How good is the APC Back UPS 1500 XS? Are you happy with yours?

Anonymous user · ‎2021-06-28

I was just wondering if you can recommend the APC Bak UPS 1500 XS? I have heard that the LCD load display id totally inaccurate.. is this true?

Does it have a built-in cooling fan?

Has the 1500 proven to be reliable?

Thanks.

Message was edited by: hassiman

Message was edited by: hassiman

Anonymous user · ‎2021-06-28

I would like to add a comment to this. I have a Back UPS 1500 XS with LCD screen which I have been happy with along with past products from APC. However when one of the fans recently started making noise I called them up and asked for a replacement. They said the fan cannot be replaced, so I should get a new unit... what?!?! All this plastic and printed circuit boards and inverter and batteries should be thrown out because of a $13 fan?

There are only 2 moving parts in this whole thing (both fans) and I was baffled that they would not make these easily replaceable. Even without the money issue the environmental implications of this are insane.

I pulled the back off and then took out the fan and and found the manufacturer in China by typing in the part number (Jamicon KF0420B2MM-R). Unfortunately that manufacturer does not seem to sell fans in the US market retail so then I took the specs and found the most similar fans on Digi-Key I could. I ordered two of them (one with overcurrent alarm and the other with tach output) and when I got them saw that the wire color matched for the o/c alarm one so I soldered it in. This was Digikey part# 1053-1414-ND, Orion Part number OD4020-24HB02A FAN DC 40X20 24V W/ O/C ALARM

Put it all together and its now working fine. This will be the last of these units I purchase until they correct this simple design flaw.

See Answer In Context

BillP · ‎2021-06-28

i work for APC but this is my personal opinion..i have an BX1500LCD (XS 1500) and i like it. it does have a cooling fan for when the unit is charging and operating on battery . the wattmeter isnt as accurate with small loads on it (less than 100 watts) compared to when it has a higher load on it. the unit looks very sleek. this has been very reliable for me and i'm not just saying that 😉

Anonymous user · ‎2021-06-28

I would like to add a comment to this. I have a Back UPS 1500 XS with LCD screen which I have been happy with along with past products from APC. However when one of the fans recently started making noise I called them up and asked for a replacement. They said the fan cannot be replaced, so I should get a new unit... what?!?! All this plastic and printed circuit boards and inverter and batteries should be thrown out because of a $13 fan?

There are only 2 moving parts in this whole thing (both fans) and I was baffled that they would not make these easily replaceable. Even without the money issue the environmental implications of this are insane.

I pulled the back off and then took out the fan and and found the manufacturer in China by typing in the part number (Jamicon KF0420B2MM-R). Unfortunately that manufacturer does not seem to sell fans in the US market retail so then I took the specs and found the most similar fans on Digi-Key I could. I ordered two of them (one with overcurrent alarm and the other with tach output) and when I got them saw that the wire color matched for the o/c alarm one so I soldered it in. This was Digikey part# 1053-1414-ND, Orion Part number OD4020-24HB02A FAN DC 40X20 24V W/ O/C ALARM

Put it all together and its now working fine. This will be the last of these units I purchase until they correct this simple design flaw.