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Why aren't computers designed to handle power failure?
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John B:
So to answer the initial post - why not incorporate the UPS into a computer as a matter of course? Because you don't want to. It will be a horribly cheap compromised unit.

Better to track down a good quality standalone unit that is being discarded and just needs some new batteries. You should be able to find one cheap, or better free  ;D
NiHaoMike:

--- Quote from: SilverSolder on June 21, 2020, 11:17:55 pm ---There is an open-source project that supports them with power-down daemons, but I haven't had a play with that yet (I did manage to find one of the special serial cables needed...).

--- End quote ---
There's apcupsd, of which one of its most interesting features is the ability to tie in all sorts of automation like CPU frequency control.
http://www.apcupsd.org/manual/#customizing-event-handling
It also looks like it would be easy to program an Arduino to emulate an APC UPS, for those who have a solar power setup with battery backup.
SilverSolder:

--- Quote from: NiHaoMike on June 22, 2020, 12:34:00 am ---
--- Quote from: SilverSolder on June 21, 2020, 11:17:55 pm ---There is an open-source project that supports them with power-down daemons, but I haven't had a play with that yet (I did manage to find one of the special serial cables needed...).

--- End quote ---
There's apcupsd, of which one of its most interesting features is the ability to tie in all sorts of automation like CPU frequency control.
http://www.apcupsd.org/manual/#customizing-event-handling
It also looks like it would be easy to program an Arduino to emulate an APC UPS, for those who have a solar power setup with battery backup.

--- End quote ---

That's the one I was looking at, couldn't recollect the name when I posted! :D
SilverSolder:

--- Quote from: John B on June 21, 2020, 11:58:30 pm ---There's  d-sub com port on the back, but I never even thought to try and connect it. I haven't needed to change any of the settings. From the documentation it just has the usual, like turn on and off delays, low battery shutdown %, sensitivity to mains voltage high or low conditions etc.

I'm currently also refurbishing an eaton ex 2200, which is maybe 10 years old, and still it was difficult to track down the software. Haven't got it working yet.

I get the feeling the moment that a UPS manufacturer moves to the next model, the old ones and all support are buried in tombs. I figure that the business models demand that they push out new models constantly. This is reinforced by the fact that all my UPS units are salvaged - they were all destined for the garbage dump. Companies and workplaces replace the batteries maybe once, then turf the whole unit even though nothing else is wrong with them.

--- End quote ---

All mine can do is basically flap one of the pins in that serial port on the back (non standard, so requires a special cable) when the power fails, which signals the computer to shut down gracefully (if it has the right software running that can react to the flapping pin).

Today, it would probably be designed to send some kind of cryptic messages that are difficult or impossible to work with...
Raj:

--- Quote from: SilverSolder on June 22, 2020, 01:27:27 am ---
--- Quote from: John B on June 21, 2020, 11:58:30 pm ---There's  d-sub com port on the back, but I never even thought to try and connect it. I haven't needed to change any of the settings. From the documentation it just has the usual, like turn on and off delays, low battery shutdown %, sensitivity to mains voltage high or low conditions etc.

I'm currently also refurbishing an eaton ex 2200, which is maybe 10 years old, and still it was difficult to track down the software. Haven't got it working yet.

I get the feeling the moment that a UPS manufacturer moves to the next model, the old ones and all support are buried in tombs. I figure that the business models demand that they push out new models constantly. This is reinforced by the fact that all my UPS units are salvaged - they were all destined for the garbage dump. Companies and workplaces replace the batteries maybe once, then turf the whole unit even though nothing else is wrong with them.

--- End quote ---

All mine can do is basically flap one of the pins in that serial port on the back (non standard, so requires a special cable) when the power fails, which signals the computer to shut down gracefully (if it has the right software running that can react to the flapping pin).

Today, it would probably be designed to send some kind of cryptic messages that are difficult or impossible to work with...

--- End quote ---

That's exactly what i've been thinking of implementing....I created a "shutdown shortcut" and assigned it the hotkey "Cltr+Shift+Alt+F4" ...Soon I'll make a microcontroller send my pc that hotkey via usb keyboard protocol whenever it detects a power failure. I've been thinking of using v-usb along with attiny but Vusb code is klingon to me  :-DD
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