[TriLUG] [OT] Strange Beep from Back-UPS XS 1200

[Brian Weaver]

Off Topic, probably.... but it's keeping my Linux server from going offline
during outages. It's only because I'm too slack to hookup the USB cable to
the UPS that I have no idea when power actually goes out.

So I'm having an odd issue with the UPS and I'm wondering if anyone has any
idea of the cause. Here's a couple of caveats:

1) The UPS functions just fine. I found that out a few weeks ago when I
lost power.
2) I've hooked up the serial/USB cable to my Mac and it shows it working OK
(charge level, discharge, etc)
3) The attached equipment isn't drawing much of a load, 100W or less
4) The alarm beep for the unit is quite loud; I know this from the power
outage too

For the last few weeks I've been trying to track down a very low, almost
inaudible "beep" at my desk. It occurs on about a 3 second interval. After
powering off a lot of equipment, crawling around my desk, and placing my
ear to just about every piece of gear I at the desk I've isolated it to the
APC Back-UPS XS 1200 under my desk.

I have a Back-UPS XS 1500 not 3 feet from the one "beeping" like a sonar,
but it doesn't make the sound. Best I've been able to figure out is perhaps
its some item in the unit discharging. At this point I'm just curious if
anyone else has experienced this. Secondly does anyone have any idea why
the unit is making a barely audible sonar beep every 3 seconds or so.

-- Brian

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