[GLLUG] Re: apcups

Jeff Lawton jeff@idealso.com
Fri, 15 Mar 2002 10:22:21 -0500


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does the smart ups plug and go?  (is this dumb ups worth the hassle?)
  -----Original Message-----
  From: Server Admin [mailto:admin@sage-one.net]
  Sent: Friday, March 15, 2002 9:56 AM
  To: jeff@idealso.com; linux-user@egr.msu.edu;
freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG
  Subject: RE: [GLLUG] Re: apcups


  Forgot to point out, notice on my UPS output sent earlier, toward the
bottome it shows:
  "FIRMWARE : 600.1.D"

  THAT, indicates that the driver has been installed properly in order to
produce the info. By contrast, here's a dumb ups output which is more like
yours:

  APC : 001,014,0349
  DATE : Thu Mar 14 19:33:50 2002
  HOSTNAME : richardm
  RELEASE : 3.8.5
  UPSNAME : UPS_IDEN
  CABLE : Ethernet Link
  MODEL : (slave)
  UPSMODE : Net Slave
  STARTTIME: Thu Mar 14 15:49:08 2002
  SHARE : NetworkUPS
  MASTERUPD: Fri Mar 15 08:54:57 2002
  LINEFAIL : OK
  BATTSTAT : OK
  STATFLAG : 0x408 Status Flag
  END APC : Fri Mar 15 08:56:10 2002



  At 09:47 AM 3.15.2002 -0500, Jeff Lawton wrote:
  >>>>
  This is from messages

  Jun 17 11:08:28 CRMC apcupsd[295]: apcupsd 3.8.5 (4 January 2002) freebsd
startup succeeded

    -----Original Message-----
    From: linux-user-admin@egr.msu.edu
[mailto:linux-user-admin@egr.msu.edu]On Behalf Of Server Admin
    Sent: Friday, March 15, 2002 8:59 AM
    To: jeff@idealso.com; linux-user@egr.msu.edu;
freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG
    Subject: RE: [GLLUG] Re: apcups

    Well, then you may not be starting it right. You don't need to reboot.
Here are the various commands to manage the daemon and you can watch what
happens:
    # sh /usr/local/etc/rc.d/apcupsd.sh restart
    # sh /usr/local/etc/rc.d/apcupsd.sh stop
    # sh /usr/local/etc/rc.d/apcupsd.sh start
    # sh /usr/local/etc/rc.d/apcupsd.sh status

    For straight start for now, use this:
    # /usr/local/sbin/apcupsd

    BTW, if you don't have the /usr/local/etc/rc.d/apcupsd.sh.sample file
renamed to
    /usr/local/etc/rc.d/apcupsd.sh (and made executable chmod 0755), it will
not start the daemon on any reboot.

    If you do not see the "events" log, then it's never started. Instead,
look at this log:
    #tail -f /var/log/messages

    I noticed on your next post, you ask if there is a better port... this
one works fine. You are trying to get a dumb UPS to "talk". In fact, if you
have a Windoze machine, install Power Chute or Power Alert (or whichever
software came with it). You'll have the same results. It will not load a
driver because the com port will NOT detect any new hardware.

    We've gone through this frustration, even put a Spectrum Analyzer on the
UPS to see what the pins were putting out. Some pins indicated were just a
tiny bit of "noise" and nothing intellegent enough.

    If you want to try other ports anyway, the next best (probably
comparable) is NUT.....

    Methinks it is the hardeware, NOT the software!

    Also, you need to designate the device I gave you in the config file....

    At 07:48 AM 3.15.2002 -0500, Jeff Lawton wrote:
    >>>>
    I do not have a file /var/log/apcupsd.events. the shell script runs at
boot with no screen messages. yes the the cable is the # on the cable. you
are correct about the apcupsd not starting in smart mode without a
connection. The docs said that if a connection is lost with a dumb ups
apcupsd would not know. I also tryed apctest and it does not tell me
anything. is there any way I can check the serial port from the comand
prompt?

      -----Original Message-----
      From: Server Admin [mailto:admin@sage-one.net]
      Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2002 10:52 PM
      To: jeff@idealso.com; linux-user@egr.msu.edu;
freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG
      Subject: RE: [GLLUG] Re: apcups

      Jeff: No, sio0 is not the device. You should be using this:
      "DEVICE /dev/ttyd0" # For com 1
      Then make sure you have the right cable number which is found on the
flat side of the connector. I gather that is where you got the number used.
Otherwise your configuration looks correct.

      When starting the daemon, look at #tail -f /var/log/apcupsd.events and
see what is happening. If it shows no errors and that "startup succeeded"
then you have the right device assigned. It will not start with the wrong
com port device and show an error in the log.

      I'm afraid with a "dumb UPS" you are not going to see much more....
maybe some one else has some tricks I don't know about... I'd like to learn
about them too because I have several "dummies" here.

      I've overcome the problem as said before by using a APC smartups as a
master on one machine and the dummies as "slaves" on the other machines. The
master can signal the other machines on the network to shut down after a
designated amount of time (well within the limits of the battery of course).
Thus, the dummies (through the apcupsd daemons on them) do what they are
told to do by the master. You can set the timeouts on each machine.

      At 10:29 PM 3.14.2002 -0500, Jeff Lawton wrote:
      >>>>
      Yes i looked throught the apcupsd site and most of the documentation
is about smart ups and the backups is a dumb one. I checked the bios and
everything there is fine. can i access sio0 directly or will that not work?

        -----Original Message-----
        From: Server Admin [mailto:admin@sage-one.net]
        Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2002 6:42 PM
        To: jeff@idealso.com; linux-user@egr.msu.edu;
freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG
        Subject: RE: [GLLUG] Re: apcups

        Jeff: First, have you visited the very thorough website at:
        http://www.apcupsd.org/

        It has almost everything you want to know.

        BUT, I have tried many different types of UPSes and I could only get
the APC Smart-UPS models to actually "talk" to the system and give out data
about the battery. If you have the Backups, I think it is among the "dumb
UPSes" that are described in the documentation and very limited on the cable
signals. If you pull off the cable, you *may* be told it sensed a break, but
as far as any useful data...???

        Again, I will never buy anything BUT an APC Smart-UPS.... if I want
to communicate with it. The so-called "dumb UPSes" are okay IF you have a
smart-ups running on the network to monitor things and tell the ones without
ability to shut down. At least the dumb ones will sense a power outage and
run the machines long enough to save files and shut down.... I may be wrong
about your model, but don't think so....

        At 05:55 PM 3.14.2002 -0500, Jeff Lawton wrote:
        >>>>
        I am using apcupsd from the ports collection on comm 1 and with
APC,s serial cable 940-0020C that came with the unit and freebsd 4.5. I have
tried both cuaa0 and ttyd0 without success. the ups is feeding a lightbulb
and when I unplug the ups I get no messages, any ideals?

        Here is a copy of the conf file.am I missing something ?

        ## apcupsd.conf v1.1 ##
        UPSCABLE 940-0020C
        UPSTYPE backups
        DEVICE /dev/ttyd0
        LOCKFILE /var/apcups/lock
        UPSCLASS standalone
        UPSMODE disable
        ANNOY 10
        ANNOYDELAY 20

          -----Original Message-----
          From: linux-user-admin@egr.msu.edu
[mailto:linux-user-admin@egr.msu.edu]On Behalf Of Server Admin
          Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2002 4:28 PM
          To: jeff@idealso.com; linux-user@egr.msu.edu;
freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG
          Subject: [GLLUG] Re: apcups

          Try /dev/ttyd0

          At 03:55 PM 3.14.2002 -0500, Jeff Lawton wrote:
          >>>>


          I am setting up a APC backups 650 on a freebsd box. It does not
seem to be communicating. Is there a different device I should be using
other than cuaa0?



          Jeff Lawton







          <<<<





          .... our website: http://www.sage-one.net/

          Best regards,

          Jack L. Stone
          Server Admin _______________________________________________
linux-user mailing list linux-user@egr.msu.edu
http://www.egr.msu.edu/mailman/listinfo/linux-user


          <<<<





          .... our website: http://www.sage-one.net/

          Best regards,

          Jack L. Stone
          Server Admin


          <<<<





          .... our website: http://www.sage-one.net/

          Best regards,

          Jack L. Stone
          Server Admin


          <<<<





          .... our website: http://www.sage-one.net/

          Best regards,

          Jack L. Stone
          Server Admin _______________________________________________
linux-user mailing list linux-user@egr.msu.edu
http://www.egr.msu.edu/mailman/listinfo/linux-user


  <<<<





  .... our website: http://www.sage-one.net/

  Best regards,

  Jack L. Stone
  Server Admin

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<DIV><SPAN class=3D120082015-15032002><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>does=20
the smart ups plug and go?&nbsp;&nbsp;(is this dumb ups worth the=20
hassle?)</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
  <DIV class=3DOutlookMessageHeader dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><FONT =
face=3DTahoma=20
  size=3D2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Server Admin=20
  [mailto:admin@sage-one.net]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Friday, March 15, 2002 =
9:56=20
  AM<BR><B>To:</B> jeff@idealso.com; linux-user@egr.msu.edu;=20
  freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE: [GLLUG] Re:=20
  apcups<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>Forgot to point out, notice on my UPS =
output sent=20
  earlier, toward the bottome it shows:<BR>"FIRMWARE : =
600.1.D"<BR><BR>THAT,=20
  indicates that the driver has been installed properly in order to =
produce the=20
  info. By contrast, here's a dumb ups output which is more like=20
  yours:<BR><BR>APC : 001,014,0349<BR>DATE : Thu Mar 14 19:33:50=20
  2002<BR>HOSTNAME : richardm<BR>RELEASE : 3.8.5<BR>UPSNAME : =
UPS_IDEN<BR>CABLE=20
  : Ethernet Link<BR>MODEL : (slave)<BR>UPSMODE : Net =
Slave<BR>STARTTIME: Thu=20
  Mar 14 15:49:08 2002<BR>SHARE : NetworkUPS<BR>MASTERUPD: Fri Mar 15 =
08:54:57=20
  2002<BR>LINEFAIL : OK<BR>BATTSTAT : OK<BR>STATFLAG : 0x408 Status =
Flag<BR>END=20
  APC : Fri Mar 15 08:56:10 2002<BR><BR><BR><BR>At 09:47 AM 3.15.2002 =
-0500,=20
  Jeff Lawton wrote: <BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;<BR><?fontfamily><?param =
Arial><?color><?param 0000,0000,ffff><?smaller>This=20
  is from =
messages<BR><?/smaller><?/color><?/fontfamily><BR><?fontfamily><?param =
Arial><?color><?param 0000,0000,ffff><?smaller>Jun=20
  17 11:08:28 CRMC apcupsd[295]: apcupsd 3.8.5 (4 January 2002) freebsd =
startup=20
  succeeded<BR><?/smaller><?/color><?/fontfamily>
  <BLOCKQUOTE><?fontfamily><?param Tahoma><?smaller>-----Original=20
    Message-----<BR><?/smaller><?/fontfamily><B>From:</B>=20
    linux-user-admin@egr.msu.edu =
[mailto:linux-user-admin@egr.msu.edu]<B>On=20
    Behalf Of </B>Server Admin<BR><B>Sent:</B> Friday, March 15, 2002 =
8:59=20
    AM<BR><B>To:</B> jeff@idealso.com; linux-user@egr.msu.edu;=20
    freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE: [GLLUG] Re:=20
    apcups<BR><BR>Well, then you may not be starting it right. You don't =
need to=20
    reboot. Here are the various commands to manage the daemon and you =
can watch=20
    what happens:<BR># sh /usr/local/etc/rc.d/apcupsd.sh restart<BR># sh =

    /usr/local/etc/rc.d/apcupsd.sh stop<BR># sh =
/usr/local/etc/rc.d/apcupsd.sh=20
    start<BR># sh /usr/local/etc/rc.d/apcupsd.sh status<BR><BR>For =
straight=20
    start for now, use this:<BR># /usr/local/sbin/apcupsd<BR><BR>BTW, if =
you=20
    don't have the /usr/local/etc/rc.d/apcupsd.sh.sample file renamed=20
    to<BR>/usr/local/etc/rc.d/apcupsd.sh (and made executable chmod =
0755), it=20
    will not start the daemon on any reboot.<BR><BR>If you do not see =
the=20
    "events" log, then it's never started. Instead, look at this =
log:<BR>#tail=20
    -f /var/log/messages<BR><BR>I noticed on your next post, you ask if =
there is=20
    a better port... this one works fine. You are trying to get a dumb =
UPS to=20
    "talk". In fact, if you have a Windoze machine, install Power Chute =
or Power=20
    Alert (or whichever software came with it). You'll have the same =
results. It=20
    will not load a driver because the com port will NOT detect any new=20
    hardware.<BR><BR>We've gone through this frustration, even put a =
Spectrum=20
    Analyzer on the UPS to see what the pins were putting out. Some pins =

    indicated were just a tiny bit of "noise" and nothing intellegent=20
    enough.<BR><BR>If you want to try other ports anyway, the next best=20
    (probably comparable) is NUT.....<BR><BR>Methinks it is the =
hardeware, NOT=20
    the software!<BR><BR>Also, you need to designate the device I gave =
you in=20
    the config file....<BR><BR>At 07:48 AM 3.15.2002 -0500, Jeff Lawton =
wrote:=20
    <BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;<BR>I do not have a file =
/var/log/apcupsd.events. the=20
    shell script runs at boot with no screen messages. yes the the cable =
is the=20
    # on the cable. you are correct about the apcupsd not starting in =
smart mode=20
    without a connection. The docs said that if a connection is lost =
with a dumb=20
    ups apcupsd would not know. I also tryed apctest and it does not =
tell me=20
    anything. is there any way I can check the serial port from the =
comand=20
    prompt?<BR>
    <BLOCKQUOTE>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Server Admin=20
      [mailto:admin@sage-one.net]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, March 14, =
2002 10:52=20
      PM<BR><B>To:</B> jeff@idealso.com; linux-user@egr.msu.edu;=20
      freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE: [GLLUG] Re:=20
      apcups<BR><BR>Jeff: No, sio0 is not the device. You should be =
using=20
      this:<BR>"DEVICE /dev/ttyd0" # For com 1<BR>Then make sure you =
have the=20
      right cable number which is found on the flat side of the =
connector. I=20
      gather that is where you got the number used. Otherwise your =
configuration=20
      looks correct.<BR><BR>When starting the daemon, look at #tail -f=20
      /var/log/apcupsd.events and see what is happening. If it shows no =
errors=20
      and that "startup succeeded" then you have the right device =
assigned. It=20
      will not start with the wrong com port device and show an error in =
the=20
      log.<BR><BR>I'm afraid with a "dumb UPS" you are not going to see =
much=20
      more.... maybe some one else has some tricks I don't know about... =
I'd=20
      like to learn about them too because I have several "dummies"=20
      here.<BR><BR>I've overcome the problem as said before by using a =
APC=20
      smartups as a master on one machine and the dummies as "slaves" on =
the=20
      other machines. The master can signal the other machines on the =
network to=20
      shut down after a designated amount of time (well within the =
limits of the=20
      battery of course). Thus, the dummies (through the apcupsd daemons =
on=20
      them) do what they are told to do by the master. You can set the =
timeouts=20
      on each machine.<BR><BR>At 10:29 PM 3.14.2002 -0500, Jeff Lawton =
wrote:=20
      <BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;<BR>Yes i looked throught the apcupsd site and =
most of=20
      the documentation is about smart ups and the backups is a dumb =
one. I=20
      checked the bios and everything there is fine. can i access sio0 =
directly=20
      or will that not work?<BR>
      <BLOCKQUOTE>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Server =
Admin=20
        [mailto:admin@sage-one.net]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, March 14, =
2002=20
        6:42 PM<BR><B>To:</B> jeff@idealso.com; linux-user@egr.msu.edu;=20
        freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE: [GLLUG] Re: =

        apcups<BR><BR>Jeff: First, have you visited the very thorough =
website=20
        at:<BR>http://www.apcupsd.org/<BR><BR>It has almost everything =
you want=20
        to know.<BR><BR>BUT, I have tried many different types of UPSes =
and I=20
        could only get the APC Smart-UPS models to actually "talk" to =
the system=20
        and give out data about the battery. If you have the Backups, I =
think it=20
        is among the "dumb UPSes" that are described in the =
documentation and=20
        very limited on the cable signals. If you pull off the cable, =
you *may*=20
        be told it sensed a break, but as far as any useful=20
        data...???<BR><BR>Again, I will never buy anything BUT an APC=20
        Smart-UPS.... if I want to communicate with it. The so-called =
"dumb=20
        UPSes" are okay IF you have a smart-ups running on the network =
to=20
        monitor things and tell the ones without ability to shut down. =
At least=20
        the dumb ones will sense a power outage and run the machines =
long enough=20
        to save files and shut down.... I may be wrong about your model, =
but=20
        don't think so....<BR><BR>At 05:55 PM 3.14.2002 -0500, Jeff =
Lawton=20
        wrote: <BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;<BR>I am using apcupsd from the ports =

        collection on comm 1 and with APC,s serial cable 940-0020C that =
came=20
        with the unit and freebsd 4.5. I have tried both cuaa0 and ttyd0 =
without=20
        success. the ups is feeding a lightbulb and when I unplug the =
ups I get=20
        no messages, any ideals?<BR><BR>Here is a copy of the conf =
file.am I=20
        missing something ? <BR><BR>## apcupsd.conf v1.1 ##<BR>UPSCABLE=20
        940-0020C<BR>UPSTYPE backups<BR>DEVICE /dev/ttyd0<BR>LOCKFILE=20
        /var/apcups/lock<BR>UPSCLASS standalone<BR>UPSMODE =
disable<BR>ANNOY=20
        10<BR>ANNOYDELAY 20<BR>
        <BLOCKQUOTE>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>=20
          linux-user-admin@egr.msu.edu=20
          [mailto:linux-user-admin@egr.msu.edu]<B>On Behalf Of =
</B>Server=20
          Admin<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, March 14, 2002 4:28 =
PM<BR><B>To:</B>=20
          jeff@idealso.com; linux-user@egr.msu.edu;=20
          freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG<BR><B>Subject:</B> [GLLUG] Re:=20
          apcups<BR><BR>Try /dev/ttyd0<BR><BR>At 03:55 PM 3.14.2002 =
-0500, Jeff=20
          Lawton wrote: <BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;<BR><BR><BR>I am setting up =
a APC=20
          backups 650 on a freebsd box. It does not seem to be =
communicating. Is=20
          there a different device I should be using other than=20
          cuaa0?<BR><BR><BR><BR>Jeff=20
          =
Lawton<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR=
><BR>....=20
          our website: http://www.sage-one.net/<BR><BR>Best =
regards,<BR><BR>Jack=20
          L. Stone<BR>Server Admin=20
          _______________________________________________ linux-user =
mailing=20
          list linux-user@egr.msu.edu=20
          http://www.egr.msu.edu/mailman/listinfo/linux-user=20
          <BR><BR><BR>&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>.... our =
website:=20
          http://www.sage-one.net/<BR><BR>Best regards,<BR><BR>Jack L.=20
          Stone<BR>Server Admin=20
          <BR><BR><BR>&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>.... our =
website:=20
          http://www.sage-one.net/<BR><BR>Best regards,<BR><BR>Jack L.=20
          Stone<BR>Server Admin=20
          <BR><BR><BR>&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>.... our =
website:=20
          http://www.sage-one.net/<BR><BR>Best regards,<BR><BR>Jack L.=20
          Stone<BR>Server Admin =
_______________________________________________=20
          linux-user mailing list linux-user@egr.msu.edu=20
          http://www.egr.msu.edu/mailman/listinfo/linux-user=20
      =
<BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>&lt;&lt;&lt;&=
lt;<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>....=20
  our website: http://www.sage-one.net/<BR><BR>Best regards,<BR><BR>Jack =
L.=20
  Stone<BR>Server Admin </BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

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