Switchers I Have Known

Appropriate power supplies pop up on eBay all the time.   Of course not every switching power supply is going to work:  You need one that can accept 200-240VDC.  They are normally rated for AC operation, and it will take some digging in the specs or a call to the manufacturer to confirm that they will run on DC.  Once you have selected your switcher, you will need a UPS whose battery voltage is commensurate with its output voltage rating.   Again, it may take some digging to find out.  Typically the UPS manufacturers specify a replacement battery pack without bothering to tell you its voltage or current rating.  But you can usually get the info without too much trouble.  Finally, you should (if possible) select a UPS that allows connection of external batteries for extended run time.  This will not only make it easier to connect, since the switching supply can be connected to the external battery connector, it will give you some assurance that the UPS is rated for more-or-less continuous duty.

Here are switchers I have found that are suitable.  I'll add to the list as I find more.

	Unipower 24V This is an example of the kind of supply that can be picked up on eBay and of which I got a bunch.  You will have to work out the wiring and interfacing yourself.  This particular supply has an unusual connector and is designed for use in telephone company offices for charging storage batteries.
	Cherokee 48V DPS1450L2-1A   This Cherokee supply provides 48V at almost 1.5kW.  It requires a minor modification to run on DC rather than the specified 230VAC.  It is designed for server applications rather than battery charging, so can't be tweaked to as high a voltage as I would like.  Even so, can you say "cheap?"

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^{Updated 26 April 2006}