"Battery Discharged" error is displayed after restarting the APC Symmetra RM

[Anonymous user]

We bought two APC Symmetra RM (2 power modules and 7 batteries per each). We tested them 3 weeks ago and everythig was going fine. After that we stoped the APC, for maintenance reasons untill friday. When we started again, the following message was displayed: "Battery discharged". So I'm wondering if the batteries are destroyed or they are drained. What should I do to restart the system and to  charge the batteries, because I've let the UPS ON for half a day and the batteries are still discharged.

Thank you,

Stefan

[BillP]

Anytime you turn a Symmetra off and the batteries are not charging, you should disconnect the batteries from the frame (so pull them out a few inches at least) so they do not discharge into the frame over time which sounds like what happened here.

Can you confirm the current battery voltage on the system please? And is it running online or in bypass?

If its easier too, the logs from the pre-installed management card would be helpful. Instructions on downloading are in the knowledge base http://www.apc.com/site/support/index.cfm/faq/ in article ID FA156131. If the card is not configured, you can configure it as well and the logs will still be there.

Lastly, are these all brand new batteries? The first digits of the serial number on the batteries would be helpful i.e. QD1213XXXXX

[Anonymous user]

Hi Angela,

The Symmetra was running online and the batteries are brand new.

Batteries info:

Model: SYBT2

S/N: 5D1246T00966

JPN: 885-669911

I've checked some information on the UPS:

DIAGS -> BATTS -> STATS:  0 of 6 bats        

1. Bat 1 of 6
2. Main Frame Module:

•      Level 2 from top
•      Status: Not Installed

Why the APC does not recognize the batteries?

I've attached the following files:

• config.ini
• data.txt
• event.txt

Thank you for your help,

Stefan

[BillP]

Hi Stefan,

What do you mean the UPS was online? I guess what I mean is how was it turned off/on for maintenance? I see a lot of in bypass for maintenance in the log and coldstarts on the management card.

Anyway, the battery bus voltage is extremely low and that is why we cannot see any batteries and why the UPS cannot come online (since it does not appear to be per the log). So somehow, the batteries were left without being charged and have effectively been damaged. The nominal battery voltage on this system is ~137vDC and anything below ~95vDC will be a problem. Yours is at ~45vDC currently per the data log. Unfortunately, these batteries should be removed and discarded because if you get any new batteries, putting them in with the batteries that are of low voltage already will kill that new battery. You cannot mix a fresh battery with these that you have installed currently that are practically dead. They are so low that they will not be able to charge up.

So, I can't speak for technical support in your region but here, we would maybe make an exception and maybe provide you one good battery so you can bring the system online because in the log, it shows me the output power is turned off so your UPS is not online since it has no good batteries to run online. Then, you'd have to look into replacing the other batteries because we usually define this situation as negligence because the batteries were not stored properly while the UPS was down for maintenance.

Let me know if you have further questions. Sorry for the bad news here

[Anonymous user]

Hi Angela,

In the previous post you said that you can provide us with a new battery for testing the UPS. Is the offer still available?

Our address is:

SC GARMIN CLUJ SRL

Street: SOMESULUI NR. 2-12, CLUJ-NAPOCA, ROMANIA

I have another question:

Can you send me an offer for 14 batteries?

Thank you,

Stefan

[BillP · Accepted solution]

Hi Stefan,

I am in the United States so I can't ship from here. Can you contact your local support and you can send them this thread if you need to so they could send an SYBT2 for you under goodwill. Also, we do that here in NAM and I can't speak for our EMEA support but I don't see why not if I say so

Anyway, the part number is SYBT2 so I am not sure if you can request a quote through your reseller or ask EMEA support to do that as well. I don't want to give you the wrong pricing.