[rescue] UPS battery replacement

[Michael Parson]

On Thu, Aug 24, 2006 at 09:29:10AM -0700, Skeezics Boondoggle wrote:
> Anyone have any recommendations for good suppliers of UPS replacement
> batteries?  I've got two strings (8 batteries each!) in two cabinets
> for an older Best Power Axxium rackmount 3KVA unit that have given
> me over six years of faithful service, but the machine says they're
> done for... and bleeps *incessantly* about it.  (The "alarm silence"
> button... doesn't.)
>
> These are 9Ah/12V (some Panasonic part #, I think) and the factory
> list (Eaton/Powerware) is $51 each, which is, er, *insane* since I
> can buy a new cabinet _with batteries_ for $179... For now, I've just
> reconfigured two units to use one cabinet apiece with reduced runtime
> - I don't really _need_ two strings on each UPS. :-) But since they're
> both about the same age, I'm concerned that if the 2nd unit's batts
> give out, I'll have *two* of them start bleep bleep bleeping me.
> Every five bleep bleep bleep seconds.  Nonstop. bleep Until I bleep
> bleep... snap...
>
> Please relay both positive recommendations and any warnings about
> dodgy sites to avoid off-list and I'll gladly summarize.

I've bought replacement batteries from both Batteries Plus and
Interstate Batteries with positive results.  I like to buy them locally,
since shipping on batteries can be a bitch.  The replacement batteries
tend to have just a few notches more Ah's than the stock ones.  This is
not a problem, you just get a few more minutes of backup power. =)

-- 
Michael Parson
mparson at bl.org