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UPS Battery Backup
Aug 21, 2019 06:38:07   #
jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY
 
I have APC UPS battery backups on my desktop computers, and a couple of days ago, a battery died. I bought that unit ten years ago, so that's pretty good. Looking on Amazon, I could have gotten "genuine" battery for about $50, or a generic for a little over $20. The generic arrives tomorrow.

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Aug 21, 2019 07:18:06   #
Ollieboy
 
jerryc41 wrote:
I have APC UPS battery backups on my desktop computers, and a couple of days ago, a battery died. I bought that unit ten years ago, so that's pretty good. Looking on Amazon, I could have gotten "genuine" battery for about $50, or a generic for a little over $20. The generic arrives tomorrow.


Jerry, I did the same 2 years ago with a generic battery and never had a problem. Did the same with my Fios ONT backup battery. Fios branded battery was more than 2x the price. Save the $.

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Aug 21, 2019 08:18:16   #
alexol
 
Bizarrely, I've found (the last three times my my UPS has died) that a new UPS is frequently less expensive than the replacement battery.

Perhaps this is part of the 'magic' of things made in China...

Have to say I'm amazed at the high quality of some items out of China along with the astonishingly low prices. Of course, there's a fair selection of dross, too.

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Aug 21, 2019 11:01:06   #
jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY
 
alexol wrote:
Bizarrely, I've found (the last three times my my UPS has died) that a new UPS is frequently less expensive than the replacement battery.


I checked the price of a replacement UPS, and it was a lot more than $22.00.

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Aug 21, 2019 12:20:47   #
alexol
 
Should have been more specific - I was referring to OEM batteries, not aftermarket with which I have had both great results and the opposite.

Everyone's circumstances vary but I don't wish to take the risk of anything less than flawless performance from my UPSs which are critical to me, and for not much money it just isn't worth it to me. YMMV.

The last two were this one https://www.amazon.com/APC-Battery-Protector-Back-UPS-BE425M/dp/B01HDC236Q/ref=dp_ob_title_ce & this one https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005GZRUZW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1. We have 6 UPSs/surge protectors in the house in total.

You might also consider that non-original batteries invalidate damage warranties - to the unit itself and to whatever you have plugged in to the UPS. I've only made a claim once (successfully) and that was one of the things asked about and checked on, when I sent in a small melted UPS after a lightning storm & power
surge. Happily, the UPS did its job and nothing downstream suffered.

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Aug 22, 2019 06:33:36   #
sb Loc: Florida's East Coast
 
Last year my UPS died. I found that I could buy a replacement battery at the "Batteries plus Bulbs" store near here (AND - they take the old battery for recycling). When I opened up my UPS - which I had purchased new - the battery in it WAS a "Batteries plus Bulbs" battery. Not sure how to explain that, but I guess that was reassuring!

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Aug 22, 2019 10:17:52   #
pendennis
 
I've owned an APC UPS 550VA for around 12 years. I'm into my second battery. The replacement came from Batteries Plus, and that was about 5 years ago. It's still working fine. I also have a spare battery sitting on the shelf, just in case.

I just bought another APC from Amazon, a 550VA, for $73, the same model as my original. They're not that expensive. The new one is used as a backup source for my cable box, TV, and router, in case of a power outage. It won't last or days, but usually long enough for a couple of hours. Dirt cheap insurance.

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Aug 22, 2019 10:38:30   #
BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA
 
jerryc41 wrote:
I have APC UPS battery backups on my desktop computers, and a couple of days ago, a battery died. I bought that unit ten years ago, so that's pretty good. Looking on Amazon, I could have gotten "genuine" battery for about $50, or a generic for a little over $20. The generic arrives tomorrow.


Batteries + Bulbs carries most of the batteries in stock for immediate delivery. Prices are reasonable and you support local business.

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Aug 22, 2019 12:39:50   #
nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY
 
alexol wrote:
Should have been more specific - I was referring to OEM batteries, not aftermarket with which I have had both great results and the opposite.

Everyone's circumstances vary but I don't wish to take the risk of anything less than flawless performance from my UPSs which are critical to me, and for not much money it just isn't worth it to me. YMMV.

The last two were this one https://www.amazon.com/APC-Battery-Protector-Back-UPS-BE425M/dp/B01HDC236Q/ref=dp_ob_title_ce & this one https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005GZRUZW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1. We have 6 UPSs/surge protectors in the house in total.

You might also consider that non-original batteries invalidate damage warranties - to the unit itself and to whatever you have plugged in to the UPS. I've only made a claim once (successfully) and that was one of the things asked about and checked on, when I sent in a small melted UPS after a lightning storm & power
surge. Happily, the UPS did its job and nothing downstream suffered.
Should have been more specific - I was referring t... (show quote)


The UPS makers do not make OEM batteries. A lead-acid battery (what's in a UPS) is a lead-acid battery. Generic. It's like saying that if you have an Eneregizer-brand flashlight you shouldn't use Duracell batteries in it. Silly.

And if your battery has worn out (years), the UPS is not likely going to still be under warranty.

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Aug 22, 2019 13:59:04   #
alexol
 
They don't make their batteries any more than car companies do but frequently UPS makers (re-)brand batteries. Use of a non-branded battery is a legal get-out-of-jail-free with respect to protection liability. That may or may not matter to you.

I've had UPS batteries fail in less than 3 years, inside the warranty period. Conversely, I've got one still going now that has been in use for 8 years - I don't expect it to provide much duration, just enough to preserve the timing data on a piece of equipment when the power dips enough to cause a reset.

I live in Louisiana where we have very poor power supply with frequent blackouts during storm season so the surge protection part of a UPS is important to me.

In terms of functionality the only thing you need to match is physical size, voltage and amp/hr rating which means any battery matching those characteristics will work. Nonetheless, there are other considerations if you care about such things.

If a UPS or other battery is critical to you, it makes sense to set up a schedule for battery replacement regardless of whether or not the battery is apparently OK.

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Aug 22, 2019 17:46:37   #
BBurns Loc: South Bay, California
 
Jerry, I have and use APC UPS's. Before I retired I supported about 75 various sizes of them from 100W up to our main 10KW server room system.
APC's price is absurd but they are a drop in so some will pay the price.
I found over time that many of the generic Chinese batteries work well but do not have the same life expectancy.
The one brand that always came out on top was Power-Sonic. They just seem to make a better product.
If you shop around on Amazon & eBay you will find them competitively priced.

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