Troubleshooting APC UPS Inverter

[Sparky999]

I've got an APC UPS that puts out a lovely smell when in test or when power is lost. Battery charges well and is not swolled. :-)

Smell is reminiscent of an HV failure in an old TV and will give you a nice buzz. I took the board out today and do not see anything scorched/swollen. The only thing a little off colour are the secondary transformers, although I suspect the large transformer is toast.

Any thoughts?

[Toasty]

Re: Troubleshooting APC UPS Inverter

More specifics please-

What model / wattage / voltage ?
Batteries old / new / age ?
Where are you - USA / Europe / Asia
Does it produce output when in test / power fail ?
How long have you had this unit ?

Toast

[Sparky999]

Re: Troubleshooting APC UPS Inverter

More specifics please-

What model / wattage / voltage ?
Batteries old / new / age ?
Where are you - USA / Europe / Asia
Does it produce output when in test / power fail ?
How long have you had this unit ?

Toast

SU1400 120V 1400va in Canada.

Bought as a refurb quite a while ago w fresh batteries, but has not seen a lot of use. It does produce output, but I suspect the quality is not good.

Thanks.

[Toasty]

Re: Troubleshooting APC UPS Inverter

>>SU1400 120V 1400va<<
Which one?
"Home/Office" unit with 2 - 12v batteries - looks like a long shoebox
"Server Style" Rack mount with 4 - 12v batteries


>>Smell is reminiscent of an HV failure in an old TV<<
Do you mean an ozone odor that would come from HV arcing? Or, an overheated/warm/cooking/burning electronic odor?

Can you localize the odor?


Generally, batteries over 2-1/2 to 3 years are suspect, swollen or not.

Switch the unit off, unplug it from the mains, and disconnect the batteries. If this has the inline connector for the batteries, pull it apart and check those contact surfaces for arcing.

Check the connections to batteries and from them to board for tightness. Check all the push on or screw type connections to/from rectifier block (4 finned aluminum block) and the transformer(s) inside the unit.

Make sure you are -not- running this into a surge protector block or strip of any type. Plain strips or extensions only. Unit should be plugged directly into an outlet. Check site wiring fault LED on back.

Toast

[Sparky999]

Re: Troubleshooting APC UPS Inverter

>>SU1400 120V 1400va<<
Which one?
"Home/Office" unit with 2 - 12v batteries - looks like a long shoebox
"Server Style" Rack mount with 4 - 12v batteries


>>Smell is reminiscent of an HV failure in an old TV<<
Do you mean an ozone odor that would come from HV arcing? Or, an overheated/warm/cooking/burning electronic odor?

Can you localize the odor?


Generally, batteries over 2-1/2 to 3 years are suspect, swollen or not.

Switch the unit off, unplug it from the mains, and disconnect the batteries. If this has the inline connector for the batteries, pull it apart and check those contact surfaces for arcing.

Check the connections to batteries and from them to board for tightness. Check all the push on or screw type connections to/from rectifier block (4 finned aluminum block) and the transformer(s) inside the unit.

Make sure you are -not- running this into a surge protector block or strip of any type. Plain strips or extensions only. Unit should be plugged directly into an outlet. Check site wiring fault LED on back.

Toast

No, not an ozone smell, more of a cooking smell. I thought I would be able to localize the smell once I had itr apart, but I could not. I have a spare battery, so maybe I'll put it all back together and see if I can trace the smell. Smell only occurs when unplugged, not when charging.

[Sparky999]

Re: Troubleshooting APC UPS Inverter

OK, put it all back together with the new battery. (Not sure what to do with the extra parts though. ) It seems they shipped the battery already charged, but I'm only getting 4 lights not 5 and the unit is not charging. I suppose once I do a test discharge the memory will reset and I'll get a full charge?

I'll plug in a load tomorrow and fully discharge it while I'm awake to keep an eye on it.

I swear the room still has a smell without the UPS, so I could have an issue elsewhere.

[Per Hansson]

Re: Troubleshooting APC UPS Inverter

Make sure you are -not- running this into a surge protector block or strip of any type. Plain strips or extensions only. Unit should be plugged directly into an outlet. Check site wiring fault LED on back.

Toast

Hi, sorry to go a little OT but I've seen PSU makers say this too
What is the reason for this recommendation?

[ratdude747]

Re: Troubleshooting APC UPS Inverter

Hi, sorry to go a little OT but I've seen PSU makers say this too
What is the reason for this recommendation?

so a power surge kills the supply, forcing noobs , lazy wimps , and morons to buy a new one... planned obsolescence right there...
that said, powerline network adapter never go on surge strips either... the signal gets cancelled out by the filter caps in the strip...

[Sparky999]

Re: Troubleshooting APC UPS Inverter

Hi, sorry to go a little OT but I've seen PSU makers say this too
What is the reason for this recommendation?

Didn't want to complicate Toasty's diagnosis, but all my UPSs are on honkin big EMF filters or else they destroy the X10 signal transmission on my AC line.

[Toasty]

Re: Troubleshooting APC UPS Inverter

Surge-protected power strips have MOV's. UPS's, esp. older or cheaper units, produce some high spikes which will kill the surge strip quickly and may even overload the UPS.

PCBONEZ just posted a PDF in another thread that shows those spikes on a scope and their effect on a PSU:
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/attach...chmentid=17091
Those were taken across the mains cap inside the PSU, but the scope waveform is what is of interest.

I have never seen a PSU manufacturer say to not use a protected strip on their equipment. Why would you -not- want to protect the mains side of your equipment?

If the EMF filters are on the OUTPUT side of the UPS, then you may have a problem. If you have them on the INPUT side, that should not create any difficulties. If equipment you are trying to control is on the output of the UPS, that may also cause difficulties.

Also, for X10, try a whole house phase-coupler to improve reception and signal levels. Mounts next to your circuit breaker box and couples the signal quite well from one side to the other. I use the SignaLinc Hardwired Signal Coupler 4816H.



Toast

[Sparky999]

Re: Troubleshooting APC UPS Inverter

OK, I went through a charge, discharge and charge cycle, but now the fan is running continuously with no load and battery fully charged. What's up with that?

[Bubbanacious]

Re: Troubleshooting APC UPS Inverter

OK, I went through a charge, discharge and charge cycle, but now the fan is running continuously with no load and battery fully charged. What's up with that?

Turn off the unit, remove the battery and let it sit for a few minutes. Plug the battery back in, turn the unit back on and let it sit. It sounds like you had a problem with the battery before, that's why the unit is having a hard time figuring out the proper charge. The SU1400NET 's are like tanks, they keep going and going. I think the smell was probably related to the battery or some dirt inside the UPS. Charge the unit to full and see what happens. It's highly unlikely something happened to the unit.