Why does my APC 1500 smart-UPS shuts down right after power goes out?

[Anonymous user]

Hello all,

I have a APC 1500 smart-UPS with one computer (PSU 700 watts), one monitor, one Bellsouth DLS modem and two D-link wireless routers connected to it. It would keep my stuff up and running when the power would leave for a secod or three. NOW if the power goes and comes back up right after 2 second , everything shutsdown! Just before this happens The battery indicator shows its fully charge (all five lights). After it happens it goes down to 3 lights. I also get No faulty wire nor replace battery indicators lighting up. No signs of anything wrong with it. Plus the load in just one light. This unit is almost 3 years old and I never used any of the software to monitor it. So what gives? Please help?

Message was edited by: jcnetlink

Message was edited by: jcnetlink

Message was edited by: jcnetlink

[Anonymous user]

Hello all,

I have a APC 1500 smart-UPS with one computer (PSU 700 watts), one monitor, one Bellsouth DLS modem and two D-link wireless routers connected to it. It would keep my stuff up and running when the power would leave for a secod or three. NOW if the power goes and comes back up right after 2 second , everything shutsdown! Just before this happens The battery indicator shows its fully charge (all five lights). After it happens it goes down to 3 lights. I also get No faulty wire nor replace battery indicators lighting up. No signs of anything wrong with it. Plus the load in just one light. This unit is almost 3 years old and I never used any of the software to monitor it. So what gives? Please help?

Message was edited by: jcnetlink

Message was edited by: jcnetlink

Message was edited by: jcnetlink

[Anonymous user · Accepted solution]

Thank you, ill check it out!

[Anonymous user]

No to all the questions. And the S/N is: AS0241232736

[BillP · Accepted solution]

Maybe time for a new battery? I've never had a battery last for more than 3-4 years before it started showing these sorts of symptoms.

[TheNotoriousKMP_apc]

I wouldn't go and purchase an RBC right away.

Does the UPS support something as simple as a lamp load on battery?

If so, then there's probably a deeper rooted issue.

If the UPS drops the load immediately upon transferring to battery it is either

A) A fully exhausted battery
or
B) A problem with the relay switch to transfer from online to on battery.

Do you have a volt meter to possibly measure the DC output of the battery that's installed within the UPS?

[Anonymous user]

I did remove all the devices from it, then waited a while and proceeded to disconnected the UPS from the wall outlet. The UPS went to battery power quickly and on full. But then I tried it with all the mentioned devices connect and BOMB everything shut down and the battery went to ONE light once I disconnect the UPS from the wall.

Should I try the lamp still?

P.S.

I don't have a volt meter.

Message was edited by: jcnetlink

Message was edited by: jcnetlink

[TheNotoriousKMP_apc]

If it drops to one light, that would indicate some type of problem with the battery charging circuit/sensor, whereas the UPS is not seeing the battery.

I've seen this happen before where it'll drop the 1 LED. Maybe if KVAr is around he can shed some light on it, because that's the extent of my knowledge on it.


At this point it looks like the problem is with the UPS, not the battery.

[Anonymous user]

When you let the unit go to battery, is it able to hold the load on battery for a few minutes? If it can, then the unit is likely failing...

If it can NOT, then it is a very classic failing battery symptom. In my experience playing with UPSs, the replace battery indicator is useless to the point I don't think there's any loss in omitting it.

Let the UPS charge overnight. Try putting just your network equipment on UPS, then let the UPS go to battery and check their functionality. If the UPS stays on, but the equipment are not working, then the UPS is toast.

If everything works, then you most likely need a new battery pack.
The effect is like a restricted fuel line. It might idle for a long time but you hit the gas and the engine calls for more fuel, fuel pressure is lost and it stalls.

What happens is that as the battery ages, the internal resistance goes up. This is only discovered when the load is placed and voltage plummets and the UPS stalls. When the battery is degraded to the point of not being able to sustain the load for the brief moments of test, the UPS stalls and shuts evereything off.

The "replace battery" indicator only works if the degradation isn't that bad.

I personally feel that it's a deficiency in design that UPS can even drop the load during a self-test due to a failing battery. The UPS should be such that if you put it into "self test" even with the battery removed, it shouldn't drop the load when the utility power is perfectly available.

[Anonymous user]

First of all, thank you both "The Notorious K.M.P." and "KVAr ".

Well I tried your suggestion, with only the Routers and DSL connected. Did the self test and it droped one light and went back on power. So I let it charge a bit more and pulled the plug from the wall. It switched to battery and in less then three minutes it went down to the last light. But it stayed there for almost 15 minutes.

So what say you on this? Battery or unit? Trash it?


Thanks!

[Anonymous user]

jcnetlink wrote:
First of all, thank you both "The Notorious K.M.P." and "KVAr ".

Well I tried your suggestion, with only the Routers and DSL connected. Did the self test and it droped one light and went back on power. So I let it charge a bit more and pulled the plug from the wall. It switched to battery and in less then three minutes it went down to the last light. But it stayed there for almost 15 minutes.

So what say you on this? Battery or unit? Trash it?


Thanks!

Most likely, the battery is toast.
What's the SN on the unit?
http://www.apcc.com/tools/upgrade_selector/index.cfm

Did the UPS ever get stored for an extended period of time?
Did it ever sit around in less than fully charged conditions(i.e. unplugged and sat aside after it went on battery power) for more than a few days?

3-5 years is the expected life span, but "almost 3 years" is rather early for battery to degrade to this point, although if neglected, it isn't unusual. If it was stored in the warehouse before you got the unit for a long time, this could account for less than optimal useful life too.

[BillP]

Well, that explains it right there: your UPS battery is over 6 years old.

Time for a new battery.

[Anonymous user · Accepted solution]

WoW! Then I was ripped off! Because I bought it on Nov 21, 2005 on ebay boxed. Well again thank you all! You are all great and very helpful!

Message was edited by: jcnetlink

[Anonymous user]

jcnetlink wrote:
WoW! Then I was ripped off! Because I bought it on Nov 21, 2005 on ebay boxed. Well again thank you all! You are all great and very helpful!

Message was edited by: jcnetlink

Your UPS was probably less than optimal since day 1. If this is a floor unit (not rack mount), then it's time for a new RBC7, which is made of 2 x 12v 18Ah batteries. Get them from seller Gruber Power on eBay.

If you're going to build your own pack, don't dispose of the fuse block, brackets and the cable from the original pack.

[BillP]

Hello,
Thank you for the advice on the site address of the download of parachute personal edition.
Unfortunatly it did not work , not your address you gave me and others , which is appreciated.

The question was not posed correctly perhaps on my part.

Not the site but the inability to download. I am using a pentium 3, Windows XP prof SP2.

I can download data from Intel, Nvidia and even a local site here.

I spoke with a person from APC technical support for 3 hours, they tried their best but problem exists.

Here is the problem:

I cannot download parachute.

Further assistance would be appreciated.

Thank you for you time on this matter.

David