APC UPS recall

*JoeRT* · 01-15-2003, 03:43 PM

APC is recalling UPSs that can overheat and cause a potential fire hazard. The recalled Back-UPS CS Uninterruptible power supply devices include the Back-UPS CS350 and the Back-UPS CS500 models sold from November 2000 through December 2002. Free replacement units are available by contacting APC at 1-866-272-7359.

More information is available from APC's web site at http://www.apc.com/rely/index.cfm.

--edit-- Fixed period.

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Joe Torsitano
www.weatherforyou.com

*hobbes* · 01-15-2003, 06:11 PM

A period snuck in at the end of the above URL; the correct one is http://www.apc.com/rely/index.cfm

BTW, I happened to have one of these still sitting in the box. Good thing I waited to install it!

*kitchin* · 01-16-2003, 12:03 AM

Slight correction. The actual model numbers are:

Quote:

PRODUCT: The recall is isolated to the BK325I, BK325-RS, BK350, BK350EI, BK350-AZ, BK350-FR, BK350-GR, BK350-IT, BK350-UK, BK350JP, BK350IX218, BK475I, BK475-RS, BK500, BK500EI, BK500-AZ, BK500-BR, BK500-FR, BK500-GR, BK500-IT, BK500-UK, BK500BLK, BK500JP, and BK500TW product models.

Guess I'm stuck with my model (bk300c). Right now it's just powering my answering machine, since I switched to a laptop. When the UPS beeps (we often get very short outages here, < 1 second), the dog gets upset. That's my only complaint.

*kitchin* · 01-16-2003, 12:10 AM

And this is probably a good general rule for UPS's (from the manual, in case you didn't read it):

Quote:

Caution: Do not connect a surge
suppressor or laser printer to the UPS.
These devices may overload the UPS.

*GregJ* · 01-16-2003, 01:41 AM

Just how does one protect a Laser Printer from electrical surges? I have a Xerox XD120f and would like to put it on a UPS/Conditioner of some sort for protection (not the best power around here).

I even have our tv (stero, et. al.) on one.

-g

*kitchin* · 01-16-2003, 11:24 AM

You can plug a laser printer into a surge protector. Just don't plug either of those into a UPS. The UPS, at least in my little setup, is just for critical stuff I need when the power goes out: the computer & monitor. Then I can save my work and close down, since the battery in the UPS gives 5-10 minutes of power for those two devices. If I had a print job, I could restart it when the power came back on.

*Dunx* · 01-16-2003, 12:27 PM

What is a "surge suppressor"? Is that the same thing as a fuse?

The problem I have is that I have two computers and a monitor which need plugging into the UPS, but only two battery backed sockets. At the moment the computers are both plugged in, but that might make it difficult to shut things down cleanly in the event of a power cut...

Actually, this is something that rather bothers me about the electrical systems here in the States: plugs don't have fuses in them, so every power strip seems to come with a surge suppressor built in. I'm not saying that the British system is necessarily better, but since the plugs always have a fuse built in there's no need for additional surge suppressors everywhere.

Oh well.

*JoeLeBlanc* · 01-16-2003, 01:01 PM

eww, I have one and I been using it for 3 to 4 months :-/ time to disconnect and get new one

*Andilinks* · 01-16-2003, 01:22 PM

Yes, I have one, have been using it since mid-September and just registered for the new unit. Now I must decide whether to risk a fire or a crash until the replacement arrives. If I remove the monitor from the UPS and just run the computer on it it's much less likely to overload. ummm, I think...

BTW, they are just changing out the unit and not replacing the battery.

*PaulKroll* · 01-16-2003, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Is that the same thing as a fuse?

No, which is why you're thinking the surge suppressor is unneeded in GB. I doubt that's really the case.

Surge suppressors literally, stop surges. Not circuit overload/use, like fuses do: surges. That 110 volt input sometimes goes way low (like when I turn on my laser printer and the lights dim) or, most problematically, REALLY HIGH... particularly in the summer when several air conditioners in the area happen to click off at the same time. Voltage can go, er, high enough to be a problem lets say.

Pretty much everywhere in the US you have to have fuses or circuit breakers at the electrical box (but not in the outlet itself, which I'm not sure you were getting at or if I'm being too literal). Some places have rules that require GFCIs (Ground fault circuit interrupters) in place for bathroom or kitchen areas. (For new construction, at least.)