No power on my APC UPS

  • Thread starter Thread starter JD
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J

JD

I have a really old APC SmartUPS 700 INET that will no longer power on, when
I connect it to 230V. There is no what so ever indication, that I have
connected power to it - no LED, no relay clicking and no status on the front
panel. The batteries are definatly up for replacement but is it possible,
that they can prevent the UPS from starting up even if they are all dead? I
have been taken the UPS apart tonight and there are power on it all the way
up to the small "motherboard", so it is not the fuse that has burned off. I
am though suspecting another circuit to be burned off, as I guess it should
give SOME kind of response, even if the batteries are dead?

I will gladly buy new batteries for it, but not if it has another error -
eg. a defect on the motherboard.

Any suggestions?
 
I have a really old APC SmartUPS 700 INET that will no longer power on, when
I connect it to 230V. There is no what so ever indication, that I have
connected power to it - no LED, no relay clicking and no status on the front
panel. The batteries are definatly up for replacement but is it possible,
that they can prevent the UPS from starting up even if they are all dead?
Click to expand...

Yes.

Or they might not be the problem.
I
have been taken the UPS apart tonight and there are power on it all the way
up to the small "motherboard", so it is not the fuse that has burned off. I
am though suspecting another circuit to be burned off, as I guess it should
give SOME kind of response, even if the batteries are dead?
Click to expand...


Disconnect the batteries and see if they're shorted out
(continuity or resistance range on a multimeter).


I will gladly buy new batteries for it, but not if it has another error -
eg. a defect on the motherboard.

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

How much would it cost to replace it?
If you can't trace the circuits on the mainboard to find the
fault, it's probably not cost effective to pay someone else
to do it. You could unplug the batteries and try turning it
on, but I dont' know if there's any potential for that to
damage it. I would assume not, but don't know it for
certain.
 
JD said:
I have a really old APC SmartUPS 700 INET that will no longer power on, when
I connect it to 230V. There is no what so ever indication, that I have
connected power to it - no LED, no relay clicking and no status on the front
panel. The batteries are definatly up for replacement but is it possible,
that they can prevent the UPS from starting up even if they are all dead? I
have been taken the UPS apart tonight and there are power on it all the way
up to the small "motherboard", so it is not the fuse that has burned off. I
am though suspecting another circuit to be burned off, as I guess it should
give SOME kind of response, even if the batteries are dead?

I will gladly buy new batteries for it, but not if it has another error -
eg. a defect on the motherboard.

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

Most companies replace UPSs on a schedule whether the need to or not.
It's possible to recondition a UPS, but it's not necessarily the most
economical route. Im' thinking it would be best to simply replace it.
 
JD said:
I have a really old APC SmartUPS 700 INET that will no longer power
on, when I connect it to 230V. There is no what so ever indication,
that I have connected power to it - no LED, no relay clicking and no
status on the front panel. The batteries are definatly up for
replacement but is it possible, that they can prevent the UPS from
starting up even if they are all dead? I have been taken the UPS
apart tonight and there are power on it all the way up to the small
"motherboard", so it is not the fuse that has burned off. I am though
suspecting another circuit to be burned off, as I guess it should
give SOME kind of response, even if the batteries are dead?
I will gladly buy new batteries for it, but not if it has another
error - eg. a defect on the motherboard.

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
For what it's worth, I have an old Back-Ups 900 from APC that would not
power on.

I took out the four 6-volt batteries and found one of them was reading
around 3 volts. The system had been operating for at least six years with
no problems. I put in four new batteries since they all were at near the
end of their life span and the unit was put back into service. So far it
has been working fine ever since.
 
For what it's worth, I have an old Back-Ups 900 from APC that would not
power on.
Click to expand...

Did you have the same symptoms as me where the UPS looks totally dead? No
LED flashing, no beeps, no relay that clicks?
 
Look at > http://tinyurl.com/zchw6
No guarantee but most likely replacing the batteries will make it work
once again.
Perhaps try it with a 12v car battery and see if it will start.
Click to expand...

I have actually just got a brand new APC SmartUPS 1000VA. Is it safe for me
to test my 700VA with this battery or will it blow to pieces? :-)
 
JD said:
Did you have the same symptoms as me where the UPS looks totally dead? No
LED flashing, no beeps, no relay that clicks?
Click to expand...
Yep, that was the symptoms I had on my unit.

You could test your machine with car batteries or batteries from another UPS
as long as the batteries are of the same voltage or total the same voltage
as what the original batteries were.

In my UPS there were four 6-volt batteries in series for a total of 24
volts. I could have tested with two car or motor cycle 12 volt batteries in
series.

Remember, you are dealing with voltages and currents large enough to kill a
person should you screw things up. The batteries won't hurt you unless you
short them out and cause them to explode.

It's the UPS's final output voltages that could hurt you... I think this is
the real reason that UPS manufacturers don't want people to replace the
batteries themselves. Liability insurance is getting high.
 
No guarantee but most likely replacing the batteries will make it work
I have actually just got a brand new APC SmartUPS 1000VA. Is it safe for
me to test my 700VA with this battery or will it blow to pieces? :-)
Click to expand...

Five minutes ago, I tested my 700VA UPS with the battery from the 1000VA (it
has the same specifications). I managed to power on the dead UPS again so I
will rush out and buy a new battery for it :-) Thanks for all help.
 
JD said:
Five minutes ago, I tested my 700VA UPS with the battery from the
1000VA (it has the same specifications). I managed to power on the
dead UPS again so I will rush out and buy a new battery for it :-)
Thanks for all help.
Click to expand...
You might want to check out the prices at http://www.batteries.com before
you grab one locally.
 
Five minutes ago, I tested my 700VA UPS with the battery from the
You might want to check out the prices at http://www.batteries.com before
you grab one locally.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your tip but I prefer to buy a battery from APC. It costs though
A LOT more ($122) but I like to get the original as I believe it will
benefit in the long run.
 
JD said:
Thanks for your tip but I prefer to buy a battery from APC. It costs though
A LOT more ($122) but I like to get the original as I believe it will
benefit in the long run.
Click to expand...

That doesn't seem like a good price. You can buy a whole new APC 750VA UPS
for $110 from Micro Center.

Todd
 
Thanks for your tip but I prefer to buy a battery from APC. It costs
though

That doesn't seem like a good price. You can buy a whole new APC 750VA
UPS
for $110 from Micro Center.
Click to expand...

I am not exactly sure where you see that, but I guess there will come tax
and shipment etc. to Denmark and how about guarantee.
In Denmark this price, $122 is one of the cheapest prices for exactly this
battery :-/
 
Thanks for your tip but I prefer to buy a battery from APC. It costs though
A LOT more ($122) but I like to get the original as I believe it will
benefit in the long run.
Click to expand...

One service you get (at least here in the US) with batteries purchased
from APC is prepaid return of the old battery; in jurisdictions with
strict recycling regulations this has advantages, especially for business
users. For multiple-battery products you'll also often get fresh
wiring harnesses, fuses, etc., and where there are odd mountings (e.g.,
in APC's BX1500 the two 12V, 12 A-H batteries are joined top-to-top
to form a rigid, 24V battery) you don't have to jury-rig two generic
batteries to fit.

Although APC likes to claim that there's something special about their
batteries, if you've got a single industry-standard battery in the
unit I don't see much justification for buying the APC-branded batteries
(which if you peel off the covers will usually turn out to have third-party
manufacturer's labels in any case). I have no idea what battery suppliers
might be convenient to you, but if there's a local store and you bring
the battery to them they'll possible be willing to do the recycling for
you if you buy a replacement from them.

I'm guessing that you've got a SmartUPS 700; it requires two, 12V,
7.2 A-H batteries, with a fuse jumper between them. The APC replacement
battery kit is RB5C, but it would probably be much cheaper to buy two
brand-name individual batteries and install them yourself.

As a comparison, here in the US, Interstate Batteries offers this kit
for US$52.99.

Joe Morris
 
Although APC likes to claim that there's something special about their
batteries, if you've got a single industry-standard battery in the
unit I don't see much justification for buying the APC-branded batteries
(which if you peel off the covers will usually turn out to have
third-party
manufacturer's labels in any case). I have no idea what battery suppliers
might be convenient to you, but if there's a local store and you bring
the battery to them they'll possible be willing to do the recycling for
you if you buy a replacement from them.

I'm guessing that you've got a SmartUPS 700; it requires two, 12V,
7.2 A-H batteries, with a fuse jumper between them. The APC replacement
battery kit is RB5C, but it would probably be much cheaper to buy two
brand-name individual batteries and install them yourself.
Click to expand...

I know... but I like to go original. Then I am not in doubt where to
complaint in case of any malfunctions (eg. to my Canon DSLR camara I only
have Canon lences/flash). I know that is more expensive but I KNOW it will
work as intended and that is a main goal for me (perhaps I am too lazy to
having such problems) ;-)

Thanks anyway. I will get my new original battery tomorrow and I then hope
to be able to revive my old UPS again.
 
You can get a new TrippLite 750 VA UPS for $66.99 at Directron
http://www.directron.com/internet750u.html
Click to expand...

The VA rating is only one dimension of the abilities of a UPS; another
is endurance. How does the endurance of the T750 compare to that of
the SU700, and how old are the batteries in the box that Directron sells?
(I'm asking; I have no familiarity with Directron's practices and don't
know if it's selling brand-new boxes with fresh-dated batteries or ones
that have been sitting in the back of a warehouse for years.)

Joe Morris
 
The VA rating is only one dimension of the abilities of a UPS; another
is endurance. How does the endurance of the T750 compare to that of
the SU700, and how old are the batteries in the box that Directron sells?
(I'm asking; I have no familiarity with Directron's practices and don't
know if it's selling brand-new boxes with fresh-dated batteries or ones
that have been sitting in the back of a warehouse for years.)
Click to expand...

Directron is a large Houston-based wholesaler that caters to the
technically-astute consumer sector. If you know what you are doing,
Directron will work with you. If you don't, they will refer you to
CompUSA.

The turnover on inventory is brisk. That UPS has been backordered once
since I bought it. It is a fairly new model so the batteries can't be
all that old. TrippLite guaranteed them for 3 years so it makes no
difference.
 
Directron is a large Houston-based wholesaler that caters to the
technically-astute consumer sector. If you know what you are doing,
Directron will work with you. If you don't, they will refer you to
CompUSA.

The turnover on inventory is brisk. That UPS has been backordered once
since I bought it. It is a fairly new model so the batteries can't be
all that old. TrippLite guaranteed them for 3 years so it makes no
difference.
Click to expand...


You're probably right, that the stock turns over fast enough
that the unit (batteries) have not been sitting for very
long. Even so, 3 year warranty isn't necessarily enough, if
someone doesn't have frequent power outtages or if they
don't need extended runtime, only a graceful immediate
shutdown when power goes out, a set of batteries for an UPS
can last longer than 3 years. The hardest thing for the
batteries to to run them down, keep running the system as
long as the UPS can manage it.
 
You're probably right, that the stock turns over fast enough
that the unit (batteries) have not been sitting for very
long. Even so, 3 year warranty isn't necessarily enough, if
someone doesn't have frequent power outtages or if they
don't need extended runtime, only a graceful immediate
shutdown when power goes out, a set of batteries for an UPS
can last longer than 3 years. The hardest thing for the
batteries to to run them down, keep running the system as
long as the UPS can manage it.
Click to expand...

If the unit lasts 5 years I will have gotten my money out of it. We
are subjected to numerous power glitches that are long enough to
recycle everything, so not having my computer system undergo that
stress is worth it.
 
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