Irritating UPS ‘feature’

[bluesofa]

This isn’t written as a rant against a particular UPS manufacturer, having replaced a ten-year-old UPS with a new one.

 

I bought a replacement a few months ago now, it wasn’t until we had a power failure and the UPS switched in that I realised I couldn’t stop the constant ‘beeping’ noise every ten-seconds.

As it’s located in the bedroom, next to my laptop it’s annoying to say the least.

 

With my old UPS, if I pressed the single button located on the front momentarily, the beeping would stop. With the new UPS there is no way to do the same.

I called the manufacturer in Bangkok, who said it wasn’t possible to switch off the ten-second beep while in power-fail mode.

 

I suppose it’s my own fault for not having asked the right questions when I bought it, or insisted on a complete demonstration, but having said that it was only with hindsight I became aware of the issue.

 

The UPS is made by Zircon and it’s the ‘Smooth-D’ range of their UPS that’s causing my problem.

I regret having binned the old UPS before having made a note of the brand name.

 

I wonder if anyone else has had a similar problem?

[Crossy]

7 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

I wonder if anyone else has had a similar problem?

Yup, solution, remove the beeper (or cut the wire), invalidates the warranty of course.

 

 

[bluesofa]

2 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Yup, solution, remove the beeper (or cut the wire), invalidates the warranty of course.

Ha ha, yes Crossy! My thought exactly, except as you say, it will invalidate the guarantee. I will do that when it passes the 'getting on my nerves too much' threshold.

 

I posted just so other members could be aware of what to look for, if they too are buying a UPS.

[RichCor]

If a device is using Piezoceramic Disk/Diaphragm sounder then I usually tape up the hole to quiet it down a bit.

 

 

[lopburi3]

I currently turn it off until power returns (also in bedroom) but in the past (when outages were more often) cut wire.  At normal UPS throw-away costs these days do not consider guarantee an issue.  But found the small APC units do there best to defy owner opening or battery replacement.

[Cloggie]

Why do you have an UPS if you have a laptop?

 

Don't read that you have connected any other equipment to it?

[lopburi3]

He said next to the laptop I believe so perhaps it powers his bedroom fan? - but some people have very old laptops that have dead batteries and have to run on mains/charger (have one in my house).  

[bluesofa]

On 31/10/2017 at 9:49 AM, Cloggie said:

Why do you have an UPS if you have a laptop?

 

Don't read that you have connected any other equipment to it?

It powers the laptop because the batteries in it are no good, they just won't charge. Manufacturer said they don't stock replacement batteries for it any more.

The UPS also powers my fibre router and a spare mobile charger.

[canopy]

I had a UPS perhaps worse than that from Syndome. It constantly shrieked annoying loud beeps. I was so happy the day it went kaput and bought APC brand and have been happy ever since. In Thailand I have found power outages to be common. So I think it is good advice that before buying a UPS, listen to it.

 

[MrDetUdom]

Normally you can connect up the USB cable and use the software to change the beeper settings, but the Smooth D doesn't have a USB port, so I don't see what options are left than cutting the beeper wire.

[Peterphuket]

On 8-11-2017 at 12:58 PM, canopy said:

I had a UPS perhaps worse than that from Syndome. It constantly shrieked annoying loud beeps. I was so happy the day it went kaput and bought APC brand and have been happy ever since. In Thailand I have found power outages to be common. So I think it is good advice that before buying a UPS, listen to it.

 

I have also an APC UPS, but my problem is not the beep, but the relay inside.

In my vicinity there is car repair shop with welding equipment. When they use it, the powerline drops intermittent, resulting in switching the relay on and off.

And that is also annoying.