I'm interested in what some of you are using for testing your 12 volt UPS batteries.
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UPS battery testers
- Thread starter Brian Bowers
- Start date
U
Unregistered
Guest
Unplug or trip the input breaker to the UPS, and you will quickly see if they are any good.
F
FredLeonard
Guest
I had a delivery today. I asked the guy to test my batteries but he had no idea what I was talking about.
This looks like this might do the trick, for a modest price. I have ordered one. If anyone is interested, I'll post back my review.
http://www.triplett.com/shop/chek-a-cell/
For testing small batteries, this has become a favorite of mine:
http://www.fullcompass.com/product/...ign=googleps&gclid=CLT734Thu8ICFQWCMgodLiEA9Q
http://www.triplett.com/shop/chek-a-cell/
For testing small batteries, this has become a favorite of mine:
http://www.fullcompass.com/product/...ign=googleps&gclid=CLT734Thu8ICFQWCMgodLiEA9Q
T
TheInsultant
Guest
batt tester
If you have a DC to AC power inverter, simply pug in a nice heavy load like a 100w light bulb or more or something the inverter can handle, and run it off the 12v battery. That generally works pretty good as a go-no-go test. If the batteries are over 3, they are on borrowed time anyway and should be replaced.
If you have a DC to AC power inverter, simply pug in a nice heavy load like a 100w light bulb or more or something the inverter can handle, and run it off the 12v battery. That generally works pretty good as a go-no-go test. If the batteries are over 3, they are on borrowed time anyway and should be replaced.
K
kenglish
Guest
I did receive my tester:
http://www.triplett.com/shop/chek-a-cell/
For under $50, this tester does a decent job. I think it was worth the money. The only downside about this tester is that you need to wait 10 minutes between each battery test, probably due to the load being encased in the tester, with no vent holes.
http://www.triplett.com/shop/chek-a-cell/
For under $50, this tester does a decent job. I think it was worth the money. The only downside about this tester is that you need to wait 10 minutes between each battery test, probably due to the load being encased in the tester, with no vent holes.
U
Unregistered
Guest
Honestly, if there's even a question, just chuck 'em and put new batts in. Don't be that cheap.
Wow, really? Wish I had thought of that.
U
Unregistered
Guest
UPS batteries
At one point we took a board and mounted a number of light bulb sockets on it, all wired in parallel. You can screw in whatever total wattage you want up to the full load of the UPS. Plug it in and monitor the UPS and the time it holds the load. This of course does not test individual batteries, but does test the entire UPS and its capability easily. Only plug in what bulbs/wattage you want need to verify. If the UPS fails to meet the load for its intended time, then look into individual batteries, although I have seen a lot of UPS failures lately that all had good batteries. Internal circuit failures.
At one point we took a board and mounted a number of light bulb sockets on it, all wired in parallel. You can screw in whatever total wattage you want up to the full load of the UPS. Plug it in and monitor the UPS and the time it holds the load. This of course does not test individual batteries, but does test the entire UPS and its capability easily. Only plug in what bulbs/wattage you want need to verify. If the UPS fails to meet the load for its intended time, then look into individual batteries, although I have seen a lot of UPS failures lately that all had good batteries. Internal circuit failures.
Rule of thumb has been 3 years max and replace....to test cuts into the total charge/recharge number.....BUT a cheap and effective tester?? Auto headlamps....can put a few in parallel and switch them in/out to add to the load...I remember having a new Exide closed gell-type bank installed at a PBX site...about 200amps per 2V battery...and one day, local power went out, but before the gen set could come up and take over, the battery bank died!!! so did the ROLM!!....and we were the electric company!! By the time I got to the site, found the charger was back up and showing a BIG draw...started measuring each 2V battery and sure enough, in the MIDDLE of the entire bank, one was showing 0.7 instead of 2.1V...removing it was a PITA as it weighed ~ 100lbs...but after I got the one bad one out, the jumpers were long enough to make the connection to the remaining..so we turned the charger down to 53 instead of 54.5 and it ran like that until the PBX was replaced with Cisco a couple of years ago..
>>>Unplug or trip the input breaker to the UPS, and you will quickly see if they are any good.<<<
You failed to mention that if you do this, you need to also put a load on your UPS. *That* particular load will then determine how long the UPS will supply backup power for. This is still not an efficient way of determining battery life for the next 6 months to year. A battery tester would give you a much better indication. Personally, I try to maximize my UPS batteries, if I don't, I can easily fill up landfills with the amount of UPS batteries I have changed in my lifetime. If you aren't already aware, almost all UPS battery chargers are not alike. Some charge batteries faster than others, which can also shorten battery life. In the past, I have kept logs for all of my UPS's, and have discovered that there is a huge time variation between UPS's, when it comes to battery changing intervals. Sure, if you've got one or two UPS's in your plant, it's probably not worth the time to test UPS batteries, however, if you've got 10 or more UPS's, you might save some money (and some landfill space) by testing batteries, to maximize their service of duty, before they are disposed of.
You failed to mention that if you do this, you need to also put a load on your UPS. *That* particular load will then determine how long the UPS will supply backup power for. This is still not an efficient way of determining battery life for the next 6 months to year. A battery tester would give you a much better indication. Personally, I try to maximize my UPS batteries, if I don't, I can easily fill up landfills with the amount of UPS batteries I have changed in my lifetime. If you aren't already aware, almost all UPS battery chargers are not alike. Some charge batteries faster than others, which can also shorten battery life. In the past, I have kept logs for all of my UPS's, and have discovered that there is a huge time variation between UPS's, when it comes to battery changing intervals. Sure, if you've got one or two UPS's in your plant, it's probably not worth the time to test UPS batteries, however, if you've got 10 or more UPS's, you might save some money (and some landfill space) by testing batteries, to maximize their service of duty, before they are disposed of.
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