APC BACK-UPS RS BR1500LCD 1500VA/865W UPS System
by APC
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of APC BACK-UPS RS BR1500LCD 1500VA/865W UPS System
Customer Review: A decent UPS
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased the Back-UPS BX1500 XS which is virtually identical to the RS that Amazon sells, and also a 900VA USRetail Only Back-UPS BX900 XS at a brick and mortar store (happened to be in the right place at the right time for good value on each). These are the second and third APC UPS I have bought, the first being an earlier version of the APC Back-UPS RS, 780 Watts / 1200 VA,Input 120V / Output 120V, Interface Port USB, Rack Height 2 U UPS System. They all are quite similar in feel and operation, despite some obvious differences in physical looks.
DISPLAY
Though almost twice the cost of the 900VA model, I greatly prefer the BX1500 XS. The display is no gimmick -- it's quite helpful in showing you real-time loads with AC power on, the load and estimated run time with AC power off, and a few other things like the voltage level (see other reviews or product description for all of the functions). It's easy to use, and unlike the BX900, is absolutely, completely, dead quiet. There is no fan noise at all. Only when in battery operation, you can hear a slight wizzzing sound as the DC-AC converters turn 12 DC into 120 VAC for you, but it's certainly not objectionable.
BEEP
I dislike APC's choice to ship all models with a power beep option enabled, so that it beeps at you every minute when the input AC is off....like you wouldn't have noticed. You can, and I have, turned this beep off with the PowerChute software the unit ships with, but some buyers may not know this. I can just imagine my family visiting while I'm at work, and a power outage occurs...beep beep beep...beep beep beep...beep beep beep. Unplugging it would be their first reaction, only to find it would make no difference! I would warn anyone with non-computer illiterate people around, or those who will not use the unit with a computer to at least once connect the unit through it's USB to a computer and set this and other options up with the PowerChute software. Some may suggest this is a computer accessory and should work this way, but really it's a general purpose UPS (which APC's own customer survey card acknowledges by asking you what type of equipment you are going to use it for). I would personally have preferred a physical alarm-cut-off switch, or even just an initial beep when first switching to battery, then nothing afterward.
OUTPUT WAVEFORM
I have uploaded some blurry (sorry) pictures to the product to show the typical, sine-wave output the unit delivers when on AC, and the step pattern that is output on backup power. This is a typical waveform, and the vast majority of consumer electronics will accept this mock-sine wave alternative, but some won't. I read at least one review here about a user with an iMac who said it made his computer's power supply buzz. True-sine outputs are expensive on a UPS, and I hardly blame APC for using this common output waveform. However, you might wish to test the UPS on battery with whatever equipment you plan to operate it from before your return period expires, (or in the case of Amazon which does not allow returns for this product, to beg/borrow/steal one from someone first to try it out) just to make sure it works for you.
LEAD ACID BATTERIES
APC uses lead-acid batteries. These tend to wear out much more quickly if you deep-discharge them. I have set my UPS's to turn off after 5 minutes using PChute, rather than the "as long as possible" option, as the latter tends to run the battery all the way down. As many of you will probably be aware, APC batteries are expensive.
POWERCHUTE
The PowerChute software is nice, showing you status updates on power remaining, settings of how or when you want your computer to shutdown, should it be powered by the UPS and connected with a USB cord, etc. I'm not using the UPS for computers, so I'm not using PChute, but it's not just some junk software.
WATTS vs VOLT-AMPS
Something I don't care for is how APC rates their units, in this case with a rating of 865 Watts, but a "backslash 1500 VA", which implies they are somehow different things. I guess I may have skipped that lecture in college, but for 30 years I have always been taught and understood with peers that watts and volt-amps are the same thing. I'm sure someone has a clever, merchandising explanation of why that isn't so (chuckle). Folks, this is an 865 Watt model, and if James Watt were still alive, he'd tell you that whether you use watts or volt-amps, this thing supports 865 of them (less as the batteries age) for it's rated output time. Maybe a higher surge of 1500 watts/volt-amps is possible, but the units of watts and volt-amps are still the same thing. If there is some other reason to use different units, maybe as an average over time or conduction angle, etc. then by all means set me straight in the comments section and I will update the review. Hey, I didn't like slogans like "Digital Ready" or diagonally measuring TV screens either when that first started. I guess it's what you have to do when your competitors are doing it too.
In the end, there is no question....this is a nice UPS. Despite the fact it costs around double the BX900, the feature of the display is more worthwhile to me, as is the totally silent standby operation. Some new UPS's are on the market now, so you may be able to snag this excellent model for a good price. Until and unless true-sine wave models come into this price range, there is absolutely nothing lacking for this model.
Customer Review: APC Technical Support Outstanding
Summary: 4 Stars
APC BR1500LCD 1500VA 865 Watts 8 Outlets BACK-UPS
My original unit failed immediately out of the box. It beeped and displayed an error code F07 when plugged into a wall outlet. My initial response was to call APC technical support and not expect too much.
I found APC technical support to be outstanding. In less than 15 minutes from the time I placed the call regarding the unit's failure, which includes some time on hold, the tech determined that I had a legitimate problem which required replacement of the unit. APC sent a new unit via Fedex which arrived on the afternoon following my call.
APC provides a pre-paid UPS return shipping label for units that fail within the first 30 days of use. After 30 days, the user is responsible for the return shipping charges. Price Pros also offered a new unit with no charge for shipping and return of the defective unit, though due to the fast response from APC support I did not take advantage of their offer.
Out of the box, the unit is clean, well designed, and sturdy. The only user requirement is to connect the battery which ships with one wire disconnected. Because the battery is quite heavy, the best method of connecting the battery is to put the unit on a study flat surface, place the UPS on its side, open the battery compartment, slide the battery partially out, and connect the wire. That takes about two minutes. I originally placed the UPS on its top, but the battery was too heavy to hold with one hand, while connecting the wire with the other.
The unit has 8 outlets and is rated for 865 watts. Six of the outlets provide battery backup capability; the other two outlets provide surge protection only. I have the following connected to the backup outlets: two 17" LCD monitors, one Dell XPS computer with two hard drives, a CD-R/RW drive, a DVD+RW drive and 4GB RAM, a Dell Laptop, a cable modem, and a wireless router. I have a fax machine and LaserJet printer connected to the two surge protected outlets. With the laptop (which is normally off) and all accessories powered up, the UPS is supplying 250-260 Watts of power, well below its capacity of 865 Watts. The unit display estimates 18 minutes of runtime available on battery power. When the hard drive of the XPS is very active, somewhat more power is drawn, but nothing significant.
I also have the cable line from my internet/TV provider routed into the UPS to provide surge protection for that line. A modem protection slot is current unused. A USB cable is connected to the Dell and provides information and configuration capabilities. Configuration can also be done directly with the UPS.
A CD with PowerChute Personal edition is included with the unit. A post card is provided for a free upgraded version of the PowerChute software, though it can also be ordered online. The software included with the unit does not provide for automatic unattended shutdowns, though the free upgrade appears to provide that capability.
APC provides technical support via email, phone, chat, and secure messaging from a personal profile which can be setup on the APC website. Warranty registration is also available online.
APC offers a three year extended warranty for a total of six years protection at a cost of $79.00 USD plus shipping. (requiring shipping on a warranty seems inexplicable.) The warranty provides for 24/7 technical support and includes replacement batteries during the warranty period. Since a replacement battery--usually needed every three years--costs about $74.00 retail, the warranty looks to be a reasonable investment.
APC has an agreement with Staples to receive and dispose of an old UPS with no charge. The site also offers a 25 per cent discount on some new UPS models when an old UPS is returned to them. See www.apc.com for details.
Prices range from $167.00 to $209.00 for this unit with free shipping included. I deducted one star because the documentation, though adequate, is mediocre and because of the initial failure of the unit. The method of connecting the battery could be a bit easier too.
With only a few days day of use, I can't estimate what long term issues may arise, but for now the unit appears to provide easy setup, adequate power, and quiet operation. Pulling the wall plug to test the battery capabilities shows a seamless and uninterrupted transfer to battery power, with sufficient time for an orderly shutdown. That's about all one can ask of a UPS.
Customer Review: Great UPS! APC does it again!
Summary: 5 Stars
I was in the market for a new UPS to replace an old Eaton PowerWare 5115 750VA that was terribly annoying when on battery. ESPECIALLY when hooked to generator power (More on this in a minute). Plus, I power my whole office(I'm talking EVERYTHING, TV, fish tank, printer, computer, Directv DVR, etc) via UPS(es) and this one was starting to show it's lack of available wattage, so off I went looking for a replacement.
I bought both this unit and the Cyberpower CP1350AVRLCD (which I have also reviewed), with the intention of keeping the best one and returning the one that's lacking. Needless to say, I now have 3 UPS(es). The old Eaton, the new Cyberware and the new APC. I couldn't decide between the Cyberpower and APC, so I kept both.
Now, which one is powering the Computer/HT/Office setup is a different story. Long story short, the APC powers my desk(computer, 32" LCD, router, cable modem, 3 ext. hard drives, bluray player, DirecTV dvr, HP OJ 8500 Pro). The Cyberpower powers my fish tank setup(filter, heater and florescent light), 2 lights and Dirt Devil Curve batt recharger. And the old Eaton powers 2 more low watt lights, and a bunch of other misc stuff(electric candle air freshener, Makita battery charger, etc).
My reasons for making the APC the "king of my desk", in lieu of the Cyberpower, might be pretty petty to some, but they make a large difference to me.
----First a foremost is the APC's ability to manually adjust it's sensitivity to line noise, as well as it's switchover-to-battery threshold. This is important to me, as I have a 3500 watt backup generator that while it's actually pretty stable for a non-inverter type, it still has a tendency to fluctuate, causing the Cyberpower to "click" every couple of minutes. This is not only annoying, but it could end up depleting its battery, causing power cycling to the connected equipment and causing possible damage. The APC just hums along without a care in the world. And this is even on "medium" sensitivity.
On the same topic, I realize that some UPS's take issue with the modified sign waves "inverter generators" produce, but I am happy to report both UPSes work 100% fine with my smaller, 1000 watt inverter generator without any battery switchover, as well.
----And second, I know some are going to chuckle when I say this as it's petty, but I want the LCD to stay on all the time. The APC lets you set this, the Cyberpower doesnt. Again, this is just personal preference.
I seriously cannot find any negatives at this time. I'm sure something will pop up along the way, but for the moment this thing fits my needs perfectly. The unit itself, the software, the run time (using 230 watts right now with 24 mins of battery runtime showing), everything. The only thing this doesnt have that the Cyberpower (software) does, is the ability to set a power down/power up schedule. This may be important to others, but to me it makes no diffrence as most of the equipment I have plugged into it, goes to sleep when not in use.
Customer Review: Outstanding Back-up and Great Company
Summary: 5 Stars
I have 2 Back-UPS RS 1500's (and an older Back UPS Pro 650 - 5 years old (?) with the original battery) and they have been in service for over 1 year. The performance has been flawless. This area seems to get a fair number of brown outs. Drops in utility power have never created a need to stop working. A few months ago, there was a bad storm that knocked out power. The RS 1500's gave me nearly 30 minutes to complete work and shut the workstations down normally. There was an earlier comment about only having a few minutes to shut down. I suspect that person has an enormous load on their UPS; if that's true, the UPS is undersized for the requirement or a multiple UPS solution may be appropriate.
Over the years I have purchased more than a dozen APC units. I have NEVER had a problem with any of them. Some one mentioned the batteries are expensive. I guess it depends on how you look at it. They ship a new battery to you along with a label to send to old battery back. APC claims the batteries are disposed of in a safe manner. Considering the two way shipping and safe disposal (green if you will), I don't think the cost is excessive.
I read some people love the LED display. To be honest, the only times I have looked at the display were when I first plugged them in so I could see when they were fully charges, and the second time was during the black out to confirm how much time I had.
One should keep in mind APC offers free downloads of new firmware, new software, or new versions of software. I agree with an earlier comment that they have way too many models making the selection process harder than it should be. I don't trust the online "selection wizard" to make the choice for me. I have called the 800 service line more than once to get product advice from a human; I've never been dissatisfied.
Maybe I missed it in other comments, but APC offers an upgrade program. After you have owned your unit for a few years or so, they offer significant discounts to trade your older UPS for new UPS. As I have added hardware in the office and the power needs have increased, the upgrade program has saved money. The old unit is either refurbished for resale or disposed appropriately.
The bottom line for me is that I have used APC products for over 25 years. I've never had a problem. Battery exchanges have always gone smoothly. The upgrade program allows me to get new units that reflect my current needs at a discount. Assuming APC's claims of safe disposal are correct, I feel better knowing the batteries and other pieces aren't in a landfill somewhere. I have no reason to consider any other brand.
Customer Review: Terrible Customer Service, Kept Shutting Down My PC
Summary: 1 Stars
I received this as a gift and was initially very excited to have some extra protection for my PC. Everything was going fine until I tried to do the manual self test that switches it over to battery to see how your system reacts. Mine shut down right away. To make things worse it does these self tests every two weeks if you want it to or not, so randomly in the middle of whatever I was doing my PC kept shutting down causing all kinds of problems. I had been in contact with APC about a dozen times during this time to try to figure out what I could do, but over and over again I was told that it was because my computer could not use an approximated sine wave and I needed to spend about $500 for a new Smart-UPS. The problem I was having was that I saw all of the reviews of others that had no problems, so I guessed that it was just my power supply unit and suggested to the APC tech support that I could purchase a new power supply instead of the Smart UPS, but they then told me that no Active PFC power supply would work with the stepped sine wave. I then spent weeks looking for a non-active PFC power supply with no success. I finally e-mailed every power supply company I could find and some of them told me that it doesn't matter if it is Active PFC or not, it would still work. After reading some blogs with people having the same problem that the power supply to fix the problem, I took the plug and bought the new Active PFC power supply. I just got done installing this new power supply and did a manual self test which worked just like it was suppose to, my PC did not shut down and it ran on battery alone.
So, I don't know if APC is just trying to scam people by telling them that the only way to fix the problem is to buy another UPS from them or if they really just don't know, but either way they insisted that no Active PFC power supply (which is just about every single one made today) would ever work with the stepped sine wave UPS systems, and that is exactly what I have now and it works just fine. I'm not sure why my original power supply would not work with the UPS, but my suggestion to anyone having similar problems is to get a good quality power supply instead of buying the Smart UPS as APC suggests in every correspondence. The Thermaltake Toughpower XT W0230RU 850W Active PFC is the power supply that I got and it works great.