Proper UPS management
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Hi, we're trying to get the perfect routine here to reduce outage time.
-Our UPS is a APC Backups Pro 1500
-We have installed Apcupsd on pfsense. (I don't like their interface but the NUT did not seem to detect our UPS. Weirdly)Any way... to our issue...
Here are our objectives if there is an power outage:- the computer sends an email to the admin mentioning the computer is now on battery mode (that works now).
- the computer stays on until {threshold} minutes remain. (that works now)
- Below the threshold:
** The computer must send an email to the admin to alert it's shutting down.
** The computer needs a FULL SHUT DOWN and stop drawing electricity from the UPS. (Now the computer just halts and still drains the battery)
When the electricity comes back
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The computer remains off.
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The UPS fills up.
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When it reaches the threshold, it sends a signal to the BIOS of the computer for it to do a full startup.
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It sends an email to the admin to alert that it is restarted and back online.
Is this just a dream or we can achieve this?
The first problem we're encountering: The computer Halts, it does not shut down. Which means that all services are off, but it still runs and draws power from the UPS. This slows the recovery and I feel that eventually it will crash when UPS reaches real zero.
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@wastapi Do you have "Shutdown Behavior" set to Halt or Power Off? What hardware...some Netgate of the smaller devices can't power off on command.
If general notifications are enabled (System/Advanced) pfSense will email when it boots up.
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Thanks! @steveits
It is installed on an eMachine PC / AMD Athlon(tm) Dual Core Processor 4050e
Yes, you're right I was set to Halt in apcupsd! Good catch. I have now set it to Power Off.But how will the PC start again if it is OFF? I need to set something in the Bios?
Is there a good way to test this other than pulling the plug?
Will it send all the notifications I have mentioned in my procedure above?Thanks!
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"But how will the PC start again if it is OFF? I need to set something in the Bios?" Yes you do.
"Is there a good way to test this other than pulling the plug?" Pulling the plug is the sure test.
Ted
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@wastapi said in Proper UPS management:
PC start again if it is OFF
If it's a PC, most have a BIOS setting for power loss of on/off/last state (whatever it was when power was lost).
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But I don't want the PC to reboot right when the power comes up. I need the battery to charge a bit don't I ?
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Maybe, if you are working with the assumption the power may not be stable after an outage you want enough charge to shutdown again. 1 way is to make sure you shutdown the first time with enough battery to start and stop again. Automated and without a generator there are limited scenarios you can successfully code for.
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@wastapi said in Proper UPS management:
When it reaches the threshold, it sends a signal to the BIOS of the computer for it to do a full startup.
Not sure how you expect to achieve that. Wake on Serial? Wake on USB? I've never tried anything like that but you'd need support for it in both the UPS and the BIOS. Nothing (we can influence) is running at that point so it can't be coded.
Steve
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@wastapi said in Proper UPS management:
I don't want the PC to reboot right when the power comes up. I need the battery to charge a bit don't I ?
The Windows APC software has a setting for, basically, "don't turn on until the battery is at _% charge" but I don't see that in this package.
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Ok... so though the Bios. But then:
The UPS will send a signal on USB for the computer to shut down.
The computer will shut down
But since this is a UPS, there will STILL be power delivered to the electric outlet.
Hence the BIOS will detect power and start again right away?!
How will the computer detect the power is back if indeed it still receives power from the battery the whole time? -
@wastapi The assumption is, I think, that at 5% battery it's unlikely wall power will return in the next few minutes. So there is a window there. When the UPS does shut off power it's like unplugging the cord to the PC. When power is restored it will provide power again. To the PC it looks like the power cord was reconnected.
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Ah, yes the UPS can simply not supply power again until it has charged to some specified level. Assuming it can be set for that.
