[rescue] Re: [geeks] Q: Need some new batteries for UPSs

[Greg A. Woods]

[ On Monday, September 17, 2001 at 08:27:05 (-0400), Ken Hansen wrote: ]
> Subject: [geeks] Q: Need some new batteries for UPSs
>
>     APC battery exchange program seems high, but it includes S/H of used
>     battery (nice idea) - anyone used this option before? Comments?

Up here APC's battery prices are almost twice what you can get good
third party batteries of identical specifications for.

The exchange program doesn't cover the cost of shipping the dead ones
back to them either -- that additional postage.

>     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*)?

Ah, that's too bad -- we've got many good dealers here, and there's even
a little retail store about a half mile from where I live that sells
every and any kind of battery you can imagine.  It's their retail price
that was so much less than APC's price.  I'm sure they've got a 40%
markup too!  ;-)

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

I did find a large number of people stocking batteries on the WWW, but
none that would ship even easy-to-ship sealed batteries to Canada.

>     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)?

No, definitelly not....  If the firmware in the unit is smart enough you
might be able to extend the run time, but that's about it.  Any
half-decent UPS will simply shut down when you draw too much power
through it.

-- 
							Greg A. Woods

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