APC Back-UPS BX600C-IN 600VA / 360W, 230V, UPS System, an Ideal Power Backup & Protection for Home Office, Desktop PC & Home Electronics

I recently purchased the UPS APC Back-UPS BX600C-IN 600VA/360W, 230V, thinking it would provide reliable power backup for my Act Corp WiFi Router. PLZ NOTE: JUST For Only My WIFI Router!
Based on the specifications, it was supposed to last around 3 hours because it just only WIFI Router,
but unfortunately, it lasted in 1.3 Hours, and switched OFF — Its a way below expected backup time!
I was expecting at least 3 to 4 hours of backup because its JUST only WIFI Router connected and based on the product’s advertised capacity,
It didn’t even come close to 40% of the performance!
This is a clear case of misleading Specification.
Given my experience, I’d strongly advise caution before purchasing this model.

My office PC UPS Legrand Numeric UPS Digital 600EX-V is having only one LED and beep codes. This is not sufficient, if we want more details. However the unit is robust, easy to disassemble, easy to replace battery with generic battery, having best transfer time (less than 4 milli Sec) 37min backup for CPU + Monitor when checked. In view of this, the Legrand Numeric UPS Digital 600EX-V should my the number one choice. But it also has low user ratings.

The following brands came to my notice on search.
1) APC BX600C-IN
2) APC BX600CI-IN
3) Emerson Liebert iTon CX 600

(I have not considered microtek, intex, iball; vguard etc may be they are good)

The technical parameters of the above all looked similar , like generator compatibility, AVR, High/low/overload protections. But the transfer time specified for Numeric is less than 4 milli sec, for APC 10 milli sec typical, and for Liebert 4-8 milliseconds.

APC BX600C-IN is selected as my requirement is not for PC or laptop (further search is not done for UPS with communication port and auto save software ) and in view of better interface ( Power LED Dual color, Charging LED Dual colour, Battery saver LED ) . It also has better backup and surge power than APC BX600CI-IN (minus resettable thermal relay)

Based on the reviews, there are four major issues i have noticed,
(1) very old stock (Battery capacity expected to be in reduced condition, resulting into low backup time) or battery issue.
(2) Transit damages, as it is bulky to its volume. Though it is better to purchase such items offline, I still tried online in view of remote location.
(3) No load protection . It acts if very low load is connected (e.g. just modem or less than 30w and battery saver mode is on ) after 5 min , people get confused it as giving only 5 min backup (it shouldn’t be considered as a problem once known, since additional loads can be connected or battery saver mode can be unselected)
(4) If Battery saver is enabled , it shutdowns while 5 min juice still left (it shouldn’t be considered as a problem, since it can be unselected if selected intentionally or unintentionally)

To reduce the above risks, M/s Appario Retail Private Ltd was chosen (at lightening deal at Rs Rs2659.00). The order was placed on 10.04.19. The product is delivered in 4 days on 13.04.19. The original packing was wrapped in repeated turns of polyethylene. The packing reached without any major distortions. The original cartoon packing was in sealed condition. However when it was opened, some (parts) looseness sound was coming from the UPS. The same was reported to APC service center. They registered the complaint and told me that the service person will visit within 48 hours of working days. Further they have given clearance to put the UPS in service.
First it was charged fully , while UPS in off condition (charging light was on while charging and it became off after charging). Now the UPS was made on by power button (it is to be pressed and hold for not less than 1 second before release or release after beep tone) connected to PC with 32 inch LED TV, initially some repeated chattering (without any power interruption to the load) was happening, if power input is kept off (on battery). It was happening some times.
When it is on battery, beep sound was occurring every 22 sec against APC Manual spec of 60 sec.
it withstood for 18 minutes for the PC with 32 inch LED TV on battery. (Battery save mode was in off condition)
Further it got switched off within 5 sec of low battery alarm, against 60 sec specified in the manual.
The manufacturing date as per slip glued on original packing was Nov, 2018 (photo attached) but the test and quality passing date is 11.01.2018 12.53 hrs (photo attached)
(As my load is more than 30w, I can put it on battery saver mode, the battery saver button to be pressed and hold for not lessthan 2 seconds before release to change the state , this is minor but the holding time is no where written in the manual).
The UPS body temperature appears to be on higher side, when compared to Numeric installed at office under similar ambient temperature (while on load with input mains as well as while in off condition without charging but connected to mains).
The above is initial experience only, any updates shall be shared in future.

Note1: This item isn’t eligible for return
For safety reasons, items containing flammable liquids or gases can’t be returned to Amazon. For more information or help, please contact them.
(If you want return facility search for other alternatives)

Update 1
The service person called me on 14.04.19 and informed about his planned visit on 15.04.19.
The service person visited in the morning of 15.04.2019 and disassembled the UPS, there was a minor play with the battery, ( the whole casing is of plastic, one side cover opens including top as one part) the play may be due to design / manufacturing tolerances. The PCB and the transformer were already firmly fastened to body and all connections were also tight. Hence the looseness is acceptable. The battery manufacturing date was Oct 2018. I agreed for his optional proposal to replace with a new sealed battery (but manufactured in Sept 2018). The chattering may be relevant to building wiring, as it is not happening with main sockets in other rooms or if we remove UPS input plug from the same socket (see next update for accurate reason) . In the whole, the service person’s only concern was hotter transformer, based on his experience (but it will be replaced only if it fails).
Prompt response of service center is appreciable (that too for an interior of 76 km from service center, located at state capital) and it compliments the non return policy.

Update 2
It is fully charged with replaced battery and backup time was tested with the same load as above. But this time large improvements were observed in the backup time and parameters (difficult to reason out) as below.
Backup time is 32 Min (until some different type of blinking of power led & different type of beeps happens for few seconds, may be relevant to battery saver mode and however it got normalized in auto ) after 5 min further, the battery low blinking of power LED occurred (hence total 37 min against 18 min of earlier experience as above) and these beeps occurred for 40 seconds before it tripped (against 5 seconds of earlier experience as above), but power LED was glowing for every few seconds till further 20 seconds in off condition.
Battery on beep was occurring for every 59.90 seconds (~1 min) to indicate the load is on battery (against every 22 second earlier experience as above). I was totally involved with service person as it has to protect very costly, bulky and distant service partner type equipment at my home . He has replaced only battery, and he has not even removed the PCB. But how, so many wonders have happened is yet to be analyzed and reasoned out.

Note 2:
I) NonRMS-Multimeter does not properly read the voltage of a UPS that uses stepped approximated output sine wave while on battery. Hence output voltage of a 230 VAC UPS is measured to be between 170-180 VAC when on battery.
Ii) Low voltage cut off will act if any separate low voltage , high voltage cutoff protection is used at outlet of UPS (while on battery)
Iii) chattering may take place at UPS if any separate surge protection is used at UPS outlet
Iv) some body already advised not to use any surge protection at input to UPS
V) APC service person informed that APC UPS will not on, if house is not properly grounded (earthing is to be proper) to protect from surges.
Vi) if UPS is on battery with battery saver mode enabled (i.e. mains off) it will give only 5 min backup to loads less than 30w (as no load protection acts), however if the load is more than 30w , it shutdowns while 5 min juice still left ( i.e. if we disable battery saver mode we will get 5 min more backup power)

From the above , the UPS is now functioning as per specifications. (but one star of APC is reduced against initial issues of equipment, though super fast response exists from their service center) , 5 stars to “M/s Appario Retail Private Ltd” the seller, 5 stars to the APC service center and 5 stars to courier ” M/s Delivery” for safe and fast delivery.

Update 3: After 4 months of use , backup time testing (ignoring erroneous tests in between):

The ups was made on and battery saver was made off , due to this the ups started self charging further and I have waited till the charging is completed. Now, the TV as monitor with PC were made on ( it took upto 0.45 amp during cold boot , amp measured with clamp meter) while mains is on. once the PC stabilised (0.3A) the mains is switched off. Now it gave
a backup of 17 minutes with beep every minute and given repeated beeps at 17th min. Again every min one beep started for 5 min. After this repeated beeps occurred for 30 second and ups got tripped. Hence I got 22 minutes and 30 seconds in total. In view of this the star rating is retained at 4 star.
One more observation is that it’s transformer temperature is high while it is on battery that means (more) energy is being wasted by transformer.

I got the battery replaced one more time on 15,01.2020 under warranty as backup time reduced to 11min under the same conditions and load. With new battery I am getting 24 minutes. Hence the Apc is being letdown by battery manufacturer where Apc quality person should have control. After warranty I will install battery from exide and see.

Update 04.05.24
It was observed that it is not getting on or charging on 26.03.2024. I have opened, checked the battery and found it has zero voltage, it’s connectors got little corroded. Cleaned and put back but it’s not getting charged. Battery is dead. It is replaced with Exide battery (photo attached )on 04.05.2024 with exchange of old battery at Rs 850. It is working, but now i do not have comparable load to check backup time.