Engineering guide
Galaxy VM alarm messages explained
A Schneider Electric Galaxy VM ranks every alarm at one of three levels. Critical means take immediate action; Warning means the load is still supported but action must be taken; Informational means no immediate action, but the cause should be checked soon. The level shows as a symbol in the top right corner of the display, with the buzzer, and the full list is under Status > Active Alarms. The tables below follow the alarm list in operation manual 990-4758F.
Key facts
- Critical alarm: take immediate action
- Warning alarm: the load remains supported, but action must be taken
- Battery condition is poor: battery capacity lower than 50%; batteries should be replaced
- System locked in bypass operation: toggled between inverter and bypass more than 10 times within 1 minute
Find the alarm and its level
When an alarm is active, a level symbol appears in the top right corner and the buzzer sounds. From the home screen, Status > Active Alarms lists each one; browse with the arrows. Note the display text, the level and the time before anyone acknowledges anything.
Battery alarms
| Message on the display | What the manual says | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Batteries are discharging (Warning) | The load draws more power than the UPS can draw from the input, so it draws from the batteries. | Reduce the load or check the input supply. |
| Battery breaker BB1 open (Warning) | Battery breaker BB1 is open (BB2 alike). | Confirm whether it was opened for work; no backup while it is open. |
| Battery breakers tripped (Informational) | The system tripped the battery breakers to prevent deep discharge. | The manual says to close them manually; have someone trained do it. |
| Battery condition is weak (Warning) | Battery capacity between 50% and 75%. | Plan a battery test and replacement budget. |
| Battery condition is poor (Warning) | Battery capacity lower than 50%; batteries should be replaced. | Plan replacement now. |
| Battery is not working correctly (Critical) | A battery is not working correctly. | Call a technician. |
| High Battery Temperature Level (Warning) | Battery temperature above the alarm setting; heat may shorten battery life. | Check the battery room cooling. |
The two condition alarms are a planning tool: weak means 50% to 75% capacity, poor means under 50%. Matching battery blocks for Galaxy VM cabinets can be lined up before the string reaches poor.
Breaker and operating mode alarms
| Message on the display | What the manual says | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Breaker MBB closed (Warning) | Maintenance bypass breaker closed: the load is on unprotected bypass power. | Confirm maintenance is under way; return to normal when done. |
| Breaker UIB open (Warning) | Unit input breaker open; the UPS cannot run in normal operation. | Confirm why it is open. |
| Breaker UOB open (Warning) | Unit output breaker open; the UPS cannot feed the load. | Confirm why it is open. |
| Breaker SSIB open (Warning) | Static switch input breaker open; static bypass unavailable. | Confirm why it is open. |
| System locked in bypass operation (Critical) | The system toggled between inverter and bypass more than 10 times within 1 minute. | Remove the cause first; the manual's step is the on button to return to normal. |
| UPS operation mode - Forced Static Bypass (Critical) | In bypass after a critical event or an inverter off request. | Call a technician. |
Bypass and input supply alarms
| Message on the display | What the manual says | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Bypass frequency out of tolerance (Warning) | Bypass input frequency out of tolerance. | Check the bypass frequency and its setting. |
| Bypass phase missing (Warning) | Bypass input missing a phase. | Check the bypass input; call a technician. |
| Bypass phase sequence incorrect (Warning) | Phase rotation on the bypass input is incorrect. | Have the wiring checked. |
| Bypass voltage out of tolerance (Warning) | Bypass voltage out of tolerance; the UPS will not go to the requested bypass mode. | Check the bypass supply. |
| Genset is supplying the UPS (Informational) | Input relay indicates a genset is supplying the UPS. | No action; expected during an outage. |
Cooling and environment alarms
| Message on the display | What the manual says | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Ambient temperature high (Warning) | Ambient temperature is high. | Check the room cooling. |
| Air Filter technical check recommended (Warning) | Air filters need a check as preventive maintenance. | Book the filter check with maintenance. |
| Restricted air flow (Critical) | Restricted air flow, possibly a clogged filter or an obstacle. | Clear anything blocking the vents from outside; call a technician. |
| Fan inoperable (Critical) | One or more fans inoperable; fan redundancy lost. | Call a technician. |
| Battery room ventilation inoperable (Warning) | Input relay says the battery room ventilation is not working. | Have the room ventilation checked. |
Parallel system alarms
| Message on the display | What the manual says | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Lost parallel redundancy (Warning) | Load exceeds the limit for the configured N+x redundancy. | Reduce the load on the system. |
| Parallel unit not present (Warning) | The controller cannot reach a parallel UPS; it may be off or a cable damaged. | Check whether a unit was turned off; call a technician. |
Alarms that need a technician
| Message on the display | What the manual says | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Static bypass switch inoperable (Critical) | Static bypass switch inoperable; no static bypass. | Call a technician. |
| Static bypass switch warning (Warning) | Static bypass switch needs a technical check but still works. | Book a technician visit. |
| Surveillance detected fault (Critical) | Surveillance detected a fault. | Call a technician. |
| Self-test - Did not pass (Critical) | Self-test did not complete correctly. | Check the event log and active alarms; call a technician. |
| UPS configuration incorrect (Critical) | The UPS is configured incorrectly. | Call a technician. |
Critical alarms and any static bypass alarm are technician work. Keep the cabinet closed and the load on the path the system chose. Our maintenance crews for Galaxy VM systems review the active alarms and the event log on site before any reset.
Related pages
Common questions
What are the Galaxy VM alarm levels?
Critical, Warning and Informational. Critical needs immediate action; with Warning the load is still supported but action is needed.
Where do I see active alarms on a Galaxy VM?
From the home screen, select Status > Active Alarms and browse with the arrows.
What does Battery condition is poor mean?
Battery capacity is below 50% and the batteries should be replaced.
What does Breaker MBB closed mean?
The maintenance bypass breaker is closed, so the load is fed with unprotected power from the bypass.
Why is my Galaxy VM locked in bypass?
The system toggled between inverter and bypass more than 10 times in one minute. Remove the cause before returning to normal.
Sources, checked October 4, 2026:
- Schneider Electric Galaxy VM UPS Operation, 990-4758F-001 (2/2024), View the Active Alarms, p. 62
- Schneider Electric Galaxy VM UPS Operation, 990-4758F-001 (2/2024), Alarm Levels, p. 62
- Schneider Electric Galaxy VM UPS Operation, 990-4758F-001 (2/2024), Alarm Messages, pp. 62-66, 62-67, 63-64, 63-67, 65-66
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