APC BE600M1 Desktop UPS Failing

[Doublehelix88]

Hi Everyone,

I have a weird issue with my Schenider Electric UPS. My APC BE600M1 sits on my desk with my desktop computer, 3 monitors, speakers, and a USB hub plugged into it. On two separate occasions, I have plugged my vacuum cleaner into a receptacle across the room, not into the UPS, but to a receptacle on the same circuit as the UPS, and the UPS has been fried. Nothing else on the circuit is affected, the vacuum runs, my 3d printers continue running, just the UPS Fails and my computer turns off immediately.

Schneider replaced the UPS without question the first go around, and I am in contact with them trying to get it replaced again

Could this be caused by a drop in voltage from the load on the circuit being too much? if so, why wouldn't I be tripping my circuit breaker, and why wouldn't the UPS be designed to handle whatever is happening here?

I'd love to hear any ideas/theories. Thanks in advance!

 

[tom baker]

Keep in mind this is a forum on the NEC. It’s an odd situation. Try plugging ups into an extension cord from a different circuit

 

[Doublehelix88]

Keep in mind this is a forum on the NEC. It’s an odd situation. Try plugging ups into an extension cord from a different circuit

Thanks for your quick reply.

The UPS is no longer functional. I'm curious if anyone has any insight as to why this situation could occur from a UPS design or circuit protection standpoint.

Is the General Electrical Forum on the NEC? I thought I saw a separate NEC Forum.

Thanks!

 

[LarryFine]

Welcome to the forum.

He means the entire forum, not just the topic, is about the NEC.

I would start with asking the engineers at APC about this.

 

[synchro]

On two separate occasions, I have plugged my vacuum cleaner into a receptacle across the room, not into the UPS, but to a receptacle on the same circuit as the UPS, and the UPS has been fried.

Does the circuit for the UPS have a double-pole circuit breaker, or a pair of single pole breakers with a handle tie between them?

 

[Doublehelix88]

Does the circuit for the UPS have a double-pole circuit breaker, or a pair of single pole breakers with a handle tie between them?

It is on a single pole 15amp residential circuit breaker.

 

[synchro]

It is on a single pole 15amp residential circuit breaker.

Then it sounds like a design or manufacturing problem with the UPS.

 

[Doublehelix88]

Welcome to the forum.

He means the entire forum, not just the topic, is about the NEC.

I would start with asking the engineers at APC about this.

Thanks for the welcome!
I was hoping to ask around here about the circuit surrounding the APC UPS and maybe speculate as to what changed electrically on the circuit (Assuming it is NEC compliant) that could cause this. UPS' typically can detect low circuit voltage and shut down safely, or protect against a surge, but in this case, the UPS failed, shutting off immediately. I'm not an expert on UPS' or the NEC, and I assume I won't find an expert on UPS' here, but I figured I might gain some insight into residential circuits here.

 

[Doublehelix88]

Then it sounds like a design or manufacturing problem with the UPS.

I agree. Any thoughts on what could have caused this? I'm assuming I have this 15amp circuit pretty well loaded, and maybe plugging in an inductive load such as a vacuum caused a spike on the circuit the UPS couldn't handle?

 

[zbang]

Couple of things-
The BackUPS is the lower end of the APC line and AFAIK isn't even line-interactive. I generally recommend against them.

At 600 va, you might be running on the edge of inverter capacity, so when a sag is detected (starting the vacuum) the inverter is started , can't handle the load, and immediately dies. Could certainly be a manufacturing defect, but I'd get a better and larger UPS (if you stay with APC, the SmartUPS are much better).

 

[Doublehelix88]

Couple of things-
The BackUPS is the lower end of the APC line and AFAIK isn't even line-interactive. I generally recommend against them.

At 600 va, you might be running on the edge of inverter capacity, so when a sag is detected (starting the vacuum) the inverter is started , can't handle the load, and immediately dies. Could certainly be a manufacturing defect, but I'd get a better and larger UPS (if you stay with APC, the SmartUPS are much better).

Ah, that makes sense, Thanks!