Nice little surprise in UPS or Battery Backup for eWaste recyclers

Hey all, if any of you get your hands on an Uninterruptable power Supply or Battery back up, take them apart!! This may be pretty small time for some of you other scrappers out there but in my world everything counts! These things have some goodies in them, keep in mind that results may vary depending on brand, type, etc. The one i just scrapped had a 5lb lead acid battery, a 4lb transformer, a bunch of really thick wire that I stripped and got a little over a lb of brite wire, some small CBM's, 6 strips fo brass and some gold plated material as well as some low grade boards. And don't forget the brass in the plugs.... From busted to bucks!

Originally Posted by etack

Most of the time the only thing wrong with them is the battery. They would make a good cheap inverter for solar panels too.



Eric

I agree. Most of the ones I get are working and just need a new battery. Most of the recently manufactured ones won't even turn on if they don't have a good battery in them. Just as etack suggested, sometimes when I get a higher voltage UPS, I will use larger batteries and a solar panel to make a solar generator because most UPS systems produce pure sine wave vs. a modified sine wave. Pure sine wave inverters are expensive. I sell these very quickly.

The last UPS I had was pretty much shot, but it did hold enough of a charge to use the sawzall out in the yard for a little bit.

Beats dragging an extension cord out, and I don't own a cordless sawzall, yet.

Originally Posted by Phantoms001

This is the idea behind a solar generator (which you can google).

Usually you would buy a battery charger, an inverter, and solar panel. When you hook them together you have a portable battery pack that will power just about anything. The main drawback is the cost. While an inverter can be found cheap, this is a modified sine wave inverter that can't run things like microwaves, electronics, medical equipment, rechargeable batteries, and other sensitive items. If you are willing to pay 2-3 times the amount you can buy a pure sine wave inverter which puts out AC that is the same thing you have in your home.

Most UPSs produce a pure sine wave (because they are used with computers). They already have a charger built in. All you need to do is hook up the + and - wire to larger batteries. Most people then just buy a solar panel that will keep the batteries charged (you can also charge with an AC plug if available).

The UPS consists of a control board and transformer. You remove these items and mount them in a cooler (for protection and easy transportation). Mount the batteries in the cooler. Mount the plugs off the inverter to the outside of the cooler. Usually you will need to add a fan for cooling (I like to use server fans). From there, off you go.

I will usually use a solar panel to keep it charged and it then moves from a "battery pack" to what is considered a "solar generator". I usually make my own solar panels with materials off ebay. You could buy one but it cuts the cost by 1/3 if you are willing to do it yourself.

You can find videos on youtube concerning a solar generator. I sell these for 300-500 and they are gone in days. My cost is really the cooler, batteries, and solar panel. (about 120.00).

I keep one in my truck so I can use power tools, I have been paid to build these into truck tool boxes (a super idea), people buy these to camp, they are great for tailgating, super nice for a boat, and of course they are great for power outages.

When people see me using these I am approached all the time about buying one. What people find out quickly is because of the cost of the materials, it is tuff to find one under 800.00 and most sell for 1000-4000.

Do you have pictures, or a drawing/plans on these that you would be willing to share? I'm getting most of the details on how to build one online, but it sure helps to have someone willing to give a few tips/tricks to make it easier to make one. Any information is appreciated, but if you don't want to I understand. Thanks!

Can you post a picture ?

Thanks
Jamie

Originally Posted by Phantoms001

This is the idea behind a solar generator (which you can google).

Usually you would buy a battery charger, an inverter, and solar panel. When you hook them together you have a portable battery pack that will power just about anything. The main drawback is the cost. While an inverter can be found cheap, this is a modified sine wave inverter that can't run things like microwaves, electronics, medical equipment, rechargeable batteries, and other sensitive items. If you are willing to pay 2-3 times the amount you can buy a pure sine wave inverter which puts out AC that is the same thing you have in your home.

Most UPSs produce a pure sine wave (because they are used with computers). They already have a charger built in. All you need to do is hook up the + and - wire to larger batteries. Most people then just buy a solar panel that will keep the batteries charged (you can also charge with an AC plug if available).

The UPS consists of a control board and transformer. You remove these items and mount them in a cooler (for protection and easy transportation). Mount the batteries in the cooler. Mount the plugs off the inverter to the outside of the cooler. Usually you will need to add a fan for cooling (I like to use server fans). From there, off you go.

I will usually use a solar panel to keep it charged and it then moves from a "battery pack" to what is considered a "solar generator". I usually make my own solar panels with materials off ebay. You could buy one but it cuts the cost by 1/3 if you are willing to do it yourself.

You can find videos on youtube concerning a solar generator. I sell these for 300-500 and they are gone in days. My cost is really the cooler, batteries, and solar panel. (about 120.00).

I keep one in my truck so I can use power tools, I have been paid to build these into truck tool boxes (a super idea), people buy these to camp, they are great for tailgating, super nice for a boat, and of course they are great for power outages.

When people see me using these I am approached all the time about buying one. What people find out quickly is because of the cost of the materials, it is tuff to find one under 800.00 and most sell for 1000-4000.

I love using then as inverters I have even resold some to friends to use as inverters most of them just need to add some longer cable and means of attaching to a battery and you are good to go

I had a plug in network card for a APC ups the other day. It sold on ebay for 200 +Sh . I looked at the apc ups unit I got from the same load and it has the card in it. The card I sold was nib but I will try to sell the used one for $150.

I love them some of the older ones have over 100lbs of batteries and even the working ones that are 1400w and higher are a quick $100 and the smaller ones I sell for an easy $25 and if you can get the nice new ones that are server type they go for well over $300

This is what I love about this forum, I'm always learning something. I have used the UPS before for running lights and things but hadn't thought of hooking in a solar battery charger to keep it going. That sounds like a great idea for the jobsite when you need a saw or drill occasionally. Thanks a lot everyone.

Picked up some stuff from a government auction recently. 9 HP DX5150 towers. Paid $2.22 a piece. Figured that was a sweet deal. All but one was complete.

Also picked up a lot that had a HP server cabinet and an APC 3000 XL battery backup. That beast is heavy. 80 lbs in batteries all by itself.

I plan to pop the batteries out, wire jumper cables to the leads and use it in my truck. Unless there's a reason this wouldn't work?

Originally Posted by IdahoScrapper

Picked up some stuff from a government auction recently. 9 HP DX5150 towers. Paid $2.22 a piece. Figured that was a sweet deal. All but one was complete.

Also picked up a lot that had a HP server cabinet and an APC 3000 XL battery backup. That beast is heavy. 80 lbs in batteries all by itself.

I plan to pop the batteries out, wire jumper cables to the leads and use it in my truck. Unless there's a reason this wouldn't work?

You can test it but I think you are going to be disapointed because it isn't going to work. While the inverters use 12v you are going to find that the batteries are in pairs wired +-+-. This doubles the voltage. Most higher voltage backups are really running on 24v which is why there is always 2 or 4 batteries. Only the very small inverters use 12v and use only 1 battery. This problem is easily fixed with a second battery. Instead of running the leads to your truck battery, you simply run the leads to a battery, then the battery to the truck battery. This actually will decrease the wear on your truck battery and is the best way to wire it even if it only needed 1 battery.

Originally Posted by Phantoms001

You can test it but I think you are going to be disapointed because it isn't going to work. While the inverters use 12v you are going to find that the batteries are in pairs wired +-+-. This doubles the voltage. Most higher voltage backups are really running on 24v which is why there is always 2 or 4 batteries. Only the very small inverters use 12v and use only 1 battery. This problem is easily fixed with a second battery. Instead of running the leads to your truck battery, you simply run the leads to a battery, then the battery to the truck battery. This actually will decrease the wear on your truck battery and is the best way to wire it even if it only needed 1 battery.

You are correct. Don't know why I didn't notice it sooner. It's wired in series, so whatever these batteries are, it's double. No useful information on the battery. Looking up the specs for this model hasn't helped either.

These batteries seem to still be good. My original thought was by doing away with them, I'd have just the inverter portion and carry between trucks as needed.

May end up leaving it alone and carry as is.

Originally Posted by IdahoScrapper

You are correct. Don't know why I didn't notice it sooner. It's wired in series, so whatever these batteries are, it's double. No useful information on the battery. Looking up the specs for this model hasn't helped either.

These batteries seem to still be good. My original thought was by doing away with them, I'd have just the inverter portion and carry between trucks as needed.

May end up leaving it alone and carry as is.

You are solving your own problem. If you had good batteries why not use them??? My knee jerk reaction would be to wire the batteries (the ones you already have) to the truck battery (via a switch) and use the truck to charge the batteries directly. You could simply wire in a quick disconnect at the batteries in the backup, run the wire to a regular toggle switch, then to your truck battery.

This would allow you to connect or disconnect your backup any time you wanted (it wouldn't be permantely wired to your truck), you could turn off the connection between your car battery and the backup so it doesn't drain the battery when you aren't running the truck (toggle switch), and when the truck is running it would keep the batteries fully charged (with the alternator, just turn the switch on).

That would be the first path I would consider.

Of course you need to get it out of the heavy a** metal case.

Originally Posted by Phantoms001

You are solving your own problem. If you had good batteries why not use them??? My knee jerk reaction would be to wire the batteries (the ones you already have) to the truck battery (via a switch) and use the truck to charge the batteries directly. You could simply wire in a quick disconnect at the batteries in the backup, run the wire to a regular toggle switch, then to your truck battery.

This would allow you to connect or disconnect your backup any time you wanted (it wouldn't be permantely wired to your truck), you could turn off the connection between your car battery and the backup so it doesn't drain the battery when you aren't running the truck (toggle switch), and when the truck is running it would keep the batteries fully charged (with the alternator, just turn the switch on).

That would be the first path I would consider.

Of course you need to get it out of the heavy a** metal case.

That's another idea to consider. Reason for bypassing or at least removing the batteries is because total weight is about 125 lbs. Was trying to get the weight down to be easier to transfer between trucks. But it's not that big of a deal. I can install it semi permanently in the main truck and make do elsewhere.

Not sure I follow exactly how to do the wiring. If this setup is in fact 24 volts, would I just put a toggle between the 2 batteries so it reverts back to 12 volts when I flip the other switch to charge from the truck battery? Otherwise I'd be back feeding 24 into 12? I wish I understood electrical beyond the basics.

I would like to see pics from the original poster

Originally Posted by happyisthealero

I would like to see pics from the original poster

I have been really busy like everyone with some other projects. There is no secret to making a solar generator, you just need a little common sense and do a little math. Everything you need is availabe on the net.

I do however have 5 solar generators that I have the parts for that I need to build. This time around I am going to use old hard shell (plastic) tool cases. I will start a thread with detailed pictures, comments, drawings, and the math behind what I am doing and why. I will also post the results of my testing of the final product. Hopefully from there anyone that is intersted in building one can have at it. They sell really good but you won't really appreciate it until you lose power and still have lights, a fridge, microwave, TV, stove, ect... I should have everything posted by the end of the year.

Idaho,
The only thing you need to watch out for is what the battery voltage was set up for in the UPS. A lot seem to be 12V, but that isn't always a given, especially if the UPS is a bigger one. But if its 12V, you should be able to wire it into your pickup just fine.

Even better, if your PU has a two battery setup for a camper...then if you get carried away with the sawzall and run your battery down you still have the other battery to start the truck!!

A lot of folks don't realize how much juice a UPS can pull...for example, an innocent little sawzall pulls maybe 3 amps at 120volts. That translates into a 12V battery having to provide 30amps to run that puppy.