On Wed, Dec 22, 2010 at 10:29:29AM -0800, RParr wrote: > I have an APC SM3000RM3U rackmount UPS that needs new batteries and > refurbishment or recalibrate/repair. > > In the past I have sent such units to Coastal Business Machines for flat > rate refurbishment but they no longer offer that service.
Can C.B.M. suggest a former competitor? If you are a former customer, it would be polite to help you on your way, and if they had competition, they (at least the back room geeks, not the receptionist) probably know who. > Can anyone recommend a local or somewhat local (ie west coast) vendor > that can refurbish or refresh/recalibrate an APC UPS? If you can find the manual online, perhaps an underemployed power engineering graduate of PSU could "calibrate for food". Chances are, all that is necessary is changing the batteries, then making some output and load measurements, verifying spec performance. Unless it has been giving you other troubles, no adjustments are likely to be needed. --- Generalizing this, it would be nice if Portland had a parts and services wiki, where we could add or correct detailed information about who provides what. Just yesterday, a friend was asking about a power cord with a C19 connector, and I successfully pointed him at Surplus Gizmos and PCH Cables. Normally, I have less luck. I have called around locally for items like check valves for condensation pumps, and resorted to $$$ 3 day shipments from Amazon. I know somebody, somewhere in Portland, has a usable check valve or power cord in their parts bin, but finding out who is hard. The next few years will be economically challenging for many of us. We won't be able to afford new replacements, we must repair the old stuff instead. Information about help and materials might really make a difference to our wellbeing. Making local vendors more visible, enabling them to profitably sell low-runner repair items to a couple million locals, would help them prosper and create jobs. It could even lead to the local delivery service we talked about earlier. Imagine a clever person looks at digital photo of a broken item, figures out who has the stuff to fix it, and arranges for the informal delivery network to pick up the broken item at point A, the repair part at point B, deliver them to a repairperson at point C, and return the repaired item back to A. More stuff fixed, less resources used, less repairables in the landfill, etc. Any web designer/providers want to take a stab at that? Keith -- Keith Lofstrom [email protected] Voice (503)-520-1993 KLIC --- Keith Lofstrom Integrated Circuits --- "Your Ideas in Silicon" Design Contracting in Bipolar and CMOS - Analog, Digital, and Scan ICs _______________________________________________ PLUG mailing list [email protected] http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
