[geeks] Q: Need some new batteries for UPSs

[Ken Hansen]

So, I am starting to pull my UPSs together,and I have two UPSs that need new
batteries - both are re-badged APC units:

    1. IBM UPS 400 (APC SmartUPS 400) - has a GP 1270 12v 7 Amps battery

    2. Unisys UP-9125 (APC SmartUPS 1250) has two batteries that I can't see
       model numbers (hard to remove)

Questions:

    APC battery exchange program seems high, but it includes S/H of used
    battery (nice idea) - anyone used this option before? Comments?

    I can't seem to find a local battery dealer - any ideas what I might be
    missing (did usual search of my phone book, nothing under Battery*)?

    Any pointers to battery dealers on the web? All I have seen so far
appear
    to be OEM dealers...

    And finally, is it possible/advisable to "upgrade" capacity when
replacing
    the batteries? Nothing major, but maybe take a 400 VA UPS to something
    like 600 va (well, yeah, that's a 50% increase, how about a 1250 va UPS
    to 1400)?

Thanks in advance,

Ken