BR1300G and BR1500G - Availability, fan noise, RBC cost, power consumption?

[overload_apc]

I'm interested in one of the new BR1300G or BR1500G models, and have several questions:

1. Are they available yet? I found them on Buy.com searching for the model numbers, but there are no photos or detailed specs listed and I want to make sure I'm not getting the less-featured BX1300G or BX1500G "retail" models.

2. Do they have fan noise in normal use? I recently purchased a BR700G and it is (happily) silent during normal use, despite being listed with the same 45 dbA noise rating as the BR1300G and BR1500G.


And finally to help me decide which of the two to get:

3. Is there an estimate on RBC replacement cost for these two models?

4. What is the idle power consumption of the two models?


Thanks in advance.

Message was edited by: overload

[BillP]

As I was helping another customer in the forum, I chanced upon an information regarding replacement battery. On the last page of the user manual it says that for the BR1300G or BR1500G the battery that goes with it is APCRBC124.

Here is the [Specification Sheet|http://www.apcmedia.com/salestools/DFAH-84RKSN_R0_EN.pdf] as well.

[Anonymous user]

Hi Overload,

1. Yes, they're available & can be order throught APC and a few online retaillers in Canada, I'm not sure about other countries. I have a BR1300G sitting in my room now.

2. YES! The fan is very loud. It's noisier than the BX900. I can still hear the fan at 1.5 meter away from the BR1300G and while I'm sitting next to my 4 years old Sharp Portable Air Conditionner when the compressor is ON. Worse is the fan is always on even when the room temperature is between 23C-26C. The fan goes off only when doing self-test & without the battery. The BR1300G makes a small electric noise when doing a self-test which is less noisy than the BE750G-CN. The BR1300G is totally silent without the battery but there's no point having a UPS without battery. They're almost all advertised at 45.00 dBA but the BR1300G is definitely not as advertised with the fan ON.

4. Sorry, can't answer, haven't checked, got the BR1300G running for less than 1 day and it gave a F08(Fan) error. I'm suspecting the build/quality control isn't very good or I was just unlucky and got a lemon.

Regards.

[overload_apc]

Thanks for the replies, a couple followups please...

JonPro, at least some of the RS series is available through US retailers, I bought my RS700 through Amazon. Are you sure the Buy.com models are not RS? Also, thanks for the RBC number but I can't find a price for that on the site, do you have one?

pess, I wasn't sure from your post, are you saying the fan is off (silent) while the the UPS is receiving AC line power, or is it noisy all the time?

[Anonymous user]

To overload:
As per my previous reply. The fan is Always On = noisy all the time. The fan only goes Off in 2 situations: 1st is when it's doing a self-test, the fan restarts as soon as the self-test is done; 2nd is when the UPS is working without battery = the UPS is like an oversized Surge Protector = no backup power.

[Anonymous user · Accepted solution]

The BR1500G is the same way: the fan is ALWAYS on, and it is loud. I don't see why these units are offered as suitable for an office environment. I thought the fan on my workstation's graphics card was loud, but I can't even hear it with the BR1500G in use. I will be looking at returning this UPS.

Does anyone know if the BR1000G has the same issue? From what I've read and experienced, the fan in the BR1300G and the BR1500G is always on when the unit is in use and operating normally. Apparently, the fan in the BR700G is not normally on (which has been my experience with previous APC products that I've used). Also, is the fan always on in the Back-UPS RS 1300VA LCD or the Back-UPS RS 1500VA LCD?

[Kurt_apc]

BR1500G is a POS. I never had one that had constant fan noise like this. Plus the thing randomly shutdown while my PC was on.

[Anonymous user]

Regarding APC UPS Model BR1300G -- fan problem and noise

I ordered and received a BR1300G, which arrived about August 22, 2010.
The fan -- which is lamentably loud in the first place -- stays on for TWO HOURS before shutting off.
I contacted Customer Support/Tech Support, where I discussed this with Tech rep Melissa Forand.

Melissa said the fan should not stay on that long. She was very helpful, and made arrangements to ship me a replacement unit.

The replacement BR1300G arrived within days, reaching me on September 9, 2010.
This morning, September 11, 2010, I disconnected the 1st unit and attached my computer to the 2nd unit (whose battery I allowed to charge for 16 hours before using).

So, now the replacement BR1300G is up and running. The fan (as loud as the fan on the 1st unit) began running right away, at startup, at 4:00 am.
It is now 6:30 am . . . and THE FAN HAS NOT STOPPED RUNNING.

The BR1300G sits on the floor, beneath my computer desk. The fan is so loud that it drowns out the sound of the fan(s) in my Mac Pro computer.
I like to be able to hear my computer (which sits on TOP of my computer desk), in order to monitor if the fans seem to be running at normal speed, or if they seem to be working unusually hard. Therefore, unfortunately, the ability to hear my computer is nullified by the loud sound of the APC UPS BR1300G unit.

I cannot understand WHY the fan doesn't go off. Am I, now, supposed to return this 2nd unit and get a 3rd unit -- in the hopes that a 3rd unit MIGHT have a fan that runs correctly?

Since it's the weekend (Saturday morning, 9/11/2010 -- an auspicious date), APC's tech support is closed (till Monday).
"Agents are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET."

I will resume my contact with Tech rep Melissa, and see what she says.
Also, I will update this ongoing account of my experience with the APC UPS BR1300G.

Message was edited by: David Purnell

[Anonymous user]

UPDATE (later the same day): After slightly over 2.5 hours from turning on my BR1300G unit (unit #2) at 4:00 am, the fan finally turned off.
From the time the fan turned off, the unit has been running continuously for 7.5 hours . . . without the fan going on (in what I call "overdrive").
The unit is as quiet as a sleeping baby.

Bottom line: I like this APC UPS BR1300G unit very much. I just can't understand why the fan runs in "overdrive" (loud) for the first couple of hours after boot-up.
Hopefully, the APC tech department will be able to shed light on this on Monday.

[Anonymous user]

This is a continuation of my previous two posts.
Today is September 12.
At 1:45 pm, I turned on my APC UPS BR1300G (unit #2). I didn't boot up my computer that is plugged into the UPS.
I just let the UPS run. The fan (sounding as though it's in "overdrive") began as soon as the unit finished its self-diagnostics at startup.
After 1 hour, the fan was still in "overdrive."

At that point, I booted up my computer to get some work done.

Finally, at 4:45 pm -- THREE HOURS LATER -- the fan shut off. It sure is pleasant here in my studio without the NOISE from the UPS unit.
I can actually enjoy listening to music.

I'll post the results of tomorrow's phone discussion with APC's tech department.

-- David Purnell

[Anonymous user]

DATE: 9/16/10
This is the 4th (and likely, the final) post re my experience with fan noise from the APC UPS BR1300G.

This morning I again spoke with Melissa Forand in APC's technical support department.
I explained that this second BR1300G unit is doing exactly what the first unit did: The fan stays on for 2 to 3 hours after turning on the unit.

SOUND LEVEL INFO: The sound of the fan running is listed (in the BR1300G online product info) as:
"Audible noise at 1 meter from surface of unit" is 45.00 dBA (decibels).
(Note from David: The humming of a refrigerator compressor is 40.00 dBA)

SATISFACTORY EXPLANATION PROVIDED BY APC:
Melissa said the fan will stay on under two conditions:
1) During any time that the battery is recharging, toward reaching 100% charge.
2) Any time the temperature of the unit is above 60-degrees F.

MY SOLUTION TO THE FAN STAYING ON FOR 3 HOURS AFTER THE UPS UNIT IS TURNED ON:
The UPS unit is intended to remain turned on (24/7). Therefore, leaving it turned on is normal.
The only time I will need to turn it off and unplug it from the wall is during a lightning storm. That is the ONLY reliable way to protect electronic equipment from lightning.

SCENARIO #1: When the storm has passed, and I want to re-boot-up my computer (i.e., turn the UPS back on), I will just have to endure the fan running for 2 or 3 hours. It's not the end of the world.

SCENARIO #2: If weather reports predict lightning storms during the night (when I'm asleep), I will (as usual) unplug the UPS (and therefore, my computer) from the wall socket before I retire for the night.
In the morning, about 3 hours before I plan to work at the computer, I will re-plug the UPS unit into the wall and turn it on.
The fan will run for 2 to 3 hours and then stop running. When I come down to my studio to work, the fan will already have completed its "thing" . . . and I can sit at my computer, do my work, and enjoy listening to music -- without the sound of the fan.

IN PRAISE OF APC:
APC's Sales Department and Customer Care/Technical Support Department have been nothing but fabulous (during transactions and discussions). All agents have been professional, courteous and very willing to help me with whatever problem I had.
I would not hesitate to recommend APC or its products.

David Purnell
(a satisfied customer)

Message was edited by: David Purnell

[BillP]

hi david,

i have not been involved with this at all and Back UPS really isn't my thing anymore APC support-wise but I just wanted to thank you for posting your findings and praise for our support and products. it is good to hear when a customer has a great experience, which we hope that every customer does but i think everyone knows that in this world, that is not the reality unfortunately - with any company.

thanks for your feedback and don't hesitate to let us know if you need anything else.

[Anonymous user]

ADDENDUM (from David Purnell), regarding what causes the fan on the BR1300G stay on for awhile*
after the unit is turned on.*

Melissa Forand, at APC Technical Support, provided the following update today:

Reasons for the fan running on the UPS BR1300G (and others):
1. The UPS is on battery.
2. The UPS is charging the battery.
3. The UPS has a load greater than 75%.
4. The UPS is "trickle charging" the battery.

CAVEAT:
I strongly believe this is the reason why your fan stays on for a couple
of hours after you start up the UPS. The temperature issue -- which I initially indicated ("the fan will go on
if the temperature is above 60-degrees F") -- pertains only to the SMART-family of UPS units (which the BR1300G is not).
And so we were originally mistaken when we told you that. Sorry, for the mix up and hope
this helps you with your reviews on the BR1300G.

Thank you,
Melissa Forand
APC Technical Support Engineer

Message was edited by: David Purnell

[Anonymous user]

Thanks Angela (aka "i picKed a winna").

David

Message was edited by: David Purnell

[Anonymous user]

In confirmation that the fan will run while the UPS BR1300G (and its sibling, the UPS BR1500G) is "trickle charging" the battery,
on 8/18/10 the poster named clarkson posted this:
(go to http://forums.apc.com/spaces/4/back-ups-surge-protectors/forums/general/3719/problems-with-back-ups-...)


Re: Back-UPS RS1500 (BR1500G) fan
Posted: Aug 18, 2010 3:18 PM in response to: tinsnip

Hi,

If you give it time, the fan will go off. I have a BR1500G and then fan does not run all of the time. The fan does run when the unit is trickle charging. It takes several hours to top off the battery even if the unit displays that it is at 100%.

Message was edited by: David Purnell

[Anonymous user]

Hey all,
I saw concerns about the BR1300G/BR1500G fan noise. I also heard that the similar 1250VA BN1250G does not have the issue.

Well I went to Sam's Club and picked up a BN1250G for $144. Plugged it in, ZERO noise - dead silent. Have been using for about 30mins with w/ all stuff plugged in and not a peep from the fan.

I also yanked the plug out of the wall and the fan went on (unit made a buzzing noise also), but after I put the plug in the fan promptly went off. I am super-satisfied with this purchase.

So it appears perhaps the BN1250G is geared more for consumers while the BR1300G/BR1500G may be for network server rooms that require constant airflow?

Message was edited by: Ruined

[overload_apc]

I'm interested in one of the new BR1300G or BR1500G models, and have several questions:

1. Are they available yet? I found them on Buy.com searching for the model numbers, but there are no photos or detailed specs listed and I want to make sure I'm not getting the less-featured BX1300G or BX1500G "retail" models.

2. Do they have fan noise in normal use? I recently purchased a BR700G and it is (happily) silent during normal use, despite being listed with the same 45 dbA noise rating as the BR1300G and BR1500G.


And finally to help me decide which of the two to get:

3. Is there an estimate on RBC replacement cost for these two models?

4. What is the idle power consumption of the two models?


Thanks in advance.

Message was edited by: overload

[Anonymous user]

https://youtu.be/mqdchrREsNI
I have come up with a nifty little work around. I hope this helps.