APC Recalls 2.1 Million UPS Units

Controlio writes "Check your cubicles. APC has recalled two of its Back-UPS CS models, the Back-UPS CS 350 and Back-UPS CS 500, in both the 120 volt and 230-volt flavors. The units were sold between November of 2000 and December of 2002. The affected units have the potential to overheat, melting the outer casing and causing a potential fire hazard. Yikes."

Comments

APC doesn't support open source

[rossz]

APC doesn't release the communications protocals used in their UPSes, so they must be reverse engineered to work with NUT (Network UPS Tool). MGE UPS Systems fully supports open source, releasing all their protocals and even donating a few units to the developers. MGE does cost more, unfortunately, but at least they don't include the self-destruct feature found in some APC models.

Re:APC doesn't support open source

[Anonymous Coward]

Also: BEST UPSs have fully-documented interfaces, though I don't know the state of things since they became/were purchased by Invensys. They generally cost a bit more than comparable APC products, too.

None of this is should be very surprising. For the past several years, most of APC's products have been marginal, marketing-driven money pits, in my experience. Better products cost more money...

Not surprised.

[Anonymous Coward]

When I put together my current system I "invested" in a APC Back-UPS Pro 1400 to keep all my equipment running and on filtered power. I got a lot of new computer hardware at once, and the one piece that kept failing was the UPS, it would shut off randomly, drove me nuts.

They replaced it, but of all the things to fail with a new setup! I don't think I'd buy another APC

Just Great

[merauder]

I just happend to have one here at home, matching serial number and everything. Since their server seems to be also melted at the moment, what exactly is involved in shipping these back? Are the shipping charges refunded, do I go through the retailer I purchased it from? *sigh*

Re:Just Great

[Mark Shewmaker]

To learn more about the recall action and the process for replacing the affected units, users should visit www.apc.com or call 866 APC-RELY (866 272-7359).

You could try their ironically spelled phone number.

You mean perhaps the ironic spelling of 866-ARCS-FLY? :-)

As an aside, does anyone know of any very small (in size, va rating, and cost) ups's that have both serial and usb connections, spacing for 2 transformers plus 1 non-transformer plug, avr of some sort, separate phone line and ethernet surge protection built in, (that is, you can plug in a phone line and an ethernet connection at the same time), have some sort of smart signaling ("line power down and battery low--you better shut down now"; "okay, give me 2 minutes, then shut off my power whether or not wall power has come up, and keep me shut down until you've had reliable power for a while"), *and* that are properly documented by the manufacturer and work with some sort of open source ups software under linux?

I'm finding it hard to find any ups's that meet even half of those criterion, much less all of them.

I have a different model which also melted

[darkwhite]

Funny, I have a Back-UPS Office 280 that also melted like this. Apparently it blew a thermistor. At first I thought the smell was from my 30-year-old amplifier, but after some spectacular pyrotechnics and a small blackout, it became apparent that it was indeed the UPS which was sitting right behind it.

Granted, there was somewhere between 1x and 1.5x its rated capacity plugged into it, but still, a properly designed unit should either turn off or withstand such abuse.

Re:Uninterruptible Power Supply?

[pyros]

I'll say. At my previous job, all us developers had UPS units on their workstations. We also had mini-fridges in our cubes. As it turns out, all those fridges were believed to have caused a specific scenario where the signal on the power lines resulted in all the UPS units shutting off. Not going to battery backup, actually shutting off. That was a wierd day. Dan, you reading?

UPS causes huge losses

[egabber]

A few months ago, an APC UPS cost me everything I own in a huge blaze that almost destroyed my whole neighborhood. The fire fighters were able to pinpoint the starting point to my office/desk area and concluded the UPS as a possible ignition source. There was no load on the UPS at the time but it was plugged in with the inverter inside running. Its burning feeble plastic case ignited nearby paperwork and the rest was history. Gone were my home, all my possisions, years of art and software design. Most importantly was my beloved Great Dane Dirk whom I will never forget. I am still paying his medical bills on the attempts to save him. I hope the idiots that saved a few dollars by using a flammable plastic case instead of sheet metal will be made to pay for the losses of me and others. I am in Talent Oregon.

You're not alone - this is serious.

[rebelcool]

i emailed this to my father, at his company they have one of these on nearly every workstation. He emailed back that 2 weeks ago one of his employee's homes burned down, and the UPS is the suspected culprit.

A few months ago in that very same office one of the UPS's begin emitting a high pitched whistle from within (described as a 'tea kettle' sound), likely very hot gases escaping.

APC UPS

[Anonymous Coward]

Say what you like but I own two different APC units that have functioned perfectly over the years. If you ask me APC's UPSs are in general very reliable.