Capacity test - UPS for router with USB and PoE, 15 and 30 W versions

The miniature uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) shown here provide uninterrupted operation for a 9/12 V router, USB devices (5 V) and two PoE devices (12/24 V), such as surveillance cameras. They declare a battery capacity of 10400 mAh. Two models will be tested - 15 W and 30 W, UPS-15-POE and UPS-30-POE. I will check their actual capacity here and also examine the current capacity. The 15 W version costs £130 and the 30 W version costs just £190.

Let's start with the contents of the kit. It is similar in both cases. Device, power cable, DC Jack cable-splitter (for two devices), manual.

The UPS has an on/off switch on the front, LEDs showing operating mode and charge status, USB output. On the back there is a 100-240 VAC input and a DC and two PoE outputs.

A clear photo of the instructions. It states the capacity: 4*2600 mAh, for a total of 10,400 mAh. This is repeated for both devices.


I started with the load tests. Basically it is fine, according to the information on the case, although I only checked the DC and USB output. I used an LD35 artificial load for this. The 30 W version at 12 V managed to draw more than 2 A, and the 15 W version just over less than an amp.

When the permitted current is significantly exceeded, the UPS locks up and flashes the LEDs. It can only be unlocked by pressing the button longer.


I then checked the capacity of the cells inside. I repeated the test several times, because the first time I happened not to fully charge the whole thing (explanation in a later paragraph).

Similar results came out for both units, averaging around 6.8 Ah at 5 V, or 34 Wh. The battery in the middle was supposed to be 10400 mAh, but that's at 3.7 V. In theory it comes out to 38.48 Wh, but there are still losses on the inverters. I once estimated this for myself in a topic about powerbanks:
Test of Baseus powerbanks - PPBD10K, PPBD20, PPBD30K - actual capacities
I've taken myself a conversion factor there - 0.65. 6.8/0.65 = about 10.46 Ah per cell, ideal.

In addition, I checked the charging - a good 24 watts this can draw from the mains:

Only when charging does the power drop to less than 1 W.

I still have an interesting observation - the UPS indicates for some time that it is fully charged and yet draws increased power, i.e. in practice it continues to charge.

In summary , the router UPSs fully deliver what the manufacturer promises. I measured their capacity and from my conversion ratio it came out to be practically 1:1 what it says on the label, and you also have to remember that I have included losses on the converters. The current capacity is not bad either. You can easily connect a router, a camera or maybe even a small Raspberry for home automation control, as long as you can fit in these 2 A from USB or use a step-down converter on the DC output.
I'm a bit puzzled by this division into different powers, since the capacitance is the same. Are there really two different converters inside, one cheaper, the second more expensive, or is this just a marketing ploy? I haven't checked that, the whole thing is unlikely to be made to open conveniently, and I didn't want to damage the case visibly when I mounted it in its final location.
What is your opinion? Is such a UPS for a router useful, do you use this type of equipment?