10.4: Control UPS via Energy Saver preferences panel

I am not sure what types of uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) this works with, but I know it works with my two APC Back-UPS ES 725 devices and OS 10.4.2. I decided to finally hook them into the computer, so my computers will know to shut down if the UPS is on low power -- I hadn't hooked them up since I moved and upgraded to Tiger.

I downloaded the APC software, but before I installed it, I noticed a battery icon in the menu bar which linked to the Energy Saver control panel. There was now a new option, in addition to Power Adapter, called UPS. This gave me the standard Energy Saver settings, plus three options from which I can mix and match:

Shut computer down after running on battery power for x minutes.
Shut computer down when only x minutes are left on battery.
Shut computer down when only x percentage is left on battery.

It also includes a UPS battery meter. The APC software has only two options, and you have to choose one or the other -- Tiger's built-in UPS support seems much more robust.

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10.4: Control UPS via Energy Saver preferences panel
Authored by: diamondsw on Wed, Aug 24 2005 at 11:59AM PDT

I'd love to know how to get that to work. With my APC UPS350 on 10.4.2, I get the preference panel but all of the options are grayed out. :(

10.4: Control UPS via Energy Saver preferences panel
Authored by: joey03 on Thu, Aug 25 2005 at 12:59PM PDT

Same here with my ES750. I wonder whether the APC software has to be installed for the options to be active?

10.4: Control UPS via Energy Saver preferences panel
Authored by: dgkanter on Wed, Aug 24 2005 at 3:18PM PDT

I'm running OS 10.4.2 on a TiPB (1 GHZ), but in my Energy Saver, there are Setting options only for "Power Adapter" & "Battery". Is there something I need to do for the UPS option to appear? (I've never loaded any APC software.) Does, perhaps, my APC UPS need to be connected first to my laptop (and restarted or logged out/in?) for that option to appear?

10.4: Control UPS via Energy Saver preferences panel
Authored by: tinpan on Wed, Aug 24 2005 at 3:36PM PDT

I don't know if it will work for your laptop, but the UPS options didn't show up in the Energy Saver preferences on my desktop G4 until I connected my APC UPS to the G4 with the supplied USB cable. I can't remember if I restarted.

10.4: Control UPS via Energy Saver preferences panel
Authored by: s325607 on Wed, Aug 24 2005 at 3:54PM PDT

Anyone have any luck getting this to work with a UPS(APC Smart UPS 1400) that only has a serial port? I have the "official" serial to USB converter from APC, but the iMac G5 does not seem to see it. Even the APC software doesn't recognize the UPS.

TIA,
Chuck

10.4: Control UPS via Energy Saver preferences panel
Authored by: abobrow on Wed, Aug 24 2005 at 4:17PM PDT

I'm pretty sure this worked under Panther too.

10.4: Control UPS via Energy Saver preferences panel
Authored by: sjk on Wed, Aug 24 2005 at 8:10PM PDT

Yep, it works in 10.3.

10.4: Control UPS via Energy Saver preferences panel
Authored by: slb on Wed, Aug 24 2005 at 8:29PM PDT

Yes, it did, but there are more options with Tiger.
Very cool, I just got a bunch of APC 1500s and it is sweet.
You HAVE to plugin the data cable though - USB-RJ45

SB

10.4: Control UPS via Energy Saver preferences panel
Authored by: koehn on Wed, Aug 24 2005 at 5:08PM PDT

Works great with my Belkin UPS connected via USB to Tiger Server (didn't work at all under Panther Server). The battery icon showed up in the menu bar the first time I logged in.

10.4: Control UPS via Energy Saver preferences panel
Authored by: osxpounder on Wed, Aug 24 2005 at 5:17PM PDT

What makes you say it's more "robust"? Does it crash less often, or otherwise exhibit toughness, resilience, or strength?

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osxpounder

10.4: Control UPS via Energy Saver preferences panel
Authored by: sjk on Wed, Aug 24 2005 at 8:33PM PDT

Additional tip:

The /usr/libexec/upsshutdown script determines what happens during a shutdown that's triggered when the UPS setting reaches a designated Energy Saver shutdown value. It's written for OS X Server so some customization is needed to make it more compatible with client OS X.

Configuration question:

Does anyone know if an APC UPS (the ES-725, to be specific) can be configured without using the PowerChute software? I didn't find anything when I looked awhile ago. Precisely, I'd like to turn off the annoying alarm BEEPING the UPS blurts out during a power outage.

10.4: Control UPS via Energy Saver preferences panel
Authored by: BrentT on Wed, Aug 24 2005 at 9:30PM PDT

I remember once hearing that the PC version would allow the firmware to disable to the beep. I tried to use the PC PowerChute software with VirtualPC but it would not recognize the APC ES 500.

10.4: Control UPS via Energy Saver preferences panel
Authored by: jomy on Tue, Oct 11 2005 at 11:58AM PDT

Anyone have success with a APC PowerStack model?

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