When to replace UPS battery?
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Posted by void.no.spam.com@gmail.com on March 10, 2008, 12:30 am
Please log in for more thread options message saying that I need to replace the battery. The UPS is about 3 years old now, and the Belkin software says the battery level is 100%. Do I really need to replace the battery if it is still able to hold a full charge? Or is this a ploy by Belkin to get me to spend more money? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Posted by Angelo Campanella on March 10, 2008, 1:44 am
Please log in for more thread options Storage batteries exemplify the term "fickle". Consider your experience with automobile batteries. Somewhere around 4 years, the starting capacity dwindles. All the kings horses and men will not bring it the fountain of youth. True, I have gotten up to nine years from an auto battery, but that was about 1972, and none so since. A storage battery starts life in good shape. It's only a matter of time until it ages. The only way you can really tell of its contemporaneous capacity is to make it run your system solo while clocking the time it takes to deteriorate somewhat; say to 50% capacity remaining. Your software probaly has a programmed WAG as to when the next needed UPS function will be likely crippled just when you need it. I have had a UPS for about 8 yeas now. I replaced its sealed lead acid ("SLA") battery a few yearrs ago. The last time the power hiccoughed here, I don't think it carried the load. (But since I now work exclusively on my T43 laptop, I don't give a hoot about my UPS. IOW, the laptop battery is now my defacto UPS). Angelo Campanella | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Posted by kony on March 13, 2008, 10:15 pm
Please log in for more thread options On Mon, 10 Mar 2008 05:44:18 GMT, Angelo Campanella
>void.no.spam.com@gmail.com wrote:
>> I have a Belkin F6C1000 UPS, and the Belkin software just popped up a
>> message saying that I need to replace the battery. The UPS is about 3 >> years old now, and the Belkin software says the battery level is >> 100%. Do I really need to replace the battery if it is still able to >> hold a full charge? Or is this a ploy by Belkin to get me to spend >> more money? >
> Storage batteries exemplify the term "fickle". > > Consider your experience with automobile batteries. Somewhere around 4 >years, the starting capacity dwindles. All the kings horses and men will >not bring it the fountain of youth. > > True, I have gotten up to nine years from an auto battery, but that was >about 1972, and none so since. > It seems that at some point they started using more porous plates to increase CCA, which is lovely if your car is 20 below zero but not if it's more than about 4 years old. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Posted by Joel on March 10, 2008, 3:57 am
Please log in for more thread options
> I have a Belkin F6C1000 UPS, and the Belkin software just popped up a
> message saying that I need to replace the battery. The UPS is about 3 > years old now, and the Belkin software says the battery level is > 100%. Do I really need to replace the battery if it is still able to > hold a full charge? Or is this a ploy by Belkin to get me to spend > more money? Do whatever you feel like, it's yours and you know exactly when it's alive or dead. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Posted by kony on March 10, 2008, 5:59 am
Please log in for more thread options On Sun, 9 Mar 2008 21:30:44 -0700 (PDT),
wrote: >I have a Belkin F6C1000 UPS, and the Belkin software just popped up a
>message saying that I need to replace the battery. The UPS is about 3 >years old now, and the Belkin software says the battery level is >100%. Do I really need to replace the battery if it is still able to >hold a full charge? Or is this a ploy by Belkin to get me to spend >more money? Charge being full is defined by the voltage attained, not a good sign of battery fitness for any particular runtime. Runtime is the question, how long you need. If your use requires trying to run system as long as possible after AC power is off, replace the battery often, like now. If you instead initiate a rapid shutdown after AC power is off, you can get a few more years out of the battery. Because it's a lead-acid battery the age is only one factor, another is how often and how low the battery was drained from prior power outtages. Draining one fully (Until the unit turns itself off due to low battery) will put a lot more wear on the battery than quickly turning off, ASAP. If you wish to keep using the same battery and the software warning is annoying, find the way to reset the battery warning and take it upon yourself to schedule when to replace it. Belkin doesn't need a ploy to sell a battery because it almost certainly uses some fairly standard battery type you can buy at many places - only needing to reuse the connector from the old battery pack if it is proprietary, but usually it is not, usually it's only a matter of choosing between the thinner or wider connector type on a standard size and capacity SLA battery. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
> message saying that I need to replace the battery. The UPS is about 3
> years old now, and the Belkin software says the battery level is
> 100%. Do I really need to replace the battery if it is still able to
> hold a full charge? Or is this a ploy by Belkin to get me to spend
> more money?