Looking for a flat UPS battery with a real-time on screen display, easy replaceable battery, etc.

[ant_apc]

Does one exists? I have a decade old APC Back-UPS ES-750(BE750G) with its dead battery #2, but I don't like its lack of detailed status on its physical device like my vertical APC Back-UPS XS 1500 (model: BX1500G). Also, I hated how replacing its batteries are difficult due to short red and black cables. I like the tall tower UPS' batteries that can be removed and installed without any cables. However, I don't want the tower one though since the area I want to put it has little height room (9"). I would also like to have it hold up to 600 watts under heavy loads.

Thank you for reading and hopefully answering. 🙂

[robmir_apc · Accepted solution]

Been there I quite understand you.

Now  I am using the SMX-1000  series which can be set either vertically as a tower or horizontally taking about 3 1/2" high in horizontal position. 

Pros:  very easy to replace the internal battery pack ( at end of life you can open the battery pack and upgrade it's original 4 internal 7.2 Ah batteries with 4 of  9 Ah which are the same size and would provide you  more reserve time). They are expandable, at the rear they have a plug to add one or more of  it's  APC matching external battery packs which are the same size and design as the SMX-1000.  They are PFC friendly and way better than your old UPS and if you add the network card you can remotely configure and control it from any computer on your network.

Cons: not so cheap if you buy it new and a new APC external battery module in my opinion is too expensive so I would buy this external battery refurbished ( resellers just  put new batteries on them) for half the price and I don't care if the case has some scratches as long as the batteries are new. 

[ant_apc]

Thanks Roberto. Wow, that is expensive and fancy. Yeah, I don't need all those fancy features (USB, network, expanded battery, etc.) for a simple back up battery like my old one. I wonder why APC and others don't make flat designs with on screens for consumers at lower prices.  😉

I wonder if I can safely use the APC towers flat.

[robmir_apc]

If your take your time searching on eBay, you could find good deals on used SMX-1000 series. Unfortunately many companies went under and had to sell their equipment.  Zoom the rear pictures and try detail the serial number were the first 2 digits are the year and the second 2 digits are the month of fabrication. Of course the newer the better ( avoid any serial were the first 2 digits are lower than 12 )

[robmir_apc]

You can look also for a "not so fancy" used SMT-1500 which is less than 9" tall ,  easy to replace it's battery by pulling the front plastic panel, removing 2 screws of the metal front plate to release it ,   slide out it's battery pack and unplug it's fast connector. I like it more than the SMT-1000 because the 1500  have bigger batteries with more reserve time but also came with a cooling fan.