outlet groups with powerchute network shutdown

[UPSUser_apc]

Is it possible to have all the outlet groups turn off at the same time during a low battery shutdown? On the UPS I'm testing with, I noticed that it waits for the power off delay for Outlet Group 1, followed by the power off delay for Main UPS Outlets. If I try to change the Main UPS Outlets delay to 0 so that everything will turn off at the same time, a few minutes later I check it and it's back to a high number, which doubles the amount of time before the UPS turns off.

I'm just trying to set it so that Powerchute Network Shutdown will be signalled to shut down when there are around 25 minutes of runtime remaining, and after everything is shut down, the UPS will turn off and stay off until I manually switch it back on. Please let me know if I'm missing anything.

Also, one more question: If I configure redundant UPS's with these same settings, Powerchute Network Shutdown will do nothing when the first UPS reaches the 25 minute runtime low battery point, and will start shutting down everything once the second one reaches 25 minutes remaining, correct?

Thanks

[BillP]

Hi,

1 - Are you configuring PCNS to run a command file? 

2 - Is PCNS configured for VMware or Hyper-V and if so what is the set up?

3 - What firmware is on the UPS network management card?

On 2/14/2017 6:09 PM, Micah said:

Also, one more question: If I configure redundant UPS's with these same settings, Powerchute Network Shutdown will do nothing when the first UPS reaches the 25 minute runtime low battery point, and will start shutting down everything once the second one reaches 25 minutes remaining, correct?

Yes. That is correct. 

[UPSUser_apc · Accepted solution]

Hi,

1. I'm not using a command file.

2. PCNS is configured for VMware. I didn't configure any PCNS events; I was just relying on the UPS to send the low battery shutdown signal to PCNS. Please see below the settings I configured. I created a local account on the vCenter server and on ESXi hosts.

3. This UPS is a Smart-UPS X 750. The firmware revision shows UPS 02.2 / COM 02.3 / UBL 05.0 / CBL 01.0 (ID11)

Thanks

[BillP · Accepted solution]

Hi,

You should disable shutdown UPS in PowerChute. Open the NMC interface, go to Configuration - Outlet Groups and open the for Group 1. Set power off delay to 1320 seconds, select UPS runtime remaining is less than in load shedding and enter 1800 seconds (30 minutes). Deselect Skip outlet off delay and select Stay off after power returns and finally select apply to save the settings. This will cause the outlet group to start a shutdown when the UPS has 29 minutes of runtime left. I know that is greater that the 25 minutes of runtime remaining you were initially starting the shutdown at but I am adding the extra time to prevent the UPS from reaching low battery.

Now open the Main outlet group page and set the power off delay to 120 seconds, select UPS runtime remaining is less than and enter 1800, be sure that Skip outlet off delay and Stay off after power returns are selected. 

What will happen is when the UPS has 29 minutes of runtime remaining it will send a shutdown signal to PCNS and it will being the shutdown of VMs, host/s and such. Outlet group 1 will remain powered for 22 minutes and then power down. At the same time the Main outlet group will power down. The UPS will remain off until you intervene / power it back on.

If you want the UPS to power back up when AC is restored automatically (no user intervention) deselect Stay off after power returns for both outlet groups. 

[UPSUser_apc]

Seems to be working like I wanted with the settings you gave. Thanks for your help.

[UPSUser_apc]

Hi, I configured two redundant UPS's with the settings shown below, similar to the settings for the test UPS above. These are model Smart-UPS SRT 5000 with firmware version UPS 04.0 (ID1013) I found that after the battery remaining fell to 38 minutes, outlet group 1 turned off immediately without waiting for the group 2 or powerchute timers. I guess this is because I had the skip outlet off delay box checked, and in this newer version of the firmware both outlet groups run their power off delay timers simultaneously, rather than outlet group 1 waiting for the timer on outlet group 2 to complete?

Also I had one more question: The user manual says this regarding critical events on redundant UPS's:

• 2 identical critical events (such as Low-Battery Condition Occurred OR UPS turn off has been initiated) occurring in succession on 2 UPS devices cause a shutdown. The shutdown is immediate and no configured delay is counted down.
• 2 identical user-configured critical events such as UPS On Battery occurring in succession on 2 UPS devices will cause a shutdown. Any configured delay is counted down first.
• 2 different critical events (such as Low-Battery Condition Occurred and PowerChute cannot communicate with the Management Card ) occurring in succession on 2 UPS devices cause the event called Multiple Critical Events occurred which always leads to a shutdown. Prior to the PowerChute shutdown process starting, a 10-second delay is counted. No configured delay time is counted down.

Is there any way to disable the shutdown when powerchute can't communicate with the management card? I don't want everything to shut down if there is a temporary network issue that prevents it from communicating with the UPS.

Thanks

[BillP · Accepted solution]

Hi,

On 3/6/2017 6:18 PM, Micah said:

Hi, I configured two redundant UPS's with the settings shown below, similar to the settings for the test UPS above. These are model Smart-UPS SRT 5000 with firmware version UPS 04.0 (ID1013) I found that after the battery remaining fell to 38 minutes, outlet group 1 turned off immediately without waiting for the group 2 or powerchute timers. I guess this is because I had the skip outlet off delay box checked, and in this newer version of the firmware both outlet groups run their power off delay timers simultaneously, rather than outlet group 1 waiting for the timer on outlet group 2 to complete?

The reason group 1 shuts down immediately is because you have skip shutdown delay checked and this model Smart-UPS group 1 is not a Main outlet group. This model Smart-UPS has 2 Switched outlet groups that work independently of each other. In your first posts the UPS had a Main outlet group and a Switched outlet group. The Main will not power down until the Switched has powered down since the Switched is dependant on the Main. This is similar to a breaker box in a home. If you shutdown the Main circuit all circuits are power down. If you shutdown an individual circuit then the others remain energized. 

On 3/6/2017 6:18 PM, Micah said:

Is there any way to disable the shutdown when powerchute can't communicate with the management card? I don't want everything to shut down if there is a temporary network issue that prevents it from communicating with the UPS.

PowerChute will only start a shutdown for communication lost with the NMC if you select it as a shutdown event. When you look at the PowerChute web interface and select Configure Events you will see that PowerChute cannot communicate with the NMC is not selected as a default shutdown trigger. 

[UPSUser_apc]

Ok I see, thanks again.