Posts from Sunday, May 22nd, 2005

While I was in Japan, my old APC BF 250 UPS up and died.  I’m not sure if I unplugged it without turning it off and thus killed the battery, or what exactly, but the end result is that it was dead dead dead.

Once I got back, I checked around to find out what I might do for a replacement.  Over at the APC site, I discovered that they sell replacement batteries and charge kits, even for old units like mine, but both options are more expensive than a brand new unit.  Even better, they have a trade-in program.  You tell them what unit you have, and then you get up to a certain number of  volt-amps in replacements.  Seriously.  You can pick multiple low volt-amp units, or one higher-rated unit.  Or maybe one higher and one low.  Whatever works for you, apparently.

So in my case, I traded in a 250vA unit for a 500vA unit, and got 10% off the replacement.  And here’s the best part: part of the trade-in process is that you can send in the old unit for free.  They generate a shipping label for you to print, and once the new unit arrives, you send them the old one.  The disposal of the lead battery is thus their problem, not yours.

If you have an APC unit you’re thinking about replacing, I’d definitely recommend the trade-in program.  You’ll pay more than you would at some on-line stores, perhaps, but what you’ll save in having them take the old unit off your hands more than makes up for it, if you ask me.