[bblost]

Disclaimer: I have nothing to do with this company either directly or indirectly. I only use their product.


About a year back, my computer got busted in a lightning surge.
The motherboard, smps, modem and the UPS were busted.

Replaced all the parts and for the UPS, I choose a APC because of its lightning and surge protection.

The UPS cost me more than double what a local UPS would have cost me but I wanted the surge protection.

A week back the UPS conked out.
I called up the toll free number and logged a complaint.
The guy on the phone, asked me to do a series of steps, like hold the reset for 20 secs, the on switch for 20 secs.
This was repeated a couple of times but the UPS was dead.
The guy promised a replacement in 48 hours.
I called them and reminded them on day 3.

Day 5, today morning they replaced the UPS.

I am so pleased with this service, that I wanted to mention it here.

mods: If this does not add any value to team-bhp readers, please delete the thread.

[normally_crazy]

I use APC too for all my office computers. And the service is absolutely fantastic. They replaced 2 busted ones in 2 days flat.

Even when it was time to replace the batteries - it was done in 36 hours.

5/5 from me to APC products and service.

[manaa45]

same here for me , use apc for the computers in our office too. excellent service, very prompt and fast.

i too rate it 5/5

mansi

[HKP]

My APC UPS on\off switch had stopped working. I contacted their customer service through APC website. Since the warranty period is over I was asked to take it to an Authorzed service center in Indiranagar.

Second day, they called me to say that its ready. I went there paid Rs 300 and collected it. Before collecting I tried the switch condition and it looked ok. I reached home and plugged in and tried and found that issue still persists. I called them back and they were off the opinion that I must have used too much force to operate, so it would have broken again!!

I had to talk to their manager to convince that I know how to use this and been using for last two years. But why a newly replaced part is gone again? He told me bring it back and said will get it done correctly.

Next day I got a call to collect it. I met the manager and asked him what exactly is the reason for this? To my shock, he told me that the switich was replaced from another old UPS as APC does not provide this part at all.

I did not talk much after that and took it and came home.

So my experience was not so great with APC.

\\hkp

[bblost]

so maybe my old UPS will be used for parts.
I don't know what else they may do with it.

[HappyWheels]

Originally Posted by HKP

To my shock, he told me that the switich was replaced from another old UPS as APC does not provide this part at all.

talk about recycling, this is the heights!

I have been using APC UPS for last 2 +years - no issue. Just that, of late, the backup is not all that great. It goes down in 8minutes flat, but atleast it gives me enough time to save and power down.

[black12rr]

The build is also solid , thick black platics .Looks like a solid block of concrete . I like it . .

[suren181]

Use APC at Home and at Office. Needed Service assistance just once, for one of them at Office. Same Experience, Straightaway replaced, no questions asked and you bet I am one of their satisfied customers.

[RAC]

My APC UPS stopped working and went on battery mode even though there was electricity. I tired switching off and it didn't work. Unplugged and plugged in again into the mains and it just blew up even with the mains off. I had to pull out the battery wires.

I took it to an Authorzed service center in Jayanagar. A couple of days later, no response. Called and went and there paid Rs 900 for circuit board change.
it worked fine for a couple of weeks and then same problem arose. Luckily it was under the 1 month servide warranty period. Went back and they took it for checks. I got it back after a few days with the comment that there was nothing wrong with it (which means that the customer or I am an idiot and imagined the whole thing)

Anyway it has been working fine after that.

So my experience was not so great with APC. Their spare parts are probably not always the best quality as can be seen from other examples.

[Haque]

Use a APC inverter at home. Found the response time to be a tad slow. Had to replace a new inverter since it was found defective when the service folks came for installing it. A year down the lane, the batteries conked out and were replaced, since they were still under warranty.

If its under warranty, they just replace it, no questions asked. Thats something that I liked about APC.

-Haqe

[jassi]

In 2007, for the first time in my life, I was stocking up on material possessions. Although I had moved out of home in 2002, this was the first time when i decided to settle down and get some consumer electronics to make life better. I got myself the best 42" panel, a good 7.1 HT and a PS3. To keep using my precious gadgets in the event of frequent power failures, I decided to get myself a good inverter.

I chose APC and after a lot of research decided on a pure sine wave model Bi1000i, despite lot of people telling me that you can get cheaper inverters with twice the kva rating!
I had a small chat with Pai in koramnagala, and picked a brand new APC Bi1000i for 25k. The very next day after my purchase I dropped into Pai Indranagar with a friend and was told that Bi1000i is 22k. Furious i called the manager of Pai Koramangala and after lot of arguments, he gave me 3k back.

Now comes the time for installation, APC engineer comes in and tells me the inverter has been supplied with the wrong battery - the APC approved battery is Amco flat 80AH, however I have been given some other tubular battery. I run to Pai again and after lot of arguments between Pai, APC and APC sales manager, I am asked to take the batteries myself to some city area in bangy. New to the city, I drive those monster batteries myself in my brand new car to some one way lanes in the middle of the city and finally after fighting with the Amco people, bring the correct amco flat 80AH batteries back. With great difficulty get the APC engineer come down and connect the batteries in and get the inverter up and running.

For a good 15 months (mar 07 to jun 08), the inverter runs perfect. My 42" display and PS3 (home theatre is never run on inverter due to its high demands) run fine for hours on the inverter.

I shift to a new rented house in koramangala and call APC guys to re-fit the inverter. Things work for a few weeks and then I realize the inverter backup times starts reducing. Soon the inverter refuses to power on. Multiple calls to APC and they finally after months of investigation replace the inverter. The inverter still does not turn on. Now the issue is pointed to the battery. APC tells me the battery is only covered for 18 months battery and unlike the inverter (2yrs warranty), the batteries are now out of warranty.
Multiple new cases and lots of crazy calls and escalations happen to explain to APC that is was their fault as the original case was raised well within the battery warranty, however APC engineers chose to replace inverter and not battery.
Finally just before my 2 year warranty expires they send their service people (Central Data Systems) to come and replace the battery in feb/mar 09. All along I manage with the society generator backup with the issue of loss of data/games and abrupt shutdown of tv and PS3.

Power cuts are not that frequent anymore and mostly last a few mins. In June, I realize the power cuts are of longer duration and realize the inverter is again having the same problem. The inverter now picks up after almost 1/2 a second of power failure which means all my gadgets momentarily switch off and then on with power failure. The original problem of low power backup is actually now at its worst - only 10-15 mins with 75% load. After noticing these issues for almost a month, I finally get the time to call APC this month (aug 2009) and explain them my issues and also ask for the regular preventive maintenance.

APC field engineer (from stenta systems) checks and tells me my inverter and battery are out of warranty, and the batteries have 2 cells dead. Given that this is a fairly new battery (just replaced), he says this is a manufacturing defect or old battery. He mentions the manufacturing defect in the report.
I call APC and explain to them my whole history and they come back saying "saar warranty is gone we cant help". I shout and ask them on their lack of quality checks on the newly replaced battery. Next day i get a call from an apc rep, who says as a courtesy they will send an engineer. A manager from Stenta calls me and gives similar gyaan, but says we are doing a favour on you and sending their most experienced engineer, as the previous engineer was wrong in saying manufacturing defect.
This manager also tells me the batteries I have are incorrect low life flat batteries - the ideal choice is tubular all this 2 years after i went all over bangy to amco shop to replace the original tubulars to flat in the first few days of purchase!!

The "most experienced engineer" comes 3 hrs late and makes me miss half a day of office. On speaking to him he does not seem even half as experienced as the previous well-spoken engineer. As i am late for a meeting, I leave him in the presence of my maid. While on way to office, the maid calls me in 5 mins and says this guy is a joker and without checking much on the battery he is saying battery is perfect and just needs to be 'boost charged'. I speak to him and he tells me i just need to take the battery to a local shop and get it boost charged. I ask him to do it, but he pulls the 'out of warranty favour' card out. I don't have the patience to explain the whole background to him and just tell him to disconnect the batteries and get lost.

To my surprise he has left a report which now says battery is perfect and just needs to be boost charged. If they dont work after boost charging, I need to cough up 13-16k.
I now realize the plot, this was done on purpose to nullify the previous report stating the manufacturing defect. This report indicates all cells are fine - what more did i expect from this supposed "most experienced engineer"

Finally today i took the batteries to Battery Tech in koramangala for boost charge. The owner immediately checks the batteries and says multiple cells are gone. The batteries are 2 years old (2007 make) and its time for them to be dead anyways. He says APC have fooled me by replacing problematic batteries with old batteries which anyway would not last

So here I am - I have left the batteries at Battery Tech, while I decide my next options.
1) Shout at APC and their field support partners (central data systems and stenta)
2) Get new batteries from battery tech, with 1000 rs off for the screwed up batteries.

If i go option 2, should i go for a pair of 100AH flat sealed maintenace free panasonic/quanta batteries for 11k or should i go for regular flat exide 100ah battaraziz for 13.5k (regular maintenance needed). Panny/quanta have 1 yr warranty (need to check on extended warranty) but are imported with no manufacturing date funda. Exides are made in india and have 2 years warranty and you need to check manufacturing date before you buy.

I would like to say, that I have recommended APC to 20-30 ppl and ferociously defended the high price for quality. But now I would not recommend them over the other cheaper inverters.
Quality of product - 3/5 (good while it works)
Price - 2/5
Service - 1.5/5

I dunno the good inverters out there, but overall I would say APC is not worth the hassle!!!

[greenhorn]

ideally, its better to purchase the batteries yourself and get the techs to install them since the UPS mfr offers only 6 month warranty on the battery (if they supply it ) and you get a 2 year warranty on the battery if you buy it yourself. Found this out when i was replacing the battery of my dead UPS

[benbsb29]

Why am i not surprised?! My colleague who thinks quite highly of APC and their batteries had both his batteries replaced within a year of its purchase. Since he was charged nothing for the replacement, he thinks quite high of APC and its service. Lets see how the new ones live out their life.

Personally, i dont feel that the price APC charges for their inverters is justified. Heck, if you need a pure sine wave inverter, they dont even have one below 1000 VA! After consulting some long term users, i got myself a SuKam.

[Jaguar]

Wow! what perfect timing Jassi. This morning my APC inverter conked off and I have called the customer care. The sad part is the battery warranty just expired, although the inverter is still covered. Let me see what the service engineer says. At least I know what stuff to keep in mind if they go about replacing the inverter or battery.

[low_bass_makker]

Exide make special battery for inverters. Go for them. And tubular battery is better than the plate type.