Smart-UPS 1500 Runtime issues, new battery?

[BillP]

We have a pair of Smart-UPS 1500s in our server location powering some equipment.

I noticed in Powerchute that one of the units has suddenly started complaining of insufficient runtime. At full battery charge, it was listed as 5 minutes with a 52% load. I started a Runtime Calibration, and the battery seemed to drop very quickly (at least according to the UPS's battery meter) and now at full battery charge the runtime is listed at 2 minutes and the battery meter is flashing on the UPS itself.

The other Smart-UPS 1500 shows a runtime of 15 minutes at 56% load, which seems more normal to me.

Is there any possible solution to this issue other than replacing the battery or entire UPS? The strange thing is that I BELIEVE we replaced this battery less than a year ago (but the battery replace counter was not reset). Is it possible that I have a bad UPS?

Last question - any experience using batteries other than APC-brand?

Thanks in advance!

[BillP]

The battery bar graph on the front flashes to tell you that your runtime is within 2 minutes of the low battery signaling time (the point also when anything running powerchute will be forced to shutdown), which is set to 2 minutes by default, which makes sense because powerchute is reporting 2 minutes.

If this battery is brand new, what I would suggest doing is letting it discharge completely until the UPS turns off, then it let charge back up. (So you'd want to unplug your critical equipment because we need to run the UPS down to nothing. You could use some non critical load to put on the system so it discharges faster.) There could be sort of a ghost image of the runtime left in the system, especially if you replaced the battery recently.

Once it charges back up, check that runtime again.

[Anonymous user]

Kremlar wrote:
We have a pair of Smart-UPS 1500s in our server location powering some equipment.

I noticed in Powerchute that one of the units has suddenly started complaining of insufficient runtime. At full battery charge, it was listed as 5 minutes with a 52% load. I started a Runtime Calibration, and the battery seemed to drop very quickly (at least according to the UPS's battery meter) and now at full battery charge the runtime is listed at 2 minutes and the battery meter is flashing on the UPS itself.

The other Smart-UPS 1500 shows a runtime of 15 minutes at 56% load, which seems more normal to me.

Is there any possible solution to this issue other than replacing the battery or entire UPS? The strange thing is that I BELIEVE we replaced this battery less than a year ago (but the battery replace counter was not reset). Is it possible that I have a bad UPS?

Last question - any experience using batteries other than APC-brand?

Thanks in advance!

For the runtime test, I would use light bulbs. For a UPS that size, I recommend a 300 to 500W halogen work light. Disable beepers in PowerChute first, then connect the UPS to a power strip. Use the switch on the strip to kill power to UPS instead of pulling the plug. I've found that calibration process sometimes gets messed up if the grounding is lost and the use of power strip ensures your ground is maintained

If you're certain that battery pack was replaced, there's a possibility that the "new" battery was kept stocked too long and degraded.

As to your last question I'm apparently not at liberty to publicly discuss parts and accessories other than Genuine APC-MGE parts on this particular forum.

[BillP]

Relating to using third party batteries:

Here are five reasons why you should only use a genuine APC RBC in your APC UPS:


•Use of a non-APC battery may result in lower run time, damage the UPS, create a hazardous condition, or void UL, CSA, VDE, and other safety certifications on the UPS.
•Use of a non-APC battery will void APC's Equipment Protection Policy.
•APC recycles used batteries and almost 100% of the battery lead content is reused, protecting the environment. With each purchase of a genuine APC RBC, you get free freight back to APC for proper disposal of your old batteries (currently available in USA only, excluding RBC14 and Symmetra batteries.)
•APC provides a 1-year warranty on each Replacement Battery Cartridge.
•APC supplies the appropriate instructions for your UPS, along with any needed wires and connectors. All connections are made with high current gas-tight crimps for high reliability.

[Anonymous user]

i picKed a winna wrote:
Relating to using third party batteries:

Here are five reasons why you should only use a genuine APC RBC in your APC UPS:


•Use of a non-APC battery may result in lower run time, damage the UPS, create a hazardous condition, or void UL, CSA, VDE, and other safety certifications on the UPS.
•Use of a non-APC battery will void APC's Equipment Protection Policy.
•APC recycles used batteries and almost 100% of the battery lead content is reused, protecting the environment. With each purchase of a genuine APC RBC, you get free freight back to APC for proper disposal of your old batteries (currently available in USA only, excluding RBC14 and Symmetra batteries.)
•APC provides a 1-year warranty on each Replacement Battery Cartridge.
•APC supplies the appropriate instructions for your UPS, along with any needed wires and connectors. All connections are made with high current gas-tight crimps for high reliability.

That looks like a copy and paste of what's in the tech support script manual. Although I can't endorse names, I have only used third party batteries and got the proper runtime.

Most state requires battery dealer to accept used batteries and many are willing to accept them even if you didn't buy it from them.

1 year warranty is also provided by many third party suppliers.

If you don't want to do research before clicking "Buy it" then buying from APC at their price is the best idea, but if you're willing to do a bit of digging around, third party batteries offer great values.

[Anonymous user]

i picKed a winna wrote:
KVAr,

You are correct. This is in APC's knowledge base article/policy of why we recommend APC batteries.

We are all entitled to our own opinion and reasons. :8}

But is what you posted YOUR own opinion and reasons, or are you an employee posting on the clock serving as a representative of the company?

[BillP]

KVAr,

You are correct. This is in APC's knowledge base article/policy of why we recommend APC batteries.

We are all entitled to our own opinion and reasons. :8}

[Anonymous user]

APC has never manufactured batteries. So, all you can find on the market is batteries labeled as APC batteries by stickers. But price is too high "for the stickers".

Most important: when batteries was manufactured.

[BillP]

Yes, I am an APC employee and representing APC's opinion/policy on the subject.

[Anonymous user]

I take the description of this group literally.

"Welcome to APC's discussion forums, home to our on-line *peer-to-peer* support community"

Calling APC tech support and viewing the official knowledge base are the best ways to get the APC orthodox instructions/procedure/policies. however this being a peer to peer support group, what is the point in duplicating what APC staff would say?

[TheNotoriousKMP_apc]

KVar,

While I completely agree with you on the Peer To Peer aspect of the discussion boards, how many posters/users out there are like yourself that not only a) have the knowledge behind the scenes of APC products without ever having worked for, or represented APC, or b) have the time to carouse through the APC Forums boards to find answers to questions for which you may be looking for additional information?

Yes the call center is always busy, and yes every person on the phones with whom you speak may have an added two cents or another workaround in which they've seen.

Yes email support takes at least 24 hours for a reply, which sometimes infuriates customers, but then again, why not call in?

And YES these boards are Peer to Peer. I will not argue that. But as it is hosted and represented on the APC Website. APC Moderators, Admins and any level of APC Tech Support are capable of maintaining and moderating this board and posting information to users who are looking for a workaround or simply looking for help from a Technical Support Group.

If people do not want to call in, email, or search the Knowledge Base, and information is pasted in here pertaining to APC documentation as posted by an APC Moderator, that's fine.

If you want to add any extra additional information to that, that's fine as well.

But since you and I have had a few bumps in the past, I'm asking you to PLEASE just disregard information that you don't agree with that comes from APC Documentation. Feel free to clarify or express your opinion on it, but don't take it out on someone like Angela (who for the record, is going nowhere and will become as much of a cornerstone of these boards as I) who is trying to provide Tech Support for customers who're looking for information, whether you or they find it as helpful or not.

[Anonymous user]

"If you want to add any extra additional information to that, that's fine as well."

Are you sure? I responded to a user who asked a legitimate question about sourcing after market batteries. That portion of his question and my response to him magically vanished.

Did you delete it?

[TheNotoriousKMP_apc]

I highly doubt it. I've never had a problem with your information pertaining to third party batteries. In fact, it's become beneficial for our legacy UPS's which we do not have replacement batteries for anymore.

[Anonymous user]

Kabak wrote:
APC has never manufactured batteries. So, all you can find on the market is batteries labeled as APC batteries by stickers. But price is too high "for the stickers".

Most important: when batteries was manufactured.

Another thing is the capacity. 7.2, 8 and 9Ah batteries have the same housing. 7.2Ah is very common in alarm systems and the like, so they're readily available. 9Ah batteries are hard to come by and they're considerably more expensive, but some third party suppliers are selling 7.2Ah batteries as being compatible with APC packs designed with 9Ah cells and your runtime will suffer.

Some APC packs look the same, but have different RBC numbers depending on if it's based on 7.2Ah or 9Ah.
Panasonic, Yuasa and CSB make good batteries. So far, Universal has been alright. Some unknown Chinese manufacturers, I'm not so certain about.

To APC's credit there are some advantages to buying OEM APC battery pack directly from APC. They won't slap their name on garbage batteries, so even though batteries are made by someone else, they've been pre-screened for quality as they have to pass APCs quality expectations and I would think that they'll make sure you won't receive some stagnant inventory that's gone stale.

There's more to refurbishing UPSs than loading batteries and claiming it works. A properly refurbished UPS unit should meet or exceed factory runtime specs under maximum load.

The battery is more or less the engine, with the rest of the UPS being the power train.

[BillP · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the advice.

For the record, I appreciate the comments from both end-users and people representing APC. I understand both sides of the coin.

Thanks again.