APC Smart Ups 1400

[Nate Smith]

Junk searching yesterday netted a Smart-Ups 1400... 5 bucks... hard to
beat... got it home... figured on trying to charge it... see if the
batteries were any good... if they werent id go to golf cart
batteries... indefinate run time

Plugging it in, big fat nothing... no lights, no sound, nothing...
doesnt appear to be drawing power... checking for fuses..few onboard
resistor size green ones, 1 amp, and two 20 amp fuses on the low
voltage side... only thing that interupts the AC line is a
push-to-reset circuit breaker, which seems fine... I need to check
more of this stuff with a DMM, but seeing as I went and ran mine over
(long story) its out for tonight...

the batteries are in sore shape. They have been seriosly overheated...
overcharging is my guess... there is a bubble in the plastic case and
bothe have leaked... I have seen this before in UPS just from
overcharging caused by poor batteries and constant duty cycle...

My question, is does anybody have any experiece with these? Is there a
website with any troubleshooting tips... I have a scope, and in a day
ill have a DMM, but other than the obviosstuff in the line, i have no
idea what to look for where... and another one... is the startup
circuit depndant on batterys being installed/functioning?

Thanks guys
Nate

 

[Nate Smith]

Thank you... Ill try that... golf cart batteries it is... the APC
battery is 145 bux and out of stock at the momant... two golf cart or
tractor deep cycles should run my comp a whle...

Thanks
Nate

 

[Mike Tomlinson]

Thank you... Ill try that... golf cart batteries it is... the APC
battery is 145 bux and out of stock at the momant...

Generic 12v 7Ah lead acids work fine. Should cost you a lot less than
145$

 

[Jerry Greenberg]

The charger in these UPS's is designed for the proper A/Hr rated
battery. If you use a battery that is out of specs, there is a chance
that the charger will be damaged, if the protection does not do a shut
down. The charge sensing for the gel cells are different than that
for a liquid lead acid battery.

I would get the proper battery. Any standard type of gel cell that
has the right amount of A/Hr rating and voltage will work on it.

In most of their units there is an adhesive thermo protection sensor
that is mounted on the batteries. REMEMBER to transfer this back to
the new batteries, and also to make sure that it is properly affixed
to the battery surface. This is an over-ride temperature sensor to
prevent the batteries from exploding, or the unit having a meltdown,
if the batteries are overheated, and if the charger does not know that
they are charged.


Jerry Greenberg
http://www.zoom-one.com