Battery Backup – Basic Troubleshooting

Battery Backup – Basic Troubleshooting

Purpose – The article provides basic troubleshooting steps for when a battery backup either has no power or has an alarm going off.

Scope – Issues not resolvable through this article would require replacing the unit itself; ordering/procurement of replacement units is not covered in this article.

Overview

Most battery backup units have two distinct sets of outlets that are specifically labeled:

• Battery + Surge: Outlets controlled by the power button that will receive battery power during a power failure. You should plug your computer and monitor into these outlets and any externally powered critical data storage device.
• Surge Only: Intended for low priority electronics that are not essential to the computer’s main operation as they will not receive battery power during a power failure. Items such as printers, speakers, scanners, and other non-essential accessories should be plugged into these outlets.

Troubleshooting

If the unit experiences a battery failure, the Battery + Surge outlets will no longer provide power; Only the Surge outlets will remain functional during a battery failure.

Below are some steps that may help resolve a temporary battery failure:

• No audible alarm: The battery may have drained and requires manual startup. Press and hold the power button until the unit turns back on. If the unit will not turn back on, try moving it to a different wall outlet to rule out a bad electrical outlet.
• Audible alarm: Press and hold the power button until the unit turns off. After 60 seconds, press and hold the power button again to turn the unit back on. 
  • If the alarm returns after powering back up, turn off the unit again and disconnect all devices connected to it taking note of which devices were plugged into which outlets. After 60 seconds, press and hold the power button again to turn the unit back on. Reconnect all devices to the unit if no alarms are present.
  • If the alarm returns after powering back up with nothing connected into it, then the unit has failed and will require replacement. Contact your reporting manager for assistance with ordering a replacement through the Amazon Business account.

In the case of a confirmed battery failure, the Surge outlets can continue being used until a replacement unit has been procured. Move any essential devices to these outlets to continue receiving power. Note that the devices will power off in the event of a subsequent power failure while connected to these outlets. A traditional power strip/surge protector can also be used as a temporary substitute.

Please feel free to contact the Helpdesk with any additional questions related to battery backup issues.