Turn ON SURT8000XL remotely

[Anonymous user]

Hi,
first of all, let me tell that APC UPS's are perfect. I have 2 and both are working great after 5 years of usage.

What I need is to turn ON and OFF my UPS from a 8 meter distance. I use the UPS for energy purposes and to avoid space usage / noise earing, it is placed on other room.
So, I look a controller just like the front Panel, but that could be located outside the UPS. Does the AP9830 work with Surt8000xli ? And can it replace the Test/Button ?

Many thx in advance,

Rui.Dias

[BillP]

hello,

you have a few different options

• AP9830 will work but is old and discontinued. not sure if it is even available.
• Consider AP9610 (or the newer AP9613) dry contacts relay I/O card
• Consider AP9631 network management card with AP9810 dry contacts accessory if you can take andvange of the dry contacts and network management card
• look at the DB-9 port on the UPS.

Remote On/Off Control

Remote On
Application of a short (or a momentary button) connected between pins 7 and 8 of the DB9 for 200 ms (60Hz) 240ms (50Hz) will result in the UPS detecting an ON command. The UPS will then process its on sequence.

Remote Off
Application of a short (or a momentary button) connected between pins 7 and 9 of the DB9 for 200 ms (60Hz) 240ms (50Hz) will result in the UPS detecting an OFF command. The UPS will then turn off immediately.

[Anonymous user]

Hi again,

your answer was very nice. I still does not understand why APC does not have a remote Display Panel just like the one attached in the front. It would be nice to read the battery / charge values.
A third option could be a Tiny linux PC with PCE installed and two Virtual / Touch buttons that can sync with it.

Anyway, the DB9 solution looks good for me. But I am not an electrician, so how to configure those automation buttons is a mystery !

Can you please appoint me a company/guy that could build it? Or a place to buy tow configurable buttons the could work like the instructions you wrote ?

Many thanks again,

Rui Dias

[voidstar_apc]

Does your SURT8000XL have a network management card in the smartslot? If it does, you'll see an ethernet port on the back. And if not, they're available as the AP9630 and AP9631. If you connect it to your network, you can manage the UPS from anywhere via a web page. Not exactly like the front panel, but a bit better.

[BillP]

yes i agree with voidstar. a management card should come preinstalled in an SURT8000 that allows you to manage things remotely over the network with a web page GUI (among other interfaces).

i am not familiar with a company that would set that up for you though if you wanted dry contacts or to work with the DB-9 port.

[Anonymous user]

Hi again,

like I said in my first post: I use my UPS just for energy purposes. The room where the buttons should be do not have a PC neither I intend to put one there (unless it is so tiny that could be completely silent and hidden). A display with Web browser is out of question. Please... consider this room as an Old Art Museum.

So, the DB9 momentary buttons looks a nice idea. I suppose the voltage on pin 7,8 and 9 come from the UPS. And each Switch just joins two of those pins during 200ms/240ms. (Please confirm) Certainly the electric market has that kind of button, but how to program the time in ms in it ?

Many thanks again,

Rui Dias

[BillP]

do there is no way from this room for you to run a network cable some place to a network switch and access it from another location in the building or over the internet at all?? the network card does not need to be accessed from the same room.

i am not sure how to manipulate the pins personally to be honest with you..like the physical connection, what type of switch, etc. i can just tell you what pins to refer to on the DB-9 port.

[Anonymous user]

No problem at all. I will test the pin connection with APC serial cable.
I will back soon and tell you the results.

[Anonymous user]

Back again,

I tested the connections and they both work.
(Sorry for the delay, I had to buy a simple serial cable, the one I use to work with PowerChute didn't work.)

So, pin 7 with 8 results an ON command.
pin 8 with 9 or GND results an OFF command.

However, [when there is no energy powering the UPS], both work within 10 minutes. After that, the ON command does not work any more. But if I press the TEST Button, then both seem to work again some minutes more. Perhaps the DB9 interface is not always turned ON when the UPS is in sleep mode.

Is there any other pin connection that could replace the Test Button ?

[BillP]

after 10 minutes, the UPS is becoming braindead. that is normal operation and that is why you are seeing the delay. pressing the test button energizes the UPS again.

[voidstar_apc · Accepted solution]

Hi Rui,

>
So, the DB9 momentary buttons looks a nice idea. I suppose the voltage on pin 7,8 and 9 come from the UPS. And each Switch just joins two of those pins during 200ms/240ms. (Please confirm) Certainly the electric market has that kind of button, but how to program the time in ms in it ?
>

That sounds right. Just hold down the button for long enough... the time is only a minimum.

You can get more information about the DB9 connector here.