[mythtv-users] apc backup

[Gary Buhrmaster]

On Mon, Mar 21, 2016 at 4:10 PM, Mike Thomas <mt3 at pfw.demon.co.uk> wrote:
.....
> The precise model number involved in that telephone call is not material
> but for the record it is SU1400RM12U.

Actually, it does matter, as that (very very) old
variant of APCs control board had a couple of
well understood issues(*) that manifested
themselves years after original sale of the
unit for which repair and workarounds were
unofficially documented around the InterTubes
(APC's solution, not surprisingly, is to replace
the unit ("no user serviceable parts inside")).

Newer revisions of the boards addressed (at
least) some of the known issues.  Whether
the revised boards are better or worse in your
particular use case is something only testing
in your environment would demonstrate.

But the point is specifics do matter.

When APC was bought out by Schneider
(and the various integration and synergy
savings were introduced) more of the support
was apparently moved "offshore" and that was
not considered a positive by the customers.
Your particular poor CSR interaction may be
unique to your situation, but certainly the
general flavor is not inconsistent with other
reports.  I have heard that support has
improved, but I admit to not having actually
tried it in recent history, so that is all rumor
(one hears about the horror stories, not the
positive interactions).




(*) In no particular order some that I recall:
 - The relays c/would (eventually) stick
 - The components aged such that the float
   voltage was too high (or too low) resulting
   in short battery life, or short runtime.
 - In a 48V system (and I think that model
   is a 48V system) there is a leakage path
   that results in two resistors exceeding
   their rating and running too hot and
   eventually failing.
 - "Crap" (usually lowest cost Chinese)
   replacement batteries sold as "FOR"
   APC were sufficiently out of spec such
   that lifetimes were often measured in
   months [This one is not really on APC,
   but usually resulted in a poor user
   experience that customers blamed APC
   for]