Smart-UPS X3000 repeated failures - Need advice before engaging support again

[GC-IDS]

Hey all.

What I'm about to relay here is one of the strangest issues I've dealt with in 20+ years of IT and before I enter the support gauntlet again, I wanted to get a sanity check from the community.

We have a client with two Smart-UPS X3000 units of different ages. One's in warranty, one isn't and they both have expansion battery packs. The unit in warranty worked great for a number of months, then started throwing errors.

After working with support, they elected to replace the unit. One heavy shipment and installation later and shortly after, the new one started doing the same thing. Another heavy shipment and installation later, things were working well for a time, then we started getting errors that the battery was overheating and not installed properly, despite coming installed in the replacements and being in the same location that was not only properly cooled, but also didn't feel warm even. A battery replacement later and shortly after, the same issue occurred. Another battery replacement later and things worked for about 6 months, and now the errors are back. The older of the two units has worked happily and without issue this entire time.

This what shows in the NMC log:

01/13/2025	16:19:57	Device	UPS: The internal battery temperature exceeds the critical threshold.
01/13/2025	16:19:57	Device	UPS: At least one faulty battery exists.
01/13/2025	16:19:57	Device	UPS: The battery is not installed properly.

Last occurrence of these errors is the 13th as you see, and they haven't cleared. Prior to this, the errors did occasionally clear, sometimes for days at a time, then they'd return. We wondered if perhaps the expansion unit (which is older and has never been replaced) might be having the issue, but the logs indicate it's the internal battery.

I simply cannot believe that the same defect has existed across two UPS and three battery replacements now. I've been at this a long time and have seen some very weird, one in a high number things happen, but this? I just don't buy it. However, I'm at a loss to explain it as nothing else in the environment has changed and the original unit worked for a good while before this happened.

I really don't want to have to do another installation of heavy equipment that requires two people just to have this fail yet again. Before I go back into it with support (who I'm sure will just want to send another replacement), has anyone seen this and perhaps has insights into anything we could try to deal with it before then?

Thanks all.

[Teken]

You’ll need to provide a lot more detailed information here such as event, data, ups logs.

Show me the About information for the UPS / NMC.

In the interim show me what the current ambient temperature is in that room compared to the battery temperature from the main system.

Disconnect all of the extended battery pack from the main unit. Power down and disconnect all connected loads. Disconnect the internal battery cartridge from the main unit and wait for the system to declare a battery fault. Report back what the system indicates as to the internal battery temperature and write it down.

Next get a fan and place it in front of the battery compartment and let it run. You should be able to see the internal battery temperature drop in Power Chute, NMC, NMS.

Report back what the temperature is once stabilized. Upload the data, event, ups logs again once this step has been completed.

Expectation is the system will indicate a drop in internal temperature. The battery temperature fault should clear if it doesn’t report this here.

Keep in mind if this is a hard fault than you will need to remove AC mains from the wall outlet. Wait 60 seconds than reconnect the AC mains.

The system should turn on and later declare a battery missing / disconnected fault. Ignore it and report back what the system indicates as the battery internal temperature.

The critical battery temperature fault should be gone now. If not report that information here.

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