SMT1500C - Brand New - keeps losing usb connection and does not register for smartconnect

[BillP]

Hi,

Just got this unit yesterday and already had a pain-filled day. Thanks APC!

First of all, it keeps losing connection every 10-30 mins over usb to powerchute buisness 9.5 (tried 2 usb cables). I believe this is an issue with the usb on the unit. It never reestablishes connection until i replug usb cable or reset the network interface (up and down arrows together for 6 secs on the unit)...

11/05/18	18:01:19	Communication Lost
11/05/18	17:50:02	Communication Established
11/05/18	17:24:21	Communication Lost
11/05/18	16:55:31	Communication Established
11/05/18	08:37:10	Communication Lost
11/05/18	08:33:22	On Line (Green Mode) - Exited
11/05/18	08:30:24	On Line (Green Mode) - Entered
11/05/18	08:02:06	Communication Established
11/05/18	08:01:59	Monitoring Started
11/05/18	07:57:35	Monitoring Stopped

Downloaded and installed new firmware 03.5 and rebooted and shut down usb. 

Tried to register on smartconnect website (before and after firmware update) and it gives me "Application Error.... something has gone wrong"

Been on the phone and online chat sessions with technical support... They can't figure this out.

This is a business-ready product which costs almost $900CAD and it has THESE kind of issues out of the box? APC should not be in business with units like that....

UPDATE: Tried the serial (rj45) to usb cable from another unit I have (back-ups) and got no communication at all... It only works via usb for a little bit and then loses connection... I believe this is just a defective unit. Wonder how APC tests this .... I don't remember signing up as a free beta tester for APC products. Complete shame!!!!

UPDATE 2: Unit keeps going into a constant AVR trim mode on a slight voltage change (I've had lights flicker for 1 sec in my building and APC went into a 30 min AVR trim mode until I had to turn it off. When I turned it on again it did not activate AVR function and I'm back on regular utility line). Below table shows that when AVR trim function was active (10:09-10:49) my electricity input voltage was normal and it was still trimming it on the output side. I've turned off/on the unit around 10:50 and it went back to utility line.... My range for AVR is below 106 and above 127... 125 is well within the non AVR guideline... The unit was only supposed to be on avr for a few seconds  (or minutes) during the light flicker -not indefinitely...

Date	Time (hh:mm:ss)	Input Line Voltage (VAC)	UPS Output Voltage (VAC)	Battery Voltage (VDC)	Battery Charge (%)	Input Freq (Hz)	Output Freq (Hz)	UPS Load (%)	Internal UPS Temp (°C)

13/05/18	10:54:55	124.2	124.2	26.9	98.5	60.0	60.0	30.3	35.1
13/05/18	10:49:37	124.6	110.3	26.9	99	60.0	60.0	22.0	35.6
13/05/18	10:39:37	124.3	110.0	26.9	99	60.0	60.0	23.4	35.4
13/05/18	10:29:37	124.8	110.4	26.9	98.9	60.0	60.0	26.4	35.4
13/05/18	10:19:37	124.5	110.1	26.9	98.9	60.0	60.0	27.5	35.3
13/05/18	10:09:37	124.3	110.0	26.9	98.9	60.0	60.0	27.3	35.3
13/05/18	09:59:37	124.1	124.1	26.9	98.9	60.0	60.0	21.6	35.2
13/05/18	09:49:37	123.2	123.2	26.9	98.9	60.0	60.0	21.5	35.1
13/05/18	09:39:37	123.7	123.7	26.9	98.9	60.0	60.0	21.9	35.0
13/05/18	09:29:37	123.0	123.0	26.9	98.9	60.0	60.0	23.3	34.9

Any ideas?

Thanks!

Anatoli

[BillP]

Hi,

Sorry for the inconvenience. The issue with registering the unit to the portal should be corrected tomorrow. 

You should be receiving an e-mail from the support team concerning the issue with PowerChute. if you do not receive the e-mail please post again and I will follow up with the responsible team.

Again, sorry for the inconvenience.

[BillP]

Thanks Bill,

I did register the unit on the website finally, however, smartconnect does not report that usb communication has been lost. I'm losing usb communicaton and smartconnect website says I'm online!!!! It does not update event log, send out critical alerts, or anything else!! Once I have a power outage the ups will just run until battery is depleted and will not shutdown the system causing data corruption!!

This is not a professional product!!! What is going on here? Why am I constantly losing USB to USB connection? It is definitely a UPS problem! Do i have a defective unit? Do I need a usb to serial cable instead?

Case: 48651535

Anatoli

[BillP]

Hi,

We are sorry you are not happy with the Smart-UPS. SmartConnect is a cloud application designed to allow monitoring of the UPS. PowerChute is a web based application that allows monitoring, management of the UPS along with OS shutdown. Both applications are independent if each other. You can monitor the UPS via the cloud without installing PowerChute and you can run PowerChute without having the UPS connected to the cloud.

When SmartConnect reports the UPS is on line it is informing you the UPS is running on AC power. If it were to report lost communication it would mean the UPS is not communicating with the cloud. SmartConnect is not designed to report the status of PowerChute. Event that SmartConnect will report on will be found at this link. https://www.smartconnect-support.apc.com/help/EN/index.html#page/SmartConnect%2520Help%2520Center%2F...

As mentioned PowerChute will report on the status of the UPS. Allows for management of the UPS which the cloud does not and offers the ability to power down OS. Here is a link to the PowerChute User’s Guide that list the events it will react to. See page 17 http://www.apc.com/salestools/PMAR-9BULAD/PMAR-9BULAD_R1_EN.pdf If you would like notification of the status of PowerChute you can configure PowerChute to send e-ma...

As for the lost USB comm:

What is the OS?

If Windows OS when comm is dropped does the UPS still show as connected in the device manager i.e. the driver still loaded?

To answer your question, yes you can use USB to serial converter with PowerChute. You would need to unistall PowerChute, configure the USB to Serial setitngs, reinstall PowerChute allowing it to discover the UPS on the serial port.

[BillP]

Hi Bill,

It is Windows 10 pro. There are no problems in the device manager when usb signal is lost. It reconnects once i replug the cable or restart the network interface on ups.

I will have to try with serial cable and reinstall power chute. When connecting another serial cable from back ups i had no connection, but i did not reinstall powerchute... Maybe i need a new serial cable and the one from back-ups is not working?

I have configured minimal alert level for smartconnect to send emails on critical events. It does not and it does not have a recent event log either in smartconnect. The event log is outdated by couple of days. Loss of usb connectoon is considered a critical event....

Thanks.

[BillP]

Hi,

The serial cable you need is part number 940-0625. The cable is DB 9 to keyed RJ50.

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If you computer does not have a serial port you can add a serial port card or use a USB to serial converter. 

[BillP]

Hi Bill,

Thank you. I've requested a serial cable to be sent to me because my usb keeps getting disconnected.. Can you please double check to make sure it gets sent to my home address promptly? I haven't received any tech support response...

Bill, I have a question:

Which cable will suit me better to connect the apc serial cable via usb on windows 10 pro?

1) http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=1340_1418_1450&item_id=040386

2) http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=1336_96&item_id=044781

Please let me know.

Thank you,

Anatoli

[voidstar_apc]

I personally have one of these:

http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=1340_1418_1450&item_id=070387

[BillP · Accepted solution]

Thank you,

I'll grab that one then!

[dmalt]

Was there ever a solution to the USB dropouts (looks like you went the serial route)? My unit has the same problem with USB disconnect every 10-30 minutes.