Large UPS Advice

**sdakscrapper** · 09-22-2014, 12:03 AM

I brought home a pickup load of e-waste from a local manufacturing company the other day. I also got a UPS from them that is by far the largest one that I have ever dealt with. Does anyone have any advice for breaking it down? Is there a shock hazard or anything else I need to be careful about?

**armygreywolf** · 09-22-2014, 02:09 AM

Certainly do....test it, just to see if it works at all. Chances are the batteries are trash but a UPS that big is always worth reselling if you can.

**spinroch** · 09-22-2014, 05:14 AM

If you break it down, remove the batteries FIRST, then make sure to short across the terminals of the big electrolytic capacitors with a screwdriver before you take it apart.

**Phantoms001** · 09-22-2014, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by armygreywolf

Certainly do....test it, just to see if it works at all. Chances are the batteries are trash but a UPS that big is always worth reselling if you can.

I found that a lot of the batteries are still good. Most of the time there is a cutoff (say 15%) where when the batteries reach that level it will no longer attempt to charge them. If you throw them on a low amp charger overnight they come back to life. Of course, there often isn't a large market for small 12v used batteries. I often go through them and keep the good ones for personal use. If it is a UPS that you want to resell, I'd throw the batteries on a charger and you may at a minimum get it up and running so that it can be fully tested.

**brandon** · 09-22-2014, 10:05 AM

Hook it up to a car battery, see if it works, if it works hold on to if for those times that the power goes out. That way you will be able to power a radio or a lamp, if the power is out for an extended period of time you can recharge the battery with your car. You can also hook it to 2 car batteries and possibly run the fridge for a while to keep food from going bad.
I have held on to all of the larger ups's that I come across just for this reason.

**armygreywolf** · 09-22-2014, 10:34 AM

excellent idea brandon

**eesakiwi** · 09-23-2014, 11:00 PM

The UPS's seem to last 2 or 3 years and get replaced because replacing the batterys seems to cost alot.

You can make 240 or 110 volt AC with them, very handy. Smaller ones may work off a cars cigarette lighter socket.
Larger ones seem to need 50 odd volts DC to power them.

The batterys are lead acid, so they can be sold as car batterys.

They normally have capactors in them, they hold a lot of power for a while and can shock you badly.
I have only been shocked once, from a home stereo amp, last week... Quite a suprise....