Replacement UPS batteries, dead after only 18 months

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Limp Gawd
Joined
Aug 30, 2007
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368
In October 2010 I ordered replacement batteries (APC model# RBC109) for my APC BR1500LCD UPS, it is connected to my main desktop PC. After only 18 months the batteries appear to have died. The LCD shows that with a load of only 166 watts (I had to plug my PC into one of the non-battery receptacles on the UPS) that the calculated runtime is only 2 minutes. Usually with the PC also connected it is at least 40-50 minutes.

I bought the "compatible" batteries from "RefurbUPS.com" and they came with only a 12 month warranty. According to the APC site their batteries should last between 3-5 years.

Did I get what I deserve for ordering less expensive, non-APC brand batteries or might someone know where I can get more reliable batteries but still save some money?

Thanks.
 
I would have gotten the stock straight from APC. The one's you got may have been sitting too long in storage and that's why you got the discounted price. Also, it might be a good idea in the future to cycle the batteries down every now and again to make sure they are conditioned to hold a charge.
 
There should be a page on the Powerchute software where you tell it when you changed the batteries. tell it you just changed the batteries and then run the self test. This might work. The batteries should not have died that quickly unless they were being depleted often.
 
EBruddah said:
Also, it might be a good idea in the future to cycle the batteries down every now and again to make sure they are conditioned to hold a charge.
Click to expand...

This is a very hard on lead acid batteries. I wouldn't advise doing this.
 
EBruddah said:
I would have gotten the stock straight from APC. The one's you got may have been sitting too long in storage and that's why you got the discounted price. Also, it might be a good idea in the future to cycle the batteries down every now and again to make sure they are conditioned to hold a charge.
Click to expand...

If you have the software installed, it should do a check every few days, mine does. It simulates a power outage, and then tests the batteries state..
 
I do run checks every two weeks automatically using the APC software.
As you can see it shows with a 96% charge and ~175 watt load, only 2 minutes run time! That says dying batteries to me. It did pass a self test with this tiny load, but I'm certain it will not if I plug my PC or anything else into one of the 'battery' receptacles.

APC1.jpg


I installed these batteries 11/2010:

APC3.jpg


I think I got exactly what I paid for in this case.
I plan to replace them with genuine APC batteries this time instead of the cheaper no-name batteries. I did email the company I bought them from and asked if an 18 month life-span is normal. Since many brand name batteries are made by only a couple of companies I thought I would be OK with the non brand name batteries, guess not.
 
I replace all of my UPS batteries with non-APC batteries. Every one of them work just fine. Either you got a bad batch or your UPS is fubar if you have tried a runtime calibration.

Buying APC batteries is like buying VOSS water, Why buy overpriced when the generics work just fine. (I don't give a crap about a warranty either as I don't buy my APCs new)
 
I'd say it's either the UPS itself or those particular batteries were just bad. APC does not make batteries, they just use "generic" and put their sticker on it, kinda like Dell printers actually being Lexmarks.

Just make sure you get the same or higher AH rating, and you're good. I have an old UPS that had bad batteries so I went to the local electrical shop and got 2 replacements (it's a 24v ups) and it's been running for a little over a year, no issues. I run a test once in a while by turning off the power bar it's plugged in, and everything stays up. It was like 20 bucks a battery vs 100 that APC asked. Same company too, CSB.
 
Run APCFIX on the unit.

The UPS has a calibration setting that drifts when the batteries start to decrease in runtime. When you swap out the old batteries for the new, the uptime is off based on the bad calibration setting. APCFIX will reset the calibration setting to factory and your runtime will change.

Alternatively you can try a manual calibration by hooking up a moderate load (30%) and letting the unit run on battery until the batteries go dead. This should swing the calibration back towards normal. How many times you need to do this varies as if it is very off the recalibration may not get it back to factory. Plus you are hurting the batteries by running them until dead.

APC used to mail out a calibration tool you plug into the serial port which does the same thing as APCFIX. But I found APCFIX easier than getting APC to send me a calibration tool.

APCFIX takes just a few seconds and will not harm your batteries. Just be careful, this is a powerful program and you can mess up an UPS by playing around in the software.
 
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