APC UPS let the smoke out

[hbiss]

This is a guy I watch on YouTube, he's an EE and sometimes he amazes me with his knowledge, other times he reminds me of things I have forgotten. Anyway, he has several of these APC UPSs and this one just started arching from inside. He has no intention of repairing it and this is an autopsy. You won't believe what he found the problem to be.

-Hal

 

[ptonsparky]

This is a guy I watch on YouTube, he's an EE and sometimes he amazes me with his knowledge, other times he reminds me of things I have forgotten. Anyway, he has several of these APC UPSs and this one just started arching from inside. He has no intention of repairing it and this is an autopsy. You won't believe what he found the problem to be.

-Hal

Wow, Just Wow.
I have a couple APC units. Guessing, hoping, somewhat older.
I wonder who the supplier was or if it was in house design.

 

[OldBroadcastTech]

Love the old VTVM (?) and signal generator in the left background !

and yes, all electronics contain Magic smoke, and when it escapes, things no longer work .......I actually used to use this explanation with Radio Station Managers and about half of them bought it.......

 

[ron]

As he described the system, I'm drawing a oneline diagram in my head to visualize what powers what, then he had the nice animation

 

[hbiss]

I have a couple APC units. Guessing, hoping, somewhat older.
I wonder who the supplier was or if it was in house design.

APC was my go-to when a customer needed a UPS. These things are so cut-throat APC thought they could save a dollar or two using a transformer with aluminum windings. I doubt they wind their own, and have some Chinese company make them who had no idea how to join the aluminum winding to copper leads. Wonder if APC will see this video and if they will comment. After seeing that I wouldn't buy another one.

-Hal

 

[wwhitney]

The windings were brown away from the heat damaged area. That was definitely enamel, not CCA? Was the video of dissecting the non-failed connection enough to rule out CCA?

Cheers, Wayne

 

[hbiss]

The windings were brown away from the heat damaged area. That was definitely enamel, not CCA? Was the video of dissecting the non-failed connection enough to rule out CCA?

That was enameled aluminum coil wire. Some idiot at the transformer factory wrapped the copper around the end of the aluminum wire and soldered it. All the solder did was tin the stranded copper making it stiff enough to stay in place until the connection failed.

Cheap Chinese junk, cheap penny pinching American manufacturer. This is why they can sell UPSs for so cheap.

-Hal

 

[ptonsparky]

Mine weren't cheap.

 

[VirutalElectrician]

Going to see more of this as the price of copper rises over the next several years.

I had some old APC UPSes that would cause the batteries to overcharge and swell. I stay away from the brand now.

 

[hbiss]

Mine weren't cheap.

Cheap for what they do.

had some old APC UPSes that would cause the batteries to overcharge and swell.

They are famous for that and if you don't think the UPS itself is cheap, buy replacement batteries from them. Better off buying a whole new UPS. If the batteries are some assembly of standard gel cells you can usually buy them off the shelf and make them fit, but I have seen them getting smarter with custom batteries so you have to buy them from them.

-Hal

 

[VirutalElectrician]

They are famous for that and if you don't think the UPS itself is cheap, buy replacement batteries from them. Better off buying a whole new UPS. If the batteries are some assembly of standard gel cells you can usually buy them off the shelf and make them fit, but I have seen them getting smarter with custom batteries so you have to buy them from them.

-Hal

That's really no different than many other business models. Toner cartridges with ICs, a certain fruity cell phone maker that insists on using it's proprietary charging connector, etc.

 

[SSDriver]

Pure Chinese junk. Thanks for posting this

 

[Little Bill]

Cheap for what they do.


They are famous for that and if you don't think the UPS itself is cheap, buy replacement batteries from them. Better off buying a whole new UPS. If the batteries are some assembly of standard gel cells you can usually buy them off the shelf and make them fit, but I have seen them getting smarter with custom batteries so you have to buy them from them.

-Hal

There is some products/mfg that puts a chip in the batteries and if you try to use an off brand (read not from them) battery, it will cause an error code. Apple is one and Garmin is another. The equipment will function with the batteries but might not show it is charged or show a continuous warning message.

 

[ptonsparky]

There is some products/mfg that puts a chip in the batteries and if you try to use an off brand (read not from them) battery, it will cause an error code. Apple is one and Garmin is another. The equipment will function with the batteries but might not show it is charged or show a continuous warning message.

My Garmin GPS works very well with an aftermarket, but then it may predate this stuff.

 

[Little Bill]

My Garmin GPS works very well with an aftermarket, but then it may predate this stuff.

I have Garmin GPS tracking collars for my dogs. I bought some aftermarket batteries and they don't show the charge level on the hand held receiver. As a test, I charged one overnight and turned it on and left it for over 24hrs. It was still on when I checked it. But the battery level indicator would not show it charged. I still use it, just can't go by the battery indicator.

 

[zooby]

I have Garmin GPS tracking collars for my dogs. I bought some aftermarket batteries and they don't show the charge level on the hand held receiver. As a test, I charged one overnight and turned it on and left it for over 24hrs. It was still on when I checked it. But the battery level indicator would not show it charged. I still use it, just can't go by the battery indicator.

hmmmm....tracking collars---Tennessee--and what I think looks like a Treeing Walker.

 

[petersonra]

APC was my go-to when a customer needed a UPS. These things are so cut-throat APC thought they could save a dollar or two using a transformer with aluminum windings. I doubt they wind their own, and have some Chinese company make them who had no idea how to join the aluminum winding to copper leads. Wonder if APC will see this video and if they will comment. After seeing that I wouldn't buy another one.

-Hal

I Don't see anything wrong with using aluminum windings. It's not like the winding is what failed.

 

[hbiss]

I Don't see anything wrong with using aluminum windings. It's not like the winding is what failed.

Oh, absolutely. They just need to find a transformer manufacturer that knows how properly connect aluminum to copper. Not rocket science.

-Hal

 

[Little Bill]

hmmmm....tracking collars---Tennessee--and what I think looks like a Treeing Walker.

No, that would be Beagles.
I have a friend with Walkers though.

 

[PaulMmn]

REFURBUPS.com offers fresh batteries for APC and other UPSs... cheaper than APC. They also resell APC and other brands of refurbished UPSs.