APC BE425M Battery Backup Replacement Instructions (Installed Upside Down By Mistake)

[@CageyLeigh]

On your APC, when you snap in the yellow battery plug, is it flush so that you can place the unit on that side? Mine wobbles with the inserted plug. Makes me think that it isn’t inserted properly.

[@JohnLCharette]

Oh gosh, I can't remember. I'm sorry. I know I definitely installed the battery upside down and it wouldn't fit properly. That was embarrassing. I'll pin this comment and see if anyone else can help answer your question.

[@Dnasty1]

Glad I clicked this I had a bunch of broken ups systems and saved this one for last because I had thought a replacement battery would cost about as much as the unit itself.

[@JohnLCharette]

Yeah... not my favourite product ;)

[@Drumwolf62]

Always helps to put things back together they way you took them apart in reverse order.

[@JohnLCharette]

Captain obvious strikes again ;) It's crazy how hard simple things can be when you have a camera pointed in your face.. haha

[@Skazzy3YT]

Thanks to this video I will not attempt to replace the battery and I will chuck it out.

[@pjengland01]

My replacement battery was $27 including Prime free shipping. Other than the very narrow screw holes it was an easy replacement. For half the cost of a new unit, it was worth it to me. I think it lasted 4+ years. My original battery has the bottom of the battery next to the base, with the terminals at the bottom of the hole. Still it slide out easily for replacement. The toughest part was pulling the terminals off of the dead battery. An easy replacement. It took longer to locate and order the battery than to replace it.

[@JohnLCharette]

Good! I'm glad you had an easy battery swap. Unlike me, who replaced it upside down :( haha

[@drmyers85021]

+ 1 for pjengland01 - the screws were my Achilles heel, but I got that last one out and everything else was smooth sailing!

[@gwosterman]

My advice: try taking it apart and snapping it back together without doing anything else first time to get the feel for fit, then swap batteries. The battery must be positioned correctly to allow the bottom to close back up easily. It's never a good idea to force anything. It all fits easily if the battery is positioned correctly. This is a good video to make you aware of the need for a long Phillips magnetic screwdriver and to be aware of what can go wrong.

[@JohnLCharette]

Yeah, that's really good advice! I didn't think of trying to assemble it without the battery first. I definitely hope someone learns from my mistake ;)

[@dillacorn_linux]

Thanks! I was able to install my new battery in around 3 minutes or less. Battery connectors should be facing down when installing the battery upside down... Then it should snugly snap back together (may need to add a little pressure) then you can screw the bottom cover back on. Having the proper long philips head screw driver is a must for this repair.

[@JohnLCharette]

Ha! I’m glad my torture helped you install yours quickly.

[@bobl.8211]

Hi, sorry to mention this, but your battery is upside down vs. the orientation that I found when I opened my APC 425. That may explain the problem with closing the case.

[@JohnLCharette]

Ohh Bob, if you're correct, you'd be my hero! I'll take it apart and flip it around. If that solves it, I'll make sure to pin this comment. Thank you so much!

[@JohnLCharette]

You were 100% right!!! Thank you so much for your comment. You're the best :)

[@NLTMW]

I put mine in with the connectors down and mine didn’t fit back together easily either. The whole thing seems to be designed to be thrown out when the battery fails. I have purchased a LOT of APC products over the last 30+ years and have replaced a lot of batteries. This is the WORST that I have ever seen. Just sh!tty product design.

[@JohnLCharette]

@NLTMW I had a similar feeling, as you can tell the frustration in my video. Junk product.

[@smokytopia6354]

I'm having exactly the same problem. The battery is in exactly the same position the old one was. What do you mean "Upside down?" I can turn the battery around but then the wires don't reach....?

[@ferndog1461]

Thank you for your honesty. I subscribed.

[@JohnLCharette]

You're very welcome! I appreciate the support.

[@marvinfinkelstein8341]

This video really gives one a charge . The fast motion is a real live wire . Did you know that the favorite sport in electric companies is circuit training . Thank you for plugging away .

[@michiganguy6435]

Thanks for the video, you saved me $37. I also don't have a screwdriver that works with this piece of crap and I wasn't interested in buying a new screwdriver just for this. So, I went Office Space on it and had a lot of fun destroying it. Smashed it on a concrete floor until it was in pieces, recycled the battery, cannibalized it for wires and threw the rest away. Again, lots of fun.

[@JohnLCharette]

Oh gosh, that's amazing. I love that movie! Totally agree though, it's a piece of junk so I'm glad you enjoyed yourself ;)

[@AngryTeuton]

Appreciate the video, but I have to say that I replaced the battery with no troubles. I bought a Raion Power 12V 5Ah T2 F2 Battery (via Ebay). The cost and shipping were low enough to make replacing the battery worthwhile - had to do a bit of shopping and comparing, but I think it's worth the effort. As someone who really dislikes our disposable culture, I find it satisfying to get new life out of items that would be otherwise deemed "old" or "obsolete".

[@JohnLCharette]

Good! I'm glad you figured it out easier than I did ;) I'll pin your post so other can order the same battery.

[@maker-matt]

Hey John... I have the same model. I removed the little 4.5 AH battery. Opened up a hole in the air vents where the battery was and ran the cables out through the hole. I purchased a 15 AH lithium battery on Amazon for $49.00 and spliced in another 6 inches of line cord wire to the new and much larger battery. Easy Peazy. The lithium battery is rated at 4000 charge cycles. Since I only power my modem and router off of this and I only need 10 to 15 min to fire up the generator it should never discharge more than 30%. the new battery should last "forever" .

[@JohnLCharette]

Oh wow! That's a really interesting mod. I haven't used lithium batteries much, but I hear they are amazing. Did you record this process? I'd love to see it.

[@JohnLCharette]

Just subscribed! Can't wait to see it.

[@Drumwolf62]

I don't know if you were trying to be humorous in the process of removing the battery and auditioning to be in one of those commercials when they try to make the simple things seem impossible? LOL. You acted like lifting a screw driver was like lifting 400 lbs. LOL!!! Once I over looked your poor attempt to make something simple look very difficult, I appreciated the video showing how to replace the battery and save me some money.

[@JohnLCharette]

Haha, good. I'm glad the video helped. Those videos aren't scripted, I just roll with it.. whatever happens, happens. I do try and have fun with it though ;)

[@BarnabyFalls]

Good video; could be shorter. The case doesn't fit flush because you put the battery in upside-down. The battery leads have to be facing the top of the device. If you flip the battery, the case fits together perfectly.

[@JohnLCharette]

Yes, you're absolutely right. I realized that afterwards.

[@mercedcampos2281]

Failed to mention the cost for the battery but the link was useful

[@JohnLCharette]

Yeah, it's hard to track the exact price of those batteries because the price fluctuates so much. I paid $38 CAD for mine.

[@koffee911]

waiting for my replacement BE425M battery from Amazon... my install is upside down compared to yours (oriented to the unit)... the wires get in the way of the battery sitting flush in the guides... otherwise, it's an easy swap out...

[@JohnLCharette]

Oh yeah? I would have done better with your unit ;) haha. Glad it looks easy.

[@PurpleMrMojo]

NERMAK 12V 5Ah was the lifepo4 with overcharging Bms is the one I used . Just yank the small round black speaker off with plyers when you’re in there. Never hear it again..

[@JohnLCharette]

Thanks for the battery info and instructions on how to remove the speaker ;)

[@GaryBeltz]

I like that clock that you had behind you during the video. Does it actually work and where did you get it?

[@JohnLCharette]

Thanks! Yes, it works when I plug in two AA batteries. I don't bother though, as you may see the time change during my edits. It's from Urban Barn.

[@PurpleMrMojo]

the speaker is black and round on the board. just pop it off which will never again make a noise. its so easy. very common fix

[@JohnLCharette]

Ohhhh, really good to know. I mean, I don't mind the fact that the device tells me when to replace the batteries, or else I'd never know.

[@GaryBeltz]

That UPS would be too small for my needs anyway. I need to keep my iMac and my game console going just long enough to wrap up the current level or save files, etc. What sucks is that APC doesn't make software that's Mac compatible. I'm forced to rely on the Mac OS's built in energy saver settings for a UPS.

[@westbccoast]

I just bought one and planning on a 2nd one but I think I am going go buy the big brother instead, more expensive but I think worth it when trying to replace the battery, this looks horrible to replace the battery.

[@JohnLCharette]

Yeah, probably a good idea. I wouldn't recommend this model to anyone!

[@ronaldserafin5483]

Replacement batteries are going for $20 or less now, it's definitely worth fixing.

[@TNGIBSONMAN]

Be careful of cheap aftermarket batteries. They can cause serious damage to your gear and also potentially cause a fire. Is it worth it to save a few bucks. This guys advice is dangerous. Read my comment for more detail.

[@ronaldserafin5483]

@@TNGIBSONMAN Agreed. You can't be too careful with the Chinese knockoffs and the terminals seems to be in the reverse order of the original.

[@TNGIBSONMAN]

@@ronaldserafin5483 The problem is he installed it upside down and continued to try and put the bottom back on. Then complains how APS is the issue. He has lots of sponsor links in this post to make money for himself. No problem with this, but why not just record a vid that is correct? I left a comment about this stuff. A bunch of people commented how his vid helped them so much. It would take him very little time to do this correctly and not risk major injury or fire.

[@petershulick5270]

I agree APC unit BE425M it is a piece of junk it uses a reduced size battery and you have to have a super long Phillips screwdriver small enough to remove the screws an order a small shortened battery to put in it it's not worth the money! Do not order one of these off Amazon or anyone else

[@noahg6024]

Does the replacement battery work for the 450 model?

[@JohnLCharette]

Can’t say for sure. My experience is that most of them are similar though. Disconnect the two power cables, remove old battery. Insert new one, reconnect the cables. You’re done.

[@steveharris2768]

What type of screws are used on it.....STAR, FLAT OR PHILLIPS

[@JohnLCharette]

Phillips or star

[@steveharris2768]

@@JohnLCharette Wish I could post a pic, but they are not the same.

[@JohnLCharette]

Ahhhh, I see what you mean. In Canada, we call Star a Torx screwdriver. So, to answer your question, it was a Phillips screwdriver.

[@igobythisname]

How do i know if my battery needs to be replaced? I’ve only been using mine for 4 months. It sat in the box for a few years before I started using it. Once a month or so it beeps and I can’t mute it, i have to turn it off, it’s super annoying!!!

[@JohnLCharette]

Replace it! Batteries have a shelf life. It's a cheap replacement battery. Watch my video, but make sure you install it the right side up vs the way I did it. hah. Good luck and save yourself from many horrible beeping sounds.

[@steveharris2768]

What type of screws are used to keep it closed....Star, Phillips, Flat

[@JohnLCharette]

Phillips or star

[@steveharris2768]

Phillips and Star are not the same

[@JohnLCharette]

Ahhhh, I see what you mean. In Canada, we call Star a Torx screwdriver. So, to answer your question, it was a Phillips screwdriver.

[@steveharris2768]

@@JohnLCharette Thanks

[@davidlohr304]

My unit was unevetful but the battery is upside down and with the leads facing power outlet side the unit went back together uneventful!!!!

[@JohnLCharette]

Ha! I knew it. Silly me, I must not have noticed when I took it apart before recording the video. I'm sure you could see the frustration on my face trying to get it back together the wrong way. Thanks for leaving a comment. I'm glad your unit went back together easily.

[@TeodoreThomas]

You put in upside down. The wire section need to go down inside

[@JohnLCharette]

Yeah, I realized that afterwards :( I updated the title and description. I'm sure the install would have been much easier had I realized that at the time.

[@williamalexander8220]

Great Video. Great description and factual. Battery replacement will take hours. Skip replacing the battery. Buy a new unit. APC: this one is an F minus.

[@bradjfitz]

The Amazon link in the description goes to a battery that will technically work, but has F1 terminals instead of F2 . F1's are much smaller then the F2's found on the OEM battery and what the cables inside the device are expecting. Amazon won't allow returns for Led Acid batteries so I followed the advice from this video (kzbin.info/www/bejne/eaS1hYyHoquMfJY) and purchased F1 to F2 adapters from Amazon. Like in the linked video, the connections still weren't snug so I soldered the adapters to the battery terminals. John should really update his affiliate link to a battery that has the proper terminals. All that being said, the battery is installed, it wasn't very hard, and it revived my dead unit for half the price of a new one.

[@JohnLCharette]

I am so sorry!! That's the exact battery that I ordered and used in my video. I didn't realize the terminal size difference. Perhaps that's why I struggled to get mine connected so much. I'll do a search later today and update the link to batteries with F2 terminals. I appreciate the information so others don't experience the same problem.

[@JohnLCharette]

Links updated!

[@bradjfitz]

@@JohnLCharette Thanks for keeping up with your comments section!

[@mercedcampos2281]

Should modify to use a bigger battery 🔋

[@JohnLCharette]

Never considered that! Good idea.

[@John-tm3qt]

It's definitely a poor product in my experience. First, as demonstrated, the unit is difficult to work with for the purpose of battery change out (it is my recollection APC does not recommend consumer-performed maintenance on the product, and I am sure they designed it to be difficult for all but the most insistent customers, hoping their customers would simply by a new APC unit). Second, when working as designed, this APC UPS provides very little real world time to save one's work, then perform a graceful shutdown while on battery power. It no doubt gets worse as the battery ages, but how does one know the relative battery strength without an external testing port or reliable indicator? Changing the battery is worth the pain if one needs and wants only a very light-duty UPS knowing the above. I am cheap and have replaced my battery twice now.

[@JohnLCharette]

Yeah, agreed on both points. I've only had to replace the batteries once. I have since given this unit to my wife, for her laptop, which rarely gets used and has very little load. Hopefully it continues to work well for that purpose.

[@marauderdz]

You wouldn't use this for a gaming PC, but come on, people get UPS's for things like internet routers so they don't reboot every time there's a power blip. Hell, a modern mini PC with an LCD monitor uses maybe 100-150W, easily enough for even this unit to power for at least half an hour when new.

[@stephenathon]

Even with an easy installation, the cost of the replacement battery doesn't seem worth it versus just replacing the whole unit (with something better).

[@JohnLCharette]

100% agree. Any recommendations on a better unit?

[@igobythisname]

yes, I’d like to know what you recommend as well, as I’m due for either a battery replacement or whole unit replacement, thanks!

[@stephenathon]

​@@JohnLCharette I can recommend APC's BX1000M's at $120-130, but anything professional grade should do the trick from Tripp Lite, Cyberpower, etc. I haven't ponied up for the sinewave units yet, but hear they are good.

[@stephenathon]

@@igobythisname I like the BX1000M for a basic UPS, you can get up to 1500VA in that form factor but a 1000VA is fine for normal setups.

[@igobythisname]

@@stephenathon thanks. So are you really buying one every few years… because batteries have a shelf-life”..!?! This one i have i asked for in a gift exchange, i barely used it 4 months but it did sit for like 2 yrs, i can’t believe i have to replace it already!?! (Or it’s being overloaded. About once a month it beeps and won’t mute, i have to turn it off)

[@AC-ju3ts]

Hazardous waste recycling ♻️ will typically take electronics instead of the trash 🗑

[@TNGIBSONMAN]

This guy needs to take this video off YT. His advise is DANGEROUS!!! The battery is installed upside down so this is why he can't put it back together again. He should know that if something that fits together doesn't, there is an issue with the repair process. The terminals are supposed to be facing up to the top where the outlets are, not the bottom of the unit. This alone could cause a fire or fry the unit. As far as the comment that APC makes it difficult to service this is not correct. The screws he is complaining about being to long, are designed to securely hold the unit together. Once again take this video down before someone's house burns down or they get injured or killed. This is serious enough I reported it to YT as per my comment.

[@JohnLCharette]

I’m sorry for the confusion. I was very clear in my title and description that I installed it upside down, by mistake. There is absolutely no intent to hurt or cause damage.

[@ruthlessluder]

Why can't this piece of crap run without a battery? Only 2 of the 6 outlets work with the unit off.

[@JohnLCharette]

Most battery backups have outlets that are surge protected and then others that are battery backup protected. I'm guessing, if you don't have a battery, you can't use those outlets.

[@BlueThirty4U]

This thing is a piece of utter garbage. There is no logical reason it should be this difficult to replace a battery. Essentially it's e-waste, designed to be thrown in the garbage once it's battery lasts too long. And even if you want to continue using the old battery, guess what? It'll constantly beep at you. I'm never buying an APC product again after this piece of shit.

[@TNGIBSONMAN]

Its not hard at all as long as you don't follow his direction. More detail in my comment here.

[@trainroom330]

I had the same fun you're having the battery upside up, but the battery goes in at the terminals first. Horrible product btw

[@JohnLCharette]

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who messed that up! haha. Agreed. Not impressed with the build quality, but not sure what to expect for a $50 battery backup.

[@chynamangee621]

😅😂😅😂😅😂😅😂😅😂😅😂

[@bernetedelonge5914]

p̶r̶o̶m̶o̶s̶m̶ 🤦

[@steveharris2768]

What type of screws are used to keep it closed...star, phillips , flat

[@JohnLCharette]

Phillips or star

[@marauderdz]

@@JohnLCharette What do you mean they are the same? I think by "star" he means Torx.