woods@weird.com (Greg A. Woods) writes:
> And usually "no-name" batteries are much much cheaper than APC's prices
> (I've found batteries locally that range from 25-50% less, and from a
> very reliable local retailer too, not even wholesale), with the only
> caveat being APC will accept old batteries back for recycling --
> otherwise you have to find your own local recycler or if you're lucky
> your city has a "hazardous waste" recycling pickup day.

In California (perhaps the rest of the US???) any place selling
batteries will accept back the old ones.  They even give you $5 for
car-sized battery as an incentive to get the old ones back.

> Most APC batteries have manufacturer's labels with enough information
> for most any retailer/wholesaler to find matching models.  It took me a
> bit longer to find the specs for my Best ME1.4K's battery as it had only
> a Best label and the Best part number was even obsolete....  ;-)

On can also just put a bigger (and cheaper) battery in there.  The
buzzword one wants to look for is "deep discharge".

   180 reserve cranking hours deep discharge: $80  Sears/OSH
        (95 AHrs battery)

With California's energy scam that is going on now, I've been sorely
tempted to get one of those larger batteries which should be able to
run my laptop for 5 days or the athlon for 2.6 hours. ;-)

-wolfgang
-- 
       Wolfgang Rupprecht <wolfgang+gnus@dailyplanet.wsrcc.com>
		    http://www.wsrcc.com/wolfgang/
Coming soon: GPS mapping tools for Open Systems. http://www.gnomad-mapping.com/