Look what they threw out at work today!

[microsoft windows]

I got a UPS today. Found it in the trash at work.
Here are a few pictures of it (sorry my camera's not the best on the planet):




I charged it up today and it powered this computer and its monitor for about 30 minutes.



I also did some research on the internet to find out that APC is selling these things for $250. Guess I got a good deal...

[Rajagra]

Nice. I'd keep an eye on it for a few days before you leave it unattended for long periods of time, just to make sure there wasn't a reason they threw it out. UPSes can catch fire or explode.:flame:

[skriefal]

Probably needs a new battery, and they didn't want to pay for an official APC-branded replacement.  Or for political reasons, the cost of the battery might come out of a different budget than the cost of an entirely new UPS -- thus making a new UPS the only option they had, even though it's more expensive.  (Yes, I have first-hand experience with exactly that scenario.)

Looks like a Back-UPS CS 800?  I ordered a replacement battery set for one of those last month on eBay for ~$20 shipped from Gruber Power Systems.  Much better than the $60+ that I'd have needed to pay to get the batteries from the local Batteries Plus.  And yes, the CS 800 uses *two* batteries wired to deliver 24v instead of the usual 12v.

[AndrewZorn]

i dont know what VA rating that is, but mine is a 1300va that i got for $100... i wouldnt necessarily say that is worth 250, especially used...

but still, a great find.  i never actually bought mine to power my stuff during a blackout, but pretty much just to stop stuff from turning off, internet resetting from a 5second flicker.

[itlnstln]

I used to have a Best Power Server-Room UPS that was loud as a muhf*cker (and weighed well over 100 lbs.).  It would power my PC, cable modem, and router for about 8-10 hours.  I'm not sure what happened, but I think it took a bad surge right after I bought my house (they were still doing a lot of construction in the area, and the power co. was having issues with one of their stations that fed the subdivision), and it jacked up some of the circutry and I had to throw it out.
 
I guess the upshot of the story is that I got it for free from a medical transcription company that didn't want to replace the batteries in it.  I spent about $100 in batteries for it and got a badass UPS.

[microsoft windows]

That's a mighty good UPS. Mine's not too bad either. It powered my main computer (the one pictured in the first post) in standby for over 14 hours.

[didjamatic]

Check for swelling batteries, even if they left it sitting unplugged for a few months can destroy a UPS's batteries so when you plug it in the lead acid batteries begin to swell over time.  Provantage.com is a good source for quality replacements.  Good find!

[lost eden]

I grabbed 2x APC UPS'es that got thrown out by my university about 18 months ago. Gave one to my father, kept one myself (I already had one & didn't need all three...). They both needed new batteries, but with that they've been working fine ever since - the uni probably threw them out when the batteries died, not realising that they could just replace them!

[bitflipper]

So where's the best place to pick up replacement batteries for UPSs?

[wordfool]

just google the battery model number and you'll come up with all sorts of aftermarket options from the likes of batterysupply etc. AFAIK a lot of the bigger UPSs basically use automotive batteries, so aftermarket options are fine as long as all the connectors are right.

I use an APC UPS (Smart 750), but the biggest problem with them is the price of new batteries (which you'll need potentially every couple years). For the price APC charges it's often cheaper to buy a whole new unit from an online discounter (or Frys). I suspect that's why a lot of UPSs get thrown out in the trash.

[microsoft windows]

How many working ones are thrown out though?