ESD protection on BR500CI-AS

[BillP]

I just opened up a brand new APC BR500CI-AS and was greeted by a static shock the moment I touched the metal casing while sliding the UPS out of the bag it was packaged in.

Is the white foam, the plastic bag, or the tape on the bag that this UPS model was packed in not ESD-safe? I touched a grounded surface immediately before unpacking the UPS, so those are the only materials I touched before making contact with the casing of the UPS. It seems very likely that one or more of those materials are the problem. That's only the second static shock I've received in the past decade, and the one other time was also when unpacking a product that was packaged in inappropriate materials.

Also, is this model (or APC UPS units in general) designed to prevent ESD damage to sensitive components connected to the ground plane when the metal case is exposed to static electricity and the UPS is unplugged/ungrounded?

FYI, Schneider/APC has refused to respond to these questions when asked directly via e-mail support. The reason given for refusing to help was that this is an "international" model. Via phone and online, APC has also claimed to be unable sell extra/replacement batteries for this unit for the same reason. Considering that places like OfficeMax and Buy.com (Rakuten) among others sell this model in the US and it is a great item to purchase before traveling overseas, the company's attitude towards this product is alarmingly poor.

Thanks ahead for any help anyone can provide.

[BillP]

Hi buckchow, You are correct in that Schneider-Electric Technical Support does not provide Technical Support for the "International" models Domestically, as these units are not intended for use Domestically. In addition, I was not aware the companies which are listed above have the unit in question available for purchase. Thank you for letting us know. I will pass this along to the appropriate individuals to have that resolved. If you have purchased this unit in error, I would be happy to replace it with a domestic unit of equal size and features. As for the APC BR500CI-AS, I'm a bit confused as you've indicated the unit has a "Metal" case. The APC BR500CI-AS does in fact have a plastic enclosure and is shipped with the internal battery disconnected. To my knowledge, the materials used in the packaging of the BR500CI-AS are not considered specifically as ESD dissipative. Given the right conditions, however I could see where the rubbing of the two plastic materials could potentially produce a static charge. With that being said, I have never heard of this ever occurring before and do apologize for this experience. I will certainly inform our Platform Engineers of your experience and request they look in to the ESD properties of the packaging materials used. To speak to your question regarding the potential for ESD damage when unplugged/ungrounded. When disconnected from mains power, the UPS defaults to it's own internal chassis ground. Any ESD which may occur would still be corrected through the unit's EMI/RFI and Surge Protection circuits. I hope I have answered all your questions and concerns. As indicated, I will be following up with the appropriate parties regarding these concerns. Thank you for reaching out to us. SecretSquirrel

[BillP · Accepted solution]

Thank you very much for all of that helpful information SecretSquirrel.

This purchase definitely wasn't an error, and I hope you don't intend to stop any companies in the US from selling units like this model. The choices are already quite limited for people trying to buy a UPS before traveling or moving overseas. There are definitely some people who like to plan ahead and have the equipment they need before traveling instead of spending/wasting time at their destination shopping around for a UPS.

You are correct that the case of the BR500CI-AS seems to be black plastic, not painted metal. When I originally unpacked the UPS, the casing felt slightly cool as metal casings sometimes do before reaching room temperature, so I mistakenly thought it was metal. On closer inspection now, it is definitely plastic.

As long as the UPS is protected from static electricity from the casing as you indicated, it shouldn't be necessary for the packaging to be  ESD-safe as well. I certainly wanted to believe that your engineers were well aware of this already, but I still felt like I had to ask about this and I'm glad that you were able to put my mind at ease.

The UPS has been fully charged via a Stancor P-8640 step-up transformer and seems to be working normally. If replacement batteries don't become available in the US, I would almost certainly just buy another BR500CI-AS to replace this one when the battery fails. That is, of course, assuming that this model doesn't unexpectedly and unpleasantly become unavailable in the US.

Thanks again for all of your help.