failure ups smart 3000

[Anonymous user]

Sr(s):

I have UPS Smart 3000 xli and the battery charge lights are flashing (charge is 100%). 

The batteries were changed (are new) and the voltage each pack is 104V.

Please I need support in order to find the failure.

Thanks

[Anonymous user]

The flashing battery charge level lights appear when the unit believes that it has less than a certain number of minutes worth of runtime remaining on battery. (The default is two minutes. You may adjust it if necessary, though I would consider splitting your load amongst another UPS if the load is really that heavy. It's not nice to these units or their batteries to load them near maximum capability, and you might have an unplanned shutdown after the batteries have some age and wear on them.)

If new batteries were installed, this behavior indicates that the unit is out of calibration. It can be corrected in several ways:

1. By resetting the battery calibration constant value manually. If the batteries got bad enough, the unit might be unable to reset this value by itself. APC used to provide a small device that would reset this value. I don't know if they still do or not. Third party software that is not in any way affiliated with APC or Schneider Electric, nor recommended by them, exists and can be used at your own risk. (My own personal experience is this software, known as APCFIX, works perfectly well. It has not caused any problem with hundreds of different APC Smart-UPS models.) Ideally you should perform a runtime calibration after doing this, just so the unit will not overstate its runtime estimation.

2. Perform a runtime calibration manually. To do this you'll need an outlet strip with a power switch of its own and enough of a purely resistive load (incandescent light bulbs or perhaps a radiant (no fan) space heater for a unit this large) to reach at least 30% of the unit's rated output capacity. Somewhat more load is OK. You will also require a properly grounded electrical outlet. Safely power down the attached load, turn off the UPS, plug the UPS into the outlet strip and turn the UPS on. Allow the battery to charge to 100%. Connect the resistive load. Let it warm up so the power drawn will stabilize. Turn the switch on the outlet strip off, forcing the UPS to switch to its battery. Let the UPS run this way until it shuts down! Do not interfere.

After the UPS shuts down, restore power, disconnect the resistive load and allow it to charge its battery fully (at least eight hours, maybe a bit more). You may restore it to normal service at this point.

3. Perform a runtime calibration in software: the UPS can be commanded by most management software programs (those from APC or third parties, such as apcupsd) to perform a runtime calibration. Again, it will have to be at least 30% loaded for this to work and attached to a properly grounded outlet. The battery must also be 100% charged. You do run the risk that this may drop the load if the batteries are not known to be fresh and in good working order. As most computer loads are highly inductive in nature, this may not work as well. It is, however, the only option if you can't separate the UPS from its normal load as in step #2.

You only have to do one of #2 or #3 above. If you do step #1 only, you can leave it that way, but I always follow up with a runtime calibration afterwards just to be sure the unit won't overestimate its runtime.

This should restore your UPS to perfect working order if you have recently changed the batteries. If you have not recently changed the batteries, you should check their age. Most of these batteries last between 3 and 5 years, sometimes more or less.

[BillP · Accepted solution]

Hi Roberto,

William's suggestions were great. You can choose either Step 2 or 3 to resolve the issue and if you would still experience the same thing I suggest that you contact the support for your region.