UPS Batteries

[Onoff]

I've an old UPS here. "APC Smart UPS SUA 750i". Needs new batteries. Apparently these:

RBC48 | APC UPS Replacement Battery Cartridge, for use with Smart-UPS 500 VA, Smart-UPS 750 VA, RBC Series | RS

uk.rs-online.com

Seems a bit spendy to me.

Can I not just put two 7Ah 12V batteries in?

 

[armalites]

They will be just standard batteries, if you have the old ones you can just transfer the cradle/connector

 

[Neilj]

Don't see why not, just transfer the wiring over from your old batteries

 

[drjim]

UPS, New Batteries - UPS Trader

Supplier of Refurbished UPS, New Batteries and UPS associated hardware. 12 Month RTB warranty and new batteries as standard.

secure.ups-trader.co.uk

Bought stuff off him about 20 years ago - UPS and some old servers to play with - and still going now. Just bought some new batteries for another UPS a month ago.

 

[drjim]

RBC 48

RBC48 Kit

RBC 48 - cell kit. No fuse or wiring

secure.ups-trader.co.uk

with wiring is twice the price but 1/3 RS!

RBC48 Assembled

RBC 48 - cell. Fully assembled and ready for installation on delivery. Includes harness and our custom 3d printed mating housing.

secure.ups-trader.co.uk

 

[galooph]

Another vote for UPS Trader, had a few UPS' and battery packs off them

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Yes.
A decent 7.0ah 12 vdc battery pair should do.

We early use OE supplied battery packs, because of the cost.

 

[MetalMonkey]

I've an old UPS here. "APC Smart UPS SUA 750i". Needs new batteries. Apparently these:

RBC48 | APC UPS Replacement Battery Cartridge, for use with Smart-UPS 500 VA, Smart-UPS 750 VA, RBC Series | RS

uk.rs-online.com

Seems a bit spendy to me.

Can I not just put two 7Ah 12V batteries in?

Just buy standard batteries from somewhere like tayna and swap across the wiring loom.

You will need to be careful to check the size and A/h rating on the batteries to make sure they match, sometimes they can be odd ratings and sizes and manufacturers often use a generic picture for all their models, so it isn't always obvious.

If you can actually pull the existing pack and confirm the dimensions of the batteries and match it up you should be golden. A bit of google fu will probably give you the A/h ratings of third party packs which match the APC part numbers which can also help.
Also watch out for the size of the spade terminals and the orientation (which side is positive), as there are often several versions. RBC48 is 2x 7.2 A/h from memory.

Sometimes the packs are shrinkwrapped, but when you split them apart they are just generic batteries inside.

Key thing is make notes/take photos of how the terminals are connected before you remove the loom, not so much of an issue on those smaller ones as you can easily work it out.
When you get 8+ batteries in a pack you want to be certain it all goes back in the same order!

I've done a lot of these over the years, including some really big ones - the cost difference/mark up is absolutely staggering, even when using a good quality generic battery like a Yuasa.
Don't think I've had anybody yet go for the quote on the OE packs.

 

[Ross365]

That's a ridiculous price. I have an APC UPS here, as we seem to get lots of power cuts. It still has the OEM batteries, but when they need replacing I will probably fit either RS own brand or Yaesu batteries, which will be a fraction of that price.

I've been told that one factor in getting good life from UPS batteries is to ensure the unit is in a place which is as cool as it can be, not too close to other equipment and with good air-flow around it.

 

[Onoff]

Thanks all. Just hoping it works. It was binned years back after a flood but I don't think this UPS was damaged. Insurance job so everything was replaced.

Only want it to keep the router going. This evening we had a run of short term power outages. Sometimes off for a few seconds only. Fault on the overhead lines apparently. Affected a huge area here.

There's a chance I can get 2 new batteries for free as I'm owed a favour.

 

[MetalMonkey]

That's a ridiculous price. I have an APC UPS here, as we seem to get lots of power cuts. It still has the OEM batteries, but when they need replacing I will probably fit either RS own brand or Yaesu batteries, which will be a fraction of that price.

I've been told that one factor in getting good life from UPS batteries is to ensure the unit is in a place which is as cool as it can be, not too close to other equipment and with good air-flow around it.

APC are notorious for cooking batteries (I think there was a recall or a firmware at one point, not that it seemed to make much difference), so the cooler you can keep it the better IMO.
A regular check isn't a bad idea either, as if they do vent they can corrode and bugger up the PCBs, and swell jamming up in the chassis. Encountered that multiple times.

I much prefer Eaton units - but only when somebody else is paying

 

[Farside]

I've an old UPS here. "APC Smart UPS SUA 750i". Needs new batteries. Apparently these:

RBC48 | APC UPS Replacement Battery Cartridge, for use with Smart-UPS 500 VA, Smart-UPS 750 VA, RBC Series | RS

uk.rs-online.com

Seems a bit spendy to me.

Can I not just put two 7Ah 12V batteries in?

Yep, just a pair of standard VRLA batteries with the APC tax slapped on for those who think they're something special (the batteries, not the person).

I've been told that one factor in getting good life from UPS batteries is to ensure the unit is in a place which is as cool as it can be, not too close to other equipment and with good air-flow around it.

I discovered early on that the APC software was determined to shorten battery life by doing a deep discharge once a fortnight. I disabled that and just did an occasional discharge to check battery condition. The original batteries lasted nearly a decade, which surprised me. I'm utterly sure that their life would have been half that, left up to APC.
The device is currently running a locally-sourced pair of VRLAs which seem to be working well enough.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Only want it to keep the router going.

I assume that includes the modem and switch as well.

How is the Internet delivered? It might be that if there is no power, there is no Internet.

Jack

 

[Onoff]

I assume that includes the modem and switch as well.

How is the Internet delivered? It might be that if there is no power, there is no Internet.

Jack

Just looking to power the router at the mo so the kids still have internet via their phones. The switch is elsewhere and serves power hungry desktops that will be off.

It's frequently local, overhead power lines that go down. The telephone exchange is a couple of miles away, in the next village and fed off different power lines. From the exchange to my house is just a couple of miles of dodgy copper.

Saying that last night's power outages/blips did affect the village where the exchange is and a massive area beyond that.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Just looking to power the router at the mo so the kids still have internet via their phones. The switch is elsewhere and serves power hungry desktops that will be off.

It's frequently local, overhead power lines that go down. The telephone exchange is a couple of miles away, in the next village and fed off different power lines. From the exchange to my house is just a couple of miles of dodgy copper.

Saying that last night's power outages/blips did affect the village where the exchange is and a massive area beyond that.

That's why I was asking how you get Internet.

If you have copper to the exchange and use ADSL (for example). you can use a UPS to maintain a connection without power.

If you have fibre, cable or some forms of wireless, if the local power goes off, so does the Internet - a UPS won't help. Theoretically, there should be backup batteries in roadside cabinets etc but that is not always the case - it depends on policy and maintenance.

Currently the UK is moving from copper to fibre - I don't know where it is up to.

Jack

 

[Onoff]

If you have fibre, cable

As I said, I don't. I wish!

Don't even have gas or mains drainage here...nor pavements, streetlights...

 

[Jack Ryan]

As I said, I don't. I wish!

Sorry, I missed that.

Jack

 

[voipio]

Make sure the replacement batteries have the correct spade terminal width. The choices are 4.8 and 6.3mm.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Make sure the replacement batteries have the correct spade terminal width. The choices are 4.8 and 6.3mm.

If the OP goes fir the same 7.0ah they have standard size terminals. It is an industry standard.

 

[Onoff]

The favour I'm owed has resulted in two 7Ah Yuasa batteries ordered this morning from RS!

Thanks all.