Hey everyone! I recently bought an APC RT 6000VA UPS and initially intended to use it as an inverter for a future solar setup (I don't have solar panels yet, but I'm considering it). I just discovered that this UPS requires 16 batteries that are 12V each, summing up to 192V DC. I'm really confused about how I can charge this off solar power because I can't find any DC-DC converters that output more than 90V. Am I out of luck? I thought it used an RBC44 battery kit that operates at 48V, but now it seems I was misinformed. Can anyone give me some advice?
2 Answers
Unfortunately, while the UPS is running, you can't safely charge those batteries with an external source, especially since lead-acid batteries have their own limitations. If you were aiming to have an inverter/battery setup akin to a UPS, you might want to reconsider your approach. For solar, you could explore more suited systems that won’t complicate things as much!
You’re not alone in the confusion! It's true, according to the datasheet, the UPS runs on 192V DC, which complicates things for solar charging. The most practical solution for keeping this thing powered is to charge it through the grid while using it as intended. Honestly, using a UPS for solar isn't usually cost-effective since they aren't built for that purpose and don’t have the right battery-to-inverter ratio you'd need for off-grid setups. It's probably best to look towards dedicated solar inverters instead!
Yeah, I get where you’re coming from. It’s shocking that they made it operate at such high voltage. Seems like it’s a bit of a design choice that doesn’t pair well with solar!
I’ve been thinking about possible workarounds myself. If you did consider using DC-DC converters, you'd need to ensure they have separate grounds. But even then, it's a tricky path and not ideal.