SRTL3000RM4UXLI-NC battery pack disconnected

[TillH]

Dear all,

we happen to have two brand new SRTL3000RM4UXLI-NC UPSs which both are not working properly.

We already have been in contact with APC support, but ended up "returning" these, get a credit note and order traditional lead-acid UPSs instead. APC however seems to have given up on these Li-Ion UPSs and don't want them back. As I hate to just throw brand new stuff away, I'd like to somehow get these working.

as far as I can tell from datasheets + the product pictures, we've received the correct components per kit SRTL3000RM4UXLI-NC:

1x SRT3000UXI-NCLI

1x XBP48RM2U-LI

Issue is: the battery pack is detected when we connect it, but a few seconds later connection seems to be lost.

We've tried with multiple combinations of battery packs and communication cables - none worked.

what happens in detail:

- connect AC input + power on UPS

- connect battery 48V + comm. cable + ground cable

- battery status LED is green

- UPS detects a new battery pack (strange: always as battery pack 2, not 1. there has never been a battery pack 1)

- on UPS front panel, I confirm a new (or existing, doesn't matter) battery pack has been connected

- 1-2 seconds later, battery pack status LED is flashing green and then goes off, red LED flashes once

- + the UPS states: battery pack disconnected

- UPS detects a "new" battery pack

- ....and so on....

We've already updated UPS firmware (UPS 16.6 (ID1046)).

Battery firmware is SMBc02.2, didn't touch this.

does anyone have an idea how to fix this?

Thanks a lot in advance!

greetings

Till

[TillH]

interesting: according to release notes for firmware 16.6, the UPS's ID changes from 1024 to 1046 when updating it to firmware 16.x

we've received the UPSs with firmware 16.5 installed, so most likely it was already on ID1046
However: I can't seem to find ANY firmware for ID 1046 anymore. all I find is v15.6 for ID1024

so I tend to think it might have sth to do with a buggy firmware.. not sure, though.

[Teken]

Please show me the About Tab for both the UPS / NMC.

Complete the action items on page 10 and follow up with the outcome:

https://download.schneider-electric.com/files?p_Doc_Ref=SPD_SUO-IM-990-91565_EN&p_enDocType=User+gui...

Questions Ask . . . 👍

[TillH]

Hi Teken,
thanks for picking this up!
I'll do that on Monday as I'm currently not in the office

BR

Till

[Teken]

That was the first thing I checked and came to the same conclusion about the UPS ID being changed.

Along with a 16.X firmware that I’ve never seen published! 🤦‍♂️

Lastly, you mentioned the extended battery pack firmware was not updated. I would suggest you update the UPS with v16.6 firmware you noted as having.

Insure all extended battery packs are connected so the system will update the firmware on those units.

I saw similar problems on the standard SRT models prior to doing the upgrade. It also changed the UPS ID from 1019 -> 1025 on my units! 🤦‍♂️

[TillH]

Hi Teken,

about UPS:

NMC:

and battery info:

it's empty because I tried what happens if I keep input power disconnected + put some load on the UPS output.
result: same behavior as described above

battery firmware: what i meant was we didn't touch the firmware - not sure whether or not it was updated by the UPS itself

wrt the manual page 10:
went through the steps but no matter what I try: result is the same.
I however can't do a self-test. display states: refused; SoC not acceptable.
and of course I have to be quick while walking through the menu, as the battery pack disconnects every few seconds

[TillH]

also strange: the UPS about section of the NMC lists XBP48RM1U2-LI as battery SKU, which is  the smaller 600Wh battery pack. + the 2400Wh battery pack (XBP48RM2U-LI) is detected as "Battery pack 2", there is no Battery Pack 1, no matter what I try.
however, the 600Wh battery pack is neither shown on the pictures of SRTL3000RM4UXLI-NC,
nor listed as child SKU. Got the following info from our supplier:

that could also speak for a buggy / wrong firmware..

[Teken]

Can you please upload a photo of all the units currently on hand. Provide a front & back photo of all the units.

My first suggestion is disconnect everything and only have the main system running.

Default the main UPS system and NMC to a factory state.

Follow up with removing the main battery cartridge from the system while off. Turn the system on and report back if the unit declares a battery fault.

If so, wait another ten seconds than connect the battery cartridge. The system should prompt you to confirm this is a new battery pack so enter the month & year and hit save.

If the system indicates the battery pack is low in SOC. Allow it to fully charge back up to 100% SOC.

Manually initiate a self test and report back the results. If it passes allow the system to recover back to 100% SOC.

Once the system is fully charged remove AC Mains from the wall outlet. The system should indicate a loss of AC power.

Leave the system running like this for five minutes and than reconnect the AC Main to the wall.

Report back the results and outcome.

Questions Ask . . . 👍

[TillH]

Hey Teken,

UPS was powered off, as I disconnected everything yesterday afternoon. battery pack was fully charged when I did that (charging took ~24h)

this morning:

- plugged in power input, reset NMC and UPS to defaults

- UPS display red + alarm: no battery pack available (as expected, of course)

- removed power input, pressed power button for 30sec

- connected power input to UPS -> again see the alarm that no battery pack is available, as expected

- reset UPS to defaults again + finished initial config wizard on the UPS panel

- connected battery ground, power and communication cable 30sec later
- battery status LED lights green, then flashes again

- battery detected, configured as new (it doesn't ask for month/year)

- battery pack detected as disconnected a few seconds later. didn't manage to get to the self-test before

long story short: same issue as before 😕

when I disconnect the battery power cable, the loop continues.
When I also disconnect the communication cable, UPS display turns red again + alarm: no battery detected (as expected)

I'll upload pictures later, first need to tidy up (several cables, switches + computers used as test load for the UPS)

PS: I've contacted Schneider support in parallel and asked for a newer/stable firmware - unfortunately there is no newer one and downgrade to 15.x is not possible

[TillH]

Hi Teken,

looks like we can stop trying to get this stuff alive.

APC support just stated there is a known issue with these battery packs. even the ones they still have on stock  are affected by this serial fault.

That wasn't known when we have been in contact with APC a few months back.

anyway,
thanks a lot for your efforts and advices!

[Teken]

Appreciate you going through all the effort and also engaging APC Technical Support.

Along with receiving a formal reply as to root cause and final outcome. Sadly your personal experience mirrors ours and many other Enterprise clients who Alpha / Beta tested the APC line of lithium based UPS systems. ☹️

When everything was taken into account there was absolutely no savings in investing into their so called new technology! 🤦‍♂️

The obvious problems and issues for us were huge upfront costs. No readily available battery replacement never mind third party.

Along with insane replacement cost for the battery cartridge itself. This was compounded by products arbitrarily being end of life with no notice and bad firmware!

This can be easily seen by all the first and second generation lithium based systems displayed as discontinued / end of life on the product page. 🤢