Today's Craig's List Find

Thought some folks might find this interesting. On Friday a person on my local Craig's List posted some old CRT monitors & battery backup/UPS (uninterruptible power supplies)...no info if the battery backups worked or not.

The sellers photo showed 5 UPS's. I didn't hear anything back from the seller...so I figured they were gone. Today (Monday) three days later...I get an e-mail asking how many did I want & when could I pick them up.

I said that I would take them all...but then (just to confirm)...I asked how many were there. The seller responded seventeen (17)...to myself I was like "holy smokes"! I said could I come look at them & take as many as I was interested in...seller said ok.

Long story short...there ended up being nineteen (19) of them. Turns out the seller (a medium sized business) just wanted to get rid of them for free to make some space for a new conference room. I said ok...I'll take them all (when somethings free...you just don't need to ask too many questions or be picky)!

Almost all of them are APC brand. The three "monsters" are APC model 2200's (one is a 2200XL). These "beasts" weigh over 50 kilos (110 pounds) each...so a BIG pain to carry & move. I know that these are a discontinued model...but from what I could find they originally sold for like $1200-$1500 bucks each...and replacement battery cells are something like $400-$500 (maybe more, which I'm of course not going to purchase).

I haven't really tested many of them to see if the battery cells are dead, half dead, or maybe still serviceable. I'm currently charging one of the 2200's...and is currently at 50% charge.

If anyone has any knowledge or personal experience with these big 2200's I would love to hear what you know about them.

Thanks,

- Nick

The big boys last forever!! APC makes a heck of a product, and they are very durable. The big batteries will cost about $350 from APC, and the small ones are much less. Keep in mind that you can get trade in value for these from APC toward a brand new unit. They will send you the label, you box and drop for shipping. This could be a great way for you to get a nice UPS or 10 ;D for your house. Head out to the APC store and you can get a value on the trades.

JohnCL said:

The big boys last forever!! APC makes a heck of a product, and they are very durable. The big batteries will cost about $350 from APC, and the small ones are much less. Keep in mind that you can get trade in value for these from APC toward a brand new unit. They will send you the label, you box and drop for shipping. This could be a great way for you to get a nice UPS or 10 ;D for your house. Head out to the APC store and you can get a value on the trades.

Click to expand...

Hey...that's some awesome info!!

I'm guessing that the APC trade-in program is one old unit per one new unit...or (if you know) does APC allow someone to trade-in multiple units (get the cumulative trade-in value) towards 1-2 new units?

I'm surprised about the shipping...since these things (even the small ones are pretty heavy)! I'll have to see if there's a APC store near me.

Regarding the model 2200's...and lasting forever. Two of the units have a label on them...that the batteries were replaced back in 2004. Hopefully they still have some life in them.

Thanks a ton for the info,

- Nick

p.s. Just went to the APC website...says up to a 25% discount with the trade-in program.

pigoo3 said:

Hey...that's some awesome info!!

I'm guessing that the APC trade-in program is one old unit per one new unit...or (if you know) does APC allow someone to trade-in multiple units (get the cumulative trade-in value) towards 1-2 new units?

I'm surprised about the shipping...since these things (even the small ones are pretty heavy)! I'll have to see if there's a APC store near me.

Regarding the model 2200's...and lasting forever. Two of the units have a label on them...that the batteries were replaced back in 2004. Hopefully they still have some life in them.

Thanks a ton for the info,

- Nick

Click to expand...

I traded 3 old units for one new model. If I remember right you have to buy a new one in line with the VA ratings of the ones you are trading. For instance, you could trade a couple of 350's and get a new 700 and save some $$$. APC doesn't want their product in the land fill, so they are really accommodating.

I always do it all online. Go to the APC website and click the battery replace link and it will take you to the screen to get pricing. It will give the option to the TradeUP program there too, and that is where you enter model and serial #'s to get the value. They will email you a PDF with the shipping info and you are all set.

I just retired a few 2200's late last year that have been in service since the late 90's. Never once had any issues other than batteries.

JohnCL said:

I traded 3 old units for one new model. If I remember right you have to buy a new one in line with the VA ratings of the ones you are trading. For instance, you could trade a couple of 350's and get a new 700 and save some $$$. APC doesn't want their product in the land fill, so they are really accommodating.

Click to expand...

When you traded in those 3 units...do you remember if you saved more than 25% on the new unit?

Here's the details on the trade-in program from the APC site:

Program features include:

- You may trade in your old UPS(s) regardless of brand, for a new 1-phase UPS(s) with a full 2 year warranty
- Receive up to a 25% discount on the purchase of a brand new model
- Take advantage of additional discount offers on all APC accessories with your trade-in. Save up to 30% off!
- Upgrade to four times (4x) the VA of current model(s)
- New UPS models are more energy efficient
- Trade-in multiple units with each order
- FREE return shipping of old battery backup unit(s)
- APC provides proper ecological disposal and recycling of your old battery backup unit(s) - FREE of charge

It does seem like a VERY good program!!! Thanks again for the info.

- Nick

If I remember right the gauge over on the left (in TradeUps page) kept going up as I added the additional UPS's. But as I added trade in units my requirement for purchase also went up, so I had to buy the bigger unit. I ended up with a monster that needed 2 people to carry!

So if there wasn't a trade-in program in place, I'm curious what other uses you had in place for all those? Very nice find, keep us updated!

iWhat said:

So if there wasn't a trade-in program in place, I'm curious what other uses you had in place for all those? Very nice find, keep us updated!

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Well...there wasn't really a plan. Kind of like jumping off a cliff...THEN worrying about a parachute!!! Ha ha!

But seriously...with Craig's List (as you may know) you have to act fast...or you lose out. Of course I didn't need to take them all...but the seller seemed like they just wanted to get rid of all of them ASAP to the first person interested. And besides...many of the battery cells may be dead...so I thought that I would have to test...find the good cells...and combine them into a couple-few good UPS units.

I'm sure there will be a fair number of dead battery cells...so regardless, I'll have to find a battery recycling place...and then toss the metal housings into the recycle bin.

- Nick

JohnCL said:

If I remember right the gauge over on the left (in TradeUps page) kept going up as I added the additional UPS's. But as I added trade in units my requirement for purchase also went up, so I had to buy the bigger unit. I ended up with a monster that needed 2 people to carry!

Click to expand...

Yeah...I did a little experimenting with the trade-in/purchase site. Turns out you can only trade up...and not trade down. So if you trade in a 2200 model...you MUST purchase a new unit that has a capacity from 2200 to 8800 capacity. If you enter two 2200's...then you must buy between 4400 to 17,600 capacity.

A new 2200 unit is around $1025 bucks...you get around a $162 discount for the old 2200 unit...so you pay around $863. Way too much for my needs!

- Nick

Makes sense. I traded way up, so it was no biggie.

You should just trade them all in and get a Symmetra unit and you can run most of (if not all) the house!

What I want to know Nick, is how you're making room in your home for all those UPS units and the Mac museum you have?

chscag said:

What I want to know Nick, is how you're making room in your home for all those UPS units and the Mac museum you have?

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Sssh...keep it down...if you speak too loudly the wife will hear!!!

- Nick

ROFL. My wife has been after me to get the attic and garage cleaned out now that the weather is warm. Not only that, but we've got stuff stacked about at our business location that should be cleaned out too. Probably going to have to hire some folks with strong backs to do the heavy work. (I'm getting to old for the muscle stuff.)

Sheesh, hoarders really comes to mind
Worst comes to worst, I guess you have some interesting lamp tables and heavy duty paperweights

6string said:

Sheesh, hoarders really comes to mind
Worst comes to worst, I guess you have some interesting lamp tables and heavy duty paperweights

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I'm going to have to see how many of these things really still work (hold a charge). If the battery cells in most of them are dead...then they're certainly going to be recycled.

Now if most of them work (most of the 19)...and I kept them...then "someone" may have a problem!

- Nick

WOW! Congratulations on one heck of a find! This is the reason why I sift through the CL listing!