APC Replacement Battery Cartridge #88
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
APC Replacement Battery Cartridge #88 (APCRBC88) - 2 Years Local Warranty
Genuine APC Cartridge for the 1U Rackmount Smart-UPS
The APCRBC88 is the factory replacement battery tray for APC's 1U rackmount Smart-UPS line, the 1500 VA unit that fits a single rack unit where a 2U UPS will not. Schneider Electric's data sheet for the 230 V SMT1500RMI1U names the APCRBC88 as its replacement battery, one per unit. Buying the genuine cartridge matters more on a 1U chassis than almost anywhere else: the tray geometry, the retention hardware and the connector position are all specific, and a generic pack that is a few millimetres out simply will not seat and secure.
Built for a Singapore Rack Room
Singapore runs a 230 V / 50 Hz supply that is among the most reliable in the region, but the PUB grid still sees voltage dips during the monsoon storm season, and year-round humidity of 80% and above is hard on sealed lead-acid chemistry. A UPS battery in a Singapore comms cabinet or server room commonly reaches the end of its useful life sooner than the same battery would in a temperate climate, which is why a scheduled cartridge replacement matters more here than the calendar alone suggests.
A 1U Smart-UPS usually lives in a shallow comms cabinet or at the top of a shared rack, which is the warmest air in the room. That position is the single biggest influence on how long the cartridge lasts, and it is the reason a 1U UPS in Singapore is often on a shorter battery cycle than the same model in a temperate data hall.
What We Publish, and What We Have Deliberately Left Out
Schneider's own marketing metadata for this part reads "6V 5.6AH" while its data sheet gives a net weight of 10.45 kg. A 6 V 5.6 Ah battery block weighs around a kilogram, so the published figure describes one block inside the tray and not the tray itself. We can show that the marketed figure is not the cartridge rating, but no Schneider document states what the cartridge rating actually is, so we publish neither. Every other figure on this page comes from a Schneider Electric product data sheet or product page.
A Cartridge Change, Not a UPS Replacement
Replacing the cartridge restores the rated runtime of a UPS that is otherwise perfectly serviceable, at a fraction of the cost and disruption of swapping the unit. The APCRBC88 arrives assembled with its connectors fitted, so the exchange is a slide-out, slide-in job. Supplied on a GST invoice with local Singapore warranty.
APCRBC88 Datasheet — Technical Specifications
General
| Product Type | APC Replacement Battery Cartridge (RBC) |
| Part Number (SKU) | APCRBC88 |
| APC Product Name | APC Replacement Battery Cartridge #88 with 2 Year Warranty |
| Brand | APC by Schneider Electric |
| Manufacturer Warranty | 2-Year Manufacturer Warranty (APC by Schneider Electric) |
| Warranty Coverage | Local Warranty (Singapore) |
| Product Code (as published by APC) | 731304300038 |
| Total Lifecycle Carbon Footprint | 72 kg CO2 equivalent (total lifecycle, as published by Schneider Electric) |
Battery Specifications
| Battery Chemistry | Lead-acid battery (as stated by Schneider Electric) |
| Nominal Voltage | Not published by Schneider Electric at cartridge level — see the note below |
| Capacity (Ah) | Not published at cartridge level — the 5.6 Ah figure on Schneider's product page is a per-block rating |
| Battery Blocks per String | Not published |
| Expected Service Life | Not published for this cartridge |
| Replacement Quantity per UPS | 1 cartridge (per the SMT1500RM1U/SMT1500RMI1U data sheet) |
Physical
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 38 x 207 x 480 mm |
| Package Dimensions (H x W x L) | 181 x 327 x 603 mm |
| Net Weight | 10.45 kg |
| Shipping Weight | 11.82 kg |
| Mounting | Not rack-mountable (the cartridge seats inside the UPS chassis) |
Environmental & Compliance
| Operating Temperature | 0 to 40 °C |
| Storage Temperature | 0 to 40 °C (unusually narrow for an APC cartridge — as printed) |
| Operating & Storage Humidity | 0 to 95% |
| Operating Altitude | 0 to 10,000 ft |
| Storage Altitude | 0 to 3,048 m |
| RoHS | Pro-active compliance (product out of EU RoHS legal scope), as stated by Schneider Electric |
| REACh | REACh Declaration available from Schneider Electric |
| Recycled Plastic Content | 15% minimum |
Compatibility & Runtime
Which UPS the APCRBC88 fits.
- SMT1500RMI1U — APC Smart-UPS 1500 VA LCD RM 1U 230 V, the model we stock. Schneider Electric's product data sheet for this UPS names APCRBC88 as its replacement battery, quantity 1.
- SMT1500RM1U and SMT1500RM1UC — the 120 V North American equivalents. Schneider's own marketplace listing for the SmartConnect SMT1500RM1UC names APCRBC88 directly. These are not sold in Singapore but are listed here because installed-base equipment does travel.
How firmly we can stand behind the 230 V pairing. The Schneider product data sheet that names APCRBC88 against the 230 V SMT1500RMI1U is a genuine Schneider document with the model printed in its body, but we hold it from a distributor mirror rather than directly from se.com, where the 1U data sheet is not currently exposed. It is good enough to order against with confidence. If the cartridge is going onto a service contract or into a tender response, ask us and we will get the pairing confirmed in writing by the distributor first.
What we will not tell you. Schneider's compatibility widget on the APCRBC88 product page renders a count of matching products but never the model numbers themselves, and there is no published machine-readable cartridge-to-UPS list. Any longer compatibility list you find elsewhere for this part traces back to a single syndicated reseller feed, not to Schneider. We have listed only what Schneider's own documents name.
Can I change it myself? The APCRBC88 ships fully assembled with its connectors fitted, so the physical exchange is a slide-out, slide-in operation and no tools are needed. Schneider Electric does not publish a statement for this part about whether it may be changed while the equipment is energised, so we do not make that claim. The installation guide packed in the box is the authority on whether the unit must be shut down first — read it before you start, and if you would rather not do it yourself we can arrange for it to be done.
Package Contents & Smart-UPS 1U Cartridge Ordering Information
In the box
- One replacement battery cartridge, fully assembled with its battery blocks and internal links fitted
- Battery connectors pre-fitted and ready to mate with the UPS harness
- APC installation instructions and battery recycling information
The UPS this cartridge serves, in the SourceIT catalogue
| SMT1500RMI1U | Smart-UPS 1500 VA LCD RM 1U 230 V — takes one APCRBC88 |
Neighbouring Smart-UPS cartridges we stock
| APCRBC88 (this listing) | Cartridge for the 1U 1500 VA Smart-UPS |
| APCRBC132 | Cartridge for the 2U SMT1000RMI2U |
| APCRBC133 | Cartridge for the 2U SMT1500RMI2U |
| APCRBC157 | Cartridge for the 2U SmartConnect SMT1000RMI2UC |
| APCRBC159 | Cartridge for the 2U SmartConnect SMT1500RMI2UC |
A word on weight. APC replacement battery cartridges range from about 2.5 kg for a single-block Back-UPS part to over 30 kg for a large Smart-UPS On-Line tray. The net weight in the specification table above is the figure to use when you plan handling, lift assistance and courier booking. A great many published weights for these parts, in reseller catalogues and in APC's own syndicated feed data, are badly out and usually far too low. Treat a weight you find elsewhere with suspicion, and if you need a certified figure for freight or for a lifting assessment, ask us.
Datasheet & Downloads
Official Schneider Electric references for the APCRBC88. Every link below was checked and resolves at the time of publication.
- Schneider Electric product page — APCRBC88
- Installation Guide APCRBC88 (Schneider Electric, Singapore region)
- APC Replacement Battery Cartridge (RBC) Manual — covers many Back-UPS and Smart-UPS cartridges
- APC UPS Replacement Battery Cartridge Selector Tool (Schneider Electric)
- APCRBC and SYBT Lead-Acid Battery Safety Data Sheet
Why there are no direct PDF links here. Schneider Electric's public download host redirects between domains and has repeatedly returned a different cartridge's document than the one requested. Rather than publish a link that may hand you the wrong specification, we link the Schneider landing pages above, which are stable and always resolve to the correct document. If you need the PDF itself for a tender, a service contract or an audit file, email sales@sourceit.com.sg and we will send the current revision for your exact part number.
Frequently Asked Questions — APCRBC88
How do I know this is the right cartridge for my UPS?
Match the part number, not the shape. Several APC cartridges share an identical tray and identical external dimensions while carrying different cells, different voltages and different retention hardware, so measuring the old one tells you very little. Open the UPS battery compartment and read the label on the cartridge you are removing, or check your UPS model's documentation for the APC replacement battery part number it names. If the part number on your old cartridge reads APCRBC88, this is the one. If you are unsure, send us your UPS model and serial number and we will confirm it in writing before you order.
Why does this page not state a voltage when Schneider's website does?
Because the figure Schneider publishes cannot be the cartridge's. Its product page reads "6V 5.6AH" while its data sheet gives a net weight of 10.45 kg — roughly ten times what a single 6 V 5.6 Ah block weighs. The marketed figure describes one block inside the tray. Schneider does not publish a cartridge-level voltage for this part anywhere we can find, so we leave the field blank rather than print something misleading. Ordering is by part number and is unaffected.
My UPS is a 2U Smart-UPS, not a 1U. Is this still the right cartridge?
No. The 1U and 2U Smart-UPS chassis take completely different trays. The 2U SMT1000RMI2U takes APCRBC132 and the 2U SMT1500RMI2U takes APCRBC133. The SmartConnect builds of those two units differ again. Read the label on the cartridge you are removing before ordering.
How long will the new cartridge last?
APC does not publish a service-life figure for every cartridge, and where it does the figure is a range rather than a promise, because sealed lead-acid life is driven by ambient temperature and by how often the battery is actually discharged. As a working rule for Singapore, a cartridge in an air-conditioned server room will outlast one in a warm riser or an unconditioned comms cabinet, and every sustained rise in operating temperature shortens the life meaningfully. Plan a replacement cycle rather than waiting for the UPS to report a failed battery during an outage.
How heavy is it, and can one person handle it?
Net weight is 10.45 kg and the tray is 480 mm deep. That is a comfortable one-person lift on a bench but an awkward one at rack height, particularly from a 1U slot where you are working at arms' length. Have a second pair of hands or a shelf to rest it on.
What do I do with the old cartridge?
Sealed lead-acid batteries must not go into general waste in Singapore. The cartridge is recyclable through the licensed waste-handling channels, and the box your replacement arrives in is designed to take the exhausted unit back out. Tell us when you order and we can arrange collection of the old cartridge with the delivery of the new one.
Does it come with a Singapore warranty and a GST invoice?
Yes. Every APCRBC88 cartridge sold by SourceIT comes with local Singapore warranty and a GST invoice; APC backs the APCRBC88 with a 2-year manufacturer warranty.
