APC Battery Backup Unit

Discuss Thermwood 3-axis Machinery, Controller, and Software.

Moderators: Jason Susnjara, Larry Epplin, Clint Buechlein, Jim Bullis

Post Reply
Tommy Wieler
Senior Member
Posts: 124
Joined: Fri, Sep 22 2017, 7:49AM
Company Name: Silverpine Cabinets
Country: CANADA

APC Battery Backup Unit

Post by Tommy Wieler »

Greetings all!
Our battery backup unit has started to fail. First symptom was that the touchscreen monitor would randomly go dark, usually about once a day. We hooked up a spare monitor and began troubleshooting. After a while, we figured that we would possibly need to replace the monitor, but since we had the spare monitor working, we never got around to actually ordering a new touchscreen. Suddenly, the same issue started happening with the actual computer unit. It would just randomly turn off, just as if someone had pulled the plug. That's when we suspected that the culprit was the battery backup unit. We set up a second battery unit, but didn't hard wire it into the control unit right away. We went back to using our touchscreen monitor, and no problems have happened so far.
So today we pulled out the original battery backup, being careful to make notes on how it was wired into the control unit, including the modification that wires it to the switch on the outside of the control unit. Made the same mod to our new battery unit (APC BNG650M1), and installed it.
But it's not operating the same way that the original one did. It shuts off when I shut the machine off, but it doesn't start when I start the machine. I have to press the power button on the battery unit to start the computer, whereas the original unit started up with the rest of the machine.
We found out that the original battery unit is no longer in production so we weren't able to get the exact same unit. I was wondering if Thermwood has their battery units specially made or programmed, or how could I get our new unit to start with the rest of the control?
Tommy Wieler
Senior Member
Posts: 124
Joined: Fri, Sep 22 2017, 7:49AM
Company Name: Silverpine Cabinets
Country: CANADA

Re: APC Battery Backup Unit

Post by Tommy Wieler »

Ah, just took a closer look at the original unit, and discovered that it has two buttons, on and off. I'm assuming this may be a step in the right direction... if anyone has anything they want to add, feel free
Tommy Wieler
Senior Member
Posts: 124
Joined: Fri, Sep 22 2017, 7:49AM
Company Name: Silverpine Cabinets
Country: CANADA

Re: APC Battery Backup Unit

Post by Tommy Wieler »

Maybe someone at Thermwood would be willing to share which battery backup units are being installed in their new CNC controls... would be appreciated.
Or maybe someone that has recently purchased a new CNC would be willing to post a picture of the battery unit in their control unit.
Tommy Wieler
Senior Member
Posts: 124
Joined: Fri, Sep 22 2017, 7:49AM
Company Name: Silverpine Cabinets
Country: CANADA

Re: APC Battery Backup Unit

Post by Tommy Wieler »

Issue resolved after emailing service department. Thanks!
Post Reply