Need a new wee UPS for router

I have had an Eaton 3S Mini UPS for about 20 months and its died.

It did work and I have tested it. But last week it failed to protect my router during a brief power cut. It seems to say the batteries are very low. Now I read the Amazon reviews it seems this is a well known problem.

While I make a fuss and try to get a replacement, what alternatives are there? This only needs to protect a router, other devices have their own full size UPS.

Or, it may be possible to replace the batteries in the Eaton?

Thanks

I would have a look at what type of batteries it uses. I would have thought it will either be some type of flat LiPo of a bunch of 18650's today as they are more efficient but could be a small 12v lead acid.

They don't last forever but most manufacturers cut corners and use non-premium cells.

I picked this up from Aliexpress and fully expect to replace the battery pack at some point but it does look to be very well made to be fair.

https://imgur.com/iSSU8zT

https://imgur.com/HSkQQ55

Edited by smouty (Mon 25-Mar-24 16:42:22)

In reply to a post by Woolwich:

I have had an Eaton 3S Mini UPS for about 20 months and its died.

snip

Or, it may be possible to replace the batteries in the Eaton?

Thanks

I've got an APC UPS. When the battery failed a few years ago the digital display said 'replace battery' so I did some Googling and ordered a new battery.
When it came I found that there appeared to be no way to open the case. I rang APC with the intention of returning the battery and being refunded but I finished up speaking to a man in Holland, who directed me to a YouTube video that showed how to get the case undone, which I did and the replacement battery has been running satisfactorily ever since. I think the Dutch guy was Googling while he was talking to me.
So my advice to you is to see if you can find any instructions for changing your battery online.

In reply to a post by Woolwich:

... it may be possible to replace the batteries in the Eaton?

Looking at the documents on the Eaton website -

This - Eaton 3S Mini 36W BS
says that "Battery replacement = User replaceable"

and on page 16 of this handbook - Eaton 3S Mini 3SM36 Advanced User Guide
says that - "Battery type = Li-Ion x2 (ICR18650)" and "Battery capacity 3,7 V/2200mAh (x2)"

A quick look on eBay shows that replacement batteries are easily available

Personally Id go for www.nubattery.co.uk or https://www.fogstar.co.uk/ for 18650's
.
Also you will need to know if they are protected/unprotected as they are different lengths

https://battery101.co.uk/ sold me a decent Samsung 18650 when I needed one to replace in my window vac.

Thanks for that.

Good news is Eaton responded quickly and suggested they'll do a warranty replacement. Bad news it their website RMA form is a PITA so I may or may not be getting somewhere.

But at least there's the replacement option if all goes up the creek.

Amazon reviewer suggest there's an inherent fault preventing the cells from deep discharging. But my unit has never been run in 'real life' for more than a few minutes during brief power cuts. So I doubt the cells ever fully discharged. And if they fail after less than two years 'normal' use, that's not really very good. But if new cells are only a few quid, notes bad.

Eaton sent me a new replacement unit, arrived already. So I highly recommend them!

In reply to a post by purleigh:

and on page 16 of this handbook - Eaton 3S Mini 3SM36 Advanced User Guide
says that - "Battery type = Li-Ion x2 (ICR18650)" and "Battery capacity 3,7 V/2200mAh (x2)"

I can't see that quote on the document you linked to nor the one I independently downloaded. What I do see is (page 7)

"Use and Maintenance
There are no user serviceable parts inside the UPS."

In reply to a post by Woolwich:

Eaton sent me a new replacement unit, arrived already. So I highly recommend them!

Maybe from a CS perspective but not from an ecological one. These items should be able to simply replace the battery.

In reply to a post by Woolwich:

In reply to a post by purleigh:

and on page 16 of this handbook - Eaton 3S Mini 3SM36 Advanced User Guide
says that - "Battery type = Li-Ion x2 (ICR18650)" and "Battery capacity 3,7 V/2200mAh (x2)"

I can't see that quote on the document you linked to nor the one I independently downloaded.

Section 7: "Technical Specifications", on page 16.

Looking on Google shows that it just contains a pair of regular 18650 cells in spring terminals, not even soldered to the board. Should replacing the batteries should be trivial.

Very impressed, I'm considering grabbing one myself as my ONT is away from the rest of my networking gear (which is covered by an Eaton 1600VA UPS).

That is a nice little UPS, fotunately, I have a 7kWh unit which should run my network for a while!

In reply to a post by smouty:

Maybe from a CS perspective but not from an ecological one. These items should be able to simply replace the battery.

Agree. But we are where we are. If you know of an alternative I'd try that.

In reply to a post by NeoLojik:

I'm considering grabbing one myself as my ONT is away from the rest of my networking gear (which is covered by an Eaton 1600VA UPS).

Yes, that's why I have this wee UPS. It takes care of the router, the other stuff has its own proper UPS. The two (usually!) work well together with the NAS sending a text to tell me the power has gone off. But only if the router is still on-line...

In reply to a post by candlerb:

Section 7: "Technical Specifications", on page 16.

Ah!, yes, now I have my specs on...

An update:

I bought a couple of batteries and replaced the duds in my 'dead' unit. It's been plugged in charging up for 24 hours - and hasn't. So it looks more like an issue with the electronics controlling charging than dud batteries. No matter, it was a few quid and I'll still have the batteries...

I went through this a couple of years ago and realised that most of these compact UPS devices have non-replaceable (or, at least, tricky to replace) batteries which will, of course, be the first thing to fail.

I bought an Eaton 5SC from eBay for £160 because it has enough oomph to power the router PC, proxmox / HA boxes, core switch and CCTV NVR (and thus the PoE cameras) as well as the VDSL modem, with about 30 mins runtime. It also has a USB port for monitoring (NUT on HA!) and, most importantly of all, uses regular sealed, wet batteries that are cheaply and easily replaceable. The only thing that sucked about it was that the fan was noisy, so I swapped that for a Noctua silent fan and all has been well since.

I appreciate that this isn't what you asked for, but if I was in the market for a device like an Eaton 3S, I would still buy a device like the Eaton 5SC

In reply to a post by daern:

I appreciate that this isn't what you asked for, but if I was in the market for a device like an Eaton 3S, I would still buy a device like the Eaton 5SC

Yes but no! I already have a big UPS with 40 minutes of runtime for a NAS, backup drive, other stuff. Its in a different location from the ONT, so the Eaton 3S is just for that.

In reply to a post by Woolwich:

Yes but no! I already have a big UPS with 40 minutes of runtime for a NAS, backup drive, other stuff. Its in a different location from the ONT, so the Eaton 3S is just for that.

Yeah, I fully get that. I think you got my meaning - I'm not a big fan of these throwaway Li-Ion mini devices and would actively avoid them if I can.

I've actually run a couple of power cables from the UPS to another room (the switches and CCTV are in a different location to the router and other kit) so one UPS can power both lots of kit. For me this is about a 10ft run under the floor (Under stairs -> Boiler room) but I'm guessing this isn't an option for you?

Have you considered moving the ONT either officially, or with one of these fibre extension kits? I presume you already have ethernet between the two anyway, so is it possible to add some fibre as well? This is quite an interesting topic for me as I'm about to get a new fibre install and I want to make sure that my ONT goes where the current BT master socket is (under the stairs) and not in some daft location close to an outside wall where I can't actually get any wires to it.

Edited by daern (Thu 25-Apr-24 17:53:40)

Or you could get a PoE injector and power the ONT over copper from where you already have the UPS.

In reply to a post by candlerb:

Or you could get a PoE injector and power the ONT over copper from where you already have the UPS.

That's a cunning plan I wish you'd suggested before!

I'll put that on my maybe/some day list. Maybe someday when this UPS dies (18 to 20 months away) I'll demand a full set of specs from you!

In reply to a post by daern:

Have you considered moving the ONT either officially, or with one of these fibre extension kits?

No, can't be done. Not without having ugly cables show anyway. No floorboards to run cable under or walls which can be chased out.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/186407811789

These APC units would work but would be DC --> AC -- DC which is not so efficient.