Restarting a 3100 after a power outage
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I have a Netgate 3100. Just installed apcupsd to monitor the UPS. My question is about the "Shutdown Behavior" option. I understand that "Halt" stops the system but leaves the power on. Does the 3100 support the "Power Off" feature? The apcupsd page says "hardware support required" for the Power Off feature.
After a Halt we've had to pull the power to the 3100, then reconnect, to get it to power on. Seems like Power Off would be a better choice...but wait...the 3100 doesn't have a power button to start it back up, right?
I've been considering a Bluetooth connected smart plug. After a power outage I could use my phone to turn the smart plug off, then back on...so the 3100 would boot up.
Are there any better options? The 3100 and its power cord are a bit difficult to get to...that's why I'm asking.
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@deltaone To the best of my knowledge a 3100 is similar to a 2100; I have a 2100 which is why I'm saying that.
Bottom line, shutdown -p now will shut down a 2100 but not power it off, so effectively a shutdown -h now. The actual hardware does not support the -p (power off) so a smart plug may be a reasonable option. if you have a console cable for the 3100 (my opinion you should), I would connect the console and monitor it while you do power off from the GUI. Time how long it takes to get to the completely halted state and double that for the interval to use for the smart plug.
apcupsd should let you set an interval to turn off the UPS after generating the power off/shutdown; again use double the interval for that.
Then it would be a matter of testing and see what happens. -
You're right, the 3100, like other appliances, needs external help to restart.
Some UPSs (some APCs ?) can be controlled by the software, running on, for example pfSense. It could send a command TO the UPS, that instruct to shut down the power outlets if the UPS.
And another settings that instructs the UPS what to do when the power comes back - and the batteries are at least recharged for xx %. Like : when mains power comes back, and batteries are 30 % recharged, activate the power outlets.The thing is : the power hardware of a appliance like 3100 and 4100, the one I'm using, are not so sophisticated.
Neither is my 'soho' "Back-UPS XS 700U" APC UPS.God news and bad news :
Good : Now you know what to look for when buying a new UPS.
Bad : The price tag.Btw : remember : most PCs have a BIOS setting that tells the system what to do when the power comes back after a power loss situation.
Stay off, and let the user push the power-on button when needed, or activate the system right away.
Because PC's have smarter build in power logic, and a bigger (smarter ?) switching power supply.I do think that, even when all power consumers connected to the UPS are switched off, the UPS outlets will die. But this could take a while. When the UPS finally 'dies', this will also stop all electric logic in the 3100. It will get power up / reset when the power comes back again.
But when the power comes back before the UPS died, then, yes, you'll be good for a power cord disconnect and connect sequence.
edit :
I don't know why, but I use the NUT package, not the apcupsd version.
I know I can 'talk' to my UPS over the USB connection, and have it list variables and settings.
A command like : "shut down the power outlets in x seconds (just the time so I (my 4100) can shut down also safely" or something comparable, isn't part of the list. -
Mmm, the 3100, like most ARM appliances, has no power-off / standby power level. It just halts the CPU and must be power cycled to reboot. That's fine if power really is lost of course.
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Everyone...thanks for the information and comments.
I suspect we'll get a smart plug that is controlled via bluetooth and give that a try.
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@gertjan RE: I don't know why, but I use the NUT package, not the apcupsd version.
We had been running the NUT package. I think that may only monitor the UPS but doesn't have the capabilities of the apcupsd package.
We also installed apcupsd on a Windows NUC that's on our LAN. If the power goes out the NUC will get a signal from the software on our 3100 and it too will shut down.
