Got an uninterruptible power supply from a dumpster dive. Does anyone know if this thing stores a charge and is it safe to break down? Thanks in advance for replies.
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Got an uninterruptible power supply from a dumpster dive. Does anyone know if this thing stores a charge and is it safe to break down? Thanks in advance for replies.
Should be just some tiny lawn mower type(sealed) batteries inside, plus other electronics, circuit board. Lots of different types, should not be any charge to it, the batteries probably went dead/shorted. You could use a volt meter and test them, but that's the most common cause.
ups is great for breakdown, open it up and disconnect the batteries. its all safe from there.
if the unit still switches on but dosent run with a load it could just be the battery's.
scrap the old ones , replace the battery's and sell the unit if you want.
otherwise is breaks down to battery, aluminium, nice transformer, low grade PCB and some PVC wire.
The ones I broke down had a fair amount of brass. Mike
Thanks, Mechanic, goldfinger and Miked - it is so good to have people you can turn to with questions - particularly when they are related to safety. You guys rock!
Are you talking like this,, http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...XjLsA7yXxPjlbQQuote:
You guys rock!
Or like this,, http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...9aTZu_V4NOivTA
Number one.
But if you are a very careful scrapper and take good care of yourself, you may make it to your retirement rocking chair someday! Lol.
Just keep in mind to have something close by in case the batteries are leaking so it doesn't destroy the floor.
Thanks for that. I just put down that peel and stick beauty of a floor and I would hate to have to repair it already!Quote:
Originally Posted by ScrapperNJ26
With winter setting in I no longer rock, at this point I just creak.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scrapette
A piece of plywood works well as long as it's a piece you don't need.
That's a great idea, as it happens, I have some spare plywood. Thanks again.Quote:
Originally Posted by ScrapperNJ26
I think you can use the 12V DC to 110? -240? volt part as a inverter.
Just got in couple dozen of these. They are sweet to break down. Battery about 5 lbs @ $0.30 lb, plus board that has some alum that pops off and a small transformer. I think mid-grade after i remove those but not sure yet. Add in cords and snippets of wire, should get a nice little return on them. Still stockpiling my transformers and havent taken them in yet, so not sure what they are bringing at the yard. All the units were tested and not working so i'm not gonna bother with the repair and try to resell option.
Just to toss in my 2 cents as an IT person, just about any working UPS is worth more resold with a fresh set of batteries than as scrap. You can find OEM and third-party batteries for just about any UPS ever made. If you have a few identical units, some small local business will probably love to take them off your hands. If a battery doesn't slide out easily, grab some gloves, goggles, and something to protect the floor because it's bulging any may blow up when you remove it (I'm sure most people here know to be careful with lead-acid batteries, but it can't hurt to mention it.)
usually there is a battery set internally in the unit ,which like all things ,stopps holding a charge ,which costs (most of the time )more than the unit itself
You break the transformer down or what ? Yards buy transformers as is, and if so what's the going rate ?Quote:
Originally Posted by shendog
I dont break down the transformer. The ones i get have the EI inserts, so i cant easily break them open like jackschmuc shows in his videos. It would also waste a $1.99 cutoff disk if i tried to cut them, and i dont have a band saw. I took a few in to the local yards and i think one wanted to give me $0.20 for them as motor. Another yard first said they wouldnt take them with the steel, but then offered 0.12 lb. anyway. I laughed and said no thanks. Wished i had a local yard that knows a bit more than how to crush a car, but i'm working on educating the ones i do have. All good guys, just not outside the box thinkers (yet). My biggest problem now is finding a buyer for my power supplies. Have a guy 1.5 hours north that will pay .25-.31 per pound for them with wires attached. I dont feel like driving that far, but seems i have to as my local guys look at them funny and want to pay me shred price. I have almost a pickup truck load so maybe i need to make the drive.
I took in a battery pack from one of these last week. I got $36! $12 a pound. It was a pleasant surprise since the yard usually only pays $8 for regular car batteries.
How many batteries were in the pack? The normal numer I find is 2 or 4 of those small sealed batteries. I wonder why so much more for what you brought in. Mike.
what was it listed as on the ticket? was it under something different than what the car batteries usually are?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scrapette
What he said. I am very curious now as to what it was listed as. 12 bucks a lb? Whoowee!Quote:
Originally Posted by brucie
I am wondering if it was an error on the yard/cashiers part.
I just had one pack that was sealed, it weighed three pounds. I didn't break it down further.Quote:
Originally Posted by miked
Quote:
Originally Posted by IdahoScrapper
It just said "batteries" three pounds at twelve bucks a pound. I was surprised when he weighed it out because normally they just give you a flat rate not a price per pound. Car batteries are a set price and deep cycle are a different price. This was a long time employee so I'm guessing he knew what he was doing. I'll double check the next time I go out there.
Saw some vids on youtube about how to take non-working UPSs, remove the old batteries and adapt what's left as inverters. Apparently you can use them with different batteries and get longer storage capacity, even connect them to solar panels etc. if you know what you are doing. Pretty interesting stuff.
I would second the above. I know for a fact that you can replace the battery with a regular car battery and they work fine and can increase life by 4-5 times or more of the UPS. I have done so myself. You and also stack multiple batteries together and increase the lifespan further. Just keep in mind there is a gas given off by car batteries when they charge / are heavily used. This mod is best performed for use where there is good ventilation.
Also, check the body on them. I have found a lot of aluminum in them. I average about $2.50-$5 each out of them depending on size, age and current prices.
Something to keep in mind is if it is only the batter that is shot, most will still work as a surge protector / power strip anyways. They just wont keep the plugged in items on in the event of power failure.
Morning all. Scrappete being your a senior member so In no way am I saying your wrong. Id say that $12 dollar price was for like 40 pounds of agm/gel batts at .30 c a lbs. At my shop I only pay over a quarter to dealers. Thats a good price for batts. WHen I ship batts two the major end users here in the Northeast (rsr and NewAlta) they say they hate agm/gel because they mess up their pots. Flooded lead batts are water (if dead) lead, little tin, antimony and plastic. That stuff smelts fine I guess. Adding pallets of agm/gel and flooded may be a thing of the past because they are harder to refine.
FUnny things a good agm gel battery has a commanding price.. Whats a good auto worth..one a few months to year old $30 bucks. The agm/gels I get about a dollar an ah. THe ones in most apc units are 12 ah usually, sometimes 6ah or 18 and 25ah.
Your transformers usually bring the same $$$ around >30c lbs. Around here. Merry Christmas folks.
My buyer buys the boards as low grade.. Not like yellow or white but green low grade. Just a board of copper, copper bearing, al, heatsink and caps and resistors. Maybe a few transistors one ic chip maybe.
So I think. Im a newbie hit me over the head if I ramble to much.
Aaron
978 790 7039
I was looking for info on UPS but I don't see what I'm looking for so I'll ask here to add to this thread. This is my first UPS breakdown and I was wondering if the transformer in these hold a charge. I'm having trouble getting the battery out too and thanks to this thread I now know I need to put on some safety gear. Can someone tell me the safest way to break these down?