How to replace a battery APC Back-UPS 650VA (BVN650M1) and 900VA (BVN900?)

[BradS_apc]

I have a battery that just died and won't shut up, so I was going to get new batteries for all (I had 5 critical ones through the house.  But first, it would take time and I wanted to get at least one from Staples today.  Got a good deal, got 3 650s and 1 900 (all they had; planned to get another 900 next week).  Was going to set up a 650, couldn't see how to get to the battery, read thru the manual at least twice.  Finally found it.  "The battery in the Back-UPS is not user-replaceable.  Contact...".  Are you kidding?  Paying for service to replace a battery would cost more than a new unit.

[BradS_apc]

OK, I called.  No idea why but those units do not have user replaceable batteries.  The following do, along with the replacement batteries:

BE600M1: APCRBC154

BE650G1: RBC17

BE850G2: RBC17 (same)

BR1000MS (tower): APCRBC160

And it's not for form factor; some of those are the flat-ish form factors of my old ones, and some are "mini towers like the ones I just bought.  I'll have to shop around and likely will NOT get the kind of deal I got from Staples (about $72 for the 650, sale ended, and about $92 for the 900, sale should still be on this week -- in-store only).

(I asked if they were hot swappable; the sales rep I called said only the Smart-UPS lines are hot swappable.)  I'll have to hunt around for some of those units.

[SamirD_apc]

Thank you for posting this.  With the replaceable/non-replaceables being so similar in design, this will be another 'gotcha' to watch for.  I hope other manufacturers don't follow suit.

[GaryP]

APC's online description of the BVN650M1 says it is compatible with a replacement battery. Only after purchase do you find, hidden in the manual, that it is not user replaceable. This is, at best, misleading and is also very disappointing. I purchased an APC unit expecting at least the stated specs to be accurate. Obviously, I was wrong.