It seems I need to buy a new battery for my UPS battery back-up once a year. Is that about right? Of course wherever I take it for service they try and sell me a new unit but I don't see the point, the one I have works great when the battery is good. I always refuse and insist on a new battery.

Thanks in advance.

The minimum time I've had to change was 2 years but normally mine have lasted around 4 years.

Thanks for that Tywais. I wonder what the problem is? I know I am not overloading the 850VA 400W Supply.

Last battery I changed was a bit over 2 years old (Syndome). Current one still running in office (APC) is at least 2 years old. One year sounds too short unless you are using the battery, instead of mains, on a regular basis. For a replacement battery I went into an electronics shop (NPE at Zeer Rangsit, www.mynpe.com) and they happily found the right size battery, replaced my old one and gave it a quick test. From memory, cost 600 Baht.

If you have frequent and long power outages then 2 years is normal considering temperature and humidity that also affect the battery life.

I get about 4 years out of mine. Maybe you need a better brand of UPS.

I say anywhere between 2 - 4 years this depending on the actual quality of the battery in the ups and it usage.

One year indeed sounds very low so I would bite the bullet and buy a new unit if just a normal user system - there may be something wrong with the charging circuit in the one you have now. I have been living without for the last several years as wife did not appreciate the alarm (and after those wires cut) or clicking in the middle of the night. Failures are few enough to not be much of a problem and Windows 7 seems to handle such much better that previous operating systems.

I would say on average, you should get 3 to 4 years out of a new battery.

Certainly to be getting only about one year is too short. Are you sure that your service center is installing NEW batteries, and not something old or refurbished?

Some low grade batteries have defective valves and die very fast because the acid is leaking.

Some low grade batteries have defective valves and die very fast because the acid is leaking.

All UPS batteries I've seen are sealed batteries. If the acid is leaking then perhaps they're putting in motorcycle batteries, some which have caps to top up. But then, if acid is leaking the UPS would be toast long ago.

My electrician advised me that there are two settings on my UPS.

APS where the battery is only used when the power fails.

The mSec delay switching can upset some equipment.

UPS where the battery is being used all the time and constantly being topped up

from the mains. No delay when the power fails.

The problem with the UPS setting is reduced battery life

I run it in APS mode these days.

IME the 150AH truck battery may only last one year on UPS mode.

Very important to make sure the battery fluid is kept topped up,

a check once a month is advised

Some low grade batteries have defective valves and die very fast because the acid is leaking.

All UPS batteries I've seen are sealed batteries. If the acid is leaking then perhaps they're putting in motorcycle batteries, some which have caps to top up. But then, if acid is leaking the UPS would be toast long ago.

yes the valves are defective and so the seal got broken after a time and acid is leaking, nothing to worry for the ups as the batteries are always under the circuit.

I have some that have never failed - I pull the power to them on weekends and replug mains to charge again on Mondays. Doing that once a month seems to keep them good - I have had one for 7 years and two others 3 and 5 years now and never a squeak. On iMacs, printers and phone charges they take 15 minutes to crash out when I unplug mains. They are 700 watt or Va, not sure which as I have not looked in a long time.

I get about 4 years out of mine. Maybe you need a better brand of UPS.

Do you think the brand of the UPS has an effect on the battery? I checked mine out today and the components are all high-quality brand name; assembled in Thailand. Some I have seen are junk, made in China.

One year indeed sounds very low so I would bite the bullet and buy a new unit if just a normal user system - there may be something wrong with the charging circuit in the one you have now. I have been living without for the last several years as wife did not appreciate the alarm (and after those wires cut) or clicking in the middle of the night. Failures are few enough to not be much of a problem and Windows 7 seems to handle such much better that previous operating systems.

Thanks lop, I dropped the unit off at Amorn this evening and specifically asked them to check the charging circuit.

I would say on average, you should get 3 to 4 years out of a new battery.

Certainly to be getting only about one year is too short. Are you sure that your service center is installing NEW batteries, and not something old or refurbished?

Since Amorn supplies the batteries, I don't believe that is the case.

Some low grade batteries have defective valves and die very fast because the acid is leaking.

All UPS batteries I've seen are sealed batteries. If the acid is leaking then perhaps they're putting in motorcycle batteries, some which have caps to top up. But then, if acid is leaking the UPS would be toast long ago.

The battery in mine is sealed.

My electrician advised me that there are two settings on my UPS.

APS where the battery is only used when the power fails.

The mSec delay switching can upset some equipment.

UPS where the battery is being used all the time and constantly being topped up

from the mains. No delay when the power fails.

The problem with the UPS setting is reduced battery life

I run it in APS mode these days.

IME the 150AH truck battery may only last one year on UPS mode.

Very important to make sure the battery fluid is kept topped up,

a check once a month is advised

Mine is definitely UPS when the battery is always being topped up.

I would say on average, you should get 3 to 4 years out of a new battery.

Certainly to be getting only about one year is too short. Are you sure that your service center is installing NEW batteries, and not something old or refurbished?

Since Amorn supplies the batteries, I don't believe that is the case.

Ok, agreed. That is where I get my batteries too.

How is the power in your area? Any unusual problems? Another thought, could you be exceeding the load on the UPS?