APC RBC55 teardown

What is inside the RBC55?

RBC55 holds four 12 V blocks wired in series rated 17 Ah, giving a 48 V bus. APC titles it "Smart-UPS Line Interactive, 12V 17Ah". We inferred the count from its voltage and size. Both blocks carry the same current and should be replaced together. Check the label on your old blocks before ordering a replacement.

Which UPS models use the RBC55?

Of the 35 models we track, RBC55 fits SMT2200C. That list comes from the manufacturer's pages, and they sometimes disagree with reseller listings. Where a model splits by serial number, its UPS page shows which prefix takes this cartridge, so check your label before you order.

Which bare cells replace the RBC55?

Replace RBC55 with four 12V 18 Ah nut and bolt cells and reuse the factory harness. APC lists two modules at 48 V. The terminal comes from a retailer cross-reference or inference, so check your old cell first. Keep the old harness, because bare cells ship without leads.

Can LiFePO4 replace the RBC55?

We can't recommend LiFePO4 for RBC55. This pack uses nut-and-bolt terminals, and the LiFePO4 pack we checked has F1 tabs. Showing a link would mean guessing about fit. Buy the lead-acid cell or a factory LiFePO4 UPS instead, and see our method page for how we test fit.

How much does the RBC55 cost against bare cells?

RBC55 lists at $805. Four bare cells cost about $241.88 at a non-Amazon single-unit reference price, a saving of roughly 70%. The reference is a CSB block at one store, and it is not an Amazon price. Reusing the harness is what makes this work.

Official RBC55 MSRP: $805. Typical Commodity Bare-Cell Band (Non-Amazon Reference): about $241.88 for 4 x CSB GP12170NB. Reuse your factory wire harness to save about 70% against the OEM cartridge MSRP.