Question Please assist APC UPS model BVX2200LI-IN 2200 VA with malfunction
Question Please assist APC UPS model BVX2200LI-IN 2200 VA with malfunction
I recently purchased an APC BVX2200LI-IN 2200 VA for my brand new workstation (just two weeks old). Now I’m encountering a problem with the UPS (also brand new, paired with a PC that’s only two weeks old), and it appears no one has been able to help me resolve it. Here is the PC configuration I provided:
Processor 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-12900K
RAM: 64.0 GB crosair vengence 2*32gb
Graphics card: Nvidia 4080 super
Motherboard: MSI Z790 tamohawk wifi
PSU: Coolermaster MWE gold 1050
Storage: 2*2TB Crucial M.2 SSD and 2*2 TB WD internal hard drive
CPU cooler: cooler master 360L liquid cooler
The problem I’m facing is that whenever I turn on the UPS and then my PC, after all the cycle clicks, it just stays on for a millisecond before shutting off again. I noticed the fans briefly lit up for a moment before turning off. At first, I assumed the PSU was the cause, but when I tried another APC UPS 1100VA (which is six years old), my PC started working fine and it functioned properly multiple times. I reached out to APC customer service, who sent a replacement yesterday, but the same issue persisted before the technician arrived. He checked the voltage output and everything else, yet the problem continued. However, when I followed his advice and left the UPS on for a minute after switching it on, my PC started working without issues.
Despite this, I remain concerned about my PC’s health because I’ve invested over 300,000 rupees in building my dream PC, and this UPS is causing me worry. This is why I chose the 2200VA model for Rs 12,000.
Please let me know what’s happening—I’m worried and need your help.
What is the reason for turning off the UPS? Shouldn't it remain active continuously?
Your problem lies in the fact that your PSU uses Active PFC while your UPS's output is a modified sine wave (or as described in the datasheet: "Stepped approximation to a sine wave"). These two technologies don't work together, which I discovered the hard way. The positive side is that your PC is unaffected; the UPS identified the mismatch and turned off its power supply. The negative outcome is that you may need to replace either the PSU with one featuring passive PFC or the UPS with a model offering pure sinewave output, which would be more costly.