RS/XS Battery Pack connected to Back -UPS RS 1500 -- which battery is bad

[Anonymous user]

This morning I found my PCs and associated equipment dead and a buzzing sound from under my work table.  After disconnecting PCs and equipment (modem-router, LCD displays) from RS1500, turning it off, and turning it on again, GREEN light and RED light are alternately on and off.  I understand that this means I need a new battery or two (or more).  How do I tell if I need batteries in the Battery Pack, the RS 1500 or both?  Important question as my business is very small.

John

[Anonymous user]

This morning I found my PCs and associated equipment dead and a buzzing sound from under my work table.  After disconnecting PCs and equipment (modem-router, LCD displays) from RS1500, turning it off, and turning it on again, GREEN light and RED light are alternately on and off.  I understand that this means I need a new battery or two (or more).  How do I tell if I need batteries in the Battery Pack, the RS 1500 or both?  Important question as my business is very small.

John

[BillP]

This does not necessarily mean bad battery. Can you be more specific which green LED (which I guess has to be online) and which Red LED is on? There is on battery, replace battery, and overload and all of those one could call "red."

Once we know which it is, then I can verify what it indicates for you.

[Anonymous user]

Green - Online and Red - Overload batteries are flashing

[BillP]

Ok thanks. So it is online and overload flashing alternately, correct? Also, I am going to assume this is a BR1500 or BX1500 for the exact model of UPS. You can verify this on the back or bottom on the white sticker for what it says on the model number.

Please see the image below to verify what visual indicator you see because this is how I am understanding what you're seeing:

[Anonymous user]

Main unit is BR1500.  Battery pack is BR248P.  Disconnecting battery pack does not change alternating green (online) and red (overload) lights.

[BillP]

And it shouldn't. Per the description, it seems to indicate this unit shut down via software - do you have a computer attached with a USB cable? You should be able to just reboot this unit and it will be fine.

[Anonymous user]

I have totally disconnected the unit and reassmbled.  USB cable is running to a PC (Win XP Pro SP3) on the house line, not the UPS.  The BRF1500 is reporting a line voltage of 88 to 100 volts and changing several times a minute.  I have used PowerChute to allow line voltages as low as I can set (94), but unit will not come off battery.  Everthing else is running okay and one of your Back-UPS RS1300 says line voltage is 119.  Looks like something in the BR1500 is reading the wrong voltage.

[BillP]

I am confused so I apologize. The problem as you described it was that the UPS was showing those indicator LEDs which I provided the description for.

Are you saying you turned it back on and now it reads incorrect voltage, forcing it to battery power now due to the low voltage which may be a separate issue now that you've turned it back on?

Thanks. I am just not sure how we got from flashing indicator lights to now the UPS reports low line voltage and is constantly operating on battery. Perhaps this did happen earlier and is why the UPS turned off..?

[Anonymous user]

After I turned unit off, hooked USB cable to a PC, and turned it back on again, PowerChute says low voltage.  If I turn off the BR1500, PowerChute says Power Source is AC Utility Power.  However, BR1500 UPS out has ZERO voltage.  PowerChute self-test says "unable to carry out self-test at this time" even though green progress bar goes to completion.

[BillP]

Did you try both of these UPSs in the same receptacle and/or electrical circuit? You could also try lowering sensitivity.

What did the last transfer to battery reason read on the PowerChute status screen?

Something doesnt sound right with the UPS..

[Anonymous user]

Hello Angela:

The UPS that is reporting 88 volts is on the same circuit as the one reporting 119 volts.  UPS that failed was powering a Linux based PC, my DELL laptop, and modem-router.  Unfortunately, you don't make a version of PowerChute that supports Linux.  We put our UPS on PCs that have solid-state hard drives.  If everything in my home office were getting only 88 volts, then most of the devices would not be working correctly,  So, what do I need to do get the correct parts for my UPS?

[BillP]

To clarify, how are you getting this 88V? Just when you switched it from the Linux box to PC and ran PowerChute? And this 88V is for the output from the UPS? Or in the input when it reads output voltage?

I ask because we have this article -> Low output voltage reading on a UPS that uses a step approximated sine wave | FAQs | Schneider Elect...

Also, apcupsd is a good Linux alternative if you're interested.

If the UPS indeed has an issue, it'd be a replacement under warranty or out of warranty through tech support as we don't offer repair or parts on anything of this size besides batteries.

I am still struggling to understand all of the pieces here and I feel silly. You walked in one day and the lights we discussed were alternately flashing? Then you rebooted the UPS and it would not come off of battery power and PowerChute reported low AC voltage on the input when you connected it to a Windows PC using PowerChute while another UPS on the same circuit reports 119V? Those are my current thoughts if nothing changes on my other earlier questions in this post.

[Anonymous user]

Hello Angela:

Thank you for your assistance.  You must have waived your magic wand around 10 p.m. EDT last evening when the BR1500 decided to behave properly again.  To answer your questions, the 88 volts was the reading on PowerChute current status.  This morning in has been running between 110 and 120 volts while the RS 1300 has been showing 120-122 volts.  All are on same dedicated circuit.  Right now, I have two desktops and my laptop running on the BR1500.

I suspect control board on the RS 1500 (S/N JB055201507) (aka BR1500?) is flaky.  What is the current replacement model?  Remember that I need a UPS that will take the input from the RX/XS battery pack.

John

[BillP]

I found this.. so it'd have to be one of these but I think they are all discontinued now..

http://www.apcmedia.com/salestools/DFAH-8GLR62/DFAH-8GLR62_R0_EN.pdf

[BillP]

Hmm, the document does say they are interchangeable and someone also told me they were so that the BR24BP would work with the new G units and vice versa.

Also, I forgot, it is not a great idea to mix new and old batteries because old batteries could damage the new ones..

[Anonymous user]

Hello Angela,

Thank you for your help.  If possible, please confirm that BR1500G is compatible with my external battery pack.  Picture of BR1500G on Amazon shows connection for external battery.  Existing combination has been a real business saver as it will run my laptop with Sierra Wireless AirCard for days the utility lines are down.  I am up as long as there is a cell phone signal.

John

[BillP · Accepted solution]

Yes, they will work together since apparently they are interchangeable (the styling is different) but if the batteries are original in the battery pack or have not been replaced within the last year, then I'd be concerned they could potentially damage the batteries in a new UPS.