Building Wiring Fault on APC

[jared_f]

Not exactly Meraki related, but I want to see if anyone has experienced an issue like this before:

I bought an APC to provide surge and battery backup to by lab rack. Lately, I have been getting electric shock anytime I entered the rack. After almost emailing requesting the switch I ordered to be swapped, I did some research and my APC has a red wiring fault indicator illuminated. I have an electrician coming out tomorrow to take a look at this because I don't want any damage to my less than two-month-old equipment. 

Anyone experience something similar? What was the issue?

Thanks!

Jared

[BlakeRichardson]

I had two APC BackUPS 500VA USB units to protect my NAS and router at home. My sparky came around to do some work and touched the Earth/Ground wire at the switch board and got a shock. It turns out they were leaking current for some reason.

Needless to say they ended up in the bin after that!

[jared_f]

@BlakeRichardson I will definitely have that looked at. I am taking everything off the APC now. Even before the APC, I was experiencing a little shock but ignored it as static electricity. Thanks for chiming in. 

[jared_f]

To be honest, the circuit was never built to have the equipment running 24/7 like I do now. I have been putting off having it checked out, but I have a new server on its way so I am getting it checked ASAP.

[BlakeRichardson]

Good call on getting it checked, the last thing you want is a fatal shock. 

[jared_f]

Just took the APC out and plugged it in with just a regular surge protector. When I plugged the APC into new wiring that has been done in the last five years, it is fine and the status indicator is off for the wiring fault. This is an older basement wiring and has not been updated, I am going to have them put in a new, dedicated feed for the rack that is grounded properly. Thanks @BlakeRichardson for your thoughts, I would have never thought it was an APC issue.

[Uberseehandel]

Many years ago I learnt the hard way, not to assume that anything I bought had been cabled properly, prior to being dispatched by the manufacturer. So it put my auto restoration project back a month, but it was a grim moment when the main electrical loom started smoking. At that stage ( I was 20), it never occurred to me that the new loom extension would not have been correctly connected to the associated hardware (otherwise why connect up the pieces).

I particularly check out APCs, they are a trap for the unwary.

[PhilipDAth]

If you have a sparky coming in I would be tempted to ask him to ground your rack (ideally a "technical ground" [which is a ground to earth]).  Then if something bad happens the ground wire instead of your body will close the circuit.

It should be a cheap extra.