AP9631 UPS Management Card does not complete self-test

[BillP]

APC | UPS Network Management Card 2

Hi,

One of our Smart-UPS 1500 UPS's  performs a self-test every 2 weeks, but never completes.
It flags as "down" in our monitoring software.

To correct this issue, we have to perform a reboot of the Management Interface.

We have set the Self-Test Schedule to "Never" and rebooted the management interface, but the self-test still runs as per the "Every 14th Day" schedule.

APC | UPS Network Management Card 2

Model:	Smart-UPS 1500
SKU:	SMT1500RMI2U

02.11.2015

14:48:32

UPS: Started a self-test.

[BillP]

Hello,

Just to be clear, the UPS is the component that does the self test - not the AP9631 Network Management Card. It is only reporting back to you what the UPS provides to it.

Can you provide the .tar file and attach it here from About->Support menu in the AP9631's web interface so we can review a few things including UPS firmware versions and event/data logs?

Instructions are here on providing the .tar file if you need it -> http://www.apc.com/support/index?page=content&country=ITB〈=en&locale=en_US&id=FA156131 

[BillP · Accepted solution]

Hi Omar,

Thanks for the log files. You're attempting to disable the self test in the right spot but why are you trying to disable it? Because it never finishes?

Are you strictly assuming the self test is occurring because of what is in the event log or has someone witnessed the actual UPS performing a self test?

I observed that both your UPS and AP9631 NMC firmware are out of date. I am wondering if this is some erroneous logging or the setting is not applying on the UPS. Regardless, I don't recommend you disable the self test and rather we find out why it does not say "passed." If you disable the self test, you may run into an issue with a failing battery which will be more of a headache in the end than letting the self test run in order to catch any failing batteries sooner than when it actually fails.

To upgrade the firmware on the AP9631, it is pretty easy and you can do it while everything is online with no affect on the NMC (besides a soft restart) and no affect to the UPS. I suggest we see if a firmware upgrade addresses this issue first. If it does not, I suggest we explore upgrading the UPS but for the SMT UPS upgrade, the UPS output must be turned off so this will likely require additional planning to do.

Here is information on upgrading the Network Management Card to 6.2.1 -> http://www.apc.com/support/index?page=content&country=ITB〈=en&locale=en_US&id=FA156047

You can get the firmware from here (http://www.apc.com/tools/download/index.cfm) and Filter by Software/Firmware - UPS Network Management Cards and look for SFSUMX621. 

If we find that there is no change with the problem, upgrading the UPS itself is covered here: 

http://www.apc.com/support/index?page=content&country=ITB〈=en&locale=en_US&id=FA170679

http://www.apc.com/support/index?page=content&country=ITB〈=en&locale=en_US&id=FA164737 

I have a feeling these two issues are firmware issues somewhere but I am not sure where. The two issues are the NMC not reporting self test passed and the self test interval preference not applying.

Let me know if you have any questions.