How to Turn an Old UPS into an Alkaline Battery Charger!

[superpoop899]

I thought Alkaline Batteries are unable to recharge.

[RMoribayashi]

I've got a small UPS (about the same size as the one in the video) with a dead battery. I've found replacements online but I was wondering if I could use battery with a higher AH rating to get more time (NOT more power) from it. I don't know how it knows it's got a full charge. Is it just charging to the rated voltage or something else?

[1BustedMyth]

It costs $16.50 for a new one of those batteries! I could understand if the electronics were broken.

[SaGalv]

So you completely disassembled a board that not only converted dc voltage to ac voltage as an inverter but also charged a big ass battery to create a tiny battery charger??? That wasnt very useful

[HxgDan]

"... A Huge Ass Transformer"

[dc443]

You can't recharge alkaline batteries...

Also you're gonna want your circuit to stop charging once it reaches the battery's fully charged voltage.

[staticboot]

Different types of batteries use different types of charging!!!!

Alkaline batteries are NOT rechargeable!!!!

They will just burn and or explode!!

[PiMpStAnLeY]

u make a computer genius look at this shit and go.. HUH? wtf?

[danksmokaz]

dude sounds like the guy who did the nintoaster instrucional video

[madisonelectronic]

The Sus'con electrolytics are on the "bad cap" list. Toss them.

[erichw23]

and i thought i knew about this stuff

[skellious]

A BIG ASS-TRANSFORMER!?! :D

[guiltyspark96]

i wish i had a clue what you were talking about...i may sound stupid but what area of work is this kind of thing. because im interested in how this stuff works

[YanSSJ5]

@guiltyspark96 electromechanical engineering

[Vandwo]

Btw i used a few capacitors that i took from one old electronic device to my video card. One 1000uF 6.3v "exploded", it was from the FZ company, the shitty one. So i took one used 1000uF 10v and replaced it. So im just wondering, how much is the life of one capacitor? Im wondering if this one will explode soon too :D Anyway this was backup decision until i have time to visit the store and buy all the 11 capacitors and change them all.Because they cost few coins anyway...

[thehooligan193]

well played sir. very well played

[TheMrporkchop1]

now. show me how to make an adaptor to my iphone...

[imlolingit]

What books could you buy to learn basically all the stuff in all of your videos? Or even better, what would the area of study would this be?

[itsgr82bl8]

@imlolingit Just dive in and start tinkering, research, learn! Figure out some sort of project you want to build then start researching what you need to do it! A really good base to start learning is Arduino, look it up TONS of info!

[allsportsowned]

@imlolingit Electrical engineering I'd say.

[mixinginthebox]

Nice.

[ralfyny]

A Huge ass Transformer LOL

[almouloudi]

What in 0:35 does Morocco in, as I have not known we are building those things .

[DERderZOCKT]

whats Ur name sheldon? =)

[1kuhny]

"heres a unintaruptable power supply that doesnt work anymore and it toatally SUCkS!" trolololololol rofl rofl "as we open it up we can see that the battery has a big crack in it no wander its a piece of crap" heheheh

[rodstartube]

I would have used the old UPS as a new UPS just changing the old 12v battery... or at least use it as a 12v battery charger...

[MrGunnaras]

dead beyond all hope of ressurection.lolololl

[fukGoogetakinyutube]

i love your voice can you read me a bed time story :D

[ThatGuyWill1993]

@fukGoogetakinyutube lol

[KyleCarrington]

besides... life wouldn't be the same, if there weren't a couple of resistors and diodes stuck in the carpet to puncture through your socks now and again...

[Alex1M6]

@KyleCarrington Haha I am always finding components in my bedroom carpet and they hurt like hell when you accidentally stand on an upwards pointing lead! I guess it serves me right for doing all of my electronics on the floor.

[KyleCarrington]

@Alex1M6 I'm right there with you on that one!!! I have, at my disposal, an endless supply of free UPS's, huge ones, small ones... I am currently trying to figure out how to make inverter circuits... and I have made one or two that work... thus far tho, I have only been able to make them from center tapped transformers... I want to figure out how to make them from non-center tapped transformers... if you know how, share with us! (from scratch, I mean...) Thanks!

[TheError404]

@Alex1M6 haha, i once stepped on 555 timer... it did hurt like hell and blood poured onto the schematics...

[rockman378]

@dovregubben78 but....most newer sla batterys cost 40 $ a peice but i see your point also :P

[dovregubben78]

@rockman378 A google search for "sealed lead acid battery" turns up tons of results. The variety used in just about every UPS I've ever seen is 12v, 7.2Ah (in larger UPS's, they typically have a bank of these batteries). It took me 15 seconds to find that battery for $15. I have spent far more time typing this....

[croser81]

Lol the comentary's killing me xD

[marathonman182]

isnt it NIFTY

[1PLANTSVSZOMBIESFAN]

lol

[homestar2112]

i think i have that exact UPS...i might try that soon but i'll be sure to be careful. Your vids are AWESOME!!!

[knikk77]

I love your humor in your videos! Makes it fun and interesting to watch and learn!

[thelastair1]

you make this sound intresting amazing must i say

[yo6ial]

Or... you could replace the SLA battery with a NiMh or better and enjoy a nifty ups?

Even better, replacing the battery with a much higher capacity one and extending the mos-fets heatsinks, adding a temperature controlled fan for a change, some voltage and current gauges (back-lit? :D ) and use it as a DC/AC inverter for an off-grid solar or wind system?

[arnoldcustom]

@TheMagicalTouch thanks I will try that, I have always tried to figger them out

[homestar2112]

how do you unsolder something from a circuit board?

[arnoldcustom]

How do you tell the value of a resister when all they have is color strips?

[TheMagicalTouch]

@arnoldcustom if you google resostor values, the second search that comes up is a graphical resistor value calculator or something, just choose the color strips and the website does the rest for you :D

[wolf314v]

Dude, you're funny! Thanks for posting this and the how to use a multimeter video. It was easy to learn from you. Great stuff.

[Xennified]

Is that a VGA port on the side? What's that for?

[ricardomenzer]

@Xennified It's probably a serial port.

[benjidan130]

He lost me at "red and green LEDs".

[downthecrapper]

im gonna do this, but with a big plant sized UPS :]

[ThinkandReact]

No wonder why It is a piece of crap!!!

[n5800xpressm]

@dovregubben78 lol the battery cost like a new UPS :))

[enzoross2961]

wont the batterys explode?

[TheSolarGeneration]

lol ur halirous, a hude ass transformer

[BedrockStudio]

i took a little broken light thing and fastened it to another weird thing, i tested it at my friends house aaaannndd it exploded, they couldent use power for dayss,

LOL!

ima test another thing again soon!

[HairyTaocBomb99]

cooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­ooooooooooooooooooooooo

[AwesomeDude775]

why not use it as an inverter?

[STREETRAT211]

they look the same that's why i'm asking because i know what they do

[STREETRAT211]

what is the difference between a mosfet transistor and a voltage regulator and how can i tell? please write back.

[b0gartz]

@STREETRAT211 Its not conclusive to tell whether the to-220 package is a transistor or an IC (regulator on this case). LM317 is an adjustable voltage regulator. those with prefix of 2N or 2SA or 2SC are transistor. while those with prefix LM are ICs.

[ANTONISMCKI]

sometimes you sound like a robot...:P

[JAH1R]

What about the voltage? how do u adjust the voltage to its proper level?

[kippycat117]

holy crap your smart!

[joshster182]

Dude I have no idea about anything you said... But good job!

[MrRaymondV]

I thought this said How to Turn an Old USP (Gun) into a Alkaline Battery Charger!

[artifactingreality]

why did you use small fuses instead of resistors?

[sk8er4life00001]

a huge ass transformer xD

[renekenshin6573]

Well i dunno maybe you could have tried fixing the UPS instead? it's possible that only the battery was dead i guess

[Eggbert1x]

@renekenshin6573

but that's not fun

[PhuckHue2]

so what do we do with all this crap?

[pikachuthesquirtle]

or use it for weight training. :P

[06460658]

I love your work man!

[bobbybob3680]

i love how he says "a huge ass transformer" aha

[madamerotten]

Can ordinary alkaline batteries be charged effectively?

[bobo888bobo]

@madamerotten not in my experience they cannot. even the people that suggest doing this say you have to barely use them before recharging. I think it is better to make a choice. use alkaline batteries for things like clocks or if you do not want to recharge. use NIMH batteries for things that use more power where you do not mind recharging. the new low self discharge nimh batteries like the eneloop or rayovac hybrid are quite good, will hold a charge for years, and priced cheaply (under $2)

[madamerotten]

@bobo888bobo Thanks. I see so many references to recharging alkalines, but as you said, based on your experience, the claims are not very well-founded.

[lapulapu12345]

just change the battery and you can use your old UPS again :)

[scrapkilla321]

"A huge ass transformer"... lol

[XTYNoLuck]

"so what can u do with all this crap?" :))

lol

[PSPGlover]

A person told me I was cheap for taking parts...but if you take things that means he is a douchebag.

[zker666]

I usually only desolder the higher wattage resistors, along with diodes,switches,trasnistors,et­c first, and the little tiny resistors are pretty much a waste of time

[pokerface3699]

So should we ignore the warning on the alkaline batteries?

[reviathon360]

"Huge ass transformer"

[cyborgtroy]

@dingo27mobile - It charges 12volt lead-acids, not alkalines.

but really, he could have replaced the battery and turned it into a brand-new UPS. I did that once or twice because the battery in mine keeps dying. >:(

[circles122345]

I have 2pcs battery car which is 12v each, then is this possible that i can replace my ups battery into car battery? thanks

[Applez00800]

@circles122345 - No. When car batteries charge, they let off toxic gases. UPS units use sealed lead-acid batteries that do not let off these toxic fumes.

[GGigabiteM]

@Applez00800 Car batteries release hydrogen gas, not toxic. About the only thing hydrogen would do is explode or asphyxiate someone if placed in a enclosed area with no ventilation.

[jasoneyes01]

Recyling at it's finest!

[sirmasterpimp]

LOL, my ups failed a few weeks ago and I almost did this project. I took it apart and saw that only one little 2 amp 200 volt diode was bad. Instead of loose a ups, I went to radioshack, spend a dollar and within 30 minutes had my ups working again. I guess this project would be good if you want to turn an obsolete ups into useful parts.

[sirmasterpimp]

lose, not loose haha

[maclover201]

My battery had a huge crack in it too. I'm not kidding, that thing never worked.

[szlamx]

I love scavenging for parts. :)

[Aleksa809]

or you get a big ass car battery and wire it to the ups and run your computer for days and not minutes on that thing

[Aleksa809]

but that is all dc power,for some things you need ac

[GaryH315223]

That is when i rely on the electric company :D

[Halo2maniaccc]

@Aleksa809 That's where a handy little device called an inverter comes into play. They take the 10v to 14v DC power and convert it to 115v + AC power to run all sorts of things. You can pick them up at walmart or autozone for your car power port. Simply plug it into the car and plug your AC device into the connector on the unit and your in business...........endless power

[wwjoshdew]

@Halo2maniaccc haha! I am using a 12v battery from a UPS thing, and running stuff off of it right now with a 400w inverter from walmart! I like it!

[Technoguy3]

@GaryH315223 Car batteries must have been expensive...?

[GaryH315223]

@Technoguy3

Yea, cost a small fortune, but it is worth it. I would hate to be left without power when we need it most.

[angelface22322]

@GaryH315223

Why do you need the power the most at the precise moment it goes out?

Get a battery operated vibrator instead. A lot cheaper!

[barryburketv]

@GaryH315223

fair play to you with the solar panel but....

wouldn't the battery discharged themselves after a while :L

[GaryH315223]

@barryburketv

no, the solar panels stop gathering energy once the batteries are at capacity.

[barryburketv]

@GaryH315223 would you not need 50 solar panels connected at all times?

[ThePucko97]

@GaryH315223 How do you conver the DC current into AC so it can be used with regular 110/230v equipment?

[cjmitz]

@GaryH315223 and your house is now running on DC?

[iFuhrer]

@GaryH315223 Your house will light even brighter when it explodes.

[cyberbuddy707]

@GaryH315223 Car batteries have DC current, home appliances use AC current. Lol

[sirmasterpimp]

It would only run for a few hours (like 4 with a car battery). He would need around 4 deep cycle 150+ ah each batteries to have a computer with a small power supply run for days. I'm cheap, so I probably would have just spent the $20 to replace the little SLA battery already in the ups. I just have a small ups like that so I can start the generator by time the battery in it dies.

[maclover201]

Afroman, what's the model of the CPU inside this UPS?

[3yE]

It's probably an OTP microcontroller, most likely a 8051.

[dingo27mobile]

@maclover201 it is only some (charging) IC,not CPU

[maclover201]

@dingo27mobile It's a microcontroller. There's a ceramic oscillator and serial port.

[maclover201]

Damn, I smashed mine after taking out the lead-acid battery. I had the same model and everything :/

[synthmonger]

5 stars buddy!

[dropdeadsed]

my ups battery ate itself, now I'm tempted to do this because I'm prowling through the junk pile for FETs etc but I don't want to give up my super-heavy power strip with orange & green blinky light

[Speedster159]

Now i will take apart all my dead gadgets mostly electronics of course

[Anonymous5125]

probably could make a similar rig with a power supply

[Ryuuken24]

Good tutorials ! Could you take on an IC tutorial, basic used ones ?

[stopglobalswarming]

I find those large SLA batteries for $5 each, from a battery refurbisher/surplus store. They come from medical equipment and have to be disposed of even if they are fine, because of expiration dates. A new one is maybe $25 from Batteries Plus. (screw them!)

[sciencoking]

i alwas desolder all the components from broken circuit boards and play with them on my breadboard... a few months ago i found a binary counter o_O

[angelface22322]

@sciencoking

WOW!!!

So now your sex life is complete!!!

[sciencoking]

@angelface22322 ... wat?

[angelface22322]

@sciencoking

"wat?" vat?

I mean, no sex life is complete without a binary counter.

.

[sciencoking]

@angelface22322 uh, sure.