UPS recommendations

[mavhc]

In 2012 we bought some APC SMX3000RMHV2UNC, both of which are now giving errors. They were £1300 each, I'd have expected them to last longer than 7 years.

 

APC says just buy new ones, don't replace the batteries because the UPS itself is probably broken.

 

So, do I buy APC again, or is there someone better?

[howartp]

We have Eaton Powerware.

 

Great combinations of kit available, and VM to manage it.

[pete]

We've bought Eaton and APC and there's not been a lot in it (IME) in terms of reliability. We have an APC RM Symmetra powering the server room that's coming up for 9 years old. The batteries have been swapped three times now and it's been very reliable (though for the price, it should be).

[Chris_]

When we needed an extra UPS we went refurb, 12 month warranty and new cells at a decent price: https://secure.ups-trader.co.uk/rack-ups/201-sua3000rmxli3u.html

[Ditto]

In 2012 we bought some APC SMX3000RMHV2UNC, both of which are now giving errors. They were £1300 each, I'd have expected them to last longer than 7 years.

APC says just buy new ones, don't replace the batteries because the UPS itself is probably broken.

So, do I buy APC again, or is there someone better?

If you are on your first battery, I think you've done well - 3 to 5 years is often quoted. Is there anything to suggest the the UPS itself is failing? Although the components can deteriorate over time, it's very easy for APC to say 'just replace'.

Pretty much my last task at my last school was to source a replacement battery for a very basic UPS (APC 400). We considered just replacing the UPS with like for like, but decided that a replacement battery for ~£30 was worth trying versus ~£60 for a new UPS. In my case, a quick bit of research showed the UPS was woefully under specced which was why I was reluctant to replace, but with the school having to run on generator electricity over the half term due to major mains supply work, I said it's better than nothing - even if only from a spike prevention point of view. I left them with a link to the APC selector, where you put in what devices you're supporting so they could at least look at something fit for purpose. In terms of APC as a provider, I've not too much experience but certainly I did not hear of any complainants within the MAT. It will be interesting to see what other recommendations come through. One other I found, was both for the replacement battery and the UPS, prices varied a lot, so shop around hard.

[3s-gtech]

If you stuck with the same model, batteries can move on to another device even if they fail. I have 5 APC 3000VA devices - while the models differ slightly due to age, they all take RBC43 batteries so I know they wouldn’t be a waste even if the unit was broken.

[HTCPCP]

Have you previously changed the battery in the UPS? If not, buy a replacement, and test it. I tend to buy the batteries themselves rather than the cartridge, as it's considerably cheaper, for not really any value added (except some of the metalwork can be a bit sharp)

[PotNoodleTech]

You should replace the batteries every 3 years, 5 at a stretch. My APC 3000 are on their 3rd batteries. Decommissioned and I've replaced them with Eaton 5000 units now and not looking back.

 

If you got 7 years out of those batteries then you've probably been running them at 30% of new battery capacity for the last 2 years. Think you got 20 minute in the event of a power outage? On 7 year old batteries probably more like 5 minutes.

[mavhc]

Bought a refurbished ups with new battery from ups-trader. Both of my old batteries were dead, not sure if the 2nd ups has failed as well yet, ordered another battery

 

Tried to open the rbc 117 case to see about replacing cells instead of the whole battery case, removed 5 screws from top and side, but can't see how the lid is removed, looks like the metal has been bent in at the top, I assume the hinge is on the side.

 

Also found this, finally one at a reasonable price https://www.amazon.co.uk/PDU-8WS-V-UK-M-SP-1U-Sockets-Socket-Protected-Vertical/dp/B01N5DHXYC/

[HTCPCP]

Posting some pictures may mean that we can help you.

[PotNoodleTech]

It wouldn't surprise me if they use a lot of glue etc inside those battery packs to try and stop DIYers.

 

I wouldn't do a DIY UPS job in my server room, too much guilt if the school burned down for the sake of saving a few bucks!

 

Good luck!

[mavhc]

I went with paying £100 more for a complete thing. Maybe I can convert the 2 dead ones into 1 working one one day

[mavhc]

Worked out how to open the battery, once the screws are undone it slides and then lifts.

 

However the refurbished ups has the same error as the old one "battery bus soft start fault".

[HTCPCP]

This might sound a bit of a strange question - have you had some brownouts power wise before that issue came about?

 

I ask this, because we had an APC unit that came up with that code every so often.

- Shut down servers and anything connected to the UPS

- disconnect the UPS from the mains and leave for 10 or 15 minutes

- take all the battery packs out of the server and leave for another 10 or 15 minutes

- connect the batteries back up, If you have a switched mains, you can connect this up, but don't turn on

- try booting the UPS on batteries

- if that works, connect it up to the mains and run the collaborations etc on it.

[old_n07]

Take a look at the Riello Sentinel range as an alternative

 

https://www.riello-ups.co.uk/products/1-ups

 

They were cheaper fully installed than we could get the equivalent APC units for.