Re: [Apcupsd-users] [PATCH] Conf: new SELFTESTGRACEPERIOD option to prevent self test shutdowns

[Jan P. <po...@fn...>]

Pavel Boček píše v So 21. 10. 2023 v 09:55 +0200:
> I'm kinda puzzled what do you have than: beige Back-UPS RS never had
> any display. Needs replacing crappy SMD capacitors EACH time (NEVER
> seen any units older than 5 years which did not already have them
> failing), suggest doing that BEFORE the device goes bad (cause
> sometimes more damage occurs than just the caps and than its often
> done for good).

Definitely not a beige box.

Sorry if my references as to how old this box might be were misleading
... it stems from likewise misleading inventory records I tried to
use for this "educated guess".

Did some digging on-line (too lazy to be crouching under the table
at this time), looks like this model

- was offered at least since early 2009
  https://web.archive.org/web/20090322183852/http://www.apc.com:80/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=BR1500LCDI

- was, according to this post, released at least a year earlier (2008)
  https://community.se.com/t5/APC-UPS-for-Home-and-Office-Forum/APC-BR1500LCDi-230V/td-p/304172

> Your problem could actually very well be one of the symptoms of that
> (would be interesting to investigate, would be very funny to try to
> deal with bad caps via software solution, that would made my decade
> if it would be the case :D), it usually starts showing strange
> behaviour until it no longer works at all.

Thanks for words of warning, looks backed by experience.  But no
idea if the particular observation of mine can be related, given
these clarifications around the model?

> The continuation of that series, black Back-UPS Pro, made already
> with Schneider changes to the board design and added display, is on
> the market for the decade maybe. Way less reliable.

So ... it would actually be better if I was indeed using older
model for it possibly being more robust, overall?  If anything,
starting to understand this pet peeve regarding the quality
of products (and blindly falling for worse than what was implied).

> Which one of those you have?? Best practice is to use the model
> number from a small white sticker, everything else is just APCs
> marketing (and sometimes even confusing) BS.

I believe I would see about the same info on the sticker as captured
here: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/iZYAAOSwyi5cbBBW/s-l1600.jpg

Also, this BR1500LCDI matches the "base SKU" encoded in the first URL
above, directly from apc.com of that time.  And fully agreed there is
some unnecessary confusion caused by different names for the same items.

-- Jan Pokorny (poki)