BR1300LCD and BX1300LCD --- what's the difference?

[BillP]

I recently bought a BR1300LCD (type RS) battery backup UPS for one of our home computers, and am thinking of buying another two (we have three networked computers in all).

While shopping online, I noticed that there's both the BR1300LCD, and another model, the BX1300LCD (type XS) --- the prices are somewhat different for these two models, and when I reviewed their specs on the APC website, they appreared to be identical except for the name and international distribution (both are distributed in the U.S.)

Can anyone explain the difference between these two models?

[Anonymous user]

This was my response to another post with a similar question

"The XS UPSs are SKUs meant to be sold through retail locations only. They are not listed on the APC website because they aren't purchasable through the website. In addition to the substantially lower price (from what I've heard) of the XS UPSs, there are a couple differences between the XS and their most equivalent UPS sold direct from APC - the RS model UPSs.

The XS model UPSs offer voltage boost, but the RS models offers both voltage boost and voltage trim abilities. This means that in an extended overvoltage situation, the RS UPS would be able to trim the input voltage down to an acceptable level, but the XS model would go to battery power. Undervoltages are much more common that overvoltages. In the case of and undervoltage situation, both UPSs would be able to boost the incoming voltage to an acceptable level.

The other difference between the RS and XS models is the data line surge protection. The XS models only offer phone/fax/modem data line protection, and the RS offers phone/fax/modem, and 10/100 Ethernet surge protection."

Hope that helps.

[BillP]

I recently bought a BR1300LCD (type RS) battery backup UPS for one of our home computers, and am thinking of buying another two (we have three networked computers in all).

While shopping online, I noticed that there's both the BR1300LCD, and another model, the BX1300LCD (type XS) --- the prices are somewhat different for these two models, and when I reviewed their specs on the APC website, they appreared to be identical except for the name and international distribution (both are distributed in the U.S.)

Can anyone explain the difference between these two models?

[BillP]

The only difference between the BR1300LCD and the BX1300LCD is that the RS has Ethernet/phone data line protection and the XS can only protect phone lines.

Previous generations, such as BR1200 and BX1200, DID differ in that the RS had both boost and trim, but the latest generation (LCD) models BOTH ONLY have boost.

Also, BackUPS RS units below 1000VA never had trim either. Units like the BR800BLK or BR900 have boost only, just like their XS counterparts. Only units like BR1000, BR1200, and BR1500 had boost and trim functionality.

If you would like to verify this, open the manual for any of the units mentioned above, and scroll to the last page where the features chart is located. You will notice that the AVR Voltage Regulation on a unit like BR1200 will show +/- 12% (indicating boost and trim), but on a BR800BLK, it will show +12% (indicating boost only). The same is true on the new LCD equipped BackUPS units: 12% boost only.

[Anonymous user]

Actually, I'm not so sure about a lack of network protection in the BX1500LCD. Yes, the website information does not list Network Protection in the specifications. However, on my unit the labeling states: "Modem/Phone/Fax/Network". Also, all 8 contacts are present in both sockets, whereas in most cases with phone-line-only connectors, only the center 2 pins are present (or center 4 pins in the case of 2-phone-line support). Finally, my gigabit network continues to function normally when passed through the UPS. Of course, this may only be due to the connection supporting passthru (i.e. not protected but allowing the signal to go thru...). But the labeling still states "Network", so my guess would be that the unit does protect the network cable.

Message was edited by: scott_boydman

[TheNotoriousKMP_apc]

Regardles of XS or RS, the LCD's have Ethernet protection.

Scott, if there was no ethernet, you'd lose communication running the line through. It just drops off after those two pins for telephone.

[Anonymous user]

Actually they are not identical according to APC. Compare:
- http://apc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=BX1300LCD&tab=features
- http://apc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=BR1300LCD&tab=features

BR1300LCD page mentions "Boost and *Trim* Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR) : Gives higher application availability by correcting low *and high voltage* conditions without using the battery."
BX1300LCD page mentions only "Boost Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR) : Preserves battery life and maximizes runtime by correcting low voltages without discharging the battery."

Not only does the "Boost" vs "Boost and Trim" differ, the elaboration reflects these differences as well. I believe, based on these two pages, that BR1300LCD clearly has "Boost and *Trim* (...) correcting low *and high voltage* conditions without using the battery" where the BX1300LCD only has "Boost (...) correcting low voltages without discharging the battery".

I realize this thread is quite old but I was researching the same thing and after reading someone who claimed to be an authority state that neither had Boost and Trim and that they were essentially identical, I went with the lesser expensive model only to find out a few minutes later that the information I had based my decisions on was incorrect. Hopefully this will help someone else in this situation.

[BillP · Accepted solution]

The feature lists you have linked to are carrying forward a website error found on previous generation RS models, such as the BR800BLK. That model, which I happen to own, only has boost capability despite what is shown here: [Feature list for BR800BLK|http://www.apc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=BR800BLK&tab=features]

The [manual for the BR800BLK|http://www.apcmedia.com/salestools/ASTE-6Z7V3J_R0_EN.pdf] correctly states, as do the [manuals for the BX1300LCD, BR1300LCD, BX1500LCD and BR1500LCD|http://www.apcmedia.com/salestools/ASTE-6Z7VAU_R0_EN.pdf] (all share the same manual), that these units do not have trim capability. Only 12% boost is available.

I personally tested these units in the lab here using a variac (tool used to adjust AC line voltage) and a Fluke True-RMS multimeter, and each performed identically. Each engaged their 12% line boost function at approx 97vAC. None made any adjustment to higher voltages until reaching the on-battery threshold of 136vAC. Here are the results:

Low Voltage Behavior:
Online to AVR Boost 97vAC
AVR Boost to On Batt 88vAC (per PCPE setting)
OnBatt to AVR Boost 93vAC
AVR to Online 105vAC


High Voltage Behavior
Online to OnBatt 136 (per PCPE setting)
OnBatt to Online 130v

I apologize that the website makes the assumption that all Back-UPS RS models feature boost and trim. This is not the case. Refer to my post from Aug 10 in this thread for more details and history.