Smart-UPS 1400XL sounds

[Anonymous user]

I have 2 Smart-UPS 1400 RM XL units.

I've replaced batteries (all 4 in each unit) every October for 4 years straight, because each year in October I receive a PowerChute message that "battery needs replacing" and "self test failed".

I've taken them both out of service and replaced them with more up to date version UPS'es, to quell my customers concerns.

The load in very, very low on each.

One unit runs a Dell PowerEdge 2900 with router, 2 switches and a LCD monitor, period.

The other runs a MacMini with a 27" Thunderbolt display, an Airport router and a 24 port switch, period.

I find it very,very, very frustrating that each year around the same time, these batteries need to be replaced.

First let me say that I get them form BatteriesPlus and they say they are guaranteed for 2 years.

Each year I fight to get new ones.

This year they took one of the 1400 RM XL units, and ran calibration tests on the batteries.  They told me that they were 62-65% of capacity (load, not charge), and that I may have a problem withe the UPS.  I don't know what to do.

Should I buy the much, much, much more expensive OEM APC batteries and 'play the game' (meaning, they all come from the same place if you rip off the labels and cross reference the numbers) to prove my point, or are they possibly selling sub-standard batteries?

Additionally, I can monitor all the logs, what shall I look for, keep eyes on, to validate or verify my concerns to provide to them?

I am told by the store manage that if I "allow" the UPS to run on battery power and drain, that it shortens the life of the batteries.

I'm confused.  I thought UPS's are designed to make up for any fluctuations and outages, and as an example, if I have 2 or 3 times a year that they kick in and drain, and I killing the batteries?

Not that this is the case, but only a question....as the only time it went offline was during Hurricane Sandy 2 years ago, but there are times it kicks in for 5 minutes every now and then.

Any opinions of comments are greatly appreciated.

[Anonymous user]

It is definitely unusual to see the batteries lasting only 1 year, unless the UPS is operating in very hot environment ( every 10 degree F rise above 75 F reduces the lifespan by half). You should get 3 to 5 years.

If the UPS's internal battery calibration variable (called the battery constant) was wildly off ( it can drift over time and gradually report less and less runtime, even after installing new batteries) that could have something to do with the batteries getting prematurely flagged bad .... that can be attempted to be corrected by doing a brain dead of the UPS ( frequently referenced on this forum try a search).

I don't understand what you mean by "calibration tests were done on the batteries". An APC ups battery calibration is done on "the UPS", not batteries which have been removed.

I seldom see major differences in "APC" /OEM batteries versus third party batteries from Panasonic or Sota or... almost all UPS batteries - even APC's - come out of China or Vietman these days.

One thing you can try is carefully check the battery connector voltage with the battery tray connected and the UPS plugged in - it should measure around 27.5 volts DC. If it is much less, Eg just over 24 volts then your battery charger/charging effect could be weak. If it is much higher (Eg 28 volts or above ) then your batteries will deteriorate from being overcharged continuously.

[Anonymous user]

Batteries Plus said they ran calibration tests on the batteries, I had dropped of the entire unit to them for 5 days, they say the batteries are fully charged but only have 62-65% of capacity.

Again, my inquiry is; if I swap out batteries when I get an alarm that batteries are in need of replacement, and I have zero issues for 11-13 months, is it the UPS having an issue or low quality batteries?

[BillP]

Hi,

As Batman wrote if the charging is off or the area the UPS is used in is hot the batteries will fail prematurely. The other possibility is the constants is off. You should check the environment and the charger. If both of those check out okay then run a battery calibration. If the charging, environment, and calibration are okay then the issue would be with the batteries.

[Anonymous user]

OK, now I put in service an identical unit, that was in service prior to the unit I was posting about, and the exact same thing is happening with the "noise".  The noise is like when an aircraft is on the runway preparing for takeoff, the pilot hold his brakes and throttles the jet engines and lets go of the brakes.  That rush of sound like the jet engine is the sound I am referring to, which is now also happening on the unit in service, same unit model as referenced (Smart UPS 1400 RM XL).  THe rushing, whooshing sound last about 10-12 seconds and seems to cycle each 5-8 minutes, regardless of load.

Logs:Smart-UPS 1400 RM XL

Date                                          Time                                 Vmin                    Vmax                    Vout                    %Wout               Freq                    %Cap                   Vbat                     TupsF

12/05/2014	14:57:53	121.5	122.8	122.2	7.8	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	14:47:53	121.5	122.2	122.2	10.9	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	14:37:53	121.5	122.8	122.2	10.9	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	14:27:53	122.2	122.8	122.2	11.4	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	14:17:53	121.5	122.2	122.2	11.4	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	14:07:53	121.5	122.8	121.5	7.8	60.00	100.0	27.60	100.7
12/05/2014	13:57:53	122.2	123.5	122.8	10.9	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	13:47:53	122.2	122.8	122.8	7.8	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	13:37:53	122.2	122.8	122.8	7.8	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	13:27:53	122.2	123.5	122.8	7.8	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	13:17:53	121.5	122.2	122.2	10.9	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	13:07:53	121.5	122.8	122.2	11.4	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	12:57:53	121.5	122.8	122.8	7.8	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	12:47:53	122.2	123.5	122.2	7.8	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	12:37:53	121.5	123.5	123.5	7.8	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	12:27:53	122.8	123.5	122.8	10.9	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	12:17:53	122.2	123.5	122.2	10.9	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	12:07:53	122.2	122.8	122.8	11.4	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	11:57:53	122.2	122.8	122.2	10.9	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	11:47:53	121.5	122.8	122.8	11.4	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	11:37:53	121.5	122.2	122.2	11.4	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	11:27:53	121.5	122.2	122.2	10.9	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	11:17:53	121.5	122.8	121.5	11.4	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	11:07:53	122.2	122.8	122.2	11.4	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	10:57:53	122.8	123.5	122.8	7.8	60.00	100.0	27.60	100.7
12/05/2014	10:47:53	122.8	123.5	123.5	7.8	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	10:37:53	121.5	123.5	122.8	10.9	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	10:27:53	121.5	122.8	121.5	10.9	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	10:17:53	122.2	122.8	122.8	12.4	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	10:07:53	122.2	122.8	122.8	12.4	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	09:57:53	121.5	122.8	122.8	12.4	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	09:47:53	121.5	122.8	122.8	11.4	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	09:37:53	122.2	122.8	122.8	12.4	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	09:27:53	122.2	122.8	122.8	11.4	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	09:17:53	122.2	122.8	122.8	10.9	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	09:07:53	121.5	122.8	122.2	11.4	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	08:57:53	121.5	124.1	122.2	7.8	60.00	100.0	27.60	102.3
12/05/2014	08:47:53	123.5	125.4	123.5	10.9	60.00	100.0	27.60	101.6
12/05/2014	08:37:53	123.5	125.4	124.8	11.4	60.00	100.0	27.60	102.3
12/05/2014	08:27:53	124.1	125.4	124.1	10.9	60.00	100.0	27.60	102.3
12/05/2014	08:17:53	124.1	125.4	124.8	10.9	60.00	100.0	27.60	102.3
12/05/2014	08:07:53	124.1	125.4	124.8	11.4	60.00	100.0	27.60	102.3
12/05/2014	07:57:53	123.5	124.8	124.1	5.2	60.00	100.0	27.60	102.3
12/05/2014	07:47:53	123.5	124.8	124.1	5.2	60.00	100.0	27.60	103.2
12/05/2014	07:37:53	122.2	126.7	124.1	5.2	60.00	100.0	27.60	102.3
12/05/2014	07:27:53	121.5	122.8	122.2	5.2	60.00	100.0	27.60	102.3
12/05/2014	07:17:53	122.2	123.5	122.2	5.2	60.00	100.0	27.60	103.2
12/05/2014	07:07:53	122.2	123.5	123.5	5.2	60.00	100.0	27.60	102.3

[Anonymous user]

OK, bit the bullet, when ut and got 4 brand spanking new batteries, popped 'em in, get the same "jet engine takeoff sound" every 6-10 minutes, with a 15-18 second duration.

Is there some monitoring tool to check to see why?  As previously posted, the logs show no major fluctuations in voltage, and I find it hard to believe I have 2 identical units that behave identically the same.  Does that mean that the batteries that were recently declared "faulty" by a Batteries Plus store are still good?  The APC UPS behaves the same, with new batteries or old, and I need to determine why the "jet engine noise" comes and goes every few minutes.

Photos of old batteries attached

[Anonymous user · Accepted solution]

Without creating chaos, may I inquire what is the purpose of the forum is not to assist one another in sharing solutions or sharing information?  Is the APC monitoring crew on vacation?  The simple answer of trying to understand why a new set of batteries makes no difference and there is no tool or monitoring function to explain why a fan or whoosh is happening is bewildering.

Can anyone validate that they may have had experience with things of this nature in the past and possibly provide a solution?

I replaced the UPS in the customers location with a new unit, but I'd like to use the previous unit in my office, as it did cost almost $1,000 and has worked, still works, does everyhting it is supposed to do, but kicks in and takes off making that noise every few minutes.

It is like if the power did go out, and the unit would run, and then the power comes back on, the UPS "runs" making that noise for a period of time until it is fully charged, then stops....but this noise kind of tells me that either I have a drop in voltage (not validated by the logs), or ???????