by So, the day came. I needed to replace the batteries in a UPS SmartUPS 1000VA unit. Silly me, I had left it unplugged without pulling the big yellow plug in the back to disconnect the batteries for 3 years. Unfortunately, the controllers on these units are DC powered and run directly from the batteries, so mine sucked the life out of the batteries. I measured the voltage and it was 6V on one and 2 on the other. These are Panasonic 12V batteries like you’d find in a small mower or small motorbike. They are sealed lead-acid batteries.
Luckily, they are pretty easy to replace. I went to a local Batteries Plus franchise, and they were sold out at that moment expecting another delivery the next day. I asked the price and the man said $44.. Each! Yow, that’s 1/5 the price of one of these units. So I got the model number and did what any self-respecting geek would do — I searched the web. I found several choices, checked reviews, checked Ebay, Amazon, Google, and then I found a dealer off of Amazon who had the same specifications for the battery with a different local model for a higher rating and a lower price. I got 2, including shipping (16lbs), for $59.35 from batterysharks.com. They arrived tonight. I inserted them into my unit, and they had arrived pre-charged!
My UPS is functional again.