My UPS (APC) has faulty batteries (again). 3 years old, already fried. I don’t mind the poor capacity of the PbAc batteries but this life cycle is horrible (2-3y tops).
Can I replace them with equivalent LiFe batteries like the ones you find on Amazon and such with the same form factor?
Or are there LiFePo4 UPS available in Europe?
Different charge controllers are needed. If the ups manual doesn’t specifically support LiFePO4 the answer is no. You’d likely also need to configure it for that charge cycle if supported.
I’ve done it successfully for two Tripplite 1500va and two APC 750va UPS’s. They’ve been running for over 4 years now.
I bought a lifepo4 that specifically said it had a lead acid drop in replacement BMS (battery management system).
The only problem I have had was when I had a two day power outage. After running to complete drain ( and they lasted over 2x longer than my older lead acid), the Trupplites wouldn’t charge up after power was restored. I had to pull the batteries and charge them outside the ups to get everything working again.
Under normal use they have worked great.
Lifepo4 works fantastic as a drop in because the peak charge of lead acid is only 80% charge of lifepo4. This means that while you don’t get full capacity out of the lifepo4, it never fully charges which dramatically increases the lifepo4 lifespan.
There are lifepo4 batteries that are drop in replacements for SLA car batteries. But there’s no guarantee that the more sophisticated circuitry in the UPS will accept it. (I’m not exactly sure what they’re using to make it a drop in replacement.) I would look to see if others have succeeded online. That kind of swap is something people would be posting all over YouTube if it works.
It was on YouTube like 6 years ago. I did it 4 years ago and they’ve been running great.
You need to get a lifepo4 that has a lead acid drop in BMS.
I have two in my main UPS for over 2 years without issue. Just make sure to buy them with built in BMS so it manages the battery for you.
Probably not. LiFePO4 keep their bulk at an even 13.7V
Your lead-acid probably floats around 13.5-13.8V. the charger might pulse or occasionally go even higher to desulfate the batteries. That’d either leave your new expensive battery undercharged or worst case damaged (or have the BMS cut it off).
Lifepo4 charges at 14.2. So it’s not only safe, but it means the lifepo4 is undercharged which dramatically increases its lifespan at the cost of runtime.
Yep, specially with lower quality UPS the lead batteries degrade in a year or two to an useless state. I doubt you can simply replace them and I wonder about LFP UPSs as well.
From memory you should also change the charging circuitry if you are changing battery types.
