UPS problem

Pete10141748 · 10-12-2007, 04:26 PM

We had a pretty big power surge here this morning; enought to trip out the whole of the office (which used to be an ICT Suite). It seems to have done something to our UPS (which is connected to 2 servers) in that it is dropping from 100% to very low power as soon as it begin to power the servers. Before now it has lasted a good 5+ minutes.

Anyone had anything like this? Could the surge have essentially "killed" the battery? There is an indication light for "replace bettery", and it's not on.

Pete

DMcCoy · 10-12-2007, 04:49 PM

How old is the battery?

buzzard · 10-12-2007, 04:58 PM

is it just the two servers pulling from the UPS? with Xmas coming up I'd see if you can last a week and a bit and possible move/test the UPS without endangering the Servers. Are the Servers Mission Critical?

Pete10141748 · 10-12-2007, 05:18 PM

As far as I know the battery is about 4 years old. The server are critical, they are the only 2 in the school and between them do everything we need. The UPS is charging back up, but its very slow, and seems to discharge itself in quite large amounts.

Perhaps its setup means it wont power the servers until it has charged a certain amount?

Either way, perhaps its time to look at a new one?

Pete

DMcCoy · 10-12-2007, 05:30 PM

3 years is normally the most you will get out of the battery for it to hold any reasonable amount of charge. It is going flat too quickly for the battery to be flagged up as dead. During the scheduled test I would expect it to fail and power will be lost. I'm guessing its an apc?

buzzard · 10-12-2007, 05:31 PM

have you the APC software or other diagnostic software you can use to query the UPS?

Nexarius · 21-12-2007, 01:50 PM

4 years is too old for an important UPS battery. You should replace it ASAP.

laserblazer · 21-12-2007, 02:24 PM

Sugar, You reminded me the battery has gone on the curriculum server. Think I'll shut it down today until I can get a new one.

m25man · 22-12-2007, 10:16 AM

I thought I had everything covered.
I have 4 x Smart 1500's covering 5 servers all cross connected using dual redundant power supplies.
1 recently had the battery fail and the red light came on.
So I thought I would just fit a new battery.
Each of the 1500's was showing only 1 LED on it's load indicator.

As soon as I powered off the defective unit all the others went into overload and began bleeping frantically.

I was unable to release the battery from the defective unit as the sticky label had jammed it firmly in.
In less than a minute or two everything was shutting down.

All 4 UPS units had batteries over 3 yrs old.

So, UPS's LIE... Do not belive them just because the indicator says everything is ok test them regularly.

john · 22-12-2007, 05:54 PM

APC UPS'd tell porkies im afraid, I've never had one say its batteries are duff, when they are duff in reality. Fine maybe i've been unlucky with my 4 I've had but I just put it in my records for replacing the batteries every 3-5 years dependent on how mission critcal the units are.

kylewilliamson · 23-12-2007, 12:24 AM

we've a pair of smartups 3000's at minimal load that are 6 months, and 18 months old. we've got 9 servers on them, and dual powered where possible.

mattx · 23-12-2007, 08:56 AM

Cross connected UPS is a good idea but needs regular testing.
I make a point of testing our loads every holiday period as the batteries to tend to show the wrong level of status on the front.
Be careful when replacing the batteries, I still have the scar and bruise on my foot of the last one I changed, I dropped it - not a massive height but enough to cause me not to be able to use my motorbike for a few days....

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10-12-2007, 04:26 PM	#1
Pete10141748 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Bedfordshire, UK Posts: 421 Thanks: 22 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts Rep Power: 4	UPS problem We had a pretty big power surge here this morning; enought to trip out the whole of the office (which used to be an ICT Suite). It seems to have done something to our UPS (which is connected to 2 servers) in that it is dropping from 100% to very low power as soon as it begin to power the servers. Before now it has lasted a good 5+ minutes. Anyone had anything like this? Could the surge have essentially "killed" the battery? There is an indication light for "replace bettery", and it's not on. Pete

10-12-2007, 04:49 PM	#2
DMcCoy Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Isle of Wight Posts: 1,959 Thanks: 2 Thanked 123 Times in 113 Posts Rep Power: 32	Re: UPS problem How old is the battery?

10-12-2007, 04:58 PM	#3
buzzard Join Date: May 2006 Location: Working Across Lancashire Schools Posts: 77 Thanks: 9 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts Rep Power: 6	Re: UPS problem is it just the two servers pulling from the UPS? with Xmas coming up I'd see if you can last a week and a bit and possible move/test the UPS without endangering the Servers. Are the Servers Mission Critical?

10-12-2007, 05:18 PM	#4
Pete10141748 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Bedfordshire, UK Posts: 421 Thanks: 22 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts Rep Power: 4	Re: UPS problem As far as I know the battery is about 4 years old. The server are critical, they are the only 2 in the school and between them do everything we need. The UPS is charging back up, but its very slow, and seems to discharge itself in quite large amounts. Perhaps its setup means it wont power the servers until it has charged a certain amount? Either way, perhaps its time to look at a new one? Pete

10-12-2007, 05:30 PM	#5
DMcCoy Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Isle of Wight Posts: 1,959 Thanks: 2 Thanked 123 Times in 113 Posts Rep Power: 32	Re: UPS problem 3 years is normally the most you will get out of the battery for it to hold any reasonable amount of charge. It is going flat too quickly for the battery to be flagged up as dead. During the scheduled test I would expect it to fail and power will be lost. I'm guessing its an apc?

10-12-2007, 05:31 PM	#6
buzzard Join Date: May 2006 Location: Working Across Lancashire Schools Posts: 77 Thanks: 9 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts Rep Power: 6	Re: UPS problem have you the APC software or other diagnostic software you can use to query the UPS?

21-12-2007, 01:50 PM	#7
Nexarius Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Reading, UK Posts: 16 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Rep Power: 0	Re: UPS problem 4 years is too old for an important UPS battery. You should replace it ASAP.

21-12-2007, 02:24 PM	#8
laserblazer Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: UK Posts: 842 Thanks: 75 Thanked 26 Times in 23 Posts Rep Power: 9	Re: UPS problem Sugar, You reminded me the battery has gone on the curriculum server. Think I'll shut it down today until I can get a new one.

22-12-2007, 10:16 AM	#9
m25man Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Romford, Essex Posts: 307 Thanks: 0 Thanked 18 Times in 16 Posts Rep Power: 10	Re: UPS problem I thought I had everything covered. I have 4 x Smart 1500's covering 5 servers all cross connected using dual redundant power supplies. 1 recently had the battery fail and the red light came on. So I thought I would just fit a new battery. Each of the 1500's was showing only 1 LED on it's load indicator. As soon as I powered off the defective unit all the others went into overload and began bleeping frantically. I was unable to release the battery from the defective unit as the sticky label had jammed it firmly in. In less than a minute or two everything was shutting down. All 4 UPS units had batteries over 3 yrs old. So, UPS's LIE... Do not belive them just because the indicator says everything is ok test them regularly.

22-12-2007, 05:54 PM	#10
john Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Northern England Posts: 4,395 Thanks: 92 Thanked 51 Times in 46 Posts Rep Power: 24	Re: UPS problem APC UPS'd tell porkies im afraid, I've never had one say its batteries are duff, when they are duff in reality. Fine maybe i've been unlucky with my 4 I've had but I just put it in my records for replacing the batteries every 3-5 years dependent on how mission critcal the units are.

23-12-2007, 12:24 AM	#11
kylewilliamson Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 293 Thanks: 1 Thanked 11 Times in 9 Posts Rep Power: 7	Re: UPS problem we've a pair of smartups 3000's at minimal load that are 6 months, and 18 months old. we've got 9 servers on them, and dual powered where possible.

23-12-2007, 08:56 AM	#12
mattx Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 2,363 Thanks: 15 Thanked 91 Times in 68 Posts Rep Power: 31	Re: UPS problem Cross connected UPS is a good idea but needs regular testing. I make a point of testing our loads every holiday period as the batteries to tend to show the wrong level of status on the front. Be careful when replacing the batteries, I still have the scar and bruise on my foot of the last one I changed, I dropped it - not a massive height but enough to cause me not to be able to use my motorbike for a few days....

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