UPS: To Turn ON or Turn OFF?

[o_o]

I have a small APC UPS (BX600CI-IN ) which powers a computer and a monitor. These are used for about an hour each day and powered off for the rest of the time.

I am curious if I should shut down the UPS when my computer is powered off. By this I mean turning off the UPS by pressing the power button on it, and also unplugging it from the Mains power (i.e. the switchboard).

In some places I have heard that repeatedly turning ON and OFF the UPS is bad. (May be the electronics does not like repeated power cycles, I am not sure.) I am looking for the opinions of those more experienced than me.

I should mention that when I keep the UPS turned ON while the computer is powered OFF it seems to get a bit hot. (About the temperature of a human body as compared to cold if it were turned OFF.) I have heard that this might be bad for the lifespan of the batteries. I have no clue what is keeping it hot though.

I’d be grateful for any ideas.
Thank you,
O. O.

 

[Blain]

I never unplug or turn off my UPS units, unless replacing the battery.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Best to leave it on so the battery keeps a float charge. If you do insist on turning it off at least make sure it stays on for several hours every now and then to keep the battery topped up.

Lot of electronics don't like on/off cycles, though a UPS is simple enough I don't think it would care too much. Though they are designed to be on all the time so it's probably best to just leave it.

 

[o_o]

Best to leave it on so the battery keeps a float charge. If you do insist on turning it off at least make sure it stays on for several hours every now and then to keep the battery topped up.

Lot of electronics don't like on/off cycles, though a UPS is simple enough I don't think it would care too much. Though they are designed to be on all the time so it's probably best to just leave it.

Thank you very much Blain and Red Squirrel.

If anyone has prior experience with UPS units could you please let me know if your UPS gets a bit hot while it is turned ON and the computer is OFF. This is not burning hot, but a mild heat like that of a human body. Would this heat harm the UPS if I always keep it ON? I have heard that heat degrades the battery.

In my area I have temporary glitches of a few seconds to half a min at most. So I don’t expect deep discharge to be a problem. I should however mention that while the UPS is well ventilated, the ambient temperature is closer to 30 C. Could this be a problem why it is getting hot?

Thanks again,
O. O.

 

[TemjinGold]

Mine is cool to the touch and I leave it on all the time.

 

[o_o]

Mine is cool to the touch and I leave it on all the time.

Thank you TemjinGold for confirming this. Is your UPS cool to touch while charging too? I mean at least then it needs to get hot (unless you live in a cold climate unlike me).

So could there be something wrong with my UPS? It does not get overly hot though, but still it is not cold. I however think it should be cold because it is neither discharging or charging in steady state.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I've seen some get slightly warm, especially older ones that arn't as efficient. The charging circuit always uses a bit of power. The battery should not be getting warm though.

I have a big inverter-charger with 4 100AH batteries and it stays fairly cool to the touch, but it also has a fan.

 

[Blain]

I have a small APC UPS (BX600CI-IN) which powers a computer and a monitor.

I should however mention that while the UPS is well ventilated, the ambient temperature is closer to 30 C. Could this be a problem why it is getting hot?

"Be sure the air vents on the UPS are not blocked. Allow adequate space for proper ventilation.
• Environmental factors impact battery life. Elevated ambient temperatures, poor quality utility power, and frequent short duration discharges will shorten battery life.
• Connect the Back-UPS power cable directly to a wall outlet. Do not use surge protectors or extension cords.

The Back-UPS battery will charge while the Back-UPS is turned on or off as long as it is connected to utility power.

The no load shutdown feature works when the Battery Saver mode is enabled and the Back-UPS is in the On Battery mode. The Back-UPS will shutdown if it cannot sense power is being drawn by the connected equipment for more than 5 minutes.

Operating Temperature 0C to 40C (32F to 104F)*
* The battery life is reduced if it is continuously operated in temperatures more than 25C."

 

[altairauditore]

Yup, mine is always warm.. like human body warm.. Even when it's on but with no load. Guess it's the transformer. I leave mine on all the time.

 

[ctk1981]

I recently turned mine off in the first time in probably 4 years....and gave me a scare when it didn't want to power back up after that. Luckily after waiting a bit it turned back on no problems. Come to think about it, I should check into a new battery or maybe even a new unit....shes got some age on her.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Yeah the batteries seem to go bad after 4-5 years it seems. Don't buy from APC or whatever the manufacturer is, they will RAPE you. Check at a local electrical store or maybe even security alarm store to see if they can find one the same size and voltage. The APC ones are basically generics that are rebranded, there is nothing special about them, it's just a gimmick. Chances are when it comes time to replacing a battery the warranty is over anyway so no need to worry about voiding it.

 

[o_o]

Thank you everyone for your help on this topic. I’m grateful to altairauditore for confirming that his UPS also gets warm too. From Red Squirrels comment, I think mine might be getting a bit warm because it does not have a fan. (Yes, it is the small cheap one as mentioned in my original post.)

Thanks again,
O. O.

 

[craige4u]

Well, I am using my UPS for the last 2 years now and always turn off my computer then frm the button on the ups itself and then frm the Main power switch on the wall.

Never faced any problems frm the UPS nor battery - All is running top-notch.

PS: UPS Getting warm is normal.