UPS fails under load, but works with "low energy" appliances

[Turkleton]

My UPS (~2 years old) recently fails to power my computer, it just turns itself completely off, in case of a power cut.

But it can provide "low energy" appliances, a fan, for example.

Is it just the battery (UPS shows 100% charge), or is my UPS broken?

[muratremix]

Perhaps you have new hardware that draws far more power than 2 years ago in your computer. Or ups inverter has some sort of problem?

Some ups has 3 years warranty, some has 2. Check if you can service it for free.

[ThaidDown]

Sound like battery, has the voltage but cannot give full current but ok on small loads. Remember each 100 watts load takes at least 9 amps from a 12v battery.

Edit to add... could be just the battery connection, slightly high resistance might be worth a quick check first.

Edited February 23, 2014 by ThaidDown

[Turkleton]

^^

It seems to be the battery, which is dead.

It's a 12V 9AH.

For a quick test, I tried to start my Honda Wave with it...no chance, only the fuel pump made a little bit noise.

Right now I'am trying to charge the battery with the charger, I nomally use for motorbike batteries.

Any ideas, where to get a new battery and at what price?

Tukcom? (Pattaya)

[wxpwzrd]

^^

It seems to be the battery, which is dead.

It's a 12V 9AH.

For a quick test, I tried to start my Honda Wave with it...no chance, only the fuel pump made a little bit noise.

Right now I'am trying to charge the battery with the charger, I nomally use for motorbike batteries.

Any ideas, where to get a new battery and at what price?

Tukcom? (Pattaya)

IT City had them under 1000 baht. I replaced a 12/9 a while back.

[BB1950]

Amorn in the basement of Tukcom (Pattaya) has batteries for UPS's. Price depends on the battery. Figure about 200-700 baht.

Edited February 23, 2014 by BB1950

[Crossy]

Yeah, the battery will be dead, new ones are not expensive.

Don't be tempted to use a motorcycle battery even though they're a lot cheaper, they are not sealed and a Hydrogen / Oxygen mix is not something you want in an area with potential sparks.

[MartinBKK]

Let me guess, it's made by Syndome? Don't waste your time with those i have had several and they are utter rubbish. Try APC they are much more reliable.

[Turkleton]

Let me guess, it's made by Syndome? .......

No, the brand name is "Cleanline D-1000I"

[muratremix]

Cleanline provides 2 year warranty. I have 1150va model and it works great.

[lopburi3]

No battery will last much longer than two years in the heat here so nothing unusual. Even Home Pro stock battery here in Bangkok and most places will be about 600 baht.

[thefactoryoutlet]

But when a UPS is used in aircon room, shouldn't the battery last longer ?

[Anthony5]

Cleanline provides 2 year warranty. I have 1150va model and it works great.

But I doubt the warranty covers the battery.

[Pib]

Cleanline provides 2 year warranty. I have 1150va model and it works great.

But I doubt the warranty covers the battery.

I expect the warranty only covers the battery for 6 or 12 months although the rest of the UPS has 2 year warranty coverage like if some of the electronics would fail.

To me the problem sounds like a bad/weak battery.

[Turkleton]

Guys, the thread is almost one year old.....and yes, it was a weak battery...

[Anthony5]

Guys, the thread is almost one year old.....and yes, it was a weak battery...

Any comments on the quality of your cleanline overall, as I was just looking at one as they are priced well below the competition, and I think they are made by PCM.

[oilreg]

On 2/1/2015 at 8:47 PM, Anthony5 said:

Any comments on the quality of your cleanline overall, as I was just looking at one as they are priced well below the competition, and I think they are made by PCM.

i have had a Cleanline for 3 years now... and it stopped working basially like 2 weeks after the 3 Years Warranty run out, but most of the time it was a good device.

 

I have the impression thou that most of the UPS are sold with bad batteries, i needed to have my Cleanline getting repaired (replaced the battery) just after 5 days, which was warranty for sure, 

Just recently i bought a Zircon 1000 VA, and i have the same Overload issue just after 2 Months of usuage like the OP mentioned ... just with 2 Months old its not instant replacement.

[bkkcanuck8]

10 hours ago, oilreg said:

i have had a Cleanline for 3 years now... and it stopped working basially like 2 weeks after the 3 Years Warranty run out, but most of the time it was a good device.

 

I have the impression thou that most of the UPS are sold with bad batteries, i needed to have my Cleanline getting repaired (replaced the battery) just after 5 days, which was warranty for sure, 

Just recently i bought a Zircon 1000 VA, and i have the same Overload issue just after 2 Months of usuage like the OP mentioned ... just with 2 Months old its not instant replacement.

 

Never bought an APC with a bad battery.  I am guessing that the batteries were stored in an unairconditioned (i.e. hot) location and was sitting in stock for longer than it should have.   The batteries can be destroyed within a year in such conditions.

 

If they did not think of it as a perishable device, they may not have worried about stock rotation and just sat there at the back of some hot storage location for a long time.

Edited September 7, 2016 by bkkcanuck8

[Pib]

The rechargeable/sealed lead-acid batteries that come in UPCs go bad even if lightly used after a few years.   I have an APC UPS used just as a power backup source for a TV settop box and DVD recorder (not a whole lot of wattage)....was used when the wife use to record a lot of TV Soap Shows/Movies. If there was any power glitch while recording it would usually mess-up the recording....and I mean if you had been recording for say an hour already the entire hour would be loss.

 

Anyway at about the 2.5 year point when doing some testing of the UPS battery condition, the UPS would only keep the settop box/DVD box going a minute or so with no power applied to the UPS and even the voltage output was low (went down to around 160V) according when checked with a voltmeter.  Went to Amorn Electronics, bought a replacement 12V battery at a very reasonable price, replaced the battery, the UPC is now operating normally again.  

 

Yeap, the sealed lead acid batteries in UPCs are nothing more than like a maintenance free battery in your car....the batteries go bad after a few years even when fully charged all the time/lightly used.

 

 

 

 

 

[bkkcanuck8]

8 hours ago, Pib said:

The rechargeable/sealed lead-acid batteries that come in UPCs go bad even if lightly used after a few years.   I have an APC UPS used just as a power backup source for a TV settop box and DVD recorder (not a whole lot of wattage)....was used when the wife use to record a lot of TV Soap Shows/Movies. If there was any power glitch while recording it would usually mess-up the recording....and I mean if you had been recording for say an hour already the entire hour would be loss.

 

Anyway at about the 2.5 year point when doing some testing of the UPS battery condition, the UPS would only keep the settop box/DVD box going a minute or so with no power applied to the UPS and even the voltage output was low (went down to around 160V) according when checked with a voltmeter.  Went to Amorn Electronics, bought a replacement 12V battery at a very reasonable price, replaced the battery, the UPC is now operating normally again.  

 

Yeap, the sealed lead acid batteries in UPCs are nothing more than like a maintenance free battery in your car....the batteries go bad after a few years even when fully charged all the time/lightly used.

 

 

 

 

 

Car batteries go bad if lightly used very quickly.  My sister had a car shipped with her to a posting in Vietnam and because it was easier to use a motorcycle -- she only put 500 km on it in 3 years -- and had to replace the battery twice.

 

As temperature rises, the longevity of UPS batteries decreases.  So a battery that might last 4 years in Canada at 24C would last maybe little more than a year at 38C.

 

Things that affect longevity:

  - percentage of maximum load that the UPS is supporting (i.e.80% to 100% - may reduce longevity).

 - heat / lack of proper venting around UPS.

 - number and length of discharges

 

I get probably 2 or so good years before the battery starts to degrade (getting closer and closer to full charge) -- then failing... but then the conditions that my UPSs are here are not the same as in Canada (hotter on average; especially if away for a few weeks or months and greatly increased number of discharges; etc.).

 

Different types of batteries have different requirements to keep the batteries from a premature death -- but very few people actually read up on it.  A laptop battery (modern) must be exercised at least monthly; among other things.  Car batteries must be used regularly - so going out and turning on the car and running it for a while every once in a while when parked etc.

Edited September 8, 2016 by bkkcanuck8

[Gary A]

The battery in my Yanmar diesel tractor lasted 7 years. Often it would sit for several weeks without being started. The battery never failed to start the tractor.

[cyberfarang]

UPS batteries have a lifespan of about 2 years. Every 2 years they should be replaced.