TEARDOWN: Eaton Powerware 5115 1000VA USB 230V - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: cte7ds
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 09, 2012, 06:07:36 pm
content: Took some pictures from inside. Looks fairly decent apart from the Jamicon electrolytics. I would love to get my hands on the schematics so I could mod this with a beefier battery charger. Also if someone knows how this thing works, would be really helpful.

author: robrenz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 09, 2012, 06:14:42 pm
content: Interesting, what are you using to paste the random shots together?

author: cte7ds
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 09, 2012, 06:43:32 pm
content: Quote from: robrenz on November 09, 2012, 06:14:42 pmI just did it manually on ms-paint :-p

author: krish2487
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 09, 2012, 06:50:29 pm
content: It is an online Triple Conversion UPS.Meaning : It converts line AC to +/- 380V DC and then back to 230V.I am assuming you have the sleeker version (without an actual isolation transformer in the output of the UPS)The battery charger is beefy enough. You just need to set the charging current and the battery float voltage from the RS232 connector provided in the back.I have reverse engineered the entire power board and have the schematics somewhere in my office.Gimme a day, I shall scan the docs and upload them here.The microcontroller board is a different issue. a motorola MCS16 series processor driving and providing references for ALL the power stages.It is a decade+ old technology. Virtually all the big names like Eaton, APC, Schneider, MGE all use the same technology (including the power and processor board).I do not recollect the commands and protocols readily. You can mail your local eaton service centre and ask them for the protocols for setting the various parameters of the UPS.I understand you can set O/P voltage(within a certain limit, You CANNOT set 115V for a 230V unit), load trip point, battery charging current etc.And yes, be extremely careful when probing around the UPS.If you read carefully, the mains AC in converted to +/-380V , followed by a half bridge output stage. Which means there is NO isolation for the UPS. Probe the wrong point or with the wrong point as ground reference for your oscope probe and you have expensive scrap to say the least.PS: Just noticed the transformer picture.Is that connected at the output of the inverter or the AC input?I am almost sure it is in the output and not the input.If it is in the output, the above safety issues regarding isolation still hold true.

author: cte7ds
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 09, 2012, 07:38:16 pm
content: Quote from: krish2487 on November 09, 2012, 06:50:29 pmNever heard about Triple Conversion UPS. It is listed as a Line-interactive UPS with Buck and Boost voltage trimming capabilityQuoteI've heard of APC having magic serial commands to set charging characteristics but never anything about Eaton products having such awesome features, but it makes sense they would have it also. I wonder how many amps the charger could pump outQuoteThat would be extremely helpful!QuoteHehe, hopefully I'll be able to get through their end-user support and talk to someone who can get into much more detail. :pQuoteHaving it behind a mains isolation transformer helps a bit. There is also the fun 150VAC component present between the battery terminals and earth. It's annoying to say at the very least :pQuoteIt's quite hard to say, there are so many relays :[ The transformer has only 3 wires going into itQuote

author: krish2487
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 09, 2012, 08:04:37 pm
content: Well... scratch all what i said.a Line-interactive UPS is a different ball game altogether.I was under the impression that you were showing pictures of a online UPS.There are three different topologies for a UPS system.Offline, Line-interactive and a online UPS system.An offline UPS system simply comes into picture only and only when main fails.When mains is present then the UPS only charges the battery.A line - interactive UPS is similar to an offline UPS except it has multiple taps in the transformer output and the associated relays on the PCB to buck-boost the incoming mains to a relatively constant output.(Think HP E36xx series power supply, with its dual range. It switches between multiple transformer taps to allow multiple output ranges for the same terminals)The fundamental difference between a online UPS system and offline/avr is that the UPS is ALWAYS active in the online topology.There is no concept of transfer time. The power to the load is always supplied by the UPS output stage only.And you are right, there is no triple conversion UPS. I was thinking of three topologies and that materialised in text. my bad.There is only a double conversion online UPS system.and I did reverse the Online UPS of eaton, the high frequency ferrite based model. Not an AVR version.Sorry.I am not sure if the rs232 settings hold true for this too.Its not just APC. All the major players want a peice of the cake. So, rebrand and import the same product from China under their brands.Hence consistency in procedures and operations..For a detailed starting point wiki is always a good place.