Question about battery replacement on APC's SMTL1000RM2UC

A

amrogers3

Gawd
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Nov 7, 2010
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Trying to get a short depth UPS for my rack.

Can anyone buy and replace the battery on APC's SMTL1000RM2UC?

Documentation on APC's website says: User-replaceable batteries - Increases availability by allowing a trained user to perform upgrades and replacements of the batteries reducing Mean Time to Repair (MTTR)

Not sure what they mean by "trained user"?
 
If you're talking about the Lithium Ion version of that UPS, yes, you do need to have a GOOD understanding of handling of Lithium Ion packs.

APC doesn't have a listed spare battery, so it looks like that unit is designed as a throw-away. The back of the unit says "remove front cover for battery replacement", but if it uses some proprietary Lithium Ion battery pack, the only option you have after the pack expires is to rebuild it. APC's datasheet shows the unit to have a 5 year warranty with a battery life expectancy of 5-10 years. If it fails in warranty, APC will probably eat the cost. If after, it's almost more cost effective to buy another unit, which is what APC wants.

The unit is designed obsolescence and eWaste from the moment it leaves the factory. Sort of like those shitty Cyberpower units with non-standard battery sizes.
 
This is in the data sheet,

Battery safety
• The battery typically lasts for five to ten years. Environmental factors impact battery life. Elevated ambient temperatures, poor quality utility power, and frequent short duration discharges will shorten battery life.
• Replace the UPS immediately if the unit indicates battery replacement is necessary.
• Replace the UPS once the batteries have reached the end of their service life even if the UPS has not indicated that battery replacement is necessary.
• The batteries are user replaceable. Under normal operating conditions, there is no need for replacement. If attempting to replace batteries,
• Use only APC by Schneider Electric battery modules. • Do not use third-party batteries as replacements.
• Replace with the same number and type of batteries as originally installed in the equipment.
• APC by Schneider Electric uses Lithium Ion batteries. Under normal use and handling, there is no contact with the internal components of the battery.

It says you can replace the battery but it also says to replace the UPS when the batteries are at end of life.
 
Like I said before, it's throw-away designed obsolescence eWaste the moment it leaves the factory. Hideously expensive eWaste.
 
That's sad and very wasteful. It seems like most of APC's products are like this. Replacement batteries are almost the cost of a new unit.
 
It's not just APC going that direction, it's all manufacturers across all industries.

Manufacturers make more profit building non-repairable/non-serviceable products that require replacement after said product stops working, for even minor faults.

Computer software vendors have migrated to SaaS en masse because profit. HaaS is going to be next, you won't own anything.
 
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