1GENERICUPS(8) NUT Manual GENERICUPS(8)
2
6 genericups - Driver for contact-closure UPS equipment
7
9 This man page only documents the specific features of the genericups
10 driver. For information about the core driver, see nutupsdrv(8).
11
13 This driver supports hardware from many different manufacturers as it
14 only uses the very simplest of signaling schemes. Contact closure
15 refers to a kind of interface where basic high/low signals are provided
16 to indicate status. This kind of UPS can only report line power and
17 battery status.
18 This means that you will only get the essentials in ups.status: OL, OB,
20 and LB. Anything else requires a smarter UPS.
21
23 Cabling is different for every kind of UPS. See the table below for
24 information on what is known to work with a given UPS type.
25
27 This driver supports the following settings in the ups.conf(5):
28 upstype=type
30 Required. Configures the driver for a specific kind of UPS. See the
31 UPS Types section below for more information on which entries are
32 available.
33 mfr=string
35 Optional. The very nature of a generic UPS driver sometimes means
36 that the stock manufacturer data has no relation to the actual
37 hardware that is attached. With the mfr setting, you can change the
38 value that is seen by clients that monitor this UPS.
39 model=string
41 Optional. This is like mfr above, but it overrides the model string
42 instead.
43 serial=string
45 Optional. This is like mfr above and intended to record the
46 identification string of the UPS. It is titled "serial" because
47 usually this string is referred to as the serial number.
48 sdtime=value
50 Optional. The driver will sleep for this many seconds after setting
51 the shutdown signal. This is necessary for some hardware which
52 requires a sustained level to activate the shutdown sequence.
53 The default behavior of the driver is to exit immediately. If this
55 doesn’t reliably trigger a shutdown in your UPS hardware, use this
56 setting to give it more time to react.
57 Note
59 very large values for sdtime may create warnings from upsdrvctl if
60 it gets tired of waiting for the driver to return.
61
63 You may override the values for CP, OL, LB, and SD by defining them in
64 the ups.conf(5) after the upstype setting.
65 For example, to set the cable power to DTR and the low battery value to
67 DCD, it would look like this:
68 CP = DTR
70 LB = DCD
72 Recognized values for input lines are CTS, DCD, and RNG. Recognized
74 values for output lines are DTR, RTS, and ST. See below for more about
75 what these signals mean.
76 These values may be negated for active low signals. That is, "LB=-DCD"
78 recognizes a low battery condition when DCD is not held high.
79
81 The essence of a UPS definition in this driver is how it uses the
82 serial lines that are available. These are the abbreviations you will
83 see below:
84 OL
86 On line (no power failure) (opposite of OB - on battery)
87 LB
89 Low battery
90 SD
92 Shutdown load
93 CP
95 Cable power (must be present for cable to have valid reading)
96 CTS
98 Clear to Send. Received from the UPS.
99 RTS
101 Ready to Send. Sent by the PC.
102 DCD
104 Data Carrier Detect. Received from the UPS.
105 RNG
107 Ring indicate. Received from the UPS.
108 DTR
110 Data Terminal Ready. Sent by the PC.
111 ST
113 Send a BREAK on the transmit data line
114 A "-" in front of a signal name (like -RNG) means that the indicated
116 condition is signaled with an active low signal. For example, [LB=-RNG]
117 means the battery is low when the ring indicate line goes low, and that
118 the battery is OK when that line is held high.
119
121 0 = UPSonic LAN Saver 600
122 [CP=DTR+RTS] [OL=-CTS] [LB=DCD] [SD=DTR]
124 1 = APC Back-UPS/Back-UPS Pro/Smart-UPS with 940-0095A/C cable
126 [CP=DTR] [OL=-RNG] [LB=DCD] [SD=RTS]
128 2 = APC Back-UPS/Back-UPS Pro/Smart-UPS with 940-0020B cable
130 [CP=RTS] [OL=-CTS] [LB=DCD] [SD=DTR+RTS]
132 Type 2 has also been reported to work with the 940-0020C cable.
134 3 = PowerTech Comp1000 with DTR cable power
136 [CP=DTR] [OL=CTS] [LB=DCD] [SD=DTR+RTS]
138 4 = Generic RUPS Model
140 [CP=RTS] [OL=CTS] [LB=-DCD] [SD=-RTS]
142 5 = Tripp Lite UPS with Lan2.2 interface (black 73-0844 cable)
144 [CP=DTR] [OL=CTS] [LB=-DCD] [SD=DTR+RTS]
146 6 = Best Patriot with INT51 cable
148 [CP=DTR] [OL=CTS] [LB=-DCD] [SD=RTS]
150 7 = CyberPower Power99 Also Upsonic Power Guardian PG-500, Belkin
152 Belkin Home Office, F6H350-SER, F6H500-SER, F6H650-SER
153 [CP=RTS] [OL=CTS] [LB=-DCD] [SD=DTR]
155 8 = Nitram Elite 500
157 [CP=DTR] [OL=CTS] [LB=-DCD] [SD=???]
159 9 = APC Back-UPS/Back-UPS Pro/Smart-UPS with 940-0023A cable
161 [CP=none] [OL=-DCD] [LB=CTS] [SD=RTS]
163 10 = Victron Lite with crack cable
165 [CP=RTS] [OL=CTS] [LB=-DCD] [SD=DTR]
167 11 = Powerware 3115
169 [CP=DTR] [OL=-CTS] [LB=-DCD] [SD=ST]
171 12 = APC Back-UPS Office with 940-0119A cable
173 [CP=RTS] [OL=-CTS] [LB=DCD] [SD=DTR]
175 13 = RPT Repoteck RPT-800A/RPT-162A
177 [CP=DTR+RTS] [OL=DCD] [LB=-CTS] [SD=ST]
179 14 = Online P-series
181 [CP=DTR] [OL=DCD] [LB=-CTS] [SD=RTS]
183 15 = Powerware 5119, 5125
185 [CP=DTR] [OL=CTS] [LB=-DCD] [SD=ST]
187 16 = Nitram Elite 2002
189 [CP=DTR+RTS] [OL=CTS] [LB=-DCD] [SD=???]
191 17 = PowerKinetics 9001
193 [CP=DTR] [OL=CTS] [LB=-DCD] [SD=???]
195 18 = TrippLite Omni 450LAN with Martin’s cabling
197 [CP=DTR] [OL=CTS] [LB=DCD] [SD=none]
199 19 = Fideltronic Ares Series
201 [CP=DTR] [OL=CTS] [LB=-DCD] [SD=RTS]
203 20 = Powerware 5119 RM
205 [CP=DTR] [OL=-CTS] [LB=DCD] [SD=ST]
207 Check docs/cables/powerware.txt
209 21 = Generic RUPS 2000 (Megatec M2501 cable)
211 [CP=RTS] [OL=CTS] [LB=-DCD] [SD=RTS+DTR]
213 22 = Gamatronic All models with alarm interface (also CyberPower SL
215 series)
216 [CP=RTS] [OL=CTS] [LB=-DCD] [SD=DTR]
218
220 Many different UPS companies make models with similar interfaces. The
221 RUPS cable seems to be especially popular in the "power strip" variety
222 of UPS found in office supply stores. If your UPS works with an entry
223 in the table above, but the model or manufacturer information don’t
224 match, don’t despair. You can fix that easily by using the mfr and
225 model variables documented above in your ups.conf(5).
226
228 If your UPS isn’t listed above, you can try going through the list
229 until you find one that works. There is a lot of cable and interface
230 reuse in the UPS world, and you may find a match.
231 To do this, first make sure nothing important is plugged into the
233 outlets on the UPS, as you may inadvertently switch it off. Definitely
234 make sure that the computer you’re using is not plugged into that UPS.
235 Plug in something small like a lamp so you know when power is being
236 supplied to the outlets.
237 Now, you can either attempt to make an educated guess based on the
239 documentation your manufacturer has provided (if any), or just start
240 going down the list.
241 Step 1
243 Pick a driver to try from the list (genericups -h) and go to step 2.
244 Step 2
246 Start the driver with the type you want to try -
247 genericups -x upstype=n /dev/port
249 Let upsd sync up (watch the syslog), and then run upsc to see what it
251 found. If the STATUS is right (should be OL for on line), continue to
252 Step 3, otherwise go back to step 1.
253 Alternatively, you can run genericups in debug mode -
255 genericups -DDDDD -x upstype=n /dev/port
257 In this mode it will be running in the foreground and continuously
259 display the line and battery status of the UPS.
260 Step 3
262 Disconnect the UPS from the wall/mains power. This is easiest if you
263 have a switched outlet in between it and the wall, but you can also
264 just pull the plug to test. The lamp should stay lit, and the status
265 should switch to "OB". If the lamp went out or the status didn’t go to
266 "OB" within about 15 seconds, go to Step 1. Otherwise, continue to Step
267 4.
268 Step 4
270 At this point, we know that OL and OB work. If nothing else beyond this
271 point works, you at least know what your OL/OB value should be.
272 Wait for the UPS to start complaining about a low battery. Depending on
274 the size of your UPS battery and the lamp’s bulb, this could take
275 awhile. It should start complaining audibly at some point. When this
276 happens, STATUS should show "OB LB" within 15 seconds. If not, go to
277 Step 1, otherwise continue to Step 5.
278 Step 5
280 So far: OL works, OB works, and LB works.
281 With the UPS running on battery, run the genericups driver with the -k
283 switch to shut it down.
284 genericups -x upstype=n -k /dev/port
286 If the UPS turns off the lamp, you’re done. At this point, you have
288 verified that the shutdown sequence actually does what you want. You
289 can start using the genericups driver with this type number for normal
290 operations.
291 You should use your findings to add a section to your ups.conf. Here is
293 a quick example:
294 [myups]
296 driver = genericups
297 port = /dev/ttyS0
298 upstype = 1
299 Change the port and upstype values to match your system.
301
303 If the above testing sequence fails, you will probably need to create a
304 new entry to support your hardware. All UPS types are determined from
305 the table in the genericups.h file in the source tree.
306 On a standard 9 pin serial port, there are 6 lines that are used as the
308 standard "high/low" signal levels. 4 of them are incoming (to the PC,
309 from the UPS), and the other 2 are outgoing (to the UPS, from the PC).
310 The other 3 are the receive/transmit lines and the ground.
311 Be aware that many manufacturers remap pins within the cable. If you
313 have any doubts, a quick check with a multimeter should confirm whether
314 the cable is straight-through or not. Another thing to keep in mind is
315 that some cables have electronics in them to do special things. Some
316 have resistors and transistors on board to change behavior depending on
317 what’s being supplied by the PC.
318
320 These have been contributed by users of this driver.
321 The Centralion CL series may power down the load if the driver starts
323 up with the UPS running on battery as the default line settings contain
324 the shutdown sequence. - Neil Muller
325 The Tripp-Lite Internet Office 700 must be used with the black 73-0844
327 cable instead of the gray 73-0743 cable. This entry should work with
328 any of their models with the Lan 2.2 interface - see the sticker by the
329 DB9 connector on the UPS. - Stephen Brown
330 Type 5 should work with the Tripp-Lite Lan 2.1 interface and the
332 73-0724 cable. This was tested with the OmniSmart 675 PNP on Red Hat
333 7.2. - Q Giese
334 Types 7 and 10 should both work with the PhoenixTec A1000.
336
338 There is no way to reliably detect a contact-closure UPS. This means
339 the driver will start up happily even if no UPS is detected. It also
340 means that if the connection between the UPS and computer is
341 interrupted, you may not be able to sense this in software.
342 Most contact-closure UPSes will not power down the load if the line
344 power is present. This can create a race when using slave upsmon(8)
345 systems. See the upsmon(8) man page for more information.
346 The solution to both of these problems is to upgrade to a smart
348 protocol UPS of some kind that allows detection and proper load cycling
349 on command.
350
352 The core driver
353 nutupsdrv(8)
354 Internet resources
356 The NUT (Network UPS Tools) home page: http://www.networkupstools.org/
357Network UPS Tools 09/15/2011 GENERICUPS(8)