my UPS blew up !

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Sat Sep 01, 2012 8:34 pm

so i was just chilling on youtube, when all of a sudden the lights went out and my UPS's alarm went crazy, didn't think much of it, but then realized my PC had shut off instantly.

so i turned off the UPS and went to check the circuit breaker, so enough it had tripped.

so i reset the breaker, tested the sockets with a circuit tester, all was good, then plugged the UPS into a different socket, unplugged the PC and monitor from UPS, powered the UPS back on and sure enough the alarm went crazy, only this time the UPS let go of it's magic smoke and sparked pretty freaking good as well !

i do have a spare UPS and am back up and running, but i wonder what could have happened if i was not here, i wonder if it could have burnt my house down

thank goodness for circuit breakers, i did have a new breaker box installed a few years ago.

the one that blewup looks like this one here, but is a NS1250.......

http://www.walmart.com/ip/APC-Power-Sav ... G/15105336

cvoixjames · Post by **cvoixjames** » Sun Sep 02, 2012 9:42 am

How old was the unit? Kinda scary I have an APC 1500. Wonder if the battery was getting old. Thankfully your house didn't burn down and your other equipment is OK!

Easto · Post by **Easto** » Sun Sep 02, 2012 1:08 pm

I thought APCs were fused? That is weird. Any over voltage or internal failure should have blown the fuse first.

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Sun Sep 02, 2012 2:25 pm

i haven't taken it apart yet to see what's wrong, but it smells like maybe a capacitor or something blew up, smells so bad i had to put it outside to air out LOL

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Sun Sep 02, 2012 2:32 pm

oh, and what was that website to get cheap/replacement batteries for UPS's, i have 2 older ones that need batteries

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Sun Sep 02, 2012 5:11 pm

I like APC but I haven't had good experience with those tall thin models like the NS series.

Easto · Post by **Easto** » Sun Sep 02, 2012 6:56 pm

Our IT dept doesn't seem to like to replace batteries in these things. They alway just buy new units. After one of the dead ones has sat around for a couple of months I ask them if I can have it and they gladly let me take it. Then once home, go online, buy new battery, bingo! I've got a UPS for abouut 1/4th the price.

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Sun Sep 02, 2012 8:36 pm

Easto, where do you get batteries from ?

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 6:42 am

Mark wrote:Easto, where do you get batteries from ?

You can get them from newegg, amazon for a good price. Sometimes newegg has compatible batteries from other makers that work and are cheaper too. But if you just need an RBC35 no matter what it shouldnt be expensive.

Mine uses an RBC7 sadly, expensive.

Post by **Philip** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 10:11 am

I buy UPS (and alarm) batteries from eBay, many battery stores seem to run auctions there.
I use an APC Pack-Ups XS 1000 (the older white towers) and it has a couple of batteries in there, very easy to change by sliding the front panel off.

Mark, what actually blew up, was it the circuits/caps, or a battery ?

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 1:55 pm

i will check it out and report back

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 4:19 pm

not good, this thing with a heatsink is fried............

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vpi0UlDB ... e=youtu.be

morbidpete · Post by **morbidpete** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 11:12 am

Looks like a voltage regulator. Possibly fried throwing out unregulated voltage maybe, You might be able to just swap it out and not have any issues

Post by **Philip** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 11:18 am

Thanks for sharing, and now I have to think about turning off my UPSes when I go on vacation as well, lol.

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 5:40 pm

morbidpete wrote:Looks like a voltage regulator. Possibly fried throwing out unregulated voltage maybe, You might be able to just swap it out and not have any issues

i might try that but wouldn't trust it in my house again, i would just be worried about it all the freakin time.

i guess i will contact APC and see what they can do for me, i did a RMA on another unit years ago and they seemed pretty good about it, but i wonder if i voided any warranty but opening it up, i saw no warnings abit it though.

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 5:41 pm

Philip wrote:Thanks for sharing, and now I have to think about turning off my UPSes when I go on vacation as well, lol.

now i wonder if i need to start buying a different brand of UPS, any suggestions ?

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 8:06 pm

APC is the best IMO. And you shouldn't have a problem with the warranty cuz you opened it up.

Easto · Post by **Easto** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 9:23 pm

Mark wrote:Easto, where do you get batteries from ?

Usually eBay. I've had good luck with this ebay seller "5738schussel".