Hi everyone,
Long time reader, first time writer.
Through work I have happened upon heaps of old UPS units from a disused data center. The units are ridiculously large. They measure about two double fridges in width. That does not include batteries as they were connected to two banks of batteries that each took up a room the size of banquet halls. 😱
Is there any parts in such equipment that can be used for diy audio?
I opened one of them and found, among other things, a bank of 54 electrolytic Epcos capacitors rated 500v 3900uF. They are, as everything else there, huge. If size is not a problem, can these be used in a power supply for a power amp?
There was also a “ABL8RPS24100 - AC-DC CONVERTER, DIN RAIL, 1 O/P, 240W, 10A, 24V”. This can be tuned to put out between 21-28 V DC. Would this be any good for a chipamp perhaps?
Also, there were quite a few large 3-phase transformers, but they did not state any input/output voltage.
Does any of you diy-wizards have any input/insight as to the usability of this?
Best regards,
McLure
Long time reader, first time writer.
Through work I have happened upon heaps of old UPS units from a disused data center. The units are ridiculously large. They measure about two double fridges in width. That does not include batteries as they were connected to two banks of batteries that each took up a room the size of banquet halls. 😱
Is there any parts in such equipment that can be used for diy audio?
I opened one of them and found, among other things, a bank of 54 electrolytic Epcos capacitors rated 500v 3900uF. They are, as everything else there, huge. If size is not a problem, can these be used in a power supply for a power amp?
There was also a “ABL8RPS24100 - AC-DC CONVERTER, DIN RAIL, 1 O/P, 240W, 10A, 24V”. This can be tuned to put out between 21-28 V DC. Would this be any good for a chipamp perhaps?
Also, there were quite a few large 3-phase transformers, but they did not state any input/output voltage.
Does any of you diy-wizards have any input/insight as to the usability of this?
Best regards,
McLure
Some people may say that electrolytic caps often work better above about 80% of their rated voltage. At 3900uF, normal voltage caps are cheap so these probably aren't of much use.
I'd take the transformers in for scrap and use the money.
The 24V power supplies would be OK for a 25W amp but may require some additional filtering to avoid noise.
I'd take the transformers in for scrap and use the money.
The 24V power supplies would be OK for a 25W amp but may require some additional filtering to avoid noise.
One of these caps alone should be good enough for about 3 kW worth of SMPS - on the primary side, that is. (I'm basing that on PC power supplies with 470 µF or so.) Probably not of too much use for things domestic unless you are repairing modern-day lightweight high-power PA amps on a regular basis. (Even then, the primary side caps tend to be among the most long-lived ones in 230V~ territory, they're just not awfully stressed.)
I imagine the caps would still be something to someone, they can't be too cheap.
3-phase transformers aren't exactly the kind of thing you'd need in a normal power amplifier either, I'm afraid. That said, if you find a nice size transformer that just doesn't deliver the right voltages, there's still the option of having it rewound. Even the materials for a large transformer aren't that cheap.
I imagine the caps would still be something to someone, they can't be too cheap.
3-phase transformers aren't exactly the kind of thing you'd need in a normal power amplifier either, I'm afraid. That said, if you find a nice size transformer that just doesn't deliver the right voltages, there's still the option of having it rewound. Even the materials for a large transformer aren't that cheap.
I doubt there would be anything generally usable, but you haven't provided any photos, and only identified 3 parts, so not much to go on.
I've found that rack mount UPS can have useful items, such as the ubiquitous 470uF 450V (or there abouts) electrolytics, and 4.7 to 10uF poly caps that can have a DCV rating up to about 760V.
I've found that rack mount UPS can have useful items, such as the ubiquitous 470uF 450V (or there abouts) electrolytics, and 4.7 to 10uF poly caps that can have a DCV rating up to about 760V.
I found the 80 foot 90,000 horsepower engine from a large cargo ship. Can I make household clothes-washers and lawn-mowers from it?
(Around here this is not SO silly. My neighbor, who is not young, and has health problems, is looking for a good price on a chevy 454ci (7.4 liter) engine, for his one-ton rat-rod. I guess the 350/5.7l he has in it is not enough power for him.)
(Around here this is not SO silly. My neighbor, who is not young, and has health problems, is looking for a good price on a chevy 454ci (7.4 liter) engine, for his one-ton rat-rod. I guess the 350/5.7l he has in it is not enough power for him.)
Ages ago the company I worked for wanted to sell a large and heavy UPS (fridge size) that was made up of 4 discreet modules. I offered to remove it for free and they agreed.
Inside was a stack of parts including dozens of IRFP450's plus relays, regulators and decent sized caps. I also kept the wiring loom and heatsinks plus most of the nuts and bolts.
I dumped the PCBs and chassis.
The IRF450's started my N-Mosfet amplifier projects that also used cut-offs from the heatsinks and the many metres of cable.
So if you have the time it could be very useful.
Inside was a stack of parts including dozens of IRFP450's plus relays, regulators and decent sized caps. I also kept the wiring loom and heatsinks plus most of the nuts and bolts.
I dumped the PCBs and chassis.
The IRF450's started my N-Mosfet amplifier projects that also used cut-offs from the heatsinks and the many metres of cable.
So if you have the time it could be very useful.
Definitely grab hold of heatsinks. Alu is not cheap, and those Data Centre UPSs have big mother of heatsinks. If the UPS has been kicked out and replaced, one can be pretty certain that they are not economically repairable. Components, I personally would be careful of re-using them. Grab hold of any inductors - there will probably be a good amount of them inside, and bus bars. Depending on the size/rating of the trafos they may very well be worth hanging on to them too. Scrap metal for the rest.
i guess they replace them despite them still working as they been on for x hours, and they dont want them to fail.
i got ups out of skips that worked for 10years. when when one failed, it failed badly and i ended up killing a few pc power supplies. it was no longer outputting 240v but half that. so the pc psu’s where working 2x as hard -double the current-, which i guess is what killed them. i thought it was the old pc psu’s that where at there end of function before i realised i should test the ups doh!
other wise got years of use and saved me from a number of short power cuts.
using the 2rd freebie ups right now 😉
i got ups out of skips that worked for 10years. when when one failed, it failed badly and i ended up killing a few pc power supplies. it was no longer outputting 240v but half that. so the pc psu’s where working 2x as hard -double the current-, which i guess is what killed them. i thought it was the old pc psu’s that where at there end of function before i realised i should test the ups doh!
other wise got years of use and saved me from a number of short power cuts.
using the 2rd freebie ups right now 😉