APC by Schneider Electric SRT2200XLA 2200VA Online Double-Conversion Tower UPS
Overview
The APC by Schneider Electric SRT2200XLA is a 2200VA / 1800W double-conversion online UPS in a tower form factor designed for critical 120V loads where power quality matters as much as backup runtime. Unlike standby or line-interactive designs that switch to battery only on failure, double-conversion topology regenerates clean AC output continuously — meaning your connected equipment never sees the raw utility waveform, only a regulated 120V pure sine wave at 50/60 Hz. That makes the SRT2200XLA the right call for servers, network equipment, and sensitive electronics that reject square-wave or simulated sine-wave power sources.
The SRT2200XLA ships with seven output receptacles — six NEMA 5-20R and one NEMA L5-20R — covering standard rack PDU loads as well as higher-draw devices wired to twist-lock connectors. Input is NEMA 5-20P on a 6-foot (1.83m) cord, connecting to a standard 20A wall circuit.
Key Features
- Double-Conversion Online Topology: Output power is continuously synthesized from DC bus, not passed through from utility — any sag, surge, or brownout on the incoming line is isolated before it reaches your equipment. Zero transfer time on utility loss because you were never on utility to begin with. Critical for VoIP gateways, NVRs, and access control servers where a 20ms transfer window is still too long.
- 2200VA / 1800W Capacity with <2% THD: Harmonic distortion below 2% means the SRT2200XLA won't inject noise into shared ground planes or cause nuisance tripping on sensitive PSUs. The 0.82 power factor (1800W ÷ 2200VA) is realistic for modern switching power supplies — size your load at 80% of 1800W (roughly 1440W) for safe continuous operation.
- Pure Sine Wave Output, 3:1 Crest Factor: A crest factor of 3:1 handles loads with high peak-to-RMS current draw — active PFC power supplies in rack servers are the typical culprit. Units with crest-factor ratings below 3:1 clip those peaks and cause PSU instability; this one handles them without issue.
- Expandable Runtime via External Battery Packs: The internal 72V / 306 VAh battery pack delivers runtime at partial loads, with up to 10 SRT72BP external packs extending capacity to 6,426 VAh. That matters in deployments where you need 30+ minutes of bridge time — security operations centers, branch IT closets without a generator, or healthcare facilities where shutdown sequencing takes time.
- 3-Hour Recharge, 102W Battery Charger: After a full discharge, the internal 102W charger brings the 306 VAh battery to full charge in approximately 3 hours. Battery life is rated 3–5 years with a single replacement unit (APCRBC141 or SRT72RMBPUS) — plan replacement into your maintenance cycle rather than waiting for an alarm.
- Internal Automatic and Manual Bypass: The integrated bypass lets you service or swap the UPS without dropping connected loads — a critical operational requirement in 24/7 environments. Manual bypass is available for planned maintenance; automatic bypass engages if the inverter faults, keeping power on at the cost of utility-direct (unregulated) output.
- Optional Network Management Card: A single free slot accommodates an APC Network Management Card 2 or 3 (sold separately) for SNMP/web-based monitoring, environmental sensing, and graceful shutdown of connected hosts. Without the card, monitoring is local-only via audible and visible alarms prioritized by severity — adequate for a watched equipment room, insufficient for remote sites.
- IP20 Enclosure, Tower Mounting Only: IP20 means finger-safe terminal protection in a controlled indoor environment. This unit is not rack-mountable — it installs vertically in a tower orientation. If you need a rackmount UPS at this capacity, evaluate a different model in the SRT family. The 55.12 lb (25 kg) unit should be positioned low (mounting preference: lower) and is not a two-post or four-post rail candidate.
- Operating Range: 0–10,000 ft, 0–95% RH Non-Condensing: The altitude ceiling of 10,000 feet covers most high-elevation data center and campus deployments without derating. Storage extends to 50,000 ft for shipping purposes. Keep ambient temperature within 5–113°F (–15–45°C) during storage and within normal data center ranges during operation.
Integration & Compatibility
The SRT2200XLA integrates into managed power infrastructures via the optional network management card slot, enabling SNMP traps, Modbus, and EcoStruxure Power monitoring where your facilities team requires centralized UPS visibility. The seven-outlet configuration supports mixed loads — standard 5-20 computing gear alongside a twist-lock-wired appliance on the L5-20R — without requiring an intermediate PDU for most small server room deployments.
Runtime extension via the SRT72BP external battery pack family is modular: each pack adds 918 VAh, and the architecture supports up to ten packs (6,426 VAh total). Replacement battery logistics are straightforward — the APCRBC141 and SRT72RMBPUS are the documented replacements for the internal module, keeping the unit in service without a full UPS swap at the 3–5 year battery interval.
For environments running structured cabling or access control infrastructure, pairing this UPS with a PoE switch or network video recorder on the protected outlets ensures camera systems and door controllers stay online through utility interruptions — a common requirement in physical security deployments where loss of NVR power means loss of recording continuity.
Consult the UPS selection guide if you need help sizing VA capacity, calculating runtime at a specific load, or determining whether double-conversion is warranted versus a less expensive line-interactive alternative for your application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can the SRT2200XLA be rack-mounted?
A: No. The SRT2200XLA is a tower-only unit — it is not rack-mountable and is not compatible with two-post or four-post rail kits. It installs vertically and is designed for floor or low-shelf placement. If you need rackmount form factor at this capacity, evaluate a different model in the APC Smart-UPS SRT line.
Q: What is the transfer time when utility power fails?
A: Because the SRT2200XLA uses double-conversion online topology, there is effectively zero transfer time. Output is continuously synthesized from the inverter — the unit never switches to battery on failure because it is always running on battery-buffered output. Connected equipment experiences no interruption.
Q: How long will the SRT2200XLA run on battery at full load?
A: Runtime depends on actual load. The internal battery pack provides 306 VAh at 72V. At full 1800W load, runtime will be short — typically a few minutes. At partial loads (50% or less), runtime extends meaningfully. For longer bridge times, add SRT72BP external battery packs: each adds 918 VAh, with up to 10 packs supported (6,426 VAh total).
Q: What replacement battery does the SRT2200XLA use?
A: The documented replacement battery modules are APCRBC141 and SRT72RMBPUS. Battery life is rated 3–5 years under normal operating conditions. Plan proactive replacement rather than waiting for a low-battery alarm during a power event.
Q: Does the SRT2200XLA include a network management card?
A: No — the unit includes one free slot for an optional APC Network Management Card (NMC2 or NMC3), sold separately. Without it, the UPS provides local audible and visible alarms only. The NMC enables SNMP monitoring, web interface access, and graceful shutdown integration with connected servers.
Q: What is the output waveform and why does it matter?
A: The SRT2200XLA outputs a true pure sine wave with less than 2% total harmonic distortion and a 3:1 crest factor. This is required for servers and networking equipment with active PFC power supplies, which can malfunction or trip protection on simulated or stepped sine-wave UPS outputs. If your load includes modern rack servers, this spec is non-negotiable.
The spec I focus on first with the SRT2200XLA is the 3:1 crest factor combined with less than 2% THD on a pure sine wave output — that combination tells you this unit is engineered specifically for loads with active PFC supplies, not just checked as a box on the marketing sheet. I've seen cheaper online UPS units rated at 2:1 crest factor drop voltage under high peak-draw rack servers and trigger PSU protection faults that look like random reboots until you measure the waveform. The SRT2200XLA doesn't have that problem.
Technical Highlights:
- 306 VAh Internal at 72V: The base runtime is modest at full 1800W — plan for partial load operation or add SRT72BP packs. Each external pack adds 918 VAh; ten packs bring you to 6,426 VAh, which is serious bridge time for a generator-start scenario at a branch site running 600–900W of security gear.
- 102W Battery Charger / 3-Hour Recovery: A 3-hour full recharge is competitive for this battery size. In environments with frequent short outages (utility brownout-prone areas), the charger recovers the battery quickly enough to be ready for the next event without a multi-hour vulnerable window.
- Internal Bypass (Auto + Manual): The auto bypass keeps loads live if the inverter fails, falling back to utility-direct. Manual bypass lets you swap the unit or perform maintenance without dropping connected loads — that's the feature that separates serviceable UPS units from ones you have to schedule a downtime window to touch.
Deployment Considerations:
- The free NMC slot is the first thing to fill in any remotely managed deployment. Without it you have local alarms only — no SNMP traps to your NMS, no graceful shutdown of connected hosts, no runtime or load telemetry. Budget the NMC2 or NMC3 alongside this unit if remote visibility is required.
- At 55.12 lb (25 kg) and tower-only, placement planning matters. APC specifies lower/front mounting position — don't stack this unit or place it on an elevated shelf where the weight creates a handling or tip risk. This is not a unit you can easily re-position once wired into a 20A circuit with a twist-lock L5-20R load attached.
The SRT2200XLA is the right fit for a physical security operations closet or small server room running 800–1,200W of continuously critical load — NVR, managed PoE switch, access control server — where double-conversion isolation and expandable runtime to generator start are required, but a full rack UPS is overkill for the load count.
