I have a Cyberpower 550VA USP whose battery needs replaced. I see many options during googling, but I'd like to find something that will last. I know some of the generics aren't the greatest. Suggestions? Thanks!
Heh, being you can get a whole new UPS for $40...
and the replacement battery runs around $30, I really don't see the point.
Even the retail places like Office Depot and NewEgg selling the complete unit for $52, it's still not much of a decision to make.
-bruce snipped-for-privacy@ripco.com
I've had good results with Panasonic, Yuasa, and the lesser brand Apex.
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Well, the first step is to identify the model number of your CyberPower 550VA UPS. My guess is that it's a CP550SLG. Then Google for "[insert model number here] replacement battery". You should find plenty to choose from. In general, I prefer AGM batteries with the highest weight (more lead inside). Watch out for shipping charges. Something like this: Hmmm... 12v 5A-hr. Not much capacity and therefore not much runtime. Let's say you have a new battery and a 100 watt load. The battery can deliver: 12v * 5A-hr = 60 watt-hr However, you don't want to totally drain the battery as that would kill it. So, figure on getting about 50% of capacity out of the battery or about 30 watt-hrs. A 100 watt load will theoretically run for: 30 watt-hrs / 100 watts = 0.3 hrs = 18 minutes
Getting longer life from a UPS battery is not going to be solved by simply buying a better battery. Typically, I see about 5 years of battery life on commodity UPS's.
Having the power go out for a time, where the battery goes into deep discharge (i.e. 10% of full charge) a few times, is going to kill most batteries. To increase battery life, the designers would need to reduce the maximum charge level, and turn off the UPS when the discharge reaches about 50%. That would have a BIG effect on how long the UPS will run on battery, which would give you something else to complain about. You could do it with much larger external batteries, but those cost more.
-- Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com 150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558
Here is my standard riff on UPS batteries:
I have had good luck with both Panasonic and Power-Sonic sealed lead- acid batteries, and bad luck with everything else I've tried, including BB Battery, UB, CSB, and Power Patrol. All the Power-Sonics I bought before 2013 were made in Mexico, but the ones I bought in 2013 were made in China. I put them in my old APC UPS (circa 2000), and they're still in there now, but their longevity remains to be seen. I'd be inclined to trust a Yuasa, based on experience with their flooded batteries, but I have no experience with their sealed lead-acid batteries. I get about five or six years from these batteries in a computer UPS, where the utility power is pretty reliable. I have mostly used the "7 Ah" size (which, these days, is often labeled 7.2 or 7.5 Ah).
I usually order them online from Digi-Key or Mouser.
I've checked Amazon and Ebay before and a few sellers there are showing
*pictures* of a Power-Sonic battery but probably *shipping* some junk battery. Caveat emptor.Note that the "7 Ah" size can come with 3/16" wide or 1/4" wide tab terminals; make sure you get the right one. Also, I worked on an APC
1U rack-mount UPS that specified batteries with a flame-resistant casing; this was only easy to find in Panasonic's line. (They were also in the Power-Sonic catalog but I couldn't figure out how to buy them in small quantities.)Standard disclaimers apply: I don't get money or other consideration from any companies mentioned.
Matt Roberds
Best deal I've seen is batterysharks.com Brooklyn N.Y. Power Sonic. I need to grab 5 next month and figure they're reputable enough to take a chance.
Mouser sells a Power-Sonic PS-1270F2 (12 V, 7.0 Ah) for $23, quantity one:
Battery Sharks sells a "Power Sonic PS-1270-F2 Battery (Replacement)" for $11, quantity one:
The way I read that is that's a *replacement* for a Power-Sonic battery, and not actually a Power-Sonic battery. The price also makes me think it's a junk battery, and not actually a Power-Sonic.
Also note that the brand name and UL component listing number is carefully Photoshopped out on the Battery Sharks picture. Fooling around with Google Images, I think it may be a photo of a SigmasTek battery. A little more Googling yields this review site
with more than one person claiming that no matter what you order, you're getting a SigmasTek.
Standard disclaimers apply: I don't get money or other consideration from any companies mentioned.
Matt Roberds
That's also the way I read it. However, note the battery weights. From the respective web piles, the real PowerSonic weighs 4.80 lbs, while the Battery Sharks clone weighs 5.25 lbs. I differentiate battery quality of identical size batteries by their weight, which is an indication of how much lead is in the battery. Based on that metric, the weight differnce (10%) suggests that the Battery Sharks clone is the better battery.
Of course, Battery Shark could be inflating the battery weight because they know about the weight trick. Double checking: Yep, Battery Sharks is lying on their web pile. The data sheet shows
4.52 lbs, which is LESS than the real Power Sonic. The battery is probably crap and I don't think I would trust the dealer.Incidentally, you can also get the same Sigmastek battery from the Battery Sharks people for $9.69 without the claim of PowerSonic equivalence.
-- Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com 150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558
Also: I just found a reason to buy Sigmatek batteries. The upper right of the page proclaims that they offer "Passionate Customer Service". It might be worth buying their battery just to try out their customer service.
-- Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com 150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558
If the original battery served you well, the first thing I would do is take it out and have a careful look at it. If you don't mind a little online research, chances are very good that you will be able to find a literal twin of the OEM version with an aftermarket brand on it.
Oh... and +1 on the Power-Sonic batteries - I have had good luck with those as well.
Heh, being you can get a whole new UPS for $40...
and the replacement battery runs around $30, I really don't see the point.
Even the retail places like Office Depot and NewEgg selling the complete unit for $52, it's still not much of a decision to make.
-bruce
Besides Money, Ecologic impact should also be am important factor. It requires a lot less land fill to recycle a battery vs replacing the whole unit. Our Planet earth is in trouble, we have to consider it aswell as just money.
Shaun
All that may not matter though.
I dunno if you caught this story a day or two ago:
The short version if you don't want to watch the whole thing, the guy owns an expensive Nagra digital recorder where the rechargable battery is a $700 replacement item.
He took it apart and found a single Lithium cell battery and "foam". The battery is about $40.
I mean people who buy/need Nagra hardware probably wouldn't care, the point is, you can get ripped off on both ends of the market.
-bruce snipped-for-privacy@ripco.com
Really?
You have a sure fire solution for getting the tree bark off your t-shirt after you get done hugging it?
Recycling it usually means the shit is sent to some 3rd world country where
8 and 9 year old kids get to stand in mud fields in 100 degree heat smashing the stuff into peices for 10 cents a day.At least here in the states some landfills are being converted into methane production green fields that'll end up as parks some day.
There is always two sides to a coin.
-bruce snipped-for-privacy@ripco.com
Post pics!
Matt Roberds
Right.
Long ago, in a legendary electronics paradise called Silicon Valley, I was a young, naive and inexperienced circuit designer. When I would contact a vendor begging for data sheets, prices, and samples, they would usually be accompanied by a visitation by a salesperson, usually with a highly creative title and elaborate business card. My job was to pry the information and samples from their possessive clutches. They seemed to believe that only the truly worthy may view or posses these jewels. After a few mistakes, I learned the necessary protocols and was able to get the job done without much difficulty.
One day, I received a visit from a local PCB house wanting my business. Instead of an aging and burnt out male sales engineer in a seriously expensive suit (with white shoes), I was accosted by a gorgeous former fashion model. Not only did she match my idea of what constitutes beauty, but she also knew the PCB business quite well, and was familiar with most of the problems we had with environmental requirements, testing, and RF specific problems. I was thoroughly infatuated but tried not to show it. I also had no idea what to do, made a fair simulation of a fumbling idiot, and accidentally handed her copies of some confidential papers (which I later recovered).
Before handing the business to the gorgeous former fashion model's PCB house, the high command demanded that I get competitive bids. I called two other local PCB houses, and was blessed with two additional gorgeous former fashion models selling PCB boards. Apparently the technique was so successful, that other PCB houses had adopted the same strategy.
As one might predict, I again simulated a totally useless fumbling idiot. The problem was obvious and responsibility for juggling PCB vendors was handed to someone older, married, and allegedly immune to the salespersons charm. I was also marked as some kind of sex maniac, not to be allowed anywhere near beautiful salespeople.
I presume that the Chinese battery vendors have discovered the method and are using it to their advantage.
-- Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com 150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558
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