March 18, 2013

Unused Batteries past their date... up for sale

As you know we got hundreds of brand new Dell UPS units in recently...

Most of them were made in 2011 and had high quality fresh batteries installed in them.  But after a year, their batteries were no longer under warranty and units liquidated.

While the batteries are no longer factory spec'd and warrantied they still have a great amount of life in them.  When we recharged them, many of them had 90% or better mhos ratio, suggesting plenty of life still left.

Maybe they aren't worth $28 new..... but they are a steal at....




March 12, 2013

When True Online is neither True or Online

Call me old fashioned, but I am getting tired of words and specs being so loosely interpreted that they can me anything.

Last week I bought some "pomegranate juice" to make into real grenadine for a fireman's sour.   (give me a break... its always hot enough here in Florida for foo foo drinks).  It turned out it was mostly apple juice. Next, I rented a 4x4 earlier this week.  But found out that its not a true 4x4 but a "independent drive" transmission which "works like a 4x4." Then today I bought a Chef's Oyster knife which promptly broke after 4 oysters.

The juice, 4x4 and knife all pretended to be something we know and trust.  But in each case someone decided we didnt really need what we wanted.

The same is true in Online UPSes.  Nearly everyone says their Online UPS is true online or double conversion.  But the reality is few actually are truly online types.

The manufacturers (like the juice, 4x4, and knife guys) wont admit to lying, but rather simplifing the complex terminology to give you value.   That simplifying can be disastrous.  My drink tastes like crap, I slide off the road, and stare at unopened oysters.

But one manufacturer has decided to introduce a new term to describe true online.   Its GE Digital and they call their honest Online systems a true Voltage and Frequency Independent online system

This matters for people needing their UPSes to keep constant frequency.   Most Tripplite and Powerware so called Online systems arent True VFI Online.   But APC's 3000 actually is


March 4, 2013

6000, 6000, 6000 ... Cant get enough?

I know I mentioned way back, that the APC 6000 3U unit was a great model... it has the L630P plug, net card and rail kit included, true online, and a small 3U frame...


But its getting crazy... in that everyone is asking about, repairing and buying them.

While thats fine.. we wanted to remind you of some BETTER buys in the 6kva range AND what makes them better


Dell Smarter LCD 6000 (eO694)

  • Blue LCD with full control
  • 200 to 240volt rated  
  • Online Double Conversion w/high efficiency mode
  • 10sec rail kit
  • more here

Liebert 6000va GXT 3 (lx695)

  • Arguably the best Online UPS manufacturer
  • 150% rated overload for those peak energy needs
  • More runtime 

Tripplite 6000va 6U (to696)

  • Great price
  • Twice the runtime as the 693g4
  • Free Network card included
  • $300 less than 693g4

Powerware 6000va (p9695)

  • Best 6kva value
  • More than twice the runtime
  • $400 less


APC 7500va 6U (796g3).

  • 1500va more power
  • Twice the battery of the 3U 6000va
  • Just $150 more for equivalently bundled unit (ask for 796g4)