mge galaxy 3500/Smart UPS VT battery question

[karbonphiber_apc]

So someone told me that the mge galaxy 3500/Smart UPS VT cannot be used with higher AH, 10 year design life batteries without a good reason. I think this person is full of s**t and I suspect that they can be, but that they cannot be used concurrently with the smaller 7.2Ah, internal batteries due to the battery charger circuit's inability to provide equalized charging to two different sized battery strings.

Can anyone attest to using higher Ah batteries on the mge galaxy 3500/Smart UPS VT?

Message was edited by: karbonphiber

[BillP]

Hi,

1. Information:

First, this UPS can work with external 3rd battery. But how much Amp it's depend on the battery charged (size of UPS), if you put too much, after UPS restart to charge the battery, the charger may be blown down.

Typical 100Ah (C20 is ok). You will see each smart battery module (4 set per module) = 7.2Ahr and they can connect up to 4 external smart battery cabinet(6 module per cabinnet). So max may be 7.2Ahr*6*4 Ah is the maximum support for this UPS.

2. Connection :

You look at the back side of UPS and will see the terminal with BAT +, BAT - and common battery (Ground).

So the connection should be + 0 - (3 wire) and you can use 32 to 34 battery block 12V per string.
Please get the correct wiring size to prevent : DC voltage drop < 1% (if cable lenght > 15m) and support largest current. Refere to install manual.

3. Configuration
You need declar Ampe hours (@C20 parameter) for your battery system to UPS.

You go to menu Setup/other.

Key the Amper hours to UPS.

Do a selftest action.


Keep the battery full charged and do the calibration in control menu with 25% load. Its' will make the UPS display runtime correct.

[upsguy_apc]

No you cannot use the SYBTU2 batteries which is the new higher AH rated battery in the Symmetra PX/SUVT/3500. These UPS use the SYBTU1 battery. The same is also true that you cannot use the old SYBTU1in the PX500 and PX100, both of these use the new SYBTU2. The good reason is because you can't and they won't work.

I wouldn't be too concerned with the battery lifetime difference either. The expected lifetime of the SYBTU2 battery is very similar to the SYBTU1 5-8 years.

http://www.apcmedia.com/salestools/BMOE-7PDSSB_R1_EN.pdf

So for a recap

Symmetra PX 20-40-80(not sure if on PX's outside of NAM), SUVT, Galaxy 3500 : SYBTU1 7.2AH batt
Symmetra PX100 - PX250/500 : SYBTU2 9ah

[BillP]

Jason,

There are, among others, physical considerations of using the higher Ah battery with SUVT. The battery cartridge simply won't fit; it's bigger than the cabinet is designer to accept.

From a theoretical standpoint you probably could use just about any battery with similar charging characteristics. As it is, adding parallel strings to the SUVT produces a battery plant with a higher overall Ah rating.
In practice the SYBT4 battery string is going to be the most cost effective.

[karbonphiber_apc]

upsguy, mfitzsimmons - thanks for your responses but sorry, let me qualify my what I am asking here. Could I use an MGE Galaxy 3500 or Smart UPS VT with a 3rd party battery system that is designed with the appropriate number of battery blocks (32 blocks with a neutral connection), 100Ah batteries, appropriate sized DC, 3p breaker, and connect it to the external battery input terminals on the UPS system?

[upsguy_apc]

I've found the mention of external Large AH batteries being able to be used with these UPS and there is a menu option for external AH rating. I'm still looking as to how the controls would be connected to the UPS though. Will get back once I've found a better answer.

[BillP · Accepted solution]

Yes, you could connect a third party battery plant to the SUVT.
As mentioned in another post on the same topic; you will gain run-time, but the battery plant will be unmanaged.
There are commercially available battery plants with the correct configuration.