Fixing my APC UPS

[Mbarton]

This is a pvlog of me attempting to fix my APC Smart UPS 3000

 

So i have a APC Smart UPS 3000 that has been sitting in my Server Rack doing nothing.So i thought i would try to get it up and running.

But first let me explain why i haven’t even plugged it in before. the reason is

 

This:

 

 

That is a L5-30R Or 30 amp 125V twist lock L5-30R. so im sure you get it i don’t have one of these plugs and i cant have one installed because i rent (im also moving soon so there would be no point)

so i started looking to see if thet have converters form this plug to a reguler 15 amp 120v 5-15p Plug.

AND THEY DO:http://www.ebay.com/itm/370925254588?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649

but its 25$ which is a fair price but i don’t even know if the ups works.

 

which brings us to batteries.The main reason its not working. my batteries are in really bad condition they have been completely flat for months (there probably done for)

Its a 120$ to replace all 8 batteries so i thought it would be worth trying to save the batteries with something called equalization.

equalization is when you overcharge the batteries and then add distilled water. it only works for flood asid batteries. and that’s what the ups has.

 

Here are some videos on equalization and what is is:

How to do it:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMM8nkznXgU

What is it for:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrUal2YW1vk

 

So now i know the first thing i need to do Fix the batteries. So i took the 200(or at least what it feels like) lb ups out of there server rack and down stairs (almost fell going down)and into the garage.

 

Now i need to get the batteries out normally you open the front to take the batteries out. but im also going to open the top (which is not suppose to be open by end user you know no user servisebe parts kind of thing it dosent apply to me.)

 

 

 

 

Ive already taken out one of the batteries to see how to open them. and all the whirring is just hanging in the front (just in case you thought that’s how it goes)

 

So now to open all the batteries

 

 

As you can see im wedging and cutting into the small gap that goes around the cover.after i got a gap i stook a slat head screw driver and slowly posed it off (note when tou pop it off you break the tabs that hold it down the only way to keep the cover on is to tape it down)

 

Once you get it open yull see 6 rubber capes the are for each cell of the battery. we need to take them off to access the vent ports.

 

 

To take them off just put a flat head at the bottom of the cap. and pull it up. yull hear air come out (some times) when you pop them off

Make shur you put the caps somewhere safe you will need them when you put it back together

 

Some of the caps will have asid residue on them (or maybe its electro lite?)

 

 

what ever it is i cleaned it out of all my caps with a coffee filter. I also cleaned around the vent ports with a coffee filter.

 

 

 

Now that you have all the tops off and caps and everything is cleaned. line up the batteries (if you want to be neet )

 

 

as you can see i put my caps on the tops (neet freak maby?)

 

 

Now its time to put in distilled water. some people say to fill it to the top other say 7/10ml but apparently the battery manufacturer has it it in the docs. (im to lazy to go find that so ill just put 10ml per cell)

 

 

I used a Graduated Cylinder to measurer how much i put in and to pour it in to the small holes (that what she said)

 

 

Ok it took me a long time to fill all 8 batteries 48 ports/cells but now im done

 

 

Now its time to whir them up. there whirred up in series.( i just used the photo on the door to figure out how to whir them up)

 

 

Now this part gets a little weird i don’t have a battery charger (or over charger) so i used the one i made for my bike.You can check that project out here:http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/146794-custom-bike-with-motor/

 

so now i have it all wird up to the bike charger

 

 

a side problem is that the charger is only 10.2v 900ma so in other words its more of a float charger then a actual charger and i need to be over charging them at 15/20v but it fully charges the bike battery so i thought is i could get the ups batteries to show that they can hold a voltage that one i get the ups up it can charge them or i could buy a 12v charger with a equalization setting.

 

but for now ill try this one

 

 

4 hours later the batteries show no sigh of life (i should probably let you guys know im using a 6v moter to test it i don’t have a volt meter my old broke i might but a new one for this) i gave it another 5 hours and still nothing (im probably not punting enough voltage in to beat the resistance.)

 

but just to be sure i didn’t mess up the charger whirring i hooked up the bike battery with the others  and charged for 3 hours. (the bike battery was also flat couldn’t start the 6v moter but after the short charge it could) 

 

so its not the charger its ether that the charger is to weak to charge them or that the batters are dead (possibly both)

 

so now i need to get a battery charger and a volt meter really find out what’s going on.

 

if you have any suggestions let me know. also if you know of a cheap 12v battery charger let me know if it has a equalization setting that would be a bug plus.

 

this is the volt meter im getting:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005EK3NRS/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005EK3NRS&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmichaelste-20&linkId=OKZZ2WKO4IA5P6UX

 

this is the 12v charger im looking at:http:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051D3MP6/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0051D3MP6&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmichaelste-20&linkId=5KQRPQLEMAMHEIBN">Black & Decker BM3B 6V and 12V Battery Charger / Maintainer</a><img src="

 

or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001G8AIMU/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001G8AIMU&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmichaelste-20&linkId=W22ILDL6KH3FQQUK

[W-L]

-SNIP-

 

Good lord 3000VA UPS, how many amps does that thing use when fully loaded to require a 30Amp plug 

[phillrulz]

-SNIP-

 

 

You have a few issues. 

 

Over charging can cause Hydrogen gas to be made so be careful.

 

The plug would be easier jsut to cut the end or rewire the plug to a standard one, i see no reason it would pull over 15A @ 125v thats a hell of a power

 

From your picture it looks like you have set your batteries in both parallel and series, you want them in parallel in series the voltage would be the voltages added in parallel you add the capacity

 

 

This is what it looks like to me, the cell at the bottom is your 10.2v charger source 

 

[Mbarton]

-snip-

i think you might be right.but thats what the photo on the door said to wire them. should i change it?

Good lord 3000VA UPS, how many amps does that thing use when fully loaded to require a 30Amp plug

i honestly doubt it uses that much unless i stat turning every server on that i have plus pc i wont go above 20 amps

-snip-

i also have remove the twist an lock plug and put a normal one on

The way i have it setup is obviously temporary. i was seeing if the ups would turn on with no batteries.it dosent and even when i do connect the batteries to it there so dead it cant tell.

[phillrulz]

i think you might be right.but thats what the photo on the door said to wire them. should i change it?

On the door ? The case ? I have no clue on the internal setup. With that charger I don't even know if you could fully charge one battery on it's own. A dead battery will have a very high resistance. I don't know a lot on lead acid but I think you need to give it enough kick (amp) to clean the plates. As I said I don't know a lot myself.

I off to bed have to be up at 6am so I can go learn some more about electronics I'm an apprentice doing electrical , pneumatic and hydrolics. Good luck and be careful.

Jesus that looks like trouble waiting to happen. Do you not have non moulded plugs ? Also I know some UPS ones I see at my work in a huge server room, they alway run through the batteries, three phase 415v in rectified transformed and fed into the batteries, then batteries out inverted transformed then feed to the servers, may even supply dc vs the AC I've never had a chance to look. So without the batteries the circuit is incomplete. As I say I'm only an apprentice take what I say with a pinch of salt

[Mbarton]

On the door ? The case ? I have no clue on the internal setup. With that charger I don't even know if you could fully charge one battery on it's own. A dead battery will have a very high resistance. I don't know a lot on lead acid but I think you need to give it enough kick (amp) to clean the plates. As I said I don't know a lot myself.

I off to bed have to be up at 6am so I can go learn some more about electronics I'm an apprentice doing electrical , pneumatic and hydrolics. Good luck and be careful.

Ok thanks for suggestions so far and good night.

[W-L]

i honestly doubt it uses that much unless i stat turning every server on that i have plus pc i wont go above 20 amps

 

i also have remove the twist an lock plug and put a normal one on

 

-PIC-

 

The way i have it setup is obviously temporary. i was seeing if the ups would turn on with no batteries.it dosent and even when i do connect the batteries to it there so dead it cant tell.

 

Most household circuits are 15amps so I it'll just be limited and yeah 30 amps is a lot where I'm from that's usually the breaker size for stoves and oh god use marrets and proper insulating techniques even for temporary connections, that plastic bag won't do much if the wires arc against each other!

[Mbarton]

Jesus that looks like trouble waiting to happen. Do you not have non moulded plugs ? Also I know some UPS ones I see at my work in a huge server room, they alway run through the batteries, three phase 415v in rectified transformed and fed into the batteries, then batteries out inverted transformed then feed to the servers, may even supply dc vs the AC I've never had a chance to look. So without the batteries the circuit is incomplete. As I say I'm only an apprentice take what I say with a pinch of salt

Yea i know im doing a lot of these danders thigs just cause im lazy and cheap LOL

[Mbarton]

Most household circuits are 15amps so I it'll just be limited and yeah 30 amps is a lot where I'm from that's usually the breaker size for stoves and oh god use marrets and proper insulating techniques even for temporary connections, that plastic bag won't do much if the wires arc against each other!

Oh i guess you guys cant see but i have those clear wire claps on the wires http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=clear%20wire%20connetor&qs=n&form=QBIR&pq=clear%20wire%20conneto&sc=0-17&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&id=7D8E9B184FD69216D7818A39E37351888F8DFCD3&selectedIndex=58

[alblue99]

Good lord 3000VA UPS, how many amps does that thing use when fully loaded to require a 30Amp plug 

less than my 6000va smart ups

[W-L]

less than my 6000va smart ups

 

Oh gawd those are a lot of power hungry servers you got going there, that's gotta have a stash of a few tons in batteries alone    

[Scheer]

When you read this, PLEASE immediately get up and head to the store and buy some of these, they are dirt cheap:

 

 

That is scary as hell... it would be safer to take the bag off because it gives you a sense of protection when it really isn't going to do anything, the second the wires touch inside of the bag it will melt and you will be hurting. Never trust a breaker to trip before it seriously harms you.

 

 

 

Now, personally what I would do (after fixing the wiring) is fill the batteries completely full with water, put them back in the unit and plug it in for a few hours while never letting it out of your sight. They are small batteries, but still a chance something really bad could happen. If the batteries don't come to life, toss them. The UPS is a charger, suited perfectly for the batteries in it. It charges the batteries off of AC, then the DC output from the batteries is converted back into AC for your computer. Those big yellow things are the transformers that turn the AC into DC for charging. 

 

You equalize with a CONTROLLED overcharge, an uncontrolled overcharge can mean a lead explosion, burns, and a visit from your friendly fireman to put your house out. (Although EXTREMELY unlikely, why risk it?)

 

Applying 10 volts will never charge the batteries, think of it like an air tank. When the pressure in the air tank is lower than your car tire, how would it ever get into the tire? (As a side note, water pipes are a good representation of electricity. Voltage is like pressure, amperage is the amount of water going thru, and resistance is the size of the pipe.)

 

Series adds voltage, parallel adds capacity. Two 12V 1aH batteries in series will be 24V 1aH, in parallel they will be 12V 2aH. Series would be done by connecting one battery positive to the other negative, and then measuring from the remaining positive and negative. Parallel is done by connecting the positives together to one wire, and the negatives together on another wire and measuring between those two.

 

The way you have it wired would need a 48V charger to be able to charge it up.

[Mbarton]

-snip-

 

i really appreciate you giving advise but your misunderstanding most of what`s going on

 

First the wires have these on them

 

 

 

 

 

The bag was only for holding everything together i already stated this earlier. when someone els asked 

 

 

Second the reson im not using the ups to charge them is there so flat the ups wont start (or something els could be going on)

 

The 10v was just to get it up high enough so that the ups could charge them but the resistance is way to high even for that.

 

and as for your last part i was thinking the same thing maby ill try to charge them one at a time. but to know if there holding i still need a new volt meter. and i might aswell get a charger.

[Scheer]

i really appreciate you giving advise but your misunderstanding most of what`s going on

 

First the wires have these on them

 

The bag was only for holding everything together i already stated this earlier. when someone els asked 

 

 

Second the reson im not using the ups to charge them is there so flat the ups wont start (or something els could be going on)

 

The 10v was just to get it up high enough so that the ups could charge them but the resistance is way to high even for that.

 

and as for your last part i was thinking the same thing maby ill try to charge them one at a time. but to know if there holding i still need a new volt meter. and i might aswell get a charger.

 

Ah, I didn't see that post about the wire nuts, still looks sketchy lol.

 

If the UPS isn't able to charge them, a cheap battery charger likely isn't going to do it either. I'd start with a multimeter, you can get them from Harbor Freight if you have one in your area for only a few dollars. See if there is any voltage at all in the battery and then see if the UPS is outputting any voltage, it may not simply because the batteries are not hooked up or the batteries are dead.

 

From my experience, if a 12v battery has less than 5v after being on a charger for even a few minutes the battery is dead, nothing you do will bring it back.

 

Just keep in mind even if you do save these batteries it is highly likely at least one of them will soon fail again... and the UPS pry quits working when one fails.

[Mbarton]

Ah, I didn't see that post about the wire nuts, still looks sketchy lol.

 

If the UPS isn't able to charge them, a cheap battery charger likely isn't going to do it either. I'd start with a multimeter, you can get them from Harbor Freight if you have one in your area for only a few dollars. See if there is any voltage at all in the battery and then see if the UPS is outputting any voltage, it may not simply because the batteries are not hooked up or the batteries are dead.

 

From my experience, if a 12v battery has less than 5v after being on a charger for even a few minutes the battery is dead, nothing you do will bring it back.

 

Just keep in mind even if you do save these batteries it is highly likely at least one of them will soon fail again... and the UPS pry quits working when one fails.

the ups is not starting at all. because the batteries are so dead i read o apc site that i need to get them up to v before the ups will kick in and charge them.

 

i just order a volt meter and a battery charger ill update you guys when they get here.

[alblue99]

Oh gawd those are a lot of power hungry servers you got going there, that's gotta have a stash of a few tons in batteries alone    

1 sever and some network stuff 4:30 up time

and yes is weigh, 220ibs/100kg.