Need Advice About UPS Battery Backup "smell"

al3 · 10-19-2009, 07:58 PM

On advice from several people I trust I bought an APC battery backup unit (BX1200LCD) Saturday (1300 VA, 780 watts) for $129. It works fine, but it emits a smell that most of you will know... sort of like hot plastic.

The plastic smell is not very strong... but it is there. It's like the smell of some cheap plastic water bottles or food containers when you first buy them. It's sort of like the so-called "new car" smell.

I checked the APC web-forum and others have complained. The company rep responded that there are some varnishes and resins and stuff inside the box that will give off an odor for a while but will go away. The rep posted that if the smell is like rotten eggs or smokey that the unit should be disconnected immediately as it is a sign the battery will explode! That can't be good!

The official term for the smell is "off-gassing"** and is common with electronic components... although I've never had this problem. (I swear, everything I've bought at Fry's has had some issue... would not surprise me if this is a factory 2nd or re-furb unit. Fry's sucks!)

Top of the unit toward the back where the battery is is warm (not hot) to the touch... similar to a coffee cup that has been sitting for ten or fifteen minutes. My old TrippLite was about the same temp. The cat liked to sleep next to it in the winter.

Do any of you have this unit and can advise me? Did you have this "plastic" smell, and if so how long did it last?

I keep the window open and a fan on in the room but it does not help much. Unit has been on for about 36 hours and still smells.

If I have to return it, which unit do YOU have and do you recommend it? I know a lot about software, but hardware is not my strong-point.

Thanks,

Al

** I always thought "off-gassing" is what neo-cons called MY overly-long and wordy postings in this venue!!

Patriot · 10-19-2009, 08:42 PM

Al, I've had an APS Back-UPS XS 1000 and XS 1500 running now for more than a couple of years. I don't remember them smelling when they were new. APS may not even make these models anymore, but they've been flawless and have outlasted every other UPS I've had (3 or 4 other units of varying brands - not TrippLite). Good luck!

MedicarePlanSolutions · 10-20-2009, 03:55 AM

Personally I think you should just use a laptop. When the power goes out I have 3 hours of backup and with my aircard the internet isn't even out for more than a few minutes. But that could just be neo-con propaganda.

al3 · 10-20-2009, 04:07 AM

Originally Posted by MedicarePlanSolutions

Personally I think you should just use a laptop. When the power goes out I have 3 hours of backup and with my aircard the internet isn't even out for more than a few minutes. But that could just be neo-con propaganda.

Most lappys are too slow for my taste. I load a lot of apps onto my Mac screen. Obviously they come off of the HD and most have 5200 RPM drives while desktop boxes have 7200 RPM drives. If you do a lot of writing to HD it will be slower, as well loading a monster like Photoshop.

Also, lappys usually have slower processors because the engineers need to keep the heat down since lappys don't have good ventilation. I like to leave my Mac on 24/7. I would never leave a lappy on more than 12 hours at a shot. They really do need to cool down... unless you have it on one of those coolant pads... and I don't know how well those work.

Finally, I've never had a lappy with a really good keyboard.

If you ARE going to use a lappy and you don't want or need a UPS backup, at least use a high quality surge protector. A UPS is better because most lappys have power supplies that are crap and won't filter out line noise and voltage irregularities as does a good UPS box. You can buy a good battery backup box with a couple of fully backed up outlets for $40. It's cheap insurance. Mine cost $129 because I wanted 6 powered outlets... computer, monitor, phone, modem, router, printer. The more outlets on the box the higher the VA and wattage ratings... and price (obviously.) You can also run your cable/DSL line through it as well, but I don't because I believe it will slow down transmission. (Others differ on that.)

Al3

stormtracker · 10-20-2009, 05:49 AM

Your only mistake was buying from Fry's. I got a powered antenna there once, it fried (no pun intended) the second day so I took it back. I was met at the front door by the Return Nazi's who immediately sent me to concentration camp block 3. They tried to tell me that the antenna was manufactured by Radio Shack and I would have to contact Tandy for service. I told them how the cow ate the cabbage and got my refund. I don't think they were happy about it and probably monitored me all the way out... Needless to say, since they were that way about a new purchase I never ventured near Fry's again...

Patriot · 10-20-2009, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by al3

Most lappys are too slow for my taste. I load a lot of apps onto my Mac screen. Obviously they come off of the HD and most have 5200 RPM drives while desktop boxes have 7200 RPM drives. If you do a lot of writing to HD it will be slower, as well loading a monster like Photoshop.

Also, lappys usually have slower processors because the engineers need to keep the heat down since lappys don't have good ventilation. I like to leave my Mac on 24/7. I would never leave a lappy on more than 12 hours at a shot. They really do need to cool down... unless you have it on one of those coolant pads... and I don't know how well those work.

Finally, I've never had a lappy with a really good keyboard.

If you ARE going to use a lappy and you don't want or need a UPS backup, at least use a high quality surge protector. A UPS is better because most lappys have power supplies that are crap and won't filter out line noise and voltage irregularities as does a good UPS box. You can buy a good battery backup box with a couple of fully backed up outlets for $40. It's cheap insurance. Mine cost $129 because I wanted 6 powered outlets... computer, monitor, phone, modem, router, printer. The more outlets on the box the higher the VA and wattage ratings... and price (obviously.) You can also run your cable/DSL line through it as well, but I don't because I believe it will slow down transmission. (Others differ on that.)

Al3

Great info and advice!!! I would only add one thing (and not from experience, but I read this somewhere) to perhaps not put the printer on battery, as it will quickly kill it if you print when the lights are out. They may have been talking more about a laser printer...

Anyway, I do lust after a MAC. I have had two PC desktops crash beyond repair (they were "off the shelf" boxes - I am on my last PC desktop, which was built at a local shop and has outlasted everything - dual flatscreens but slow with a lot open) and three PC laptops that have crashed at least once each and had to be reloaded.

However, I must say that the IBM/Lenova laptop keyboard is the best feeling keyboard I have ever used, hands down, since 1980 (well, except for the TRS-80 Model I - you always remember your first time as the best - right Rick?).

MedicarePlanSolutions · 10-22-2009, 01:30 AM

Originally Posted by al3

Most lappys are too slow for my taste. I load a lot of apps onto my Mac screen. Obviously they come off of the HD and most have 5200 RPM drives while desktop boxes have 7200 RPM drives. If you do a lot of writing to HD it will be slower, as well loading a monster like Photoshop.

Also, lappys usually have slower processors because the engineers need to keep the heat down since lappys don't have good ventilation. I like to leave my Mac on 24/7. I would never leave a lappy on more than 12 hours at a shot. They really do need to cool down... unless you have it on one of those coolant pads... and I don't know how well those work.

Finally, I've never had a lappy with a really good keyboard.

If you ARE going to use a lappy and you don't want or need a UPS backup, at least use a high quality surge protector. A UPS is better because most lappys have power supplies that are crap and won't filter out line noise and voltage irregularities as does a good UPS box. You can buy a good battery backup box with a couple of fully backed up outlets for $40. It's cheap insurance. Mine cost $129 because I wanted 6 powered outlets... computer, monitor, phone, modem, router, printer. The more outlets on the box the higher the VA and wattage ratings... and price (obviously.) You can also run your cable/DSL line through it as well, but I don't because I believe it will slow down transmission. (Others differ on that.)

Al3

I don't know what kind of crazy things you use your computer for, but I've got a MacBook Pro that has enough horsepower to handle all things insurance related with plenty to spare. Even with a 17" lcd monitor in addition to the laptop screen I've got way more power than screen. How much time do you really spend using photoshop? If you're doing a lot of photoshop or other image/video editing most folks will use an external HD rather than abuse the hell out of their system disc.

Just for grins and giggles, why do you need to have your computer on 24/7? I go to bed, I close my laptop, I wake up in the morning and it's right back where I left it with every window open just exactly the way I left it. Not that electricity is particularly expensive, but I don't see any advantage to leaving a computer on 24 hours/day. One huge plus for the laptop is that if for any reason I need to work from somewhere but my office I have everything with me that I'd have at home. Well, except for the external HD which has everything backed up incase my laptop has any unexpected experience with water or gravity.

palerider · 10-22-2009, 02:05 AM

The only thing I use is a lap top because I seem to be on the go more now. One thing I use though, when I have to download files is an external HD, that seems to work for me.
About the APC, never dealt with one, but I am an Electrical Contractor and I know from installing equipment fumes can emit from it because it is new. The equipment has to heat up/ break in, and after a while it usually disapears.
Hey, if it doesn't keep the receipt and return.

God Bless

al3 · 10-22-2009, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by MedicarePlanSolutions

Just for grins and giggles, why do you need to have your computer on 24/7? ... I don't see any advantage to leaving a computer on 24 hours/day.

There are a number of large backup files I need to download from my server each night. I work on a web-based CRM. I keep a copy of the database on MobileMe. I also have a full version of the CRM on my Mac and I download the database and sync (i.e. reload) the CRM every few hours during the day and once at night. That way, should I lose internet connection I can still do my work. (Has only happened for about 1 hour the entire year so far.)

I'm also a believer that leaving a desktop machine on 24/7 will help it last longer. I don't feel that is true for laptops. However wars are fought over that topic. I only go by my own experience in that over the years by leaving them on 24/7 I've had very few hardware problems.

As for putting a machine to sleep, most processes will suspend... thus my backups would not get loaded.

Finally, my version of OS X does daily maintenance at 3:25 AM. Apple never instituted a method such that if the maint. is not run that it gets run at boot-up. It is not easy to change the time of these programs although there are ways to run them on your own via Cronix or a terminal window (sudo periodic [daily weekly monthly]) If you miss the daily cycle it's no big deal. However the weekly job should be run as it does a lot of important stuff. It is run at 3:25 am on Saturday morning (check the var/logs to see the output.) Thus, we leave our Macs on Friday nights so that the daily and weekly jobs are run. We also leave them on the last day of the month so the monthly job is run (which doesn't do a whole lot and is no big deal if not run.)

I believe the newer versions of OS X (Leopard and Snow Leopard) Apple has changed how the maint. programs are executed. I'll be getting new hardware for the office in a few weeks. The new Macs were announced yesterday. I'll wait a couple of weeks to see what hardware bugs are found by the early-adopters.

As for why I want more speed and power than a laptop is because I often run Windows on the Mac as well as Linux... sometimes all three at same time.

In defense of you position, I agree that the high-end laptops, especially the expensive 17 inch MacBook Pro is a very suitable substitute for a desktop. But I like a big screen (which I could get... but not cheaply.) I've thought about getting the high-end lappy, but I have nice, cheap, old Windows laptops to lug around if I have to and I can do most of what I need to do on the road with my iPhone.

Someone mentioned the IBM/Lenovo Thinkpad. I have one circa 1997 and it still runs great. I run Linux on it and use it as a network machine when I travel. The problem is that these days so many hotels are wireless... and the old IBM does not have it built in so it now sits and gathers dust. It's probably worth about $75... if that. Anyone want it? The old TPs were built like tanks. I don't know about the new ones. I bought mine used for about $300 six or seven years ago. If I were to buy a used lappy, the TP is the only thing I'd get as they were so well made.

Al