Is it safe to install the APC UPS software on the core?

[freymann]

I bookmarked this thread a while ago:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=230199&highlight=apc+ups

because I knew I'd be replacing the UPS on the core with an APC that has the USB data cable.

Would any of the developers if it's safe to mark and install the APCUPSD software in Synaptic software package manager? (or whatever it is we use under kubuntu)...

Thanks!

[jspeckman]

I run apcupsd on my core.  My ups is a smartups 900 connected via serial and I installed the software through apt-get so your mileage my vary.

Jason

[freymann]

What are the commands for the apt-get

sudo apt-get install apcupsd

From there, just follow the instructions in the link in my first message.

[bulek]

Hi,

has anyone tried to integrate apcupsd with LMCE ?

Thanks in advance,

regards,

Bulek.

[freymann]

I followed the link to the post and used those directions. I get everything completed and no errors at the /sbin command. I rebooted the core but I still get no entries in the log.

I didn't restart/reboot the core yesterday after I did the installation because I didn't want to rock the boat, but I was planning on doing that today.

Did you do this part?

Code: [Select]

http://www.apcupsd.com/manual/USB_Configuration.html

The make-hiddev script to run is located here:

/usr/share/doc/apcupsd/examples/make-hiddev

The make-hiddev script has to be run as root (sudo) of course. Only after that did the log file give me "debian startup succeeded."

I haven't yet. So far it appears to be working but like you, nothing in the log file, but it did create a blank one.

We just had a nice storm pass through and the power flickered on/off several times, still no log entries though. I guess yesterday was a good day to add one more UPS to the network!

P.S. Where abouts are you in Ontario? I wonder if you and I are the only two LMCE users in the province!? ;-)

[freymann]

I did not do the hiddev stuff, I figured that with the no errors returned in sbin command we were golden. I even unplugged mine for a 2 minutes to make sure. I also have my sharp panel on that one. Can we tail that log? to see.

You can tail the log, but since nothing is being written at the moment it isn't going to do much.

I would do the hiddev stuff and then see what happens.

Don't forget to add the command to startup the program somewhere (/etc/rc.local perhaps?).

I'll be tinkering more with this today.

The Capital.

Ah hah! The storm we just had is likely headed your way next! I'm way West of you, in Northumberland County.

[freymann]

After searching the ubuntu forums for apcupsd, if you use apt-get to install it, it puts a startup script into /etc/init.d for you.

You can get the status of your UPS by doing:

sudo /etc/init.d/apcupsd status

Code: [Select]

APC      : 001,019,0468
DATE     : Wed Jul 16 09:13:08 EDT 2008
HOSTNAME : dcerouter
RELEASE  : 3.14.1
VERSION  : 3.14.1 (04 May 2007) debian
UPSNAME  : dcerouter
CABLE    : USB Cable
MODEL    : USB UPS Driver
UPSMODE  : Stand Alone
STARTTIME: Tue Jul 15 18:13:01 EDT 2008
STATUS   :
MBATTCHG : 5 Percent
MINTIMEL : 3 Minutes
MAXTIME  : 0 Seconds
NUMXFERS : 0
TONBATT  : 0 seconds
CUMONBATT: 0 seconds
XOFFBATT : N/A
STATFLAG : 0x07000000 Status Flag
END APC  : Wed Jul 16 09:13:37 EDT 2008

so one would think if that displays properly, then you don't have to worry about the hiddev stuff.

Check over the config file though...

In /etc/apcupsd/apcupsd.conf it talks about logging...

Code: [Select]

# LOGSTATS [ on | off ] on enables, off disables
# Note! This generates a lot of output, so if         
#       you turn this on, be sure that the
#       file defined in syslog.conf for LOG_NOTICE is a named pipe.
#  You probably do not want this on.
LOGSTATS off

so perhaps if you wanna check up on things, you can set that to "on" and restart.

[freymann]

That is not the same log file that we are pulling up. With your last command I have a full report so I guess the ups is responding properly.

 Hi Dave.

 A quick "google" for "acpupsd status" will give you what all the fields stand for/mean...

[freymann]

have you seen anything in that log file at all. You know I was reading over at Unraid about those guys getting this setup as well on the Unraid server and I am not sure if the powerdown script works out of the box, that is something we may want to check into. I will do some research as well and post back.

 That's funny you would ask... the power went a couple times here this week, and the UPS's were clicking and chirping quite a bit during the 4 days of storms.... so I checked the core to see if there was anything in the log and it's 0 bytes.

 I didn't tinker much with the config file. I think I mentioned there is a log directive in there that can make it more verbose.

 I guess you could always pull the power cord out of the wall and leave it and see what happens.

 My APC UPS is good for 70 mins (so they claim) so I'm hoping it won't have to issue the shutdown command very often. I work from home so whenever anything happens when I'm around I can easily go over and manually power down.