[NTLUG:Discuss] Off topic... Souping up a UPS.

[David Neeley]

If you're interested in replacing batteries in a UPS, you can buy a larger 
UPS at First Saturday (among other places) in need of battery swap for $10 
or so nearly every month.

For example, I bought three 1KVA UPS units on three separate occasions for 
$5, $10, and $20. One of them, a Deltec worked perfectly well without 
battery replacement (it's still truckin' right along next to me, about a 
year later!).

Thus, you can get a unit designed for larger batteries and longer backups 
for little cash.

Of course, sometimes you'll find one with the electronics screwed up. Then, 
you may have blown the cash. If you buy right, though, it won't be a big deal.

I'm no power whiz, but some who are have cautioned me before about using 
units designed for the purpose to begin with.

Most companies I know of don't replace batteries--they simply get new UPS 
units when the original batteries begin to go or when their scheduled 
replacement comes up.

You might be aware that for the past several months a vendor of UPS 
batteries has been attending both First and Third Saturday sales. This 
time, I think I'll disassemble several other units I have sitting around 
waiting and record the sizes needed and see what they'll take to fix up.

Best wishes,

David