APC UPS Widget

Unoptanio

Re: APC UPS Widget
UPS model: APC Back-UPS Pro 900, 230 V

Pfsense package: apcupsd 0.3.92_1

Battery Age 3 Days 11 Hours (04/02/2024)
Last Test: Unknown (No Recent Test)

I recently replaced the batteries.
Using a laptop with the software on Windows 10, using the program downloaded from the APC site "PowerChute Personal Edition v3.1" I reset the battery date.
I also did the software testing.

In pfsense do you know why it always writes "Last Test: Unknown (No Recent Test)"?

anthonys

@Unoptanio said in APC UPS Widget:

In pfsense do you know why it always writes "Last Test: Unknown (No Recent Test)"?

I see similar with a BK650-AS ups. Experimenting, the dashboard widget does report a successful test immediately after I force a self test, but a few minutes later reverts to as you see ("Last Test: Unknown (No Recent Test)".

I note the following comment in the widget code:

/*From apcupsd documentation
      ...
      NO: No results (i.e. no self test performed in the last 5 minutes)*/

But if you look at the apcupsd log file (Dashboard Status->System Logs->Packages) you can see results of the system tests. E.g., the last few entries in mine

2024-03-13 11:40:01 +1000 UPS Self Test switch to battery.
2024-03-13 11:40:11 +1000 UPS Self Test completed: Battery OK
2024-03-27 12:27:18 +1000 UPS Self Test switch to battery.
2024-03-27 12:27:27 +1000 UPS Self Test completed: Battery OK

Unoptanio

@anthonys
Exact same behavior for me too.

the dashboard widget does report a successful test immediately after I force a self test test, but a few minutes later reverts to as you see ("Last Test: Unknown (No Recent Test)".

anthonys

@Unoptanio said in APC UPS Widget:

Exact same behavior for me too.

FWIW, I'm looking at modifying my apcupsd widget code to instead extract the test result from the log file. Still experimenting.

Unoptanio

@anthonys

Turned the UPS off and on again

After a few minutes it comes back like this:

Who maintains this widget?
The battery charge status bar remains red even when it is at 100%
The temperature is also not displayed

UPS TEST:

Stop the apcupsd service from services in the webgui.
Log on to the console (ssh or physical/idrac etc..) Select 8) Shell, and run apctest from console (see below), select 4 and new date, start the service again when done.

# apctest

Checking configuration ...
sharenet.type = Network & ShareUPS Disabled
cable.type = USB Cable
mode.type = USB UPS Driver
Setting up the port ...
Doing prep_device() ...

You are using a USB cable type, so I'm entering USB test mode
Hello, this is the apcupsd Cable Test program.
This part of apctest is for testing USB UPSes.
Getting UPS capabilities...SUCCESS

Please select the function you want to perform.

Test kill UPS power
Perform self-test
Read last self-test result
View/Change battery date
View manufacturing date
View/Change alarm behavior
View/Change sensitivity
View/Change low transfer voltage
View/Change high transfer voltage
Perform battery calibration
Test alarm
View/Change self-test interval
Q) Quit

Select function number: 4
Current battery date: 03/16/2020
Enter new battery date (MM/DD/YYYY), blank to quit: 02/04/2024

Perform sel-test:

viragomann

@Unoptanio said in APC UPS Widget:

The battery charge status bar remains red even when it is at 100%

Mine is displayed in green color.

The temperature is also not displayed

Obviously it is not retrieved from the UPS by apcaccess, since it is not shown up on your Status page.

Unoptanio

@viragomann

What UPS model do you have?
Do you have pfsense version 2.7.2 CE?
apcupsd 0.3.92_1

It looks different.
Maybe it also depends on the UPS model

In Temp Levels Warning (°C) text box report:

Project-Id-Version: PACKAGE VERSIONReport-Msgid-Bugs-To: MIME-Version: 1.0Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bitPO-Revision-Date: 2019-05-09 10:22+0000Last-Translator: Copied by Zanata copied-by-zanata@zanata.orgLanguage-Team: English (United States)Language: en_USX-Generator: Zanata 4.6.2Plural-Forms: nplurals=2; plural=(n != 1)

In Temp Levels Critical (°C) text box report:

Project-Id-Version: PACKAGE VERSIONReport-Msgid-Bugs-To: MIME-Version: 1.0Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bitPO-Revision-Date: 2019-05-09 10:22+0000Last-Translator: Copied by Zanata copied-by-zanata@zanata.orgLanguage-Team: English (United States)Language: en_USX-Generator: Zanata 4.6.2Plural-Forms: nplurals=2; plural=(n != 1)

viragomann

@Unoptanio
It's a Smart-UPS 1500, pretty old.

You can enter the temp level thresholds by yourself.

But this might not make a difference. The temp was displayed even before I stated these.

Unoptanio

@viragomann

OK thank you. I copied your values into my system

After more than 5 years are your batteries still good? do you have meat?
I had to replace them. When I took them off they were all swollen, deformed and veined.
In general they recommend replacing them every 3 years

the charging bar is now yellow......

once 50% is reached the bar becomes green

viragomann

@Unoptanio said in APC UPS Widget:

After more than 5 years are your batteries still good? do you have meat?

Long-life type.

The UPS was in production use for about 1 y after battery replacement.
Now it works for a nonprofit org for about 2 y.

Unoptanio

@viragomann

Purchased new UPS model APC Back-UPS Pro, 1200VA/720W

the temperature does not appear even with this model

fireodo

@Unoptanio said in APC UPS Widget:

the temperature does not appear even with this model

I guess not every model reports to apcupsd a temperature.
I have here a APC Back-UPS CS 350 and the temperature is reported but is invariant at "ITEMP : 29.2 C"
IMHO

Unoptanio

@fireodo

fireodo

@Unoptanio said in APC UPS Widget:

@fireodo

Seams that your UPS is not reporting the "OUTPUTV" to apcupsd ...

The widget can only show what is reported in "Status information from apcupsd"

Unoptanio

@fireodo

https://forum.netgate.com/topic/184136/apcupsd-missing-status-icon/7t

https://forum.netgate.com/topic/184136/apcupsd-missing-status-icon

questo widget sembra diverso:

fireodo

@Unoptanio said in APC UPS Widget:

questo widget sembra diverso:

As I stated in my post before: The widget can only show what is reported in "Status information from apcupsd"
If a value is missing the widget shows "N/A"

Unoptanio

@fireodo

@fireodo said in APC UPS Widget:

ok I understand.
It seems strange to me, however, that two new APC UPSs, of two different and modern models, do not transmit these values.

Maybe "apcupsd" needs some updating

fireodo

@Unoptanio said in APC UPS Widget:

It seems strange to me, however, that two new APC UPSs, of two different and modern models, do not transmit these values.

The values that are transmitted depends on the firmware of the UPS

Maybe "apcupsd" needs some updating

Yes could be possible that actual apcupsd cannot read some values that come from the UPS firmware ...

SteveITS

@Unoptanio said in APC UPS Widget:

Project-Id-Version: PACKAGE VERSIONReport...

It does that if you reset the battery date manually. No I don't know why. Some sort of parsing error it looks like. Copy down the values first, as you found.

Unoptanio

@SteveITS

APC Back-UPS Pro 1200VA/720W
apcupsd 0.3.92_1

This is a brand new UPS just installed today. I didn't reset the battery
Connection via USB port

Project-Id-Version: PACKAGE VERSIONReport-Msgid-Bugs-To: MIME-Version: 1.0Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bitPO-Revision-Date: 2019-05-09 10:22+0000Last-Translator: Copied by Zanata copied-by-zanata@zanata.orgLanguage-Team: English (United States)Language: en_USX-Generator: Zanata 4.6.2Plural-Forms: nplurals=2; plural=(n != 1)