Maximum PC

I lost a computer due to a faulty APC battery backup. I filled out a LONG question sheet. Sent in the bad APC unit. Now six weeks later I am still fighting with them. After several emails back and forth. Then tell me that they will be testing the bad unit in the next two weeks

Do they ever intend to pay out the claim that I filed? You know, the 25,000$ insurance that they "claim" to have.

Night

I remember having one of those policies when I bought my first APC UPS. There were so many loopholes in it that it looked like they'd never have to pay off. I assumed from day one that I'd be wasting my time. So in other words, I doubt you'll see any money from APC.

This is what I found today in my email. And I replied that it has been six weeks (42 days)

Night

42 real days or 30 business days.

They can be quite inventive when finding reasons for not giving you any money.

I had forgoten about that

Strange, they made real sure that I used the RMA in xx real days or your out of luck.

Mark


Maybe the Dog will ask them about how they count their days.

I just wish MPC still had "The dog"

The Big Dawg is still here and dealing with these things. Just because it's not in print doesn't mean MPC doesn't care.

I've dealt with APC for decades, and it's never been like this post. Something is missing. In the past 3 weeks I've dealt with their customer support on high and mid-level equipment and have been satisfied highly. At home, I just placed an XS1500 UPS to replace the Smart-UPS 2200 while the batteries are being sent. It didn't charge. I put in the RMA, I got a new unit, and it's still sitting here for return because the original unit works. It just doesn't charge dead-headed...it needs stuff plugged in. I've picked this unit apart from an engineering standpoint, found the fault, and have been in constant contact with THE engineer to work on this. He even let me pretty much destroy the RMA unit to find the answer and help them. It's not a known issue, but something they can work on...and they were 100% behind their product. Who else gives you a replacement product before you do a damned thing but scan a receipt?

For you, I wish you'd read the documents for your unit. Most have a 3 year warranty, but also fail on their own no matter what the status of the unit is, and is in black and white. After a period of time, a section of the circuit just goes dead, but they tell you that. I deal a lot with SmartUPS, and they fail in the battery section; and with good cause. The 2200 module and rack as well as the 3000 rack failed this week. All the batteries were swollen and were not safe. New batteries, and all are up again. That's $260 per unit BTW.

Give me something here. What are you working with, how long have you had it in service (plugged it in), and what actually failed? Don't expect money...expect product support.

In mid July I noticed my computer system was off. Tried the normal check list, but the computer was dead. Put a spare older computer in it's place. As soon as I turned the APC unit on, it went BANG. Smoke rolled out the back of the now dead spare computer. I pulled every thing out and layed them out on the work table. I checked the voltage out on the APC. One side of the plug read 55v to the ground. The other side of the plug read about 55v to ground????? Plugged the APC in and it went normal???? Unplugged the APC and I got that weird voltage readings again.

The primary computer's power supply, motherboard, hard drive, and memory chips are dead. The spare computers power supply and main board and dead. Maxtor backup 4 one touch is dead. So I have lost the majority of my data. My fault, as I should have had an off site backup.

APC sent a rebuilt backup very quickly. And I filled out this long questionnaire. Fax the questionnaire back to APC and put a copy in the box that had the blown backup in it. Sent all back to APC. And waited. After the six week waiting period I sent an email trying to get a little information. You have to keep the damaged components as is, until APC says otherwise. So I am out the primary and secondary computers. So I had to go out and get a new system because I could not wait on the parts to build my own system.

APC keeps saying just wait, it takes six weeks. And I keep saying it has been six weeks. I'm afraid there is a language problem here. Or they just “forgot” about me and just now remembered after the email jumped started the process again.

I own nine APC units, and they all work great. Living in the woods they have to. It is just so frustrating that they treat you like this.

If I can supply you with anything else, let me know.

Mark

Forgot to add that the whole system was built in April of 2009. From the computer to the scanner.

Mark

Did I post enough information Chumly ?


Mark

Add 16 more days to the delay. Not one word from APC. How long is to long?

Bad APC

Hope there is a Good Dog around to help.

Mark

Why is it not in print? I loved the Dog.

APC sent me a real nice letter and all kinds of test results about the questioned APC unit. Every thing is OK.

Then why, in front of others, did a computer explode when plugged in this thing? And why was the original computer BBQed?

When we removed the APC unit a third computer fired up just fine.

And where did the 55v, from both sides of the plug, come from?

Bad Dog

Night

I had funny stuff go on with one of the old 1500 units.

I can say that the upgrade path with APC is clear. They want you to buy entire new units. Belkin is that way too but they dont mess around Belkin puts enough brackets and screws in the way that you are not replacing batteries.

APC gives the illusion that its re-usable after the batteries fail.

Couldn't do anything without the claim number.

The testing they gave you should show their product was a fault or not a fault. Since it shown it passed, then they're releasing liability of the unit and you must search for other reasons your PC "blew up".

55v on one blade and 55 on the other is 110VAC, which is very normal for a US home. Not out of the ordinary at all. To see this, put the black lead in one and the red lead in the other...not ground as that's for checking DC. What's the "Good" voltages you get right from the plug?

What model are you having trouble with? Most of their units will simply pass your wall's power right through to the plugs. To get a full time unit from APC that cleans the power on it's way through calls for their SmartUPS series and is pretty pricey (the 2200 here is over $2K where as the cheapie XS1500 is a mere $150). The software with it can be tweaked to switch to battery (thus the inverter) given some perimeters but that's still not the best bet for the most part. A UPS should just give battery back up for brown and blackouts and pay out the nose for cleaning it up.

Since they tested the unit thoroughly, we have to at least consider the option that our house wiring could be at fault on some level along with what's happening on the grid outside of the home. Ron helped me with that a few years back in our current house and lead to both the expensive UPS units and some major rewiring of the home. If they tested the unit, found it in working order, I guess you could have it independently tested on your own to try and prove them wrong. A local electrician may be of assistance since they likely have some nice line monitoring equipment on hand that can test it and perhaps even print out a report. But get ready if they find it fine as well. By saying you need UPS units in the backwoods has me seriously thinking there's something going on on your end or you just wouldn't need 9 units to keep things powered.

I've had to call APC a few months ago and they were quite helpful. Eventually they replaced the unit and also got a test report from the old unit. It didn't match the report that came on the original unit at all. If you have your original report that should be taped to the unit's case, does it look even close to the new report they sent ya?

one blade (neutral) should be zero to ground, the other (hot) have some sort of voltage to ground. hot/neutral/ground. the 55v may be because of the stepped square wave output (that the cheaper UPS use) on a voltage meters AC scale that expects a real sine wave.

maybe youre thinking 240v lines with two hot legs (120+120+neutral)?

but yea the smaller APCs just pass AC from the wall on. they dont kick in till theres a problem



Im in the sticks too. our power is The Suck. I have 3 APC UPSs they kick in a few times a week, and they are all set to "low" sensitivity and pretty high/low values for high/low voltage triggers or they went off several times a day.. but interestingly enough, the one PC not on a UPS still survives the sags/noise/whatever.. some of them bad enough the lights dim to next to nothing for a second. Antec basiq 500w.. not the best PSU I know but it was a BB gift card special.

Just curious here. WAS a surge protector used in conjunction with the APC battery backup unit?
I have, and will depend on APC backup units I have them all over my place on various electronics, not only my computers. But I also have a surge protector between them and my electronics. WHAT I don't get is how can a battery backup unit fry electronic/computer component(s)? THERE is simply NOT enough juice in them to do so. From what I read, it sounds to me like a faulty PSU that is the culprit.