Before you buy a small UPS Battery Backup

29.January.26 joshuamarius Solution,Technology Consulting 0 Comments

Small UPS Battery Backups can range anywhere from about 300 VA to 750 VA. They can give devices such as modems, routers, networking switches, alarm systems, Mini PCs, and low-end desktop PCs between 2-15 minutes of Runtime depending on the load. As an example, I have a 425 VA UPS for my Frontier FIOS ONT, and this one will last about 13 minutes on battery. Although a power outage is extremely rare in my area, a quick 1-2 second power outage is more common, and will cause an Internet outage of 5 minutes, so this small Battery Backup is a life saver.

The Problem

A lot of these smaller units end up abandoned and ready to become E-Waste because of one problem: Some of them have unusual, and hard to find batteries. Some battery backups, such as the Back-UPS 425 (BE425M) don’t even allow you to replace the battery.

This can potentially cost you more money and downtime: Having to wait for a Battery to arrive that you can only find online, instead of just going to one of many local stores that carries them, such as Batteries+, Home Depot, or Tractor Supply.

_{Common Battery Dimensions with F2 Terminals}

The Solution

If you decide to purchase a small Battery Backup, get one that uses a standard, common Battery – which are usually found in larger Battery Backup units with 1000-1500 VA capacity. Once the battery fails, in a few years, you can run out to your local store and purchase a battery for 1/2 or even 1/3 the total purchase price of the Battery Backup. Also, these batteries have such high demand that some have same day shipping on Amazon. Always make sure to get the correct Terminal Size, which is usually F1 or F2, F2 being more common. Below are the smallest UPS Battery Backups I could find with standard battery sizes. I must also mention that UPS Battery Center has one of the best UPS Battery Searches I have found.