APC SmartUPS 1500

[juliaatpcgp]

On 2 recent Sunday evenings (a period of about 2-4 weeks between the 2 incidents) the workplace server has shut down at just after midnight. The server runs Windows 2000 Server.

I only know the exact time from Event Log (shows as Unexpected Shutdown) after coming in the following morning to be told no-one can log on and the server powered on (lights on) but not turned on. When I look at the UPS itself I see one of the batter lights missing but nothing else amiss.

On both of these occasions, the Powerchute software has been installed but not working correctly. The first time it was there but refusing to recognise my login so I can't see the settings/battery meter, logs etc. The second time the engineer reinstalled the software but forgot the Console so again no way of seeing settings, etc (he had installed the first 2 items and chosen to keep the battery running for as long as possible rather than immediate shutdown, so I don't know why it was an unexpected shutdown in the Event Log).

After it happened the second time, an engineer installed the Console and were able to see what it was saying. He did a Self Test and it was fine. He was unable to do a calibration because the battery was only 86%. This was a few hours after the server power was restored - it took a while longer before it got back up to 100%.

I don't understand how comes the power meter on the outside of the box shows such a high level when the software meter was much lower - it makes me wonder if the UPS itself is faulty.

The console is telling me the UPS is old and out of warranty and also that the battery is old. Both are true, so although I was recommended to replace the battery I think that may be a false economy to spend 100 GBP on a battery on a UPS without a warranty, better to spend 254 GBP on a UPS/battery which is ready to just plug and go and where we can call someout out whatever goes wrong - I'd appreciate your comment on my reasoning.

But I am also worried out the fact that there's a yellow exclamation next to Application Shutdown - the reason it says is that it's not configured correctly but as far as I can see it is, the other option is that we only have the Basic edition but we have the Business Edition. My IT engineer doesn't know what the problem is - do you ?

Ever since I've had the Console running, I regularly get message saying Extended Overvoltage. My IT engineer says this means the battery is not providing enough power for our devices and could shut down at any time - but the load is only 30% with the server, monitor, drive and ADSL router plugged in. So I was wondering if he is correct.

I know I have written down a lot of info here, but I would really appreciate your help because I am worried that the next server shutdown may be just around the corner this coming Sunday and I don't know how to check that Powerchute is going to shut down the server in an orderly fashion this time (I've been told that if the server shutdown is unexpected it may corrupt Windows and fail to boot up again). I asked my IT engineer if I should remove mains power and see Powerchute shut down the server, but they told me such a test is too risky.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to read my concerns.

Regards,
Jay

 

[fs483]

Ok, for the Overvoltage issue, is your UPS plugged into a dedicated circuit ? If this UPS shares an electrical outlet with some other power hungry device, then it WILL cause the overvoltage error. When a UPS runs on overvoltage for extended periods, the battery life and circuitry life is reduced. If I'm not mistaken, when a overvoltage is detected, the UPS's circuit disconnects the AC and runs on the battery until the overvoltage is back to normal. In doing so, you end up draining the battery EVEN though there's no power failure. I would have an electrician test the circuit to be sure everything is fine. I would also avoid plugging anything else into this outlet/circuit. I have a dozen of those 1500VA (running on 120V) on a dozen different circuits all fed from the electrical panel and I sometimes notice some of the UPSes kick into action more often than others. I'm leaving it as is because I will be remodeling my server room.

 

[juliaatpcgp]

Dear Akwong,

Since my original post, I took the decision to replace the UPS with another APC 1500 because my IT Maintenance company pointed out that the battery was over 3 years old (the date supplied was showing as sometime in 2002) AND that the UPS was out of warranty.

I thought that it was pointless replacing the battery (which is quite expensive on its own) and then find that the UPS itself is faulty.

Anyway, the good news is that since setting up the new UPS, the Extended Overvoltage messages have only come up just a few times and the times it lasts is just a few minutes (on the old UPS it was something that happens for many hours during every night and towards the end frequently during the day also).

Bearing in mind my story, is there any way of ascertaining whether it was a faulty battery or a faulty UPS (or a combination of the two) that caused the symptoms I experienced - clearly it wasn't the electricity supply at fault).

If you can answer my question, I would be very grateful.

Regards,
Jay

 

[cmia]

"
On both of these occasions, the Powerchute software has been installed but not working correctly. The first time it was there but refusing to recognise my login so I can't see the settings/battery meter, logs etc. The second time the engineer reinstalled the software but forgot the Console so again no way of seeing settings, etc (he had installed the first 2 items and chosen to keep the battery running for as long as possible rather than immediate shutdown, so I don't know why it was an unexpected shutdown in the Event Log)."

The reason behind your server shutting down straight away, or .. not having enough time to turn off, will be due to the fact the APC software has miss detected the battry life on the UPS. It says it has 30 minutes, but with old batts that have degraded you only have 20 minutes of ups power.

"I don't understand how comes the power meter on the outside of the box shows such a high level when the software meter was much lower - it makes me wonder if the UPS itself is faulty."

The bars on the front of the UPS show batt voltage or current charge on them, however they are not very acurate.

"But I am also worried out the fact that there's a yellow exclamation next to Application Shutdown - the reason it says is that it's not configured correctly but as far as I can see it is, the other option is that we only have the Basic edition but we have the Business Edition. My IT engineer doesn't know what the problem is - do you ?"

I would recommend your uninstall the software and reinstall it - rebooting after the uninstall and reinstall.
make sure you have the ups detected on your local subnet
Ups.local - 192.158.1.1 - if that is your iprange.

"Ever since I've had the Console running, I regularly get message saying Extended Overvoltage. My IT engineer says this means the battery is not providing enough power for our devices and could shut down at any time - but the load is only 30% with the server, monitor, drive and ADSL router plugged in. So I was wondering if he is correct."

If you are seeing alot of overvoltage, it has nothing to do with the UPS, the UPS will disconnet the mains power and filter the current onto the batts.

It doesnt mean it dont have enough power. - the Load of the ups is what you need to keep an eye on.

"I know I have written down a lot of info here, but I would really appreciate your help because I am worried that the next server shutdown may be just around the corner this coming Sunday and I don't know how to check that Powerchute is going to shut down the server in an orderly fashion this time (I've been told that if the server shutdown is unexpected it may corrupt Windows and fail to boot up again). I asked my IT engineer if I should remove mains power and see Powerchute shut down the server, but they told me such a test is too risky."

- Yes if the server does not shutdown correctly, It can cause problems with data held on the drives.

Too risky ? if the UPS software is not configured or setup correctly then I would recommend the IT Eng's who you have the contract with, need to come out and implment a fix.

- A power down test of the server would be good, to make sure in the event of a proper power outage, the server has enough time to shutdown.

Ibby
IT Eng,
WestYorkshire
SouthYorkshire
ibby AT ibby.co.uk
(no spaces)

 

[juliaatpcgp]

I understand the old battery would have reduced lifetime because in the software it has gone up from 22 minutes to 44 minutes, but I cannot believe that the power went off for that long.

Having said that, from what has been said here it seems that the battery was conintually being put to use each time the Extended Overvoltage happened, so that must be the explanation.

I had a feeling the IT company's explanation that we didn't have enough battery power for our appliances wasn't correct because it was showing a load of only 30% in the software. If what they said was correct, surely it would be much, much higher than that.

I'm puzzled by what you say about the Extended Overvoltage having nothing to do with the UPS. Since switching a new one, the AVR Trim Active message comes up only occasionally and for a minute or two at a time - whereas the old one it was on for many hours most nights and, towards the end, it was on most of the time.

It would be good if I can know whether the battery itself is at fault or whether it could also have been the UPS itself.

With regards to shutdown, I noticed when I read the pamplet that came with the new one that the version that comes with the UPS is the basic edition and cannot shut down Exchange. It says you have to upgrade to the Premium Edition to get an orderly shutdown.

But I don't understand why it cannot run a simple command such as the one behind what I do each time I shut down the server - Start, Shut Down and then "Shut Down", surely this command must be represented by a DOS command that could be put into the program or a batch file (there appears to be an option to run a command file, which I am sure my IT maintenance company would be able to deal with.

Or - to get automatic shutdown - do I have no alternative but to buy the £200 upgrade ?

I would really appreciate your comments.

Regards,
Jay