Return Delay Option

[cojaxx8_apc]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 10/24/2012

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Hello,
I have a Smart UPS 1500VA (SMT1500I) with a Network Management Card Installed (AP9630). There is also a single VMWare Esxi Host with the vMA installed with PCNS (3.0.1) installed.

I have been able to successfully shutdown the host gracefully but haven't been able to set the 'Return Delay' properly. The 'Return Delay' can be successfully configured for the outlet group, but I can't figure out how to set the 'Return Delay' for the UPS itself.

There are a couple of options under 'Sync Control Shutdown' called 'Return Delay', but whenever i configure those options it doesn't change the 'Return Delay' on the UPS, it stays at 10 Seconds.

Am I missing another option somewhere?

Cheers
Peter

[BillP]

This reply was originally posted by Angela on APC forums on 11/12/2012

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alrighty. i'll be on vacation for a while so hopefully i can check in eventually or others can comment.

[BillP]

This reply was originally posted by Angela on APC forums on 10/24/2012

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when you log in, do you see Main UPS and Outlet Group 1? how are you looking to configure this system if i may ask? also, i only see "power on delay" - is that what you are referring to?

i don't have one of these units to log into unfortunately, i only have an SMX750 or SMX1500 readily available which I am not 100% sure if its the same outlet group configuration. that UPS i have has a Main UPS group and 1 switched outlet group. any screenshots would be helpful or i can try and track one of those down to test and look at.

this document may help too as far as how these outlet groups work in general but the main UPS group would always shut off last I think if you are seeing that. -> http://www.apcmedia.com/salestools/NWHG-8ACJSR_R0_EN.pdf

[cojaxx8_apc]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 10/25/2012

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Hello,

Ah yes i've found what your talking about. I do see the two outlet groups, Main and Group 1. I had to adjust the outlet group 'Main' to get the power on delay configured properly. I think i was treating them both as switched outlet groups, as I was trying to find the return delay under "shutdown" itself.

I've very slowly getting my head around this after working on it for about 2 days now 😛

I've got this setup in a lab environment atm, but ultimately the goal is to have the UPS run the ESXi server for 30 mins at which point it will sent the shutdown signal if still on batteries. The UPS will then wait 15 mins for the server to shutdown before switching the entire UPS off. When power returns it will wait 1 minute before switching the UPS back on just in case the power is cutting in and out and then 10 seconds or so before switching Outlet group 1 back on (which is the outlet group the server is connected to).

There is one other question i have if you don't mind me asking. If you look at the picture "Configuration - Shutdown", there is an option there called "Low Battery Duration". What does figure do?

Thanks again for your help.
Cheers
Peter

[cojaxx8_apc]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 10/25/2012

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Just some other pictures of how my PCNS Client is configure

[BillP]

This reply was originally posted by Angela on APC forums on 10/25/2012

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the low battery duration AKA the low battery signaling time is the amount of minutes of runtime, that when this many minutes (2 by default) is left on the UPS, that the UPS will force a low battery signal and anything left running with Powerchute will be forced to shutdown. so then it will run for this amount of time - which in your configuration is currently set to 5 minutes.

Refer to PDF page 41-42 @ http://www.apcmedia.com/salestools/PMAR-8P9G2C_R2_EN.pdf for a nice chart on how all of these delays work. make sure to refer to the section for UPS with outlet groups for your application.

[cojaxx8_apc]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 10/26/2012

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Hello,
Hmm, I just did some testing. I set the low battery duration to 30 mins (The maximum it seemed to accept). Then i unplugged the Power source. The UPS was on battery for about 20 mins or so and finally reached 30 mins of runtime remaining.

It then produced this alert in the logs.

26-Oct-12 11:04:17 UPS: The battery power is too low to continue to support the load; the UPS will shut down if input power does not return to normal soon.

But the UPS didn't signal the connected clients to shutdown.

Looking in the help file it says that the "Low Battery Duration" is the amount of time AFTER a low battery signal gets sent that it waits before shutting down the UPS.

Do I have this correct? and if so how do it configure it?

Cheers

[BillP]

This reply was originally posted by Angela on APC forums on 10/26/2012

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yes, the UPS hit the low battery mark at 30 minutes and should have forced the clients to begin shutting down at that time while running for the 30 minutes.

can you show me the powerchute client event logs as well? the log you showed was from the network management card only.

[cojaxx8_apc]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 10/29/2012

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Hello,

Sure. I had to re test as i couldn't find the logs. so here are the ones from the UPS and PCNS (I think i may be a few mins out in regards to the clock times being in sync).

UPS
29-Oct-12 14:40:31 UPS: The battery power is too low to continue to support the load; the UPS will shut down if input power does not return to normal soon.
29-Oct-12 14:39:38 UPS: On battery power in response to distorted input.
29-Oct-12 14:38:57 System: Web user 'apc' logged in from 192.168.25.116.

PCNS
Date Time Event
10/30/2012 02:43:43 Low-battery condition has occurred
10/30/2012 02:43:42 Available runtime has been exceeded.
10/30/2012 02:43:12 Available runtime is sufficient.
10/30/2012 02:42:50 UPS has switched to battery power
10/30/2012 02:41:49 Battery has recharged

When this test was done, I also had the Event "UPS: On Battery" set to 30 mins before shutting down the server on the PCNS screen.

What was interesting though was when i removed that event (and had no events configured in PCNS), the UPS hit the low battery threshold, and it actually shutdown the servers gracefully.

Hopefully that helps you out..

Thanks Again
Peter Sheridan.

[cojaxx8_apc]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 11/2/2012

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Angela, Just wondering if you had a chance to review the logs and if it made any sense?

[BillP]

This reply was originally posted by Angela on APC forums on 11/2/2012

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can you confirm how much total runtime the UPS reports? i was curious if basically we cut it too close with UPS on battery after 30 minutes and the server didnt have enough time to shutdown but even so, i think it is supposed to be smart enough to avoid that situation.

when you did this test, did you also still have the runtime exceeded event configured for shutdown? also, at test time with UPS: On battery configured, what was the low battery setting configured to?

[cojaxx8_apc · Accepted solution]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 11/11/2012

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Hey Angela,

Sorry about the delay on this.

Unfortunately I don't have the UPS in the office anymore as it go delivered to the client.

I am performing a simulation test with the client next week so will let you know how it goes.

Cheers
Peter