Can I fix my UPS?

Quartz

Quartz

Quartz

Soldato
Joined
1 Apr 2014
Posts
19,186
Location
Aberdeen
I have an APC Back-UPS 1400 which is dead as a doornail. No lights, no noises, no nothing. It failed when I replaced the batteries (purchased direct from APC). It's still dead with the old batteries.

Is this something a non-electrician can investigate and fix?
 
There may be an internal fuse that blew when it tried to charge the new batteries. I don't know, but I would speak to their technical support.
 
What's the precise model number?
Though there aren't much service manuals/precise data about UPSes.

One thing which comes to mind is circuitry needed for powering UPS.
At least some UPSes need battery power to even connect into mains with default state being mains relay in disconnected state.
(and when presence of mains voltage fitting insdie tolerances detected UPS connects to main only then)
For example if that circuitry has any power regulation, some failed capacitor could have cooled during battery change, if UPS was disconnected from power for longer time during that.

Also that fuse of battery connection is easy to check.
(or more likely it's multiple smaller fuses in parallel)
 
Quartz said:
Where is the fuse? What does it look like?
Click to expand...
Those fuses might be vehicle fuses, like in this near battery wiring:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8huWbNVZzw
(Jianghai crap capacitors in control electronics circuitry)

Not much of BX1400's insides visible in this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twDPPBzKO7g

BX1400 is pretty much marketing scam and would expect it to be total cheapo.
Volt-Amperes are no good with active PFC loads and it's watts which count.
And that model has power factor of only 0.5 and despite of that big marketing number actual output power is only 700W.
 
Quartz said:
So which one do you recommend for home use? It was protecting my PC.
Click to expand...
If IEC sockets are enough there's lots of different choises.
For UK outlets selection is more limited.

CyberPower PFC Sinewave series would have actual sinewave output and two UK sockets +4 IECs.
Despite of smaller VA number CP1300EPFCLCD-UK would be actually stronger with 780W max output.
Though not sure how they've achieved that cheaper than others price for sinewave output. (at least battery capacity toward smaller end)
Unfortunately there's very little solid information about UPSes and their quality etc.
 
Quartz said:
I have an APC Back-UPS 1400 which is dead as a doornail. No lights, no noises, no nothing. It failed when I replaced the batteries (purchased direct from APC). It's still dead with the old batteries.

Is this something a non-electrician can investigate and fix?
Click to expand...

Did you reset the breaker on the APC UPS ? Maybe thats why it's playing dead, they have breakers (on the back that you push back in, they pop out when they see a fault or get very overloaded) and you may have blown an internal quick/slow blow fuse inside they are normally clear glass fuses. I have never had a problem with APC UPS ever from the smart destktop ones to the server rack ones, not once one died and I have one that is almost 20 years old and working like day one, just of course lead acid batteries were replaced many times in that time.
 
Quartz said:
You're a little late to the party. I replaced it with a Cyberpower UPS and was sufficiently impressed to purchase a second.
Click to expand...

Yes I just saw your post on the graphics section, hope you didn't bin it and can make it work again, they are great units the APC ones especially the older ones before they got took over by another company and some say their quality has gone down, but even the newer ones we buy for work and clients never caused us an issue until of course they beep bloody murder and scare the clients that don't know they need a new battery.
 
Have you put the connector back on the back which you pull out when replacing batteries? Without this plugged in the batteries are not hooked up and it will act dead. I don't know the official term for it, but it's like a safety breaker connector thing.

EDIT: Oh someone bumped a year old thread. :(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom