Shutdown computer not APC at so many minutes battery left

[Anonymous user]

I have a Smart-UPS RT 3000 XL and a network management card installed.  I just installed the PowerChute Network Shutdown tool on one of the computers (ver 4.1) and scratching my head on how to configure it so the computer shuts down if/when there is 5 minutes of battery life left.

On the APC itself, under shutdown there is a low battery duration and a shutdown delay.  Plus an end of shutdown option.  Not sure what that does physically.  Then on the Powerchute software not sure what I'm looking at or have to do.  From some readings the only setting under configure events is the Shutdown option which usually just has a checkbox that seems to be about the APC itself and not the computer but not sure.

Guess in a nutshell, running Windows 2012 R2, how do I go about shutting down the computer thru the network shutdown tool 5 minutes before the APC dies?

Thanks.

JR

[BillP]

Hi,

There are 2 option

1 - Set low battery threshold on the NMC to 5 minutes. Then when the battery falls below 5 minutes of runtime all configured PCNS clients will be told to power down.

2 - In PCNS under Events there is an event Runtime remaining below threshold. When the UPS in running on battery power and the runtime remaining on the UPS drops below the threshold, PowerChute will trigger a shutdown sequence. Set that for 300 seconds and when the battery drops below 5 minutes a shutdown will happen. 

[Anonymous user]

Thanks for the reply Bill.  So I set the Low Battery Duration in NMS to 5 minutes.  Assume that's the option you were referring to under "shutdown"?  What does the shutdown delay in seconds do to that number anything?

Also with the "End of Shutdown" what does that do?  Turn on something? 

Thanks.

JR

[BillP · Accepted solution]

John,

All of the settings are described in the NMC help file. Open the web interface to the NMC and go to Configuration the select Shutdown. In the upper right hand corner click on help and all of the setting for that page will be discussed. 

On 8/3/2016 12:55 PM, John said:

What does the shutdown delay in seconds do to that number anything?

It does not affect the low battery setting.

Shutdown Delay

Defines how long the UPS waits before it shuts down in response to a sync control turn-off command.

On 8/3/2016 12:55 PM, John said:

Also with the "End of Shutdown" what does that do?  Turn on something? 

End of Shutdown

Return Runtime Duration

The amount of time that the UPS must be able to support the load by battery power in order for the UPS to end its sleep time (or turn back on when rebooted) and resume providing output power.

Return Delay

Defines how long the UPS waits before it turns on after a shutdown that was caused by a power failure, after a scheduled shutdown, or after a shutdown initiated by a Control command. If the battery is depleted below the percentage configured as "Minimum Battery Capacity", the UPS first waits until the battery is recharged to that minimum capacity. If the battery is depleted below the capacity to provide the runtime configured as "Return Runtime Duration", the UPS first waits until the battery is recharged to the capacity that is able to provide that runtime.