UPS Headaches

General discussions and other topics.
14 posts Page 1 of 2
by Tim » Tue Aug 04, 2020 12:15 pm
The recent email from Sonice reminding me that my phone won't work in a power outage has me working again to solve my battery backup problem. We purchase the PS18L UPS when we did our installation. This is good for ~8 hours and was all that was offered at the time. Now they offer the PS36L, which is good for up to 24 hrs, but only to new customers. Does anyone know where I can buy the PS-36L UPS at retail? It is not on Amazon, not on eBay, and every internet supplier I've contacted doesn't sell retail.
I'm not interested in getting a traditional UPS that would convert 110 to 12v, 12v back to 110, and then the ONT power supply would convert 110 back to 12v.
Eventually I'll need to do something. The battery in the PS18L will need to be replaced in a few years. I don't know why Sonic won't sell the UPS or even just the replacement batteries to their customers.
So, to wrap up this rant, does anyone know where I can buy a 12v only UPS that will last ~24 hours?

Thanks
by tony.b » Wed Aug 05, 2020 12:06 pm
Hi there Tim,

I am sorry for the confusion around the Fiber battery backup systems and why we do not offer replacement systems or batteries. We offer the backups as a one time purchase for new customers who have not had the chance to purchase their own yet, we do not have a supply of replacements or batteries for the units that we sell, once they are purchased from us they are completely customer-owned devices.
I know that it's probably not the answer that you are wanting to hear, but there are some great battery backups on amazon or through a specialty site like Staples or PSI. I am sorry that we are not able to offer the sale of the new battery backups to existing customers, it is something that I am going to be triple checking for you with my managers to see if it would be an option down the road for customers and I will be reaching out through this post if I get any information.

Thank you again for reaching out and I hope you have a great day,
Tony Sonic Supervisor
by ewhac » Thu Aug 06, 2020 12:51 pm
We offer the backups as a one time purchase for new customers who have not had the chance to purchase their own yet, we do not have a supply of replacements or batteries for the units that we sell, once they are purchased from us they are completely customer-owned devices.
Guys, surely you must realize that, on the surface, that sounds really lame. The batteries eventually wear out -- PSI only rates them for a ten year lifespan and, for the most part, doesn't do direct sales, instead going through resellers and (*ahem*) service providers.

That said... I just visited PSI's product page for the PS18L-U2, and I find it just a little weird that nowhere do they quote battery capacity in milliamp-hours. They mumble something about 18 Watts continuous power, but don't actually mention a specific time or capacity at that power draw. 18W at 12V is 1.5 Amps. So if the eight hour claim is based on a 1.5A draw, that suggests a battery capacity a bit north of 12000mAh, which is in the ballpark for a LIon battery of that physical size. However, the data sheet for the Adtran 411 ONT claims that the power draw is less than 4 Watts, which is 333mA at 12V. So dividing 12000mAh by 333mA gives us 36 hours.

Obviously the only way to be sure about any of this is to test it.

[Edited: My previous arithmetic was wrong.]
by Tim » Sat Aug 08, 2020 10:22 am
Thanks for the answer Tony. I’ve done a lot of online searching and have not found a great batty backup for a fttx system anywhere retail. Do you have a make/model of a 12v DC output ups that is available retail? On eBay I see some CyberPower 12v fttx units. It would be helpful if your technical team could suggest a compatible CyberPower 12v output model that would provide extended backup. I might be wrong, but I consider a 110v ups a “baling wire” solution and I’d rather have a purpose-built solution.
I continue to be befuddled that Sonic doesn’t want to do more to enable their customers to maintain phone/internet service during power outages. Any help you can give me is appreciated
by zep127 » Sat Aug 08, 2020 5:09 pm
Would something like this be suitable? https://www.amazon.com/TalentCell-Unint ... 445&sr=8-7
by zep127 » Sat Aug 08, 2020 5:09 pm
Would something like this be suitable? https://www.amazon.com/TalentCell-Unint ... 445&sr=8-7
by virtualmike » Sat Aug 08, 2020 5:15 pm
I'd make the alternate argument that a 110v UPS is more practical, as it can be used for more than a battery that keeps a router alive for a few hours.

A standalone UPS can be used to keep anything powered. In my case (with Fusion IPBB), it powers the router/modem, the ATA, and the cordless phone. I haven't done so yet, but I may plug my Google Nest Hub into it, as well.

I went to Costco and bought the CyberPower UPS they had on the shelf. If I'd had the time to shop and investigate more thoroughly, I might have saved a few dollars, but I also knew that Costco would stand behind the product if there were any issues.

According to the unit's display, I'm good for 10+ hours of service if the power goes out. Yeah, a bit of overkill since I'm in an area that's low risk for PSPS, but one never knows when there may be some other event that causes an extended shutoff. If necessary, I can plug other devices into it (with the understanding they would eat into that 10-hour window),

Technology keeps changing, and I'd hate to invest a significant amount of money into a battery or power supply specific to a router that may end up getting changed in a few years. As well, my needs will continually change, and instead of buying UPS units for each item of technology, I'd rather have one that gives me the flexibility to change the technology I'm using without limiting myself because a particular piece of new technology isn't compatible with the backup solution I have.

As a bonus, this particular UPS has two USB ports, so I can even keep my mobile devices charged if needed.
by Sonic User » Sat Aug 08, 2020 6:27 pm
CyberPower has a list on on their website along with the reseller link which includes Amazon and Best Buy. The DTC36U12V model is 36W which should be similar to what you have. The battery is user replaceable but is a sealed lead acid.

https://www.cyberpowersystems.com/produ ... put=12-vdc
https://www.cyberpowersystems.com/reseller-search/

P.S.
Just remember even if you have backup it may not help. I have Sonic through AT&T (FTTN) along with my own UPS. Last year during the PG&E shutdown, my UPS worked great but during the outage I had no internet. No problem, use my cell phone right? Nope, couldn't use cell phone for over 2 days because the towers didn't have backup.

Tim wrote:Thanks for the answer Tony. I’ve done a lot of online searching and have not found a great batty backup for a fttx system anywhere retail. Do you have a make/model of a 12v DC output ups that is available retail? On eBay I see some CyberPower 12v fttx units. It would be helpful if your technical team could suggest a compatible CyberPower 12v output model that would provide extended backup. I might be wrong, but I consider a 110v ups a “baling wire” solution and I’d rather have a purpose-built solution.
I continue to be befuddled that Sonic doesn’t want to do more to enable their customers to maintain phone/internet service during power outages. Any help you can give me is appreciated
by ewhac » Sat Aug 08, 2020 7:21 pm
12 Volts is 12 Volts; the only difficult part is a compatible power connector. It turns out there's another popular device that typically runs on 12V DC, and which you don't want konking out if the power dies in the middle of the night -- a CPAP machine.

As a consequence, there's a fair number of DC UPS units marketed for use with CPAPs, but will work just as well with ONTs, DSL modems, and other low-power hardware. And some of them come with a variety of barrel adapters.
by Tim » Mon Aug 10, 2020 7:08 pm
Thanks to all for the excellent suggestions. I now have three good options to check out.
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