UPS batteries

[Stereodude]

One of my APC Backups Pro 1100 has bad batteries in it. The batteries swelled up and expanded so much that I could hardly get them out of the UPS. I had to take the UPS apart to pry the batteries out.

Now APC has a replacement battery for the BP1100, the RBC6 that is the same as the battery that came with the BP1100. However, the BP1100 and the BP1400 have the same housing, so the battery from BP1400 will fit in the BP1100 housing I have. What is different is the connector between the battery and the UPS. This isn't really a problem as I can either solder the leads together, or change the connectors on each side.

Has anyone upgraded or replaced the batteries in their UPS before? Can I use any 2 SLA 12 volt batteries in series or should I stick to the genuine article from APC?

 

[time]

APC is not a battery manufacturer.

You can use any SLA battery, it just may have more or less capacity than your original.

Swelled batteries sounds worrying.

 

[Bozo]

We have quite a few APC UPSs where I work. When the batteries need replaced, we exchange them at Battery Warehouse. The batteries are a lot less expensive and last just as long. They also take the old batteries and properly dispose of them.
If you instal batteries with more capacity, the UPS should stay up longer when on battery power. The amount of power it can supply to the load (computers) is more a function of the inverter (changes battery DC into AC) inside the UPS.

Bozo :mrgrn:

 

[Stereodude]

It's strange. I bought 4 of the APC BP1100s back a few years ago when Microcenter was closing them out for $150 and only 1 of them developed this problem. The other's work fine.

I have a APC BP1000 and a APC BP420 that I left at my parents house when I moved out that had the batteries die years ago. Had I known how cheap new batteries for them are I would have bought 'em years ago.

It looks like I can get replacement batteries for the BP1000, the BP1100, and the BP420 for a grand total of $112.81 shipped from Batteries.com (using a 25% off coupon code).

 

[Fushigi]

Batteries Plus is another place to find replacement batteries for less $.

 

[Gilbo]

One thing to be very careful about is that most UPS manufacturers take into account the battery capacity when designing the cooling for the inverter.

If you stick a higher capacity battery in a UPS that isn't designed for it, bad things can happen when the inverter runs for longer than the heatsinking was designed to cool it. An APC which expects to only deliver X amp hours is very likely to have insufficient cooling to deliver 2X amp hours. This isn't just a function of current, but time --many cooling systems are designed to only keep the inverter cool enough to run for N minutes before things start to get out of spec.

 

[jtr1962]

Has anyone upgraded or replaced the batteries in their UPS before? Can I use any 2 SLA 12 volt batteries in series or should I stick to the genuine article from APC?

I replaced the battery in my APC 650 a few months ago. The original was 11Ah and the new one was 12Ah. In general you have to get the same voltage when replacing a battery so 2 12V in series won't work if the old battery was 12V. You can get a different capacity, usually larger, with no problems. Obviously the battery has to physically fit as well.

 

[Stereodude]

Batteries Plus is another place to find replacement batteries for less $.

You are referring to a B&M store correct?

 

[Fushigi]

You are referring to a B&M store correct?

Yes.

 

[P5-133XL]

I have successfully used Gruber Power for my APC battery replacement needs. They are much cheaper that batteries+ and APC batteries and seem to do as well.

 

[LunarMist]

I did it at Batteries Plus as well. I prefer the B&M stores as they disposo of the old batteries.

 

[Stereodude]

I have successfully used Gruber Power for my APC battery replacement needs. They are much cheaper that batteries+ and APC batteries and seem to do as well.

They're battery prices are good, but their shipping prices are rather high for UPS Ground to Michigan.