Battery charger fault exists

[Anonymous user]

I have a few Smart-UPS rackmount RT 7500 XL systems that periodically give an error message after doing a self-test. The following is information on one of those 3 giving us the message.

On the home page Recent Device Events:
06/02/2009 07:02:13 UPS: A battery charger fault no longer exists.
06/02/2009 07:02:12 UPS: A battery charger fault exists.
06/02/2009 07:01:38 UPS: Passed a self-test.
06/02/2009 07:01:22 UPS: Started a self-test.

I get an e-mail for each event above. Here's the e-mail that is sent to me for the charger fault:


Name : APC3


Location : Stevens Point WI


Contact :Dave


[http://apc3.skyward.com/]


[http://10.1.1.163/]



Serial # : ZA0520016683


Device Ser #: YS0527121104


Date: 06/02/2009


Time: 07:02:13


Code: 0x012A



Critical - UPS: A battery charger fault exists.



About UPS
Model:Smart-UPS RT 7500 XL
Position:TOWER
Serial Number:YS0527121104
Firmware Revision:475.14.W
Manufacture Date:07/02/05

Hardware Factory
Model Number:AP9619
Serial Number:ZA0520016683
Hardware Revision:A10
Manufacture Date:05/14/2005
MAC Address:00 C0 B7 76 C7 C5
Management Uptime:57 Days 11 Hours 55 Minutes

Application Module
Name:sumx
Version:v3.5.7
Date:08/13/2008
Time:20:18:13

APC OS
Name:aos
Version:v3.6.1
Date:08/13/2008
Time:18:49:49


Below is the UPS status before a self test.
Status
Last Battery Transfer:Due to software command or UPS's test control
Internal Temperature:91.4°F
Runtime Remaining:20 minutes
Power
Input Voltage:210.2 VAC
Bypass Input Voltage:
Output Voltage:207.0 VAC
Current:
Input Frequency:60.00 Hz
Load
Load Power:54.0 %Watts
Apparent Load Power:44.0 %VA
Load Current:15.86 Amps
Battery
Capacity:100.0 %
Battery Voltage:214.9 VDC
External Batteries:1

And below is the status after a self test is performed.

Status
Last Battery Transfer:Due to software command or UPS's test control
Internal Temperature:91.4°F
Runtime Remaining:13 minutes
Power
Input Voltage:208.8 VAC
Bypass Input Voltage:
Output Voltage:208.2 VAC
Current:
Input Frequency:59.99 Hz
Load
Load Power:54.0 % Watts
Apparent Load Power:43.0 %VA
Load Current:15.86 Amps
Battery
Capacity:69.0 %
Battery Voltage:218.1 VDC
External Batteries:1


The battery capacity drops to 69% in the short amount of time the self test is performed. I did not get a charge failure message on it this time.
These batteries were replaced about a month ago and we were recieving these charge failures before the batteries were replaced.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Dave

[Erasmus_apc · Accepted solution]

The battery charger fault is unfortunately not a "fixable" error in the longterm, so if you have been getting it consistently I would call into APC Tech Support and check on your warranty status on the units affected. Based on a quick glance, the unit below is not in warranty, but T.S. will be able to check on extended warranties, etc. etc.

It is possible that you will get some more life out of the units without having them replaced, as this fault does not always mean that the batteries will not be recharged. But, if you are supporting anything you consider important with the RT units I would look into having them replaced via warranty or "trading up."