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--- doc:appunti:hardware:ups_apc [2022/10/27 19:19] – niccolo
+++ doc:appunti:hardware:ups_apc [2022/11/02 17:49] (current) – [APC Back-UPS CS 500] niccolo
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ====== Using APC UPS on Debian GNU/Linux ======
-I used two different UPS units to provide power to a **Dell PowerEdge T110** (with two 4 Tb hard disks), a **DSL router** and an 8 ports **switch**. The equipments drawn about **62 W**. The first UPS is an **APC Smart-UPS 750 USB** purchased in 2006, the second one is a **APC Back-UPS CS 500** purchased in 2022.
+My home-server system is powered through an UPS unit, the system is composed of the following:
-The **APC Back-UPS CS 500** should be able to supply power for about 30 minutes; doing battery calibration with the **apctest** tool, it took about 10 minutes to drop from 100% battery charge to 70%.
+  * A **Dell PowerEdge T110** with two 4 Tb hard disks, running Debian GNU/Linux.
+  * A **DSL router**.
+  * An **8 ports switch**.
+All the equipments drawn about **62 W** during daily operation. In several years I tested the following two APC UPSs:
+  * In 2006 I purchased an **APC Smart-UPS 750 USB**.
+  * In 2022 I purchased an **APC Back-UPS CS 500**.
+Both units support monitoring through an **USB cable** and the **apcupsd** program, it seems that the Back-UPS CS 500 does not support the periodic self-test.
+The **APC Back-UPS CS 500** should be able to supply power for about **30 minutes** to the above system (which the USP itself senses as a 16% load); doing battery calibration with the ''apctest'' tool, it took about 10 minutes to drop from 100% battery charge to 70%.
 ====== APC Smart-UPS 750 USB ======
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 <file>
-BATTERYLEVEL 10
+BATTERYLEVEL 40
 MINUTES 8
 </file>
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 ^ New battery date MM/DD/YYYY  ^
 | 08/31/2006  |
 | 11/15/2008  |
@@ Line 215: / Line 225: @@
 </code>
-The two most important functions are the **#10 battery calibration** and the **#12 self-test interval**. Battery calibration must be initiated with a fully charged battery and the normal load (it should be above 10%); it will end when battery drops below about 25%. Unfortunately it seems that the **Back-UPS CS 500** model does not support the **periodic self-test**, chosing option #12 results always in self-test interval: **None**.
+The two most important functions are the **#10 battery calibration** and the **#12 self-test interval**. Battery calibration must be initiated with a fully charged battery and the normal load (it should be above 10%); it will end when battery drops below about 25%.
+Unfortunately it seems that the **Back-UPS CS 500** model does not support the configuration of the **periodic self-test**; chosing option #12 results always in self-test interval **//None//**. I asked the APC support about the self-test on model CS 500: a technician answered me in a few days, saying that that model does a self test on power-on and once every two weeks, but **only if it is operated by the PowerChute sofware**, which is non-free and proprietary software and it does not run on GNU/Linux. One alternative could be to create a cronjob script which stops the **apcupsd** service, run the **apctest** utility calling option #2 **Perform self-test** and then restart the apcupsd service.
 ^ New battery date (MM/DD/YYYY)  |