Nut upsuser - Feb 2023 - Question about Tripp-Lite UPS life span

Hi

 ??? Just replacing the batteries should not have, by any means, induce 
a defect.? I'd check if it turns on using the old batteries because as 
less probable as it can be, one (or both) of the new batteries might be 
defective. I've seen "new" batteries that sat on a shelf long
enough
before being sold to not be able to carry charge any more - seemed fine 
when using a voltmeter but failed under real load. If you can, I suggest 
to also test the new batteries using a decent load ( an incandescent 12V 
automotive light bulb for instance - something in the region of 100W ; I 
have one from my old car, when testing batteries I connect in parallel 
main and high beam )
 ??? As of old UPSes... in this very moment I have in use multiple APC 
Smart UPS 1000 purchased in 2000 and an Ablerex Mars from 2004. Plus 
several more lower end APC ( BackUPS ) from 2005...2012. Used only high 
quality batteries, replaced regularly and the UPSes themselves seem 
pretty fine. Except for a thermistor on the Ablerex which went wild and 
reports several degrees more than it should.


wolfy

On 2/7/23 01:12, Larry Fahnoe via Nut-upsuser wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Somewhat off-topic, but seeking some input from other tech folk on this
list. I have a Tripp-Lite SMART 2200 (a white tower that looks similar to, but
predates the black SMART2200NET) that just failed its monthly battery test so I
bought new batteries and replaced the old ones. Sadly once put back together,
plugged in and enabled it did not power up--no lights, sounds, smoke, etc. I
took everything apart again checking for blown fuses, loose connections,
anything visually obvious, but found nothing. The old batteries measured 12.x
volts each and the new batteries measured 13.x so I don't think I got a bad
battery. I replaced with the same batteries I'd used in the past: Duracell
SLADC12-35J Deep Cycle AGM SLA 12V 35AH; the last set lasted 7 years. Tripp-Lite
considers these batteries to be non-user replaceable, likely because they're
bolt on and opening the case is a bit of a chore. It's a well built unit
though.
>
> The UPS has a system enable switch on the back and a momentary on/off
switch on the front. I plugged it in to the wall, turned the enable switch on,
and then pressed the front on/off switch. Nothing. I also tried holding the
momentary switch in for 5 and 10 seconds. Nothing from pressing the alarm
silence switch or holding both switches in. Breaker in back has not popped. No
other obvious switches inside or out.
>
> I called Tripp-Lite support and the best that they could offer was that the
UPS died, maybe as a result of replacing the batteries. Tech was polite, saying
unit lasted a long time, but technically this doesn't really seem a
reasonable explanation (to me at least). Sure things fail with age, sometimes
silently, but I'd expect to see some evidence as to what failed. I'm
bugged as my gut says it needs to be reset somehow, but service manuals are
unavailable and the UPS might have been older than the tech.
>
> UPS unit:
> Model SMART2200
> Model # SM1834
> Date code -LW1GE (Nov 1998)
> Serial number E00321344
>
> So, any opinions about how long one should expect a UPS like this to last
or any words of wisdom on how to revive this one?
>
> --Larry
>
> Larry Fahnoe, Fahnoe Technology Consulting, fahnoe at FahnoeTech.com
>  ?? ? ? ? ? Minneapolis, Minnesota ? ? ? www.FahnoeTech.com

Thanks Greg & Wolfy for your encouraging replies!

I did check the momentary power switch yesterday and it is working properly; a
good thread to read through though.

Will pull it apart again today & put the old batteries back in--sometimes I
just need that extra set of eyes on the puzzle so as not to overlook a good
test. Can certainly verify polarity but I don't think I have anything on
hand to do a load test. If the UPS wakes up with the old batteries then the new
ones go back & I'll lean on the store for a load test. I'm guilty of
not questioning my assumption that the new batteries were good!

--Larry



------- Original Message -------
On Monday, February 6th, 2023 at 6:57 PM, manuel wolfshant via Nut-upsuser
<nut-upsuser at alioth-lists.debian.net> wrote:

> Hi
> 
> Just replacing the batteries should not have, by any means, induce
> a defect. I'd check if it turns on using the old batteries because as
> less probable as it can be, one (or both) of the new batteries might be
> defective. I've seen "new" batteries that sat on a shelf long
enough
> before being sold to not be able to carry charge any more - seemed fine
> when using a voltmeter but failed under real load. If you can, I suggest
> to also test the new batteries using a decent load ( an incandescent 12V
> automotive light bulb for instance - something in the region of 100W ; I
> have one from my old car, when testing batteries I connect in parallel
> main and high beam )
> As of old UPSes... in this very moment I have in use multiple APC
> Smart UPS 1000 purchased in 2000 and an Ablerex Mars from 2004. Plus
> several more lower end APC ( BackUPS ) from 2005...2012. Used only high
> quality batteries, replaced regularly and the UPSes themselves seem
> pretty fine. Except for a thermistor on the Ablerex which went wild and
> reports several degrees more than it should.
> 
> 
> wolfy
> 
> On 2/7/23 01:12, Larry Fahnoe via Nut-upsuser wrote:
> 
> > Hello,
> > 
> > Somewhat off-topic, but seeking some input from other tech folk on
this list. I have a Tripp-Lite SMART 2200 (a white tower that looks similar to,
but predates the black SMART2200NET) that just failed its monthly battery test
so I bought new batteries and replaced the old ones. Sadly once put back
together, plugged in and enabled it did not power up--no lights, sounds, smoke,
etc. I took everything apart again checking for blown fuses, loose connections,
anything visually obvious, but found nothing. The old batteries measured 12.x
volts each and the new batteries measured 13.x so I don't think I got a bad
battery. I replaced with the same batteries I'd used in the past: Duracell
SLADC12-35J Deep Cycle AGM SLA 12V 35AH; the last set lasted 7 years. Tripp-Lite
considers these batteries to be non-user replaceable, likely because they're
bolt on and opening the case is a bit of a chore. It's a well built unit
though.
> > 
> > The UPS has a system enable switch on the back and a momentary on/off
switch on the front. I plugged it in to the wall, turned the enable switch on,
and then pressed the front on/off switch. Nothing. I also tried holding the
momentary switch in for 5 and 10 seconds. Nothing from pressing the alarm
silence switch or holding both switches in. Breaker in back has not popped. No
other obvious switches inside or out.
> > 
> > I called Tripp-Lite support and the best that they could offer was
that the UPS died, maybe as a result of replacing the batteries. Tech was
polite, saying unit lasted a long time, but technically this doesn't really
seem a reasonable explanation (to me at least). Sure things fail with age,
sometimes silently, but I'd expect to see some evidence as to what failed.
I'm bugged as my gut says it needs to be reset somehow, but service manuals
are unavailable and the UPS might have been older than the tech.
> > 
> > UPS unit:
> > Model SMART2200
> > Model # SM1834
> > Date code -LW1GE (Nov 1998)
> > Serial number E00321344
> > 
> > So, any opinions about how long one should expect a UPS like this to
last or any words of wisdom on how to revive this one?
> > 
> > --Larry
> > 
> > Larry Fahnoe, Fahnoe Technology Consulting, fahnoe at FahnoeTech.com
> > Minneapolis, Minnesota www.FahnoeTech.com
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Nut-upsuser mailing list
> Nut-upsuser at alioth-lists.debian.net
> https://alioth-lists.debian.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/nut-upsuser

> If you can, I suggest 
> to also test the new batteries using a decent load ( an incandescent 12V 
> automotive light bulb for instance - something in the region of 100W ; I 
> have one from my old car, when testing batteries I connect in parallel 
> main and high beam )
Cars are not wired for bulbs to use both filaments simultaneously,
so presumably bulbs are not designed to operate with both filaments
on, so bulb will get hotter than designed for, increasing burn/
melt/ glass fracture risk.

I prefer to connect single filaments of 2 or more glass bulbs in parallel.

I've collected half blown bulbs for decades.  Tell friends & car
service garages you'd like their old blown headlamp bulbs, when
they have to replace for new; always just one filament of 2 blows
in use.

While 1 or 2 bulbs are sufficient for quick checking & calculating
internal resistance of batteries, it's nice to have more bulbs in
a collection, to build a mesh of parallel & series to adjust load
current to usually 1/10th of battery's rated Amp hour capacity, for
doing timed discharge tests.


PS Now we're all replacing 230 V (or 110 in USA) incadescent bulbs
for LED to reduce power, I save those too: May help make graduated
test loads for inverters from solar cells + battery systems, or in
case LEDs start to fail from premature aging during next pandemic
or economic/societal disruption, or voltage surge (whether from
fluctuations of human controlled power net, lightning surge or solar
/ EMP pulse etc).

Cheers,
-- 
Julian Stacey www.StolenVotes.UK/jhs/ Arm Ukraine, Zap Putin.  Brexit broke UK