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UPS batteries are almost always sealed deep cycle batteries which can be easily permanently damaged by overcharging with a straight solar panel (not true of normal flooded deep cycle batteries that are not sealed). It's preferable that you use a solar charge controller that is compatible with sealed batteries (usually a switch or DIP switch setting on the controller for flooded vs sealed batteries) - these will prevent you from accidentally overcharging the more "delicate" sealed type batteries. What happens when you overcharge a sealed battery is that it will off-gas (hydrogen and oxygen) reducing the electrolyte in the battery. And, of course, since it's sealed there's no way of replacing it. I've gone through so many(cheap) UPS's through normal use I'd swear that the default AC charging circuit in them must be designed to purposely overcharge the battery and reduce the lifetime. Batteries charge and discharged right should last several years, but that plays poorly for the era when most things are designed with short terms of planned obsolescence in mind.
