasa/datasheet/index/sku/NP7-12/

'Installation:
Can be installed and operated in any orientation except permanently inverted.'

 

[MoreWellie]

this RS page shows the set up as fitted

That is the style I (nearly) remembered. The one I was thinking of only had two batteries but again with the top one inverted

They were definitely Yuasa batteries