NUT package (2.8.0 and below)

rdborg

@dennypage that worked thanks bow one more question.. is there a way that the nut on pfsense acts as a sever for my other server in any way please?

dennypage

@rdborg See post #2 in this thread.

kevindd992002

My APC UPS just recovered from a shutdown state (black out) and now I see this:

I don't get it. Why is it considering it as Low Battery when the battery charge is clearly 100%?

Gertjan

I'll give you a hint :

If that is the battery initial usage date, consider it dead.

As you might know : the UPS can't really 'ask' to the batteries : "what is your installation date". It's up to you to set this date when you change the battery.

You should also start a manual self-test.

I advise you to install the software from APC on some PC, which gives you more control over the UPS during test phase.

kevindd992002

@Gertjan said in NUT package:

I'll give you a hint :

If that is the battery initial usage date, consider it dead.

As you might know : the UPS can't really 'ask' to the batteries : "what is your installation date". It's up to you to set this date when you change the battery.

You should also start a manual self-test.

I advise you to install the software from APC on some PC, which gives you more control over the UPS during test phase.

That parameter's known to be an inaccurate parameter. I've asked that question here the first time I've used NUT. Look at the mft date, it's 2016. Can't go backwards in time :) Here's a newer and totally different unit (but is the same model):

See how they have the same battery.date? That's simply close to impossible.

Can't you do a manual self-test from NUT itself? Also, AFAIK the unit does a self-test everytime it powers on itself from a shutdown state.

dennypage

@kevindd992002 Slightly concerning is that it does not show any self test result...

Batteries are generally rated for 3 years, so you may want to have a look at your battery health. You can initiate a battery test via nut, but you will have to use the command line. Log into the system and use

upscmd -l ups

to see what commands are available. Look for commands that begin "test.battery..." Start with a quick test if available, then proceed to a deep test.

WARNING if the battery is defective, running these tests can cause the ups to cut power to the load (your pfSense box). Use at your own risk!

kevindd992002

@dennypage said in NUT package:

@kevindd992002 Slightly concerning is that it does not show any self test result...

I would understand if this happens to my older battery but why doesn't it also show a self-test result in the newer (2018) unit? Are you looking at the "Last test result" field?

Batteries are generally rated for 3 years, so you may want to have a look at your battery health. You can initiate a battery test via nut, but you will have to use the command line. Log into the system and use
upscmd -l ups
to see what commands are available. Look for commands that begin "test.battery..." Start with a quick test if available, then proceed to a deep test.

WARNING if the battery is defective, running these tests can cause the ups to cut power to the load (your pfSense box). Use at your own risk!

I have no problems using the CLI as I have a Linux box myself. I'll have a check on the available battery test commands and post back.

kevindd992002

@dennypage

Just following up on my question above.

Also, I'm getting this on my other pfsense box:

upsmon parent process died - shutdown impossible

But when I check the NUT (UPS monitoring daemon) service, it is up and running. If you restart pfsense, is this message normal and will it be sent by pfsense as soon as it boots up?

dennypage

@kevindd992002 said in NUT package:

@dennypage
Also, I'm getting this on my other pfsense box:

upsmon parent process died - shutdown impossible

But when I check the NUT (UPS monitoring daemon) service, it is up and running. If you restart pfsense, is this message normal and will it be sent by pfsense as soon as it boots up?

Yes, this is a problem. Please post your UPS config for that pfSense box.

kevindd992002

@dennypage said in NUT package:

@kevindd992002 said in NUT package:

@dennypage
Also, I'm getting this on my other pfsense box:

upsmon parent process died - shutdown impossible

But when I check the NUT (UPS monitoring daemon) service, it is up and running. If you restart pfsense, is this message normal and will it be sent by pfsense as soon as it boots up?

Yes, this is a problem. Please post your UPS config for that pfSense box.

Here you go:

The password was deleted for security purposes.

Do you know why both of my pfsense boxes have a "no test initiated" result for the "last test result" field?

dennypage

@kevindd992002 To be clear, is this is the config for the system that is saying the upsmon process died? Or is this the config for the server side, and it is actually the client side is the one complaining about upsmon failing?

Re test result, it's because a self test has never been run on the UPS, the UPS "forgetting" the self test results, or an error in the driver.

kevindd992002

@dennypage said in NUT package:

@kevindd992002 To be clear, is this is the config for the system that is saying the upsmon process died? Or is this the config for the server side, and it is actually the client side is the one complaining about upsmon failing?

Re test result, it's because a self test has never been run on the UPS, the UPS "forgetting" the self test results, or an error in the driver.

Yes, this is the config for the NUT server that complains that the upsmon process had dies. My two pfsense boxes are both servers.

Ok. The ups does a self-test every time it is turned on from an off state, right? Doesn't that count?

dennypage

@kevindd992002 said in NUT package:

Re test result, it's because a self test has never been run on the UPS, the UPS "forgetting" the self test results, or an error in the driver.

Ok. The ups does a self-test every time it is turned on from an off state, right? Doesn't that count?

This is at the edge of my knowledge regarding APC. I had APC units many years ago, but moved away many years ago... Most UPSs do a quick transfer test on start up, but whether or not this is considered a full self test, or if the result is stored, will vary from UPS to UPS. The UPS units I currently use do not perform a full self test on power up and will not report any test results until a test is explicitly run.

dennypage

@dennypage said in NUT package:

@kevindd992002 said in NUT package:

@dennypage
Also, I'm getting this on my other pfsense box:

upsmon parent process died - shutdown impossible

But when I check the NUT (UPS monitoring daemon) service, it is up and running. If you restart pfsense, is this message normal and will it be sent by pfsense as soon as it boots up?

Yes, this is a problem. Please post your UPS config for that pfSense box.

Just to make sure I have this correct:

The config you posted is for the server side; It is on this box that you are seeing a complaint about upsmon dying; When you see the upsmon dying message, you still see nut showing as running in the service status page (Status / Services).

Do I have that correct?

If so, then the following questions come to mind:

Do you have the watchdog daemon installed?
How frequently do you see upsmon dying?
Are there any other entires in the system log around the time of upsmon death?
Is this a new issue, or has it occurred since install? Have you always had the remote nut configuration?
Do you have apcupsd installed?

kevindd992002

@dennypage said in NUT package:

@kevindd992002 said in NUT package:

Re test result, it's because a self test has never been run on the UPS, the UPS "forgetting" the self test results, or an error in the driver.

Ok. The ups does a self-test every time it is turned on from an off state, right? Doesn't that count?

This is at the edge of my knowledge regarding APC. I had APC units many years ago, but moved away many years ago... Most UPSs do a quick transfer test on start up, but whether or not this is considered a full self test, or if the result is stored, will vary from UPS to UPS. The UPS units I currently use do not perform a full self test on power up and will not report any test results until a test is explicitly run.

Ok, makes sense. Thanks.

@dennypage said in NUT package:

@dennypage said in NUT package:

@kevindd992002 said in NUT package:

@dennypage
Also, I'm getting this on my other pfsense box:

upsmon parent process died - shutdown impossible

But when I check the NUT (UPS monitoring daemon) service, it is up and running. If you restart pfsense, is this message normal and will it be sent by pfsense as soon as it boots up?

Yes, this is a problem. Please post your UPS config for that pfSense box.

Just to make sure I have this correct:

The config you posted is for the server side; It is on this box that you are seeing a complaint about upsmon dying; When you see the upsmon dying message, you still see nut showing as running in the service status page (Status / Services).

Do I have that correct?

If so, then the following questions come to mind:

Do you have the watchdog daemon installed?

How frequently do you see upsmon dying?

Are there any other entires in the system log around the time of upsmon death?

Is this a new issue, or has it occurred since install? Have you always had the remote nut configuration?

Do you have apcupsd installed?

You got it.

No, these are all the packages that I have installed (no watchdog daemon):

It looks like I receive the message after reboot but not all the time. It happens randomly and it happens for both my pfsense boxes which have the same exact UPS, with the same exact pfsense version and set of settings.
System logs around the time of the latest issue occurrence:

May 5 17:48:01 	upsmon 	12113 	Startup successful
May 5 17:48:02 	usbhid-ups 	35012 	Startup successful
May 5 17:48:02 	upsd 	47110 	listening on 192.168.55.1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:02 	upsd 	47110 	listening on 192.168.10.1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:02 	upsd 	47110 	listening on ::1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:02 	upsd 	47110 	listening on 127.0.0.1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:02 	upsd 	47110 	Connected to UPS [ups]: usbhid-ups-ups
May 5 17:48:02 	upsd 	47942 	Startup successful
May 5 17:48:04 	upsmon 	43097 	Startup successful
May 5 17:48:05 	usbhid-ups 	72062 	Startup successful
May 5 17:48:05 	upsd 	10700 	listening on 192.168.55.1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:05 	upsd 	10700 	listening on 192.168.10.1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:05 	upsd 	10700 	listening on ::1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:05 	upsd 	10700 	listening on 127.0.0.1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:05 	upsd 	10700 	Connected to UPS [ups]: usbhid-ups-ups
May 5 17:48:05 	upsd 	12533 	Startup successful
May 5 17:48:06 	upsd 	12533 	User local-monitor@127.0.0.1 logged into UPS [ups]
May 5 17:48:06 	upsmon 	43843 	upsmon parent process died - shutdown impossible
May 5 17:48:06 	upsmon 	43843 	Parent died - shutdown impossible
May 5 17:48:06 	upsd 	12533 	mainloop: Interrupted system call
May 5 17:48:06 	upsd 	12533 	Signal 15: exiting
May 5 17:48:06 	usbhid-ups 	72062 	Signal 15: exiting
May 5 17:48:06 	upsmon 	77021 	Startup successful
May 5 17:48:07 	usbhid-ups 	9091 	Startup successful
May 5 17:48:07 	upsd 	19878 	listening on 192.168.55.1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:07 	upsd 	19878 	listening on 192.168.10.1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:07 	upsd 	19878 	listening on ::1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:07 	upsd 	19878 	listening on 127.0.0.1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:07 	upsd 	19878 	Connected to UPS [ups]: usbhid-ups-ups
May 5 17:48:07 	upsd 	21841 	Startup successful
May 5 17:48:09 	upsmon 	77021 	upsmon parent: read
May 5 17:48:09 	upsmon 	37716 	Startup successful
May 5 17:48:10 	usbhid-ups 	88380 	Startup successful
May 5 17:48:10 	upsd 	11383 	listening on 192.168.55.1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:10 	upsd 	11383 	listening on 192.168.10.1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:10 	upsd 	11383 	listening on ::1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:10 	upsd 	11383 	listening on 127.0.0.1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:10 	upsd 	11383 	Connected to UPS [ups]: usbhid-ups-ups
May 5 17:48:10 	upsd 	12532 	Startup successful
May 5 17:48:12 	upsd 	12532 	User local-monitor@::1 logged into UPS [ups]
May 5 17:48:13 	upsmon 	39038 	Signal 15: exiting
May 5 17:48:13 	upsd 	12532 	User local-monitor@::1 logged out from UPS [ups]
May 5 17:48:13 	upsd 	12532 	mainloop: Interrupted system call
May 5 17:48:13 	upsd 	12532 	Signal 15: exiting
May 5 17:48:13 	usbhid-ups 	88380 	Signal 15: exiting

It looks like it shut itself down and then went back up.

This has occurred since install. Yes, the configuration I posted were there from the very start.
I do not have apcupsd installed as shown above.

Gertjan

@kevindd992002 : not related, but you missed at least 2 version of Freeradius.

kevindd992002

@Gertjan said in NUT package:

@kevindd992002 : not related, but you missed at least 2 version of Freeradius.

Yes, I noticed and I just updated both my boxes now :) Is there a way to auto-update these things? Or is auto-updating not recommended?

Gertjan

@kevindd992002 said in NUT package:

auto-updating not recommended

Noop.
The system might reboot to finish an update.
And you were just about to shut down that nuclear power plant that reaching dangerous levels ...

pfSense is not that solid that it can auto update and keep care of itself like, for example .. euh .... Windows 10 :)

Put an "installed packages" widget on the dashboard, and visit the GUI ones in a while. That will do.
Same thing for pfSense updates.

Sorry for the out-of-subect.

kevindd992002

@Gertjan said in NUT package:

@kevindd992002 said in NUT package:

auto-updating not recommended

Noop.
The system might reboot to finish an update.
And you were just about to shut down that nuclear power plant that reaching dangerous levels ...

pfSense is not that solid that it can auto update and keep care of itself like, for example .. euh .... Windows 10 :)

Put an "installed packages" widget on the dashboard, and visit the GUI ones in a while. That will do.
Same thing for pfSense updates.

Sorry for the out-of-subect.

Why didn't I think of that, lol! That's not a bad idea. Thanks!

dennypage

@kevindd992002 said in NUT package:

It looks like I receive the message after reboot but not all the time. It happens randomly and it happens for both my pfsense boxes which have the same exact UPS, with the same exact pfsense version and set of settings.
System logs around the time of the latest issue occurrence:

May 5 17:48:01 	upsmon 	12113 	Startup successful
May 5 17:48:02 	usbhid-ups 	35012 	Startup successful
May 5 17:48:02 	upsd 	47110 	listening on 192.168.55.1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:02 	upsd 	47110 	listening on 192.168.10.1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:02 	upsd 	47110 	listening on ::1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:02 	upsd 	47110 	listening on 127.0.0.1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:02 	upsd 	47110 	Connected to UPS [ups]: usbhid-ups-ups
May 5 17:48:02 	upsd 	47942 	Startup successful
May 5 17:48:04 	upsmon 	43097 	Startup successful
May 5 17:48:05 	usbhid-ups 	72062 	Startup successful
May 5 17:48:05 	upsd 	10700 	listening on 192.168.55.1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:05 	upsd 	10700 	listening on 192.168.10.1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:05 	upsd 	10700 	listening on ::1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:05 	upsd 	10700 	listening on 127.0.0.1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:05 	upsd 	10700 	Connected to UPS [ups]: usbhid-ups-ups
May 5 17:48:05 	upsd 	12533 	Startup successful
May 5 17:48:06 	upsd 	12533 	User local-monitor@127.0.0.1 logged into UPS [ups]
May 5 17:48:06 	upsmon 	43843 	upsmon parent process died - shutdown impossible
May 5 17:48:06 	upsmon 	43843 	Parent died - shutdown impossible
May 5 17:48:06 	upsd 	12533 	mainloop: Interrupted system call
May 5 17:48:06 	upsd 	12533 	Signal 15: exiting
May 5 17:48:06 	usbhid-ups 	72062 	Signal 15: exiting
May 5 17:48:06 	upsmon 	77021 	Startup successful
May 5 17:48:07 	usbhid-ups 	9091 	Startup successful
May 5 17:48:07 	upsd 	19878 	listening on 192.168.55.1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:07 	upsd 	19878 	listening on 192.168.10.1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:07 	upsd 	19878 	listening on ::1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:07 	upsd 	19878 	listening on 127.0.0.1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:07 	upsd 	19878 	Connected to UPS [ups]: usbhid-ups-ups
May 5 17:48:07 	upsd 	21841 	Startup successful
May 5 17:48:09 	upsmon 	77021 	upsmon parent: read
May 5 17:48:09 	upsmon 	37716 	Startup successful
May 5 17:48:10 	usbhid-ups 	88380 	Startup successful
May 5 17:48:10 	upsd 	11383 	listening on 192.168.55.1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:10 	upsd 	11383 	listening on 192.168.10.1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:10 	upsd 	11383 	listening on ::1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:10 	upsd 	11383 	listening on 127.0.0.1 port 3493
May 5 17:48:10 	upsd 	11383 	Connected to UPS [ups]: usbhid-ups-ups
May 5 17:48:10 	upsd 	12532 	Startup successful
May 5 17:48:12 	upsd 	12532 	User local-monitor@::1 logged into UPS [ups]
May 5 17:48:13 	upsmon 	39038 	Signal 15: exiting
May 5 17:48:13 	upsd 	12532 	User local-monitor@::1 logged out from UPS [ups]
May 5 17:48:13 	upsd 	12532 	mainloop: Interrupted system call
May 5 17:48:13 	upsd 	12532 	Signal 15: exiting
May 5 17:48:13 	usbhid-ups 	88380 	Signal 15: exiting

It looks like it shut itself down and then went back up.

Ah... now I get it...

There should be a bit more in the system log around that time. In particular, I would expect the following lines:

/rc.start_packages: Starting service nut
/rc.start_packages: Restarting/Starting all packages.

I expect that the packages are being restarted in response to a DHCP address event on one of your wan interfaces. This is normal and can be ignored. Sorry for causing you alarm.

It's a bit unfortunate, but normal because pfSense does not know what packages require restart when an IP address changes, so it restarts them all. See /etc/rc.newwanip (and newwanipv6) for detail.