Do you wish to swap your UPS battery for a solar bank battery?
Do you wish to swap your UPS battery for a solar bank battery?
As an example to demonstrate what you wanted to achieve, I tried using the model from the link you provided. My intention was unclear since someone handed it to me, so I wasn’t sure how to proceed.
My solar panels and inverters were already operational, which made me wonder if this ACP could be helpful.
I had to take off the case and on its side panel I cut a hole for a cooling fan and a slit for a power switch to allow the fan to cool the inverter’s internal components.
It turned into a useful backup power source during the night when grid electricity was unavailable.
Before, I only used it to power lights occasionally, not continuously or under heavy demand.
The runtime was limited.
This small inverter was never connected back to the grid for safety reasons.
It was connected to eight 120-pound AGM batteries in a bank.
To answer your question: yes, it can be done, but it depends. It could work daily for hours with heavy loads, though not practical. For emergencies, it’s mainly useful with cooling, but the capacity is restricted.
If you intend regular use, consider a more durable off-grid inverter.
Oh no... I just played on my broken PC for 8 to 10 hours each day to manage my PTSD. Nothing else seems connected except a surge protector power bar, which includes a PC tower, a monitor, a fiber optics Wi-Fi modem, and an empty slot I sometimes use for a table fan. That’s about it.
I do understand you’re using “solar” to keep your UPS battery charged. I’m trying to set up a solar system to power my PC, monitor, and modem, but the battery drops from 14.4V to 12.9V after just two hours. That’s telling me those three panels are completely useless—pure Chinese nonsense.
As for the inverter, I have two: one that looks like a Chernobyl and claims 300 watts, and another modified sine wave model that says it’s 100 watts but gets hot to the touch after just an hour of running my PC tower. Both are 12V.
I have both positive and negative updates.
The negative update is that the concept is extremely weak and likely to fail. The positive update is that I might be the only one who can share this information.
First, you must determine the system's power usage in watt-hours. Without this, you'll be completely unaware. Use an AC mains watt meter for this purpose.
SLA batteries are a budget-friendly option, often used for motorcycles or inexpensive flashlights. They have a short lifespan unless you choose a reputable brand. Since they're lead-acid, regular top-ups (every few months) are necessary to avoid sulfation, which leads to capacity loss and early failure. Combined with their low specific energy and energy density, they aren't the ideal choice.
I'm unsure how they label a 7Ah battery as a UPS. A large load on such a small capacity would cause significant voltage drops due to the Peukert effect.
According to the data, a 50Ah unit holds 600wh. However, assuming a typical PC load (around 15amps at 12V plus inverter losses), the capacity could drop to roughly 70-85% of its original value. I'm too lazy to calculate accurately, but the quality of this inexpensive battery will be crucial.
The best option is to opt for a lithium-ion battery, which avoids sulfation issues and has minimal voltage drop. Lifepo4 is ideal, offering over 160wh/kg compared to 35-40 for standard AGM.
Regarding charging components, usually they provide fixed output, but larger capacities require more effort, potentially overheating the poorly designed charger.
Also, the mentioned 650VA is insufficient for any meaningful PC, even with a 700W surge inverter. The inrush current is excessive, especially after the first charge of the PSU's capacitors. Overall, these low-cost products are questionable and I'd be cautious about relying on them.
Seriously, these inexpensive solutions are a waste of money—people need to invest more seriously.
Determine if solar panels require batteries. Discover the facts - SolarInfoWorld. When installing a solar energy setup, key choices arise. Should you opt for a grid-connected system or a self-contained one? It's important to consider costs and safety. For your specific project, a stronger sinewave inverter is often the best choice.
wow, first off, i will have to establish that i will only work with familiar tech, lithium is a no go for me.. if charging agm may cause issues for the ups. cant imagine what headache lithium will give me....
i just tested the tower to my wattometer.. it topped at 110 watts and idled at 96....
battery "claims" to be made in Germany.... company is dcpolarity...
I actually have two of the mentioned batteries connected in parallel (to maintain 12v) for my solar system. What are the chances I can swap the ups battery with those two instead of one 12v 50ah battery? I have two and they’re linked together with an MPPT (a smart solar charge controller). There’s also an MPPT connected to something else—I don’t know exactly what it is. I’m expecting around 150 watts from my solar panels, but I can only confirm this once I get a clamp meter and see the actual power going to the MPPT.
Can I keep these two batteries as they are and connect them to the ups? That way I could continue collecting solar power and have the wall outlet replace the remaining power I’m using?
I tried connecting my PC tower to the inverter, but the voltage display on the MPPT LCD is going down instead of up. This makes me think the three solar panels might not be delivering the advertised 300 watts each.
PS
The cable between positive and negative terminals is 6 gauge. I calculated a maximum of 200 watts flowing between the two batteries, but I didn’t account for the power needed to balance both. I checked the cables all day when I linked them together, and they weren’t warm to the touch.
When you’re at this stage trying to understand things, search for the out-of-print magazine Home Power online. Remember when they began publishing in the late 80s? You’ll find plenty of PDFs showing the challenges and tips, giving you a solid grasp of whether it’s worth trying to get things to work. In the early years, the hands-on approach was key, while later editions became more commercial. If you locate older copies on PDFs, be prepared—they likely came from someone printing them at home computers, which explains their title. The insights from those initial years hold real value. There are still some outdated methods, but what you’re seeking remains useful.
https://www.homepower.com/archive-browse
I'm sorry, I didn't think I had answered everything. Not everyone is smart enough to leave a socialist country where everything is free and jump into a capitalist third-world nation, but I'm here. I must say I'm not all there.
... I will receive a table fan-sized fan that clips directly onto a 12v battery to blow on the inside of the UPS casing...
Regarding the inverter, does adjusting the storage amount require changing the output source?
Your issue with the inverter centers around its intended lifespan. You might view this situation similarly to your family car. The engine is built for everyday driving on regular roads. It can handle short bursts at higher speeds, such as passing another vehicle. However, pushing it to race tracks for extended periods will quickly wear it down. If you invest heavily, you could purchase a race car engineered for long-duration high-speed use.
In contrast, the components in a UPS are more affordable than those of a solar inverter meant for continuous operation. The UPS parts are built to operate only briefly before needing cooling and shutdown. Their lifespan is significantly shorter—around 20 hours of total runtime. This means you could run the UPS three times a year for ten minutes each time, which would last it for about 40 years.
If you were to use it continuously, the UPS would fail after just 20 hours of uninterrupted operation. It’s important to consider whether removing an inverter from a UPS for a small amount would justify purchasing a more expensive solar inverter. Alternatively, some people might take inverters out of UPS systems and falsely market them as solar inverters to close down operations when complaints mount.