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Battery Backups

Get a cheap-o unit, hook it up to a cheap-o car battery, run for hours.
That's what I do with my car batteries when they can no longer start cars.
I usually use sealed car batteries so no fear of chemical vapor or spills or whatever.
But last time that wasn't enough so I took out the lead acid battery out of the new car in the garage and that worked also.
 
If I can keep the wireless router and the DSL modem on, I should still be able to access the internet through a laptop correct? What is a regular battery backup used to just shut down the computer?
 
Originally posted by: ChAoTiCpInOy
If I can keep the wireless router and the DSL modem on, I should still be able to access the internet through a laptop correct? What is a regular battery backup used to just shut down the computer?
Click to expand...

Yep.

Although I have one that was designed for servers that I connected two marine 200amp batteries to.
It can run my pc, two crt monitors, modem, router, and a tv for almost 4 hours.
 
Originally posted by: ChAoTiCpInOy
Really, so using car batteries works? How would you setup this kind of system?
Click to expand...

Car batteries are not ideal.
You first need a ups that was designed for extended run times.
Look for one that has a connection for external batteries.
It will be listed on the specs if it does.

The next thing you need is 2 batteries.
The system most ups use is 24 volt. So you need two batteries in serial.
Car batteries are not designed to be deeply discharged and recharged.
If you do that too often to a car battery it will ruin the battery.

Marine or deep cycle batteries are ideal.
They are designed to be discharged almost all the way down then recharged.
Used a lot on boats for trolling motors, lights, etc.
They are NOT cheap.
You can expect to pay 150-200.00 per battery for good ones.

Once you have the correct batteries, then you need a matching connector on the ups and some heavy gauge wire. 6 awg works for me. Then its just wire up the batteries and connect to the ups. Once thats done, unplug the ups and let it run all the way down till it shuts off then recharge the batteries. That calibrates the ups for the extended run time.
 
Hah...this is my specialty at work 🙂

Just guessing the size of the power supply on your Mac, I'm going to say you'll need something around 1100Va. It'll be in the $100-$150 range. APC's stuff is a bit more pricey, but their customer service rocks and they REALLY back up their products (no pun intended).
 
Originally posted by: Fritzo
Hah...this is my specialty at work 🙂

Just guessing the size of the power supply on your Mac, I'm going to say you'll need something around 1100Va. It'll be in the $100-$150 range. APC's stuff is a bit more pricey, but their customer service rocks and they REALLY back up their products (no pun intended).
Click to expand...

agreed! We only use APC stuff and have never been disappointed in it. Everything has worked first time every time and never let us down except when the batteries die after about 5-7 years.
 
Not to threadjack, but what about to run a little Linksys WRT-54GL router and little Westell modem for about half an hour to an hour? We got laptops that can run a battery, but we always lose internet still.. It would be nice to keep them running so we can get up to day weather reports.
 
Originally posted by: thecoolnessrune
Not to threadjack, but what about to run a little Linksys WRT-54GL router and little Westell modem for about half an hour to an hour? We got laptops that can run a battery, but we always lose internet still.. It would be nice to keep them running so we can get up to day weather reports.
Click to expand...

For just a router and a modem, 500-750Va would do the trick.

Any APC device that would work? I used to have one but then the battery ran out and I didn't have any battery time anymore.
Click to expand...

You know you can buy replacement batteries for them, right?
 
Originally posted by: Modelworks
Originally posted by: ChAoTiCpInOy
Really, so using car batteries works? How would you setup this kind of system?
Click to expand...

Car batteries are not ideal.
You first need a ups that was designed for extended run times.
Look for one that has a connection for external batteries.
It will be listed on the specs if it does.

The next thing you need is 2 batteries.
The system most ups use is 24 volt. So you need two batteries in serial.
Car batteries are not designed to be deeply discharged and recharged.
If you do that too often to a car battery it will ruin the battery.

Marine or deep cycle batteries are ideal.
They are designed to be discharged almost all the way down then recharged.
Used a lot on boats for trolling motors, lights, etc.
They are NOT cheap.
You can expect to pay 150-200.00 per battery for good ones.

Once you have the correct batteries, then you need a matching connector on the ups and some heavy gauge wire. 6 awg works for me. Then its just wire up the batteries and connect to the ups. Once thats done, unplug the ups and let it run all the way down till it shuts off then recharge the batteries. That calibrates the ups for the extended run time.
Click to expand...


plus, car batteries putting out hydrogen gas indoors...
not so good!😉
 
Originally posted by: Modelworks
Originally posted by: ChAoTiCpInOy
Really, so using car batteries works? How would you setup this kind of system?
Click to expand...

Car batteries are not ideal.
You first need a ups that was designed for extended run times.
Look for one that has a connection for external batteries.
It will be listed on the specs if it does.

The next thing you need is 2 batteries.
The system most ups use is 24 volt. So you need two batteries in serial.
Car batteries are not designed to be deeply discharged and recharged.
If you do that too often to a car battery it will ruin the battery.

Marine or deep cycle batteries are ideal.
They are designed to be discharged almost all the way down then recharged.
Used a lot on boats for trolling motors, lights, etc.
They are NOT cheap.
You can expect to pay 150-200.00 per battery for good ones.

Once you have the correct batteries, then you need a matching connector on the ups and some heavy gauge wire. 6 awg works for me. Then its just wire up the batteries and connect to the ups. Once thats done, unplug the ups and let it run all the way down till it shuts off then recharge the batteries. That calibrates the ups for the extended run time.
Click to expand...

Which is why I use old car batteries 🙂 Get about 2 years out of each.
My decade old opti-ups uses 12V batteries. Just extend the wires from inside to the outside, hook it up, and its all good.
 
I've been using Apc 350va's with Optimum Sla batteries from Costco for about $80 for the last 3 years. Before that I used car batteries for a few years, but for safety I poney'd up for the sla's.

They will work for hours, but Comcast goes down here when the power goes out so its not a perfect solution. At that point I'm stuck using a backup dialup account.

(a side note, two ups's can't be hooked up to the same backup battery. 😱)
 
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