How do I disable "shutdown mode" on a UPS Back-Pro 1400 ???

[Anonymous user]

Hi - Thanks for reading this as I am looking for some help with an old UPS.
I've tried searching but I am missing a part of the puzzle so its not easy.

Basically I've got an old white 1400va Back-UPS Pro (with a brand new battery) and its simply running a phone system (not windows based).

When the power went off for twenty min's the UPS appeared to fail after about 3 min's and dropped the phone system.
I did some investigating and what happening is when the supply is removed the battery kicks in fine and it beeps as you'd expect. Then after about 3 min's the On Line and Over Load LED's flash alternaly and the UPS turns itself off. I can cold start the UPS while still on battery but again after 3 min's it turns off.

The UPS has a serial connection but I can;t find the cable and I know at some point this UPS has supported a server which Powerchute connected via the serial lead which shut the server down gracefully (presumably configured from Powerchute installed on this server).

My question is:
Is it possible to turn off this "Shutdown Mode" behavior and just ask the UPS to run till its flat (or almost flat)?
How do I config the UPS and turn this off? Do I need to find a serial lead and use some comm port commands?
Any info or points to PDF's would be good, I've read the manual on the UPS but it only briefly mentions the shutdown mode - no details.

Many Thanks
Richard

[Anonymous user]

Hi - thanks for replying!

To answer your question, yes that is an additional 3 min's, I dare say I could repeatedly cold start it for 3 min's each time.
I tried it because I initially thought the newly fitted batteries were duff and had gone flat.

So - yes, there is no serail cable plugged in, just 1 power input and 2 power out to the phone system. Nothing else.

I am wondering if the UPS was programmed up when it was connected via a serial lead to a server, and now it "remembers" this program so i need to connect it up and undo the programming - or am I barking up the wrong tree?

Thanks
Richard

[Anonymous user]

Hi - Again, thank you for your reply.
I will try what you are advising and I will post back for other to see as it may help.
Just to save me time, do I just plug a serial lead in and use hyper term or something?
I have never done this before you see.

Thanks
Richard

[Anonymous user]

Hi - sorry for the delay in reply, the UPS is in Wales and we don;t get to that office very much.
I've brought it back here now and I plugged it in with a cable marked 940-0024c.
I set Hyperterminal up as described and it showed as connected although nothing was displayed on the terminal screen (you sort of expect it to display some text or something to signify it is connected). When I type nothing appears and I genuinely wonder if its working at all.
I have no idea if the Z command is working but it doesn;t appear to have changed anything?

Should I get something on screen when I hyperterm to the UPC???

Regards
Richard

[BillP]

i think if you press Z, it should say OK or something. try Shift+Z also. another command to check communication would be shift+y

[Anonymous user]

Hi Again!

Right, I am sit infront of the UPS, its turned on and plugged in using the cable marked as described previously (I hope it's the correct cable - I've heard they are specific).
I power the UPS on and hyperterm to it.
term says its connected (2400 8-N-1-none) and the curse just blinks.
I'm hitting shift Y and just Y and Z and X and all the other keys but it just blinks at me.
I power the UPS off while term in connected and still the curser blinks.
however if I turn the UPS on while the term is running a question mark appears ? on the screen but again no other keys work.

I've also got another UPS (SMart-UPS 700) and I try the cable in there and it appears to connect as the !!!!! Y command produces a the word SM on the screen (and Shift X says OK).

I've changed the baud rate and the Flow Control but nothing seems to make my Smart-UPS Pro 1400 work (model no BP1400I) - am I deffinately using the right cable here guys??
Cheers
Richard

[Anonymous user]

Hi - specifically the cable I am using is 940-0024c.
Is this deffinatley the correct part for the UPS?
Many Thanks
Richard

[Anonymous user]

Hi - OK, I will remove the battery now and post back in a min.
Thanks you for your help!!!!!!

Richard

[Anonymous user]

Sadly nothing - I had the battery out and unpluggedfor about 3 to 4 min's.
I have read that some UPS's use a different baud rate, i'm using 2400, 8-N-1 and no flow control.
Its obvioulsy getting some communication as I get the ? when I power on (and the session is still live).

I'll try anything here - can you point me at any documents or anything?

Cheers
Richard

[BillP]

hmm, yes, it should work. i just learned that the communication language on the BP1400I is a little different than the Smart UPS 700 (SU700NET). shift Y should definitely work. the only other thing i would try is to reboot the UPS but turning it off and removing the battery for a minute, making sure to remove the serial cable as well, then reconnecting it and turning it on and then re-trying shift Y.

i know you power cycled the UPS but maybe a reboot will help by discharging the capacitors.

[BillP]

yes, that should work.

[BillP]

alrighty. simple signaling won't allow us to change any settings though - it will only tell us when the UPS is on battery or its at a low battery and signal a shutdown. see if you can get it to work in smart signaling.

[BillP]

i do think 2400 is the correct speed for this. i dont really have anything additional besides what was provided to be honest with you. the only documentation i can find says this unit utilizes simple signaling but as i mentioned, it should support some flavor of simple signaling and allow us to access it. i don't have one to test unfortunately though. i dont know if trying to install the powerchute business software (or even maybe powerchute plus) in smart signaling mode to see if it communicates is an option? then we could adjust any settings.

my inkling is that this may be our only options to view settings and clear them if possible.

[Anonymous user]

Hi - thanks for the help!
I will install Powerchute in simple signalling this afternoon and report back.
Regards
Richard

[BillP]

Back UPS Pro 1400 should use the same port settings as the SU700 you have - 2400, 8, N, 1, None.

Try powerchute plus, instead of business edition. Here is a link to it for Windows 2000, and XP (it was discontinued long ago and does not work on newer OSs): ftp://ftp.apc.com/apc/public/software/windows/nt40/pcplus/523/

there is no master reset button besides editing things through software or directly interfacing with the UPS.

i did think it was working when you saw a *?* on the screen. as i mentioned, this UPS uses a "lite" version of the communication at SU700 does so this may be one of the reasons we arent getting where. i have consulted all of the documentation and information I have though and nothing different has surfaced in regards to communicating with the UPS.

there could definitely be an issue with the UPS if PCPlus does not work in smart signaling mode. but simple signaling only does not allow changing shutdown settings on that UPS so either this is the way this UPS is programmed from the factory or someone was able to change it at some point.

[Anonymous user · Accepted solution]

Hi - OK,
I downlaoded powerChute v9 Business edition.
I installed it on the PC I am using to try and connect to the ups and i already had the serial cable connected.
As part of the install it says "Do your want me to serach for the UPS" so I said yes.
It searched the com ports and found nothing.

I then pluged the power and serial lead into our other UPS (Smart UPS 700) and again told it to search for a device on a COM port again.
This time it found the UPS and although I haven't got a clue to how to work that flavour of Power Chute it suggests the com port on our 1400 Smart-UPS Pro doesn't work.

With the greatest of respect - is there any info you can point me at that tells me the baud rate and settings are correct for my 1400 ups? Or is there a "master reset" button on the curcuit board somewhere that I can press.
Or... is the UPS beyond further help? Its odd however I get a question mark on the screen when I power it off which suggests it is comunicating to some degree??

Thanks