Weird APC UPS issue
Weird APC UPS issue
I own two APC BE550G UPS units for different devices—my main desktop and a home server with NAS. Recently, the latter has been acting oddly, triggering random alarms and shutting down attached equipment after just a few minutes. I’ve been checking the monitoring tool, which suggests the UPS believes the battery has disconnected briefly, sometimes for seconds and other times longer. Could this indicate an issue with the UPS or the battery? The battery was replaced about two months ago, so it shouldn’t be a long-term problem (batteries usually last around 2½ years). There’s also no indication the cable is loose since everything worked fine before the battery change. If the issue is likely from the UPS itself, I’d need to buy a replacement now. In the meantime, could I temporarily bypass the USB connection to the UPS on my server?
I would conduct a load test on the replacement battery to check for any issues. Besides that, it might be useful to use a "wall" power meter to determine if the load on your server and NAS has increased (due to various factors) and exceeded the APC's capacity. 550 isn't much... It also seems the unit has an indicator LED on the back—does it light up?
The latest of the two units is approximately seven years old, bought in September 2016. It's no longer covered by the manufacturer's warranty.
2. I usually buy authentic APC batteries from third-party sellers. This particular one was purchased on Amazon in May 2022 and stored until required. (I always have a backup ready and replenish it right away to prevent any interruptions for my equipment.)
^Something worth mentioning about this comment is. The backups rely on Sealed Lead Acid batteries that typically last around five years after production. This happens because the method used to generate electricity inside them gradually wears down the plates. Buying these for storage is a poor choice since you risk using them before they are no longer effective.
In my experience, you’ll likely encounter either a standard 12V battery or two in a compact adapter block, or connectors with sharp edges—something this one probably has. You should observe that the side of the battery will display specifications like 12V7Ah, and keep an eye on its size. If it fits, you can still use larger capacity batteries, but not smaller ones.
Search online for a reliable replacement before making the change. Avoid waiting until failure occurs; plan replacements in advance. I suggest aiming for a lifespan of about four and a half years. Your claim of only using them for two and a half years suggests you may have major power reliability problems or are purchasing outdated batteries right away.
There aren't many choices left. You probably just need to assume it's a faulty battery. The UPS isn't something most people can fix on their own because they lack the tools or expertise. It's also unclear if you'd be able to obtain parts even if you managed to figure it out.
I'm not sure about running a load test. It seems unlikely that changing the load would matter since there haven't been any updates to what's connected to this UPS since I added the NAS in early 2021, and everything has worked fine until now. The indicator LED stays green when alarms aren't happening, and between the last two alarms, over 20 hours passed without issues. I initially suspected a surge or wiring problem, but later found an error message indicating the UPS couldn't locate the battery.
There is a meter/tool available, but refer to my response in point 6.
I’m more likely to point the finger at power reliability issues rather than aging batteries. As I mentioned before, I’m opting for the manufacturer’s suggested replacement model. There’s no evidence the batteries are anything but new, and their performance remains stable even after buying from several trusted third-party sellers like Amazon, Newegg, and B&H. Getting a replacement at the time of failure isn’t acceptable because it would leave my equipment down while I wait for the battery, and there are other signs that my apartment’s wiring is in poor condition. Re-wiring the whole place would be too costly for me. (I regularly replace LED bulbs—they tend to flicker after a few years—and I also had to lower the sensitivity of the APC PowerChute software to Medium because the UPS kept tripping due to electrical noise while it was on High.)
I’m okay with the overall lifespan of these batteries, but I need to determine whether this pattern points to a battery failure or a device malfunction so we can address it properly.