I replace the battery in mine about every 2 years for the same reason.<BR><BR>If you hook it up to a linux machine you can query the UPS and see if the EPROM reports the age.

Don't forget that wireless microphone systems and many electret microphones also rely on battery power. Throwaway alkaline batteries lose power when they're cold just like their rechargeable cousins.

It’s all about the battery, said Craig Van Batenburg. chief executive of the Automotive Career Development Center, a Worcester company that trains auto technicians to repair EVs.

A Danish man sparked a house fire after trying to use a toaster to warm his electric-car battery. No one was hurt in the fire, but it destroyed the EV and damaged a neighbor's house.