Jack S wrote:
> I've got a used APC 650 UPS. I got it cheap, with 2 dead batts.
>
> I'd like to use this to back up simple home PC set-up, and am wondering if
> there is a way to get the APC 650 to work with just 1 batt, so it will cost
> $20 versus $40, to get it online.
>
> Anybody know?
>
> Thanks
>
>
>
>
AFAIK the small APC UPS units which have two batteries are equipped with
two 6V units hooked in series. All of mine certainly have been. I guess you
could use a single 12V battery with a similar AH rating but you're not
likely to find one that would fit in the case or cost less.
I've got a used APC 650 UPS. I got it cheap, with 2 dead batts.
I'd like to use this to back up simple home PC set-up, and am wondering if
there is a way to get the APC 650 to work with just 1 batt, so it will cost
$20 versus $40, to get it online.
"Jack S" <gh@43.com> wrote...
> I've got a used APC 650 UPS. I got it cheap, with 2 dead batts.
>
> I'd like to use this to back up simple home PC set-up, and am wondering if
> there is a way to get the APC 650 to work with just 1 batt, so it will cost
> $20 versus $40, to get it online.
Have you checked Radio Shack or similar for cheaper batteries?
On Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:39:12 -0400, John McGaw
<nobody@nowh.ere> wrote:
>Jack S wrote:
>> I've got a used APC 650 UPS. I got it cheap, with 2 dead batts.
>>
>> I'd like to use this to back up simple home PC set-up, and am wondering if
>> there is a way to get the APC 650 to work with just 1 batt, so it will cost
>> $20 versus $40, to get it online.
>>
>> Anybody know?
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>AFAIK the small APC UPS units which have two batteries are equipped with
>two 6V units hooked in series. All of mine certainly have been. I guess you
>could use a single 12V battery with a similar AH rating but you're not
>likely to find one that would fit in the case or cost less.
I don't know which model he has but I have an old APC 650VA
model that uses two 12V batteries in series, the common 7 to
8Ah type often found (only one per) in their 500VA, or maybe
it's now 550VA models.
If it uses two 6V, yes one battery would work, but it
doesn't make much sense to me why they would use two 6V
batteries instead of only one larger 12V, while I can see
why they would use two 12V, since 24V small SLA batteries
aren't at all common.
As for the cost, someone in a well populated area might find
there are places to get such a battery locally and save on
the shipping cost. The 7 to 8Ah type mine uses were about
$15 each plus tax, IIRC.
>I've got a used APC 650 UPS. I got it cheap, with 2 dead batts.
>
>I'd like to use this to back up simple home PC set-up, and am wondering if
>there is a way to get the APC 650 to work with just 1 batt, so it will cost
>$20 versus $40, to get it online.
>
>Anybody know?
>
>Thanks
No, it needs 24V. With some UPS they use a less common
battery and you would be able to use two smaller capacity
batteries to reduce battery cost, but in your case it seems
yours already uses some of the lowest cost batteries...
going below about 7Ah they don't get much cheaper to reduce
it more than that.
kony wrote:
> On Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:39:12 -0400, John McGaw
> <nobody@nowh.ere> wrote:
>
>> Jack S wrote:
>>> I've got a used APC 650 UPS. I got it cheap, with 2 dead batts.
>>>
>>> I'd like to use this to back up simple home PC set-up, and am wondering if
>>> there is a way to get the APC 650 to work with just 1 batt, so it will cost
>>> $20 versus $40, to get it online.
>>>
>>> Anybody know?
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> AFAIK the small APC UPS units which have two batteries are equipped with
>> two 6V units hooked in series. All of mine certainly have been. I guess you
>> could use a single 12V battery with a similar AH rating but you're not
>> likely to find one that would fit in the case or cost less.
>
> I don't know which model he has but I have an old APC 650VA
> model that uses two 12V batteries in series, the common 7 to
> 8Ah type often found (only one per) in their 500VA, or maybe
> it's now 550VA models.
>
> If it uses two 6V, yes one battery would work, but it
> doesn't make much sense to me why they would use two 6V
> batteries instead of only one larger 12V, while I can see
> why they would use two 12V, since 24V small SLA batteries
> aren't at all common.
>
> As for the cost, someone in a well populated area might find
> there are places to get such a battery locally and save on
> the shipping cost. The 7 to 8Ah type mine uses were about
> $15 each plus tax, IIRC.
I guess I might have misremembered the battery arrangement. That seems to
happen more and more every year. If you say 24V then I certainly believe
you. I gave up on replacing batteries on my APC units a few years back and
have retired all of them except for a BK-500 that supports my ADSL modem,
router, and switch. When that one dies it will probably be replaced with
one of the 1200W CyberPower units I've been using in four locations.
kony wrote:
> On Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:04:24 -0700, "Jack S" <gh@43.com>
> wrote:
>
>> I've got a used APC 650 UPS. I got it cheap, with 2 dead batts.
>>
>> I'd like to use this to back up simple home PC set-up, and am wondering if
>> there is a way to get the APC 650 to work with just 1 batt, so it will cost
>> $20 versus $40, to get it online.
>>
>> Anybody know?
>>
>> Thanks
>
>
> No, it needs 24V. With some UPS they use a less common
> battery and you would be able to use two smaller capacity
> batteries to reduce battery cost, but in your case it seems
> yours already uses some of the lowest cost batteries...
> going below about 7Ah they don't get much cheaper to reduce
> it more than that.
I haven't been inside an APC 650 so this may not work. I'm assuming
kony's correct about that unit being 24v. You CAN find single 24volt
batts but you don't even want to ask on pricing!
The bottom case of most "box looking" APC UPSs have some rather large
support fins that can be cut away to allow a larger battery.
On the other hand, if the 650 is 12volt with 2-6volt batts in series,
you can up the amp-hour capability with changing out to a single 12 with
that cutaway trick, and it may even cost you less money for a larger
single battery in 12volts.
My APC 900 is 24volt, it had 4 6's in it. I used that same trick to up
the AH from 7 to 12 AH with 2-12volt batts. Boosting the amp-hours
doesn't raise the power rating, but does increase the run time.
Either way, part of what happens by going to 12 volt is that you cut
down on the space used by the doubled amount of case walls on the 6 volt
units.
>kony wrote:
>> On Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:04:24 -0700, "Jack S" <gh@43.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I've got a used APC 650 UPS. I got it cheap, with 2 dead batts.
>>>
>>> I'd like to use this to back up simple home PC set-up, and am wondering if
>>> there is a way to get the APC 650 to work with just 1 batt, so it will cost
>>> $20 versus $40, to get it online.
>>>
>>> Anybody know?
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>
>>
>> No, it needs 24V. With some UPS they use a less common
>> battery and you would be able to use two smaller capacity
>> batteries to reduce battery cost, but in your case it seems
>> yours already uses some of the lowest cost batteries...
>> going below about 7Ah they don't get much cheaper to reduce
>> it more than that.
>
>I haven't been inside an APC 650 so this may not work. I'm assuming
>kony's correct about that unit being 24v. You CAN find single 24volt
>batts but you don't even want to ask on pricing!
>
>The bottom case of most "box looking" APC UPSs have some rather large
>support fins that can be cut away to allow a larger battery.
I've noticed that too, but usually when I see it that is on
a roughly 350VA model having about 3-4Ah, 12V battery which
could be replaced with a 7-8Ah battery after having removed
the partition or support fins as you call them.
>
>On the other hand, if the 650 is 12volt with 2-6volt batts in series,
>you can up the amp-hour capability with changing out to a single 12 with
>that cutaway trick, and it may even cost you less money for a larger
>single battery in 12volts.
>
>My APC 900 is 24volt, it had 4 6's in it. I used that same trick to up
>the AH from 7 to 12 AH with 2-12volt batts. Boosting the amp-hours
>doesn't raise the power rating, but does increase the run time.
Interesting, I didn't realize any of APC's current UPS had
6V cells in them. In this case I should recant what I wrote
previously, I suppose it is possible OP's has 2 x 6V
batteries but it doesn't seem to make much sense the way APC
has configured them, unless their only goal is using a less
common battery with the hopes more people will buy batteries
directly from them - at a nice price markup of course.
Re: Question re. UPS - APC 650 
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