The Eco-Worthy server rack battery promises significant cost savings, priced at roughly $830 compared to competitors averaging $1000-$1200. Its affordability has fueled considerable online discussion, with over 1700 forum replies detailing user experiences and builds, indicating a strong community presence. This review delves into the performance and build quality of this budget-friendly option, exploring whether its attractive price point comes at the cost of reliability and consistency.However, our investigation uncovered inconsistencies that raise questions about manufacturing processes and component quality. We tested multiple units, revealing significant variations in weight and capacity. While some batteries performed admirably, others fell considerably short of expectations, prompting a closer examination of the internal components and construction. This review will detail our findings, outlining both the potential advantages and drawbacks of the Eco-Worthy server rack battery, helping you decide if this budget-friendly option is right for your needs.
Pros And Cons
- Cheap ($830, significantly less than competitors)
- Popular among forum users (1787 replies on a dedicated thread)
- Generally good build quality for the price
- 10-year warranty
- Bluetooth connection
- Includes rack
- Good low-temperature charging protection
- Inconsistent capacity across different units (some units significantly underperformed)
- Temperature sensors not connected to cells, hindering accurate temperature reading
- Raw wire strands going directly into circuit breaker (lack of ferrule)
- Large gaps on both sides of the cells
- Questionable cell quality or mismatched cell batches
- QR code did not provide additional information online.
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Price and Popularity
The Eco-Worthy server rack battery boasts a significantly lower price point than its competitors, coming in at around $830. This is considerably less than the typical $1000-$1200 price range for comparable budget models. Its popularity is evident in the large online forum discussion with over 1700 replies, showcasing user experiences and build projects.
Users are actively discussing its performance in various applications, providing valuable feedback and troubleshooting solutions. This extensive community engagement is a positive sign, suggesting a level of community support not always found with newer products.
Weight Discrepancy and Initial Testing
An initial discrepancy was noted in the weight of the battery. While the advertised weight was close to other models in its price range, the reviewer's sample weighed noticeably less. This raised concerns about potential inconsistencies in manufacturing or component quality.
The first capacity test yielded only 99.7% of the expected capacity, failing to reach the typical 103-106 amp-hours expected from new cells. Multiple retests, under controlled conditions, consistently showed a similar result, further emphasizing the initial concern.
Testing Multiple Batteries
To investigate the weight and capacity issues, the reviewer tested three additional batteries. The second battery performed significantly better, achieving 104.5 amp-hours—a stark contrast to the first battery's results. The third and fourth batteries yielded 100.4 and 101.3 amp-hours respectively, further highlighting inconsistent performance.
This significant variation in capacity among identical batteries points towards potential inconsistencies within the manufacturing process or the use of different cell types in production batches.
Internal Inspection and Findings
A physical comparison of the highest and lowest performing batteries revealed interesting details. The cells appeared smaller in the lower-performing battery, suggesting a difference in cell specifications. A surprising discovery was a QR code sticker inside the battery casing, intended for downloading a mobile application.
The temperature sensors, although present, were not properly connected to the cells or the terminal block, hindering accurate temperature monitoring. Additionally, significant gaps were observed around the battery cells, unlike most server rack batteries that have tightly packed cells.
Low Temperature Charging Test and Conclusion
A low temperature charging test was performed, which confirmed that the battery's low temperature charging protection system functions as intended, shutting down charging below freezing temperatures. This is a crucial safety feature for cold climate use.
Despite some build quality concerns like improperly connected temperature sensors and inconsistent capacity, the Eco-Worthy battery offers an exceptional value proposition due to its significantly lower price point. The low temperature protection, Bluetooth connectivity, and ten-year warranty are additional plus points. However, potential buyers should be aware of the inconsistent capacity issues and weigh the risks involved before purchasing.