Smell Rotten Eggs In Your server room? - Check Your UPS [?]

[6Foot2]

Link: What’s that eggy smell in the server room? | PC Pro blog

 

Joking aside has anyone actually had this happen to a UPS?

[MrEprise]

Link: What’s that eggy smell in the server room? | PC Pro blog

 

Joking aside has anyone actually had this happen to a UPS?

 

Yes.

 

Although, we had a Parents Evening the previous day and assumed that the Head of ICT had been cooking one of his usual smelly meals in the Microwave (however, said Microwave is usually known for amplifying the smells of food cooked in it) and we were about ready to rile him over it.

 

Once we'd opened all the doors and windows and waited about an hour, we realised that it couldn't be that, and set to try and find the source of the smell. It was discussed that it did smell a bit like an electronic burning smell so I started sniffing around our IT equipment. I did find though that while sniffing around, it was difficult to find the source of the smell as it seemed as strong no matter where I sniffed, so ended up leaving it for a few hours hoping that the smell would dissipate some more while we got on with some work.

 

Eventually, while fiddling with the NM's telephone (can't remember why though,) I realised that his UPS - an APC Smart-UPS 700 for those who are curious - was forcing out quite considerably more heat than mine and when I put my hand on it, I was surprised it hadn't caught fire by now as it was probably well over 60°C.

 

At the point of disconnecting and moving it to a more ventilated area (which we did with a towel as it was so hot) I did manage to get the batteries out (had to wait an hour and half for the UPS and batteries to cool down enough to touch them) which were literally bursting at the seams and looked as if it might have reached the point where it could have exploded.

 

Knowing what we know now, if a smell occurs like that again, I think we would be able to diagnose the problem before it ever escalates to a critical point like this one did. What I don't understand though is if APC (and other manufacturers probably) know that batteries can get like this and even potentially explode, why there isn't something like a temperature sensor (separate from a Management card) that detects that the batteries are getting too hot and shut the unit down? However, seeing as the UPS is about 6 or 7 years old, it may not have been fitted with such a failsafe and maybe newer ones are but I don't know for sure.

[andyrite]

Yep. Took ages to work out what is was. The UPS was red hot. Luckly it was just powering a switch.

[laserblazer]

Thanks for that. I'm on my own in my little office and if I need to let rip, I do. A couple of times, someone has come in when the air is still a little rank. I now have an excuse

 

Doh, I don't have a UPS in there.

[IanT]

We had this in my last place! i wondered what the hell it was!!............it was the UPS

[6Foot2]

We had this in my last place! i wondered what the hell it was!!............it was the UPS

 

I see you have changed you location accordingly:

 

Location: @ the back of my server racks farting.....

 

Lol'd: Thanks given.

[maniac]

Be careful, some of the gasses released when Lead Acid batteries, such as those in UPS systems, are malfunctioning or overcharged can be quite poisonous.

 

The Batteries used in UPS systems should be sealed, so if it's producing a sulphurous smell then it's most likely got a small leak somewhere and should be changed ASAP.

 

Mike.

[matt40k]

Actually got a bad batch of APC 1u UPS for some of the comms cabs. Thankfully there were all basically DOA, so at least we didn't smell up the school! Just kill a few braincells by the sound of it.

[Oops_my_bad]

Got to love this comment from that article:

Mike Says:

March 20th, 2010 at 9:51 pm

You should be in our server room – some idiot plumbed a sani flow into it – when its left over a hot weekend you have to gag just to get the tape out of the drive!

 

Someone off here!?

[BJG]

One of our Smart UPS APC 1500s has been stinking out the corridor with a smell of rotten eggs all day. Told them they'd have to wait until after school to have it disconnected. Think they'll be relieved in the morning...

[rich_tech]

We didnt have the rotten eggs smell, what we had instead was a UPS failure and the batteries inside all split bar one in a rackmount unit.

 

That was unusual but thankfully they are dry batteries so no horrible acid problems

[Pyroman]

Had it in my van, couldn't work out what the smell was (battery sits under the drivers seat). put my hand on the battery and it was red hot. Checked the voltages and it should have been 13.4v when charging from alternator, it was pumping out 19.6v. That would have been fun, top of the battery blowing off and showering me in battery acid! New battery, New alternator time. :-(

[ITGURU]

The only rotten smell we've had before is the Air Con unit in the server room due to not being cleaned properly.

[bald_pig]

Had it on my motorbike, the smell of sulphur and a very warm bottom didn't make for a pleasant journey!

[mthomas08]

Link: What’s that eggy smell in the server room? | PC Pro blog

 

Joking aside has anyone actually had this happen to a UPS?

 

Yep, we replaced the batteries and smell went.

[bladedanny]

Yes, we had this a few months ago. Disconnected the battery straight away, the smell went. Replaced the battery with no further problems.

[Garacesh]

Incidentally we've just had a UPS fail about 25 mins ago. Well, I say fail. It dropped out, then came back up, was saying it had no power. I've just nipped back up to check it's charging and it is (gone from 1 flashing light to 2 steady) so no idea what happened.. but on the plus side, no eggy smell. (I can't imagine how bizarre I must have looked knelt down at the bottom of the cabinet sniffing the UPS exhaust..)

[googlemad]

Ooh I'll have to check our DR room as there is always a smell upon entering it but I've been thinking it is the AC unit!

[6Foot2]

...but on the plus side, no eggy smell. (I can't imagine how bizarre I must have looked knelt down at the bottom of the cabinet sniffing the UPS exhaust..)

 

You shouldn't have to do that: If the smell is there you will know.

[limawhiskey]

Monday morning 😡

[Linfit]

Came in this morning to mildly panicking Assistant Head who told me the server room was on fire.

 

I thought this highly unlikely, but followed him upstairs: disgusting rotten eggs smell on corridor outside server room - awful inside.

I was stumped. No temperature alarms, nothing off, all cabinets appeared OK.

Was convinced it was the A/C - had the site manager rummaging in the ceiling void and mumbling about coolant leaks and stagnant water.

 

So my techy gets in a few minutes later - he immediately says - "UPS batteries, there was a thread about it on Edugeek". Sure enough, we track the smell to one of the APC 3000XL units, take out the battery pack and four of the cells are swollen - the thing is also ridiculously hot. Looks like we caught it just in time. Its the one protecting our phone system and wireless controller, a big deal if we had lost power unexpectedly, not to mention the damage it might have done.

 

So he wins todays award for "odd things I read on Edugeek that turn out to be REALLY useful".

[limawhiskey]

Yep, we had the same, with the same model of UPS battery. I also thought AC then thought it was a drain or something. A google search brought me here. I had to get some gloves to handle the battery packs, they were so hot.

 

Our batteries were around 6 years old - how old were yours? Only one pair was affected but £1k later and they are all now new! Insight were the cheapest for new APC battery packs for us.

[6Foot2]

...odd things I read on Edugeek that turn out to be REALLY useful

 

Glad to be of service.

 

[ITGURU]

We have the same tower UPS units Batteries are almost 6 years old but still passing self test each week, guess they will need replacing soon.

[Linfit]

Having taken the lid off the battery pack once it cooled down, its manufacturing date is Nov 2010 and I know the UPS was fitted in Spring 2011 when our new building was commissioned, so it looks like this is an original that has done 6 years sterling service. Can't really complain at that.