UPS clicking?
- mcewinter
- Posts: 999
- Joined: Thu Jun 30, 2011 8:33 pm
- Location: Chicago
- HTPC Specs:
UPS clicking?
My UPS is making a clicking noise and at times the fan runs high but not too frequently.
It seems to function okay and no events are logged when it happens. Is my battery going bad?
It seems to function okay and no events are logged when it happens. Is my battery going bad?
- Scallica
- Posts: 2799
- Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2011 7:09 pm
- Location: USA!
- HTPC Specs:
What make/model UPS do you have? How old is it?
HTPC Enthusiast / Forum Moderator - TGB.tv Code of Conduct
- mcewinter
- Posts: 999
- Joined: Thu Jun 30, 2011 8:33 pm
- Location: Chicago
- HTPC Specs:
http://www.amazon.com/POWER-SAVING-BACK ... pc+xs+1500Scallica wrote:What make/model UPS do you have? How old is it?
APC XS 1500
It's at least two years old.
- STC
- Posts: 6808
- Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2011 4:58 pm
- Location:
- HTPC Specs:
It's usually indicative of an under voltage below around 105v. Do you have an air con unit close by? Is the UPS smart with a USB interface? If so the APC software could tell you what's going on.
By the Community, for the Community. 100% Commercial Free.
Want decent guide data back? Check out EPG123
Want decent guide data back? Check out EPG123
-
- Posts: 5738
- Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 7:23 pm
- Location: Titusville, Florida, USA
- HTPC Specs:
How often does it "click"? Mine does it occasionally when there is a voltage surge... especially when someone turns on the bathroom lights (5 CFL's on a single switch). It seems that the ballast in the CFL's sends a large enough spike back through the line that every UPS in the house momentarily switches to battery. This only seems to happen when the CFL's are cold (not used for a long period of time) when turned on.
- Scallica
- Posts: 2799
- Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2011 7:09 pm
- Location: USA!
- HTPC Specs:
Yea, if you have a USB cable between the UPS and PC, definitely install PowerChute and run a self-test.stonethecrows wrote:Is the UPS smart with a USB interface? If so the APC software could tell you what's going on.
http://www.apc.com/tools/download/index.cfm
HTPC Enthusiast / Forum Moderator - TGB.tv Code of Conduct
- STC
- Posts: 6808
- Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2011 4:58 pm
- Location:
- HTPC Specs:
Referring to Barnabas' post, over voltage within spec is much more easy for equipment to deal with. What you're describing is a dip in voltage as all the CFL's want all of the available current to kick start their ballasts when they turn on. That would send the 110v circuit into under voltage for a second or so. The ballasts would need less current to start up when warm.
By the Community, for the Community. 100% Commercial Free.
Want decent guide data back? Check out EPG123
Want decent guide data back? Check out EPG123
- STC
- Posts: 6808
- Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2011 4:58 pm
- Location:
- HTPC Specs:
If it passes, leave PowerChute running for a while and it will log what the problem is for you. You could even watch in real time if the issue is frequent enough.Scallica wrote:Yea, if you have a USB cable between the UPS and PC, definitely install PowerChute and run a self-test.stonethecrows wrote:Is the UPS smart with a USB interface? If so the APC software could tell you what's going on.
http://www.apc.com/tools/download/index.cfm
By the Community, for the Community. 100% Commercial Free.
Want decent guide data back? Check out EPG123
Want decent guide data back? Check out EPG123
-
- Posts: 5738
- Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 7:23 pm
- Location: Titusville, Florida, USA
- HTPC Specs:
I never measured what was happening. It could be under- or over-voltage. The ballasts are inductive, and an inductive load is capable of sending a spike of reverse current when first turned on.stonethecrows wrote:^^ Over voltage within spec is much more easy for equipment to deal with. What you're describing is a dip in voltage as all the CFL's want all of the available current to kick start their ballasts when they turn on. That would send the 110v circuit into under voltage for a second or so. The ballasts would need less current to start up when warm.
Either way, if the OP's UPS is doing this infrequently (once or twice a day, or only when certain appliances are turned on), it is probably normal behavior. If his UPS is doing it more frequently than can be explained by possible voltage surges, then there might be something wrong with the UPS.
- STC
- Posts: 6808
- Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2011 4:58 pm
- Location:
- HTPC Specs:
The loads are balanced and filtered so as not to spike the supply. The overwhelming effect is current drain, just like the compressor of an air con unit firing up.
Most modern CFL's use about 5 seconds worth of juice in 1/10th of a second upon startup, hence the hit.
This is where ring circuits such as those used in Britain come into their own, because the supply of AC is balanced from two points. Effectively prevents most low voltage issues from occurring, no matter what load on a particular circuit requires current.
Most modern CFL's use about 5 seconds worth of juice in 1/10th of a second upon startup, hence the hit.
This is where ring circuits such as those used in Britain come into their own, because the supply of AC is balanced from two points. Effectively prevents most low voltage issues from occurring, no matter what load on a particular circuit requires current.
By the Community, for the Community. 100% Commercial Free.
Want decent guide data back? Check out EPG123
Want decent guide data back? Check out EPG123
- mcewinter
- Posts: 999
- Joined: Thu Jun 30, 2011 8:33 pm
- Location: Chicago
- HTPC Specs:
Bingo. I have a window shaker on the same floor. As it gets cooler at night and the compressor is actually switching off and back on is when it is most problematic (hind sight being 20/20). My Ooma (VOIP) was seeing symptoms as it occurred (plugged into the UPS) so I guess the good news is that nothing needs replacing. Perhaps if I keep the AC at a cooler setting keeping the compressor running it will stabilize my issue.stonethecrows wrote:It's usually indicative of an under voltage below around 105v. Do you have an air con unit close by? Is the UPS smart with a USB interface? If so the APC software could tell you what's going on.
- STC
- Posts: 6808
- Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2011 4:58 pm
- Location:
- HTPC Specs:
So now the famous catch 22 appears.- Do you make your air con work harder and pay higher electricity, or feed your APC from another leg OR get an electrician in to fix your voltage drop problem OR etc etc etc....
By the Community, for the Community. 100% Commercial Free.
Want decent guide data back? Check out EPG123
Want decent guide data back? Check out EPG123
-
- Posts: 5738
- Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 7:23 pm
- Location: Titusville, Florida, USA
- HTPC Specs:
I'm not sure it will harm your UPS. It will definitely put a little wear on the relays in the UPS, but they are probably designed for hundreds of thousands or possibly millions of operations.
Still, it's probably a good idea to make sure that your air conditioner and UPS are on different circuit breakers.
Still, it's probably a good idea to make sure that your air conditioner and UPS are on different circuit breakers.
- STC
- Posts: 6808
- Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2011 4:58 pm
- Location:
- HTPC Specs:
Please take no notice from Barnabas as in this instance he does not know what he is talking about. You are welcome to leave it doing what it's doing and report back in a few months. YMMV.
Recently I found the problem to a new clients 5000VA UPS that has been replaced three times in two years. It was fed from the same leg a large color laser printer was fed from in another room. Every time the fuser unit took a warm up cycle, it took most of the current on the leg and the UPS's went into battery mode for short time.
Sooner then later they all blow the charging circuits if left trying to cope with this. Especially the smaller home versions we all use.
Recently I found the problem to a new clients 5000VA UPS that has been replaced three times in two years. It was fed from the same leg a large color laser printer was fed from in another room. Every time the fuser unit took a warm up cycle, it took most of the current on the leg and the UPS's went into battery mode for short time.
Sooner then later they all blow the charging circuits if left trying to cope with this. Especially the smaller home versions we all use.
By the Community, for the Community. 100% Commercial Free.
Want decent guide data back? Check out EPG123
Want decent guide data back? Check out EPG123
- mcewinter
- Posts: 999
- Joined: Thu Jun 30, 2011 8:33 pm
- Location: Chicago
- HTPC Specs:
With temps approaching 100 degrees fahrenheit in Chicago my temporary solution was to crank the AC as it was set too low anyhow. I wouldn't be surprised if this was happening every summer as I do recall hearing a click or two in the past but never really investigated it. I just happened to be sitting near it and heard it click a few times in a day. I live in rental property and have no ambition to call and try to get them to make any changes to our electrical structure.stonethecrows wrote:So now the famous catch 22 appears.- Do you make your air con work harder and pay higher electricity, or feed your APC from another leg OR get an electrician in to fix your voltage drop problem OR etc etc etc....
- mcewinter
- Posts: 999
- Joined: Thu Jun 30, 2011 8:33 pm
- Location: Chicago
- HTPC Specs:
Scorchio indeed.stonethecrows wrote:Scorchio!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuSPdsPWit0