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Uses for Old UPSes

T

Too_Many_Tools

Jan 1, 1970
0
I am the "lucky" owner of a number of older UPSes.

So what can a person build out of these?

The batteries are for the most part dead but the remainder of the
components seem to be in good condition.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

TMT
 
E

Ed Huntress

Jan 1, 1970
0
Too_Many_Tools said:
I am the "lucky" owner of a number of older UPSes.

So what can a person build out of these?

The batteries are for the most part dead but the remainder of the
components seem to be in good condition.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

TMT

If you can get your hands on a copy of the 2005 ARRL Handbook, there are
several suggestions in there (radio-related, but you can improvise from
them), and some information about UPS's.

One is a charger for 12V storage batteries in general, including car
batteries. Another is an emergency power supply (you can just run two wires
to your car battery, or a bank of deep-discharge batteries wired in parallel
if you're so inclined). Depending on the model you have, you can get 160 W
to over 300 W of 120 VAC and/or 12VDC from them.

Mine (an APC Back-UPS 600) is now wired to an old car battery. It will run
my computer for a lot longer than the old gel-cell that came with it. Since
we're on the end of a power transmission line, it gets a fair amount of use.
 
A

Andrew VK3BFA

Jan 1, 1970
0
Too_Many_Tools said:
I am the "lucky" owner of a number of older UPSes.

So what can a person build out of these?

The batteries are for the most part dead but the remainder of the
components seem to be in good condition.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

TMT

Yep, the power transformers in them - feed the local mains voltage BACK
into it, you will get 18v (usually centre tapped) on the other side
where the original switching transistors were, nice big thick wire -
good for a few amps. As well, lots of other windings, good for what
have you voltages.

73 de VK3BFA Andrew
 
M

Mark

Jan 1, 1970
0
I have a back-UPS 400 with a useless gelcell. However, touching
terminals of a fully charged and healthy gelcell to the battery
leads causes mega amps to flow, so something is likely fried.
Interestingly, the dead battery has about 10.5 volts on it,
in-circuit, no current!

Anyone got a schematic or wisdom to share? / thanks / mark
 
S

Scott

Jan 1, 1970
0
Replace the batteries. We do it at work all the time.

Scott
 
I

Ignoramus14135

Jan 1, 1970
0
I am the "lucky" owner of a number of older UPSes.

So what can a person build out of these?

The batteries are for the most part dead but the remainder of the
components seem to be in good condition.

Any suggestions?

What UPSes?

I made about $2500 on a lot of 28 1400 VA APC UPses. Swapped in
batteries for new ones and sold them on ebay. Left a few beaten up
ones to power up all computers and electronics in my house.

The truly big UPSes are a gold mine of components.

i
 
A

Al

Jan 1, 1970
0
Too_Many_Tools said:
I am the "lucky" owner of a number of older UPSes.

So what can a person build out of these?

The batteries are for the most part dead but the remainder of the
components seem to be in good condition.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

TMT

I replace the batteries. I get them at the MIT flea market, two for 10
bucks. Yes, and they have a test load there so you can verify the
batteries are good. I have had not problem.

I have several free UPSs because clueless people have thrown them out at
our recycling center as they are "bad."

Al
 
P

Pete C.

Jan 1, 1970
0
Al said:
I replace the batteries. I get them at the MIT flea market, two for 10
bucks. Yes, and they have a test load there so you can verify the
batteries are good. I have had not problem.

I have several free UPSs because clueless people have thrown them out at
our recycling center as they are "bad."

Al

Generally you can get new batteries from a local battery distributor at
very good prices and with local pickup no shipping costs. I used to use
Midstate Battery in Bloomfield, CT but there will be wholesale
distributors everywhere. With new batteries most UPSs will be good as
new.

Keep what you can use and sell the rest locally, donate a few to the
local senior center for a tax write off (yes seniors use computers these
days), etc.

Pete C.
 
J

Joseph Gwinn

Jan 1, 1970
0
Mark <[email protected]> said:
I have a back-UPS 400 with a useless gelcell. However, touching
terminals of a fully charged and healthy gelcell to the battery
leads causes mega amps to flow, so something is likely fried.
Interestingly, the dead battery has about 10.5 volts on it,
in-circuit, no current!

This is the classic symptom of a 12-volt lead-acid battery with one cell
shorted. Hooking a 12-volt battery to a 10-volt battery will draw lots
of current, as observed. Replace the old gelcell battery with the new
one; do not keep the old gelcell in the circuit.

Joe Gwinn
 
T

Tom Gardner

Jan 1, 1970
0
Too_Many_Tools said:
I am the "lucky" owner of a number of older UPSes.

So what can a person build out of these?

The batteries are for the most part dead but the remainder of the
components seem to be in good condition.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

TMT

Time Machine!
 
T

Too_Many_Tools

Jan 1, 1970
0
I apoligize if I posted too widely....I posted to the groups that I
thought might have an interest and I would be revelant information
from.

And I suspect I am not the only one with an extra UPS laying around
looking for a second life.

TMT
 
G

Gunner Asch

Jan 1, 1970
0
Time Machine!
For that..you need a British phone both IRRC.

Gunner

"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire.
Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us)
off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give
them self determination under "play nice" rules.

Think of it as having your older brother knock the shit out of you
for torturing the cat." Gunner
 
I

Ignoramus14135

Jan 1, 1970
0
Old UPSes are a gold mine. The small ones can be refurbed and resold,
the big ones can be disassembled and parted out. Lots of
electrical/electronic parts in big ones. Highly valuable stuff.

Enclosures from big UPSes can be quite valuable too. I am going to use
one from a 5 kVa Ferrups as enclosure for my enhanced 17.5 HP phase
converter. A very sturdy enclosure with two levels, removable tray (to
hold the 10 HP motor), front door and top cover. I already added
casters to it.

i

I apoligize if I posted too widely....I posted to the groups that I
thought might have an interest and I would be revelant information
from.

And I suspect I am not the only one with an extra UPS laying around
looking for a second life.

TMT


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D

Dave Hinz

Jan 1, 1970
0
Old UPSes are a gold mine. The small ones can be refurbed and resold,
the big ones can be disassembled and parted out. Lots of
electrical/electronic parts in big ones. Highly valuable stuff.

Ouch! Wham wham wham whamwhamwham! Antigloat time again!
Enclosures from big UPSes can be quite valuable too. I am going to use
one from a 5 kVa Ferrups as enclosure for my enhanced 17.5 HP phase
converter. A very sturdy enclosure with two levels, removable tray (to
hold the 10 HP motor), front door and top cover. I already added
casters to it.

Don't forget to oil those casters. I suggest caster oil.
 
M

Mark

Jan 1, 1970
0
Um, I didn't make myself clear, I guess - I took the old one out,
clipped to the new one, instant heat. Big heat.
I'm guessing that there's circuitry which avoids draining the
(bad) low voltage one past a certain point. I'm also guessing
that a fully charged battery (the one I tried to hook up) enables
current flow, and that perhaps the input of the invertor section
is shorted. I didn't feel like leaving a perfectly good 17A-hour
battery to fry itself and the surrounding wires etc.....

BUt thanks for the response / mark
 
R

RDF

Jan 1, 1970
0
Would a 12 V deep cycle- Optima work in a APC-UPS 1400R I keep my servers
and dyno on with it along with some routers and switches. I don't know the
output, the battery fails and I now have it frightfully bypassed. The
batteries died and are almost 2 bills to replace. voltages ? issues? but I
have a few Optima batteries from wrecked race cars that would be perfect!

Any input would be appreciated,
Rob


Fraser Competition Engines
Chicago, IL.
 
I

Ignoramus14135

Jan 1, 1970
0
Would a 12 V deep cycle- Optima work in a APC-UPS 1400R I keep my servers
and dyno on with it along with some routers and switches. I don't know the
output, the battery fails and I now have it frightfully bypassed. The
batteries died and are almost 2 bills to replace. voltages ? issues? but I
have a few Optima batteries from wrecked race cars that would be perfect!

My guess is probably not.

1. The APC 1400 VA UPSes that I refurbished had 24V battery pairs and
not 12v batteries. However, that objection could be overcome if you
use two batteries in sequence (but read on).

2. The charging current of the tiny native 1400va ups batteries is
probably much less than that of the car batteries. Higher current
coulld damage the charging circuit of the UPS. You could make some
current limiter (see Art of Electronics) to limit charging current,
but it probably is not worth the time.

Two batteries for a 1400 VA ups should cost about $35, someone is
selling them from a warehouse west of chicago. I bought a pallet of
them at some point.

i
Any input would be appreciated,
Rob


Fraser Competition Engines
Chicago, IL.


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