All batteries failed at same time?

[Anonymous user]

We have a Symmetra LX 16000 (SYAF16KRMT) in one of our offices. Yesterday it reported that all four batteries had failed. I see no events indicating that they had failed one-by-one. The unit passed a self-test the day before I got the alert.

The status page indicates the unit was manufactured in 2010, but it looks like the batteries and power modules were manufactured in 2007, so I'm thinking the unit was replaced under warranty (I can't find a purchase order to confirm). It doesn't surprise me that the batteries would need replaced by this time. But having them all go bad at once makes me hesitate before buying new ones. If the immediate cause of failure is something else, I'd rather not throw good money after bad. These units are expensive as it is, and if I need to replace the whole thing, I'd rather not unnecessarily increase the cost by a few thousand dollars.

While all batteries are inserted, it reports only the top battery is failed. Take that out, and it reports the next one down is the only one failed. Take that out, it reports the 3rd, take out the 3rd, it reports the 4th.

Anything else I can do to troubleshoot before ordering 4 new batteries?

Thanks in advance!

[BillP]

If the batteries are all the same age, then this makes sense to me that they all failed at the same time since they were installed in the same system and were in service the same amount of time.

[Anonymous user]

While the batteries are a touch on the old side, having all the batteries flagged bad at once, plus the "moving fault" status depending on which battery is removed makes me think the intelligence module (MIM/RIM pairing) or the SYCC card (symmetra communcations card rear of the unit) may have communications issues seeing the batteries and their status correctly. I'd recommend you call the 1-800-800-4272 number and initiate a support Case with them. They have helped me greatly over the years with my LX's even with them out of warranty.

What might need to be done to clear the fault or pinpoint the problem is called a Frame Sweep whereby the ups is put in bypass and all the UPS's various modules are all removed and reinserted to both reset them and reseat their connections to eliminate oxidized/weak connections to the backplane of the UPS innards which can be the cause of glitches like these.

Good luck !

[Anonymous user · Accepted solution]

I called APC. The tech said the batteries are probably okay, but that the internal clock on each of them has probably expired and sent up an alert (they were probably all made on the same day). So I'll be ordering 4 new batteries, to see how that goes.

Thanks everyone.