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From: "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid>
Newsgroups: sci.electronics.design
Subject: Re: Grand Apagon - Electricity (not) in Spain
Date: Fri, 9 May 2025 14:18:53 +0200
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On 2025-05-08 23:57, Don Y wrote:
>>> That is a feature of UPS design that specsmanship to get the longest 
>>> run time for the sales datasheet means that they cook their 
>>> batteries. I have seen them swell to the point of bursting inside a 
>>> UPS. Thick rubber gloves needed to remove the remains. Support 
>>> metalwork was a real corroded rusty mess but electronics above it 
>>> remained OK.
>>
>> That level of "not working" has not happened to me. Maybe because some 
>> power failure makes me find out that the battery is dead.
> 
> I've rescued a fair number of UPSs over the years.  In probably 80% of
> them, the batteries have swollen to the point where removing the battery
> or battery PACK is difficult.  This is especially true of the "better"
> UPSs (sine output, 48V battery, metal fabrication) where there is
> little "give" in the mechanical design.  Often one has to disassemble
> the UPS to see where one can gain leverage on the battery pack
> to force it from the case.
> 
>>> They really think I'm going to buy their vastly overpriced replacements?
>>
>> I don't.
>>
>> But last battery I replaced was not even two years old, rather 5 
>> months short. I replaced it just in time to serve during the Gran Apagón.
> 
> That's the problem; you don't KNOW how long a particular battery will last,
> even in an environment where it is never called on for backup!
> 
> Instead, you are forced into a "reactive" mode -- waiting for something
> to tell you you're screwed and need a replacement, now!
> 
> My largest UPS uses 50 pound batteries (8 of them). 

Are they 12 volts each, or just one cell?

On phone exchanges I saw huge batteries, actually individual cells 
connected in series. 48 volts nominally, so 24 cells. I don't think they 
were gel types, they needed adding water now and then.

> It's
> REALLY inconvenient to have to replace them *now* cuz they
> are costly and physically inconvenient to man-handle.  I
> would much appreciate some advance notice that they are likely
> to need replacement in, say, 30 days (given the current usage
> pattern).
> 
> Maybe folks will start putting more smarts into their product
> designs instead of simple "threshold" events.

Some UPS say they can test the battery. Mine do not, or the software I 
have doesn't.

When looking at specs for a replacement UPS, possibly an Eaton, I saw 
they mentioned emitting a beep when battery is bad.

-- 
Cheers, Carlos.