Available runtime has been exceeded

[TerrierJim]

Hi

I have a Smart-UPS SRT 6000 with a Dell PowerEdge R760 connected that runs Windows Server 2022. It's a Hyper-V host with 5 VMs. The host runs PowerChute Network Shutdown 5.2.0.

A few days ago I was installing Windows Updates on the host and VMs, when a notification from PowerChute appeared that the server will be shut down. This was unexpected since the UPS was not running on battery at the time and had 4 hours of runtime remaining. There were no power cuts and the UPS was running on mains power the whole time.

The PCNS logs show 'UPS critical event: Runtime Exceeded'. and 'UPS critical event Runtime Exceeded triggered a shutdown'. prior to the server being shutdown automatically by PCNS.

I understand this is normal if the amount of time it will take for the server and VMs to shut down exceeds the runtime remaining on the battery, but this wasn't the case. I had several hours of runtime remaining and there's only one physical server plus 5 VMs to shut down.

I booted the server several times and the same events were triggered, and the server was shutdown automatically after a few minutes each time.

I have disabled the shutdown option in PCNS on the Runtime exceeded event for now, until this can be resolved.

I have noticed that every time PCNS boots up it logs a 'Available runtime exceeded' event. It looks like it has always done this since the UPS was purchased, but the actual shutdowns only started occurring a few days ago during the Windows Updates maintenance window.

Any advice please?

Thanks

[BillP]

@TerrierJim 

Available runtime has been exceeded in most cases has little to do with the battery runtime. To prevent the shutdown you must disable shutdown for the event "Available runtime exceeded." That can be done through the PowerChute web UI or the pcnsconfig.ini file.

To change the setting via the pcnsconfig.ini file stop the PowerChute service (on Windows open a command prom

event_RunTimeExceeded_enableShutdown = true, to event_RunTimeExceeded_enableShutdown = false

Condition that cause the issue for Microsoft Hyper-V configurations. 
For conditions 1 and 62below, the "total shutdown time" includes the following durations:

• VM migration duration - Hyper-V only
• VM shutdown and startup duration- Hyper-V only
• Host Maintenance duration - SCVMM only
• Shutdown command file duration
• SSH action duration
• Built-in duration of 2 minutes (this consists of a 10 second OS shutdown duration and a 60 second OS shutdown duration; rounded up)

The event occurs with either of the following conditions:

Condition 1 for Hyper-V:
When the total shutdown time required by PowerChute is greater than the Low Battery Duration minus two minutes configured for the UPS. In the event of a low battery condition, PowerChute will not have enough time to complete the shutdown sequence before the UPS powers off. For example, if the total shutdown time required is 3 minutes and Low Battery Duration is 4 minutes, the Available Runtime has been Exceeded event will be triggered.

Condition 2 for Hyper-V:
When the shutdown duration configured for the UPS On Battery event plus the total shutdown time required by PowerChute is greater than the Runtime Remaining on the UPS minus two minutes. This condition can be caused by having too great a load on the UPS when the battery is fully charged.

See Schneider Electric FAQ FA241713 for more information on the error "available runtime has been exceeded". for all operating systems.

Also please review Schneider Electric FAQ FA405707 "What is the Low Battery Duration setting used for?"