SMX 1000i "No battery connected"

[Anonymous user]

Hi,

whats wrong with a SMX 1000i which reports "No battery connected" & flashing battery indicator. If line is disconnected, UPS switches and operates on battery (until batteries are depleted). Utility power restored, it switches back online asking "Battery replaced (yes/no). Regardless of this setting, several seconds later it shows up "No battery connected" again. DMM on battery connector terminals does not read any arising voltage when charging (should) begin. My best guess is charging circuit fault: No charging current detected, so UPS assumes no battery, but battery voltage *is* detected, otherwise it would not switch on at all.

Battery pack is new.

Regards
Holger

[BillP]

It sounds like this could be a communication issue since you're saying the batteries  report not connected though support your UPS load?  This UPS  will turn on with no battery too, FYI.  But,  back to the issue - the connector could be damaged or not fully seated. Did this happen from the start with your new pack - and by the way, is this the internal battery you're referring to on the UPS? Do you have any external packs in your configuration?  What does the UPS report the battery voltage as?

In general, there could very well be a problem with the pack somewhere or the connector is not fully seated to maintain communication (but the DC connector is connected). Part of the connector is the communication.

Do you utilize any software or  Network Management Card in the UPS to review the  logs ( versus just what's on the front LCD of the unit)?

[Anonymous user]

First of all, the UPS definitely won't turn on without battery connected (there is a note in the troubleshooting section of the manual as well). The Connector looks well and is fully inserted. The problem occured with the original battery pack as well (has been driven into deep discharge do to this issue). We're talking about the internal battery only, there's no external battery connected. The UPS does not read any voltage or other parameter from the battery. Everything is striked out, after it reports "No battery connected". BTW only external battery pack is part of "communication". The internal battery does not have a communication lead on its connector and, the is nothing inside the pack which could communicate except of four cells and a fuse. There are no software readouts available, since this UPS is used for an embedded windows environment with no communication to the UPS

[BillP]

Hi again,

I can't get to the  user's guide to see what you're referring to unfortunately (which I asked that they fix the link) but my local Smart-UPS escalation point tells me that SMX  will turn on with no battery so that is why I am  telling you that. I'll have to get to the user's guide to validate what it is saying if someone can fix the link for me today.

What do you mean by "everything is striked  out?"

And you're saying the UPS won't read any voltage or other parameter -  I also don't think that'd be a result of a charger failure necessarily. It'd be very unusual for the  unit to have a charger failure and not report it as well but if the unit can't  "see" the battery, I would not attribute that to a charger failure, especially if the UPS went to battery and supported your load as I believe you said.

I am not near my SMX  unit to check the  internal battery connector and see what it looks like but I was under the impression it also had a communication  contact on the battery connector, so did not my colleague. I  understand you have it right there to look at though.

Can you see in the LCD menu on the unit  to see what's listed for the last 10 faults and see if there is anything different there than the battery is disconnected?

Ultimately, you may need to contact your local support on the issue if the UPS is the culprit  somewhere and somehow in the set up, especially if the unit is under a warranty of some type.

[Anonymous user]

Okay, step by step.

If the UPS is connected to mains, without battery connected, it does not switch on. It shows any function.

If battery and mains is connected, I can switch it on as usual, but it reports "Connect battery". Battery capacity and runtime is striked out (-.- reading), battery voltage shows 0,0 V) Green AC indicator is lit, red battery indicator is flashing. Utility Voltage is shown correctly (approx. 230 V).

If only battery is connected, I can switch it on by pressing on/of button twice. It responds "No AC" and asks for action. I can turn o/p on and it operates on battery (reading battery level 80%, battery voltage 50,2 V)

(It also operates on battery, if it was -battery and mains connected- already switched on and mains become disconnected. Behaviour is as above.)

If I connect mains in this state, it switches back to AC, after approx. 5 seconds it reads "Connect battery". Battery capacity and runtime becomes striked out again (-.- reading), battery voltage shows 0,0 V) Green AC indicator is lit, red battery indicator is flashing. Utility Voltage is shown correctly (approx. 230 V)

If I disconnect battery in this state (while mains remains connected), the unit dies immediately.

Failure log shows nothing but "None"

[BillP]

Hmm, I don't know what is causing it. Is the unit  under warranty? If you can give me the first 6 characters of the serial number, I can check on that part. What you described does not sound right for normal operation, as I think we already both know, so unless anyone else has any feedback or comments, I'd have to suggest you contact the local support team for repair/replacement options. I don't know if resetting the UPS to defaults is worthwhile if you can find it in the menu when the UPS is cooperating but I doubt it will help with this specific issue.

[Anonymous user]

I already tried defaults, no change in behaviour.

1st six is AS1023.

Bad average, 3 of 4 APC  UPS died. Only one SM3000RM is still alive

[BillP · Accepted solution]

These have a 3 year warranty on the UPS themselves  so the warranty would've run out in mid-late 2013 assuming you purchased it in  mid-late 2010 based on that manufacturing date. This also assumes you did not apply an extended warranty or similar to it. I also don't know if for your specific region there are any other special options, like diagnosis/repair or something but it may be worth a check.