APC Easy UPS BVX 900VA, 230V, AVR, Universal Sockets

General

Output

Input

Batteries & Runtime

Communications & Management

Physical & Environmental

Every figure in these tables is taken from Schneider Electric's published documentation for this exact part number. Where Schneider does not publish a value, or where two of its own documents disagree, the row is left out rather than estimated — ask SourceIT and we will confirm it with the distributor.

Schneider Electric does not publish a downloadable product data sheet for the BVX900LI-MS, so several rows that appear on its sibling models — input voltage window, surge energy rating, humidity range, audible noise and the certification list — are deliberately left out here rather than copied across from the 700 VA or 1200 VA sheet. The two Schneider documents that do cover this model also disagree on its depth (335 mm in the brochure, 355 mm in the user manual), so depth is omitted. Ask SourceIT if you need any of these figures confirmed for a tender or a rack drawing.

What you can plug in

The BVX900LI-MS provides 2 × universal sockets and 1 × IEC 60320 C13, all with battery backup and surge protection. Its usable output is 480 watts — that is the number to size against, not the 900 VA headline. Add up the wattage of everything you intend to protect and keep the total comfortably below 480 W so the unit is not running at its limit every day.

The universal sockets accept Singapore three-pin BS 1363 plugs as well as the common two-pin styles, so no adapter is needed, and every socket on this model carries battery backup and surge protection. The IEC C13 socket takes a standard kettle-style computer or monitor lead directly.

Runtime

Runtime falls away sharply as load rises, so these published points are a guide rather than a promise for your particular equipment. A UPS in this class is sized to ride through the short dips and to give you a clean shutdown, not to keep a desk running through a long outage. If you need a specific number of minutes at a specific load, send SourceIT your equipment list and we will size it properly.

Battery and replacement cartridge

The BVX900LI-MS takes the APC RBC17 replacement battery cartridge, which SourceIT stocks: APC Replacement Battery Cartridge RBC17. The battery is user-replaceable, so a cartridge swap does not require a service visit. In Singapore's heat and humidity a UPS battery generally reaches the end of its useful life before the electronics do, so budget for a cartridge as a consumable rather than a fault.

Management and monitoring

Connectivity: No data or management port, and no shutdown software is supplied with this model. Schneider Electric lists no SmartSlot bay or network management card option for this range. If you need SNMP monitoring, EcoStruxure IT integration or scripted shutdown across several machines, the Smart-UPS SMC and SMT ranges are the right place to look and SourceIT can quote them.

Siting it

This is a tower unit measuring 160 mm high and 120 mm wide, with depth not published by Schneider Electric, weighing 6 kg, and it is rated for 0 to 40 °C. It is designed to stand on or under a desk, on a shelf, or on the floor of a comms cabinet — it is not a rack-mount product and no rail kit is available for it. Leave clear air around the vents; an enclosed cupboard in an un-airconditioned room will shorten the battery's life more than anything else you can do to it.

In the box

UPS unit and user manual.

Easy UPS BVX series — ordering information

The three BVX models differ in more than capacity: the socket mix changes at every step, and only the 700 VA model carries a USB charging port. Check the outlet row in the specification table before ordering.

Replacement battery cartridges

Related equipment

These are standalone tower units, and Schneider Electric lists no rail kit, external battery pack or network management card option for any of them. If your requirement has grown past that — rack mounting, SNMP monitoring, extended runtime, or a pure sine wave output for an active-PFC server power supply — the APC Smart-UPS SMC, SMT and SMX ranges are the step up, and SourceIT stocks them with the same local warranty and GST invoicing.

Schneider Electric product page for the BVX900LI-MS — the official product record. This is the Singapore record.

• APC Easy UPS BVX User Manual, 230 V ASEAN models (Schneider Electric, SPD_BU-UM-990-6292_EN)

Each link above was checked and resolves at the time of writing. Schneider Electric hosts its documents through a redirect service that sometimes serves a different model's file; where that happened during our checks we have linked the document record page instead of the direct PDF, so you always land on the correct document for this product. If you need a copy of the data sheet for a tender submission, email SourceIT and we will send the current revision.

What is the difference between 900 VA and 480 W, and which should I size against?

Size against the watts. VA is apparent power and W is real power; for this class of UPS the watt figure is the honest ceiling on what you can actually run. The BVX900LI-MS is rated 900 VA / 480 W. Add up the wattage on the labels or power supplies of everything you want to protect and keep the total below 480 W with room to spare. A modern desktop and monitor typically draw well under 200 W together, but a laser printer can spike far higher, which is one reason printers should not be on a UPS at all.

How long will it run during a power cut?

It depends entirely on your load, which is why the published points in the Compatibility & Runtime section are given at stated wattages rather than as a single number. Lighter loads run considerably longer than heavy ones. In practice a UPS of this size is bought to ride out the brief dips and momentary cuts that come with thunderstorms on the Singapore grid, and to give you a few minutes to save your work and shut down properly — not to keep working through a long outage.

What do the "LI", "LUI" and "-MS" suffixes mean? Is this a lithium battery?

It is not a lithium battery — that is a common misreading of the part number. All three BVX models use a sealed lead-acid (VRLA) battery, confirmed in Schneider Electric's brochure, data sheets and user manual. The letters denote the build: "LI" is the international IEC build, "LUI" is the same with a USB charging port added, and "-MS" is the ASEAN build with universal sockets. If you specifically want lithium-ion, that is the Smart-UPS Ultra and SRTL ranges, which SourceIT can quote separately.

Is the output a pure sine wave? Will it work with an active-PFC power supply?

No — the BVX900LI-MS produces a stepped approximation to a sine wave on battery, which is what Schneider Electric's documentation states for this model. That is entirely normal for this class of UPS and it is fine for the great majority of desktops, monitors, routers, modems, NAS boxes and point-of-sale terminals. It is worth knowing, though, that some high-efficiency power supplies with active power factor correction — typically in servers and higher-end workstations — can be fussy about a stepped waveform and may shut down or refuse to transfer. If you are protecting a server or an active-PFC workstation, ask SourceIT about the APC Smart-UPS SMC or SMT range, which produces a true sine wave output.

Which replacement battery does it take, and can I change it myself?

Yes. The correct cartridge is the APC RBC17, which SourceIT stocks: APC Replacement Battery Cartridge RBC17. It is user-replaceable, so you do not need a service call — follow the instructions in the user manual, and take the old cartridge to a proper battery recycling point rather than putting it in the bin.

How does this compare with the Easy UPS BVG models?

The BVG range is the current Easy UPS line that SourceIT stocks alongside the BVX. The practical differences are the socket mix and the plug: BVG models arrive with a moulded British three-pin plug and universal sockets throughout, while the BVX models use an IEC C14 inlet and mix universal sockets with an IEC C13. If you are choosing between them today, the BVG is the range with current supply — see BVG1200I-MSX and BVG1600I-MSX for the closest equivalents by capacity. SourceIT is happy to advise on a like-for-like swap.

Is this suitable for a server?

A UPS in this class is designed for desktops, monitors, routers, modems, NAS boxes, point-of-sale terminals and small office equipment. It is not the right protection for a production server: there is no network management card option, no SmartSlot, no extended-runtime battery pack, and the output is a stepped approximation rather than a true sine wave, which some server power supplies will not accept. For a server, a comms cabinet or anything in a rack, ask SourceIT about the APC Smart-UPS SMC, SMT and SMX ranges.

Does it come with a Singapore warranty and a GST invoice?

Yes. Every APC BVX900LI-MS sold by SourceIT comes with local Singapore warranty and a GST invoice; APC backs the BVX900LI-MS with a 2-year manufacturer warranty.