APC RBC8I, RBC25, RBC24, RBC12, RBC27 User Manual

This addendum does not apply to Back-UPS Pro 1000/1400 and Smart-UPS V/S 1000/1400

Replacement Battery Cartridge(RBC) Addendum

RBC5, RBC6, RBC7, RBC8, RBC9, RBC11, RBC12, RBC22, RBC23, RBC24, RBC25,
RBC27, RBC28, RBC5I, RBC6I, RBC7I, RBC8I, RBC9I, RBC11I, RBC12I, RBC22I,
RBC23I, RBC24I, RBC25I, RBC5J, RBC6J, RBC7J, RBC8J, RBC11J, RBC12J,

I. Installation

Follow the installation illustration on the accompanying sheet.
Note: Small sparks at the battery connectors are normal during connection.

II. Post-Installation

Once installed,

allow the unit to charge for five hours. If the unit is an XL model, allow it to charge for

24 hours.
Note: The Smart-UPS will charge whether it is on or off, and will charge whether there is a load

present or not. In situations where the power quality is poor, it is recommended that the unit be
shutdown during this charging period. A Smart-UPS that is powered on may switch to battery
operation which would prolong the time needed to fully recharge the battery.

III. Clearing the Replace Battery LED

A. In order for the replace battery LED to be cleared, it is necessary to run a valid self test. For a self test

to be considered valid, the following conditions must be satisfied:

■ battery capacity must be greater than 75%(minimum of four battery bar graph LEDs illuminated)
or

■ Smart-UPS must have been charging for at least 8 hours from the last low battery condition. (Low
battery condition refers to a state when the Smart-UPS battery has fully discharged).

B. Ways to initiate a self test

A self test can be initiated in any one of five ways:

■ Start up of the UPS

■ Smart-UPS front panel test button

■ Powerchute PLUS software

■ SmartSlot Accessory

■ Automatic timer- every two weeks from turn on (see APC owners manuals for details)

IV. Verifying Operation

A. What happens during a self test?

When a self test is initiated, the unit supports the load while operating on battery for approximately
8-10 seconds. During this period, the Smart-UPS determines the health of the battery.

B. When should the self test be performed?

After the unit has charged for five hours, a self test can be performed.

990-0374A revision 2 11/01

C. What happens when the replace battery LED does not clear?

If the self test fails:

■ If the battery capacity is greater than 75%, turn the unit off and restart it. When you turn a Smart­UPS on, it will initiate a self-test. After the test completes, the LED should clear.

■ If the unit fails the self-test again, contact APC Customer Support (email: support.apcc.com or
phone: [phone]APC).

V. Increasing ‘Runtime Remaining’ of the Smart-UPS as viewed through Powerchute

PLUS or SmartSlot Accessory and prevent premature Low Battery Signal

Discharging and recharging a Smart-UPS resets the microprocessor to properly read battery voltage.
An accurate measurement is important when calculating the runtime remaining value appearing in
Powerchute PLUS or SmartSlot Accessory.

A. Initiating a runtime calibration

The runtime calibration option is accessible using Powerchute PLUS software or an APC SmartSlot
Accessory. Once the battery capacity reaches 100%, select this option. The unit will run on battery until
battery capacity is 25%. At that point, the unit will return to utility power and begin recharging itself. If
the runtime as seen through Powerchute PLUS or SmartSlot Accessory does not increase, then follow
the instructions in the next section.

Note: APC recommends that a runtime calibration be initiated once every

B. Disconnect from utility

six months at a maximum.

By disconnecting the UPS from utility, a premature low battery signal can be prevented. It is recom­mended that the power to the circuit be turned off at the distribution panel. Unplugging the Smart-UPS
from the outlet is not recommended.

Note: The Smart-UPS will run on battery until it discharges completely, turning off the load. It is not

necessary to discharge completely. Power can be restored to the unit once it reaches low battery
condition(see owner’s manual for details on how to identify low battery condition).

If experiencing low runtime or premature low battery signal issues, contact APC Customer Support
(email: support.apcc.com or phone: [phone]APC).