[Nut-upsdev] [Nut-upsuser] Exide NetUPS SE (aka Powerware 5119 etc)

Tue Dec 30 05:27:30 UTC 2008

Bonjour Arnaud,

Just after sending my mail I realized that it might have been better
to send it to the developer list, not the user list. My mistake.

While trying to collect more information I have among other things
downloaded the free version of LanSafe III (4.16 for Linux, 4.173a for
Windows), and in the Linux install package I found the attached (plain
text) document specifying the LanSafe team's view of communication
with diffferent devices. Maybe it could be useful for the NUT
compatibility list?

I am not sure that I personally would have much to benefit from it,
but I would find it kind of neat to be able to use the two separate
"load groups" on my UPS (in
http://networkupstools.org/doc/2.2.0/powersaving.html you use the MGE
term "PowerShare"). I had a quick look at the source for the upscode2
driver but found no obvious code to support this feature, which I did
find in the bcmxcp source.

Since the UPS Code II protocol is not publically documented I thought
I might try to help, if possible. I figured that I would install the
free version of LanSafe III on a Windows box (I had a look at the
Linux version install scripts and would not trust it), connect the
serial port of this box to a Linux box running a serial sniffer (e.g.
slsnif -- http://linux.die.net/man/1/slsnif) connecting /dev/ttyS0 to
/dev/ttyS1 and documenting all traffic on this link, and of course
having the second serial port on the linux box connected to the UPS
(my Powerware 5119 under the Exide alias). With this setup I ought to
be able to document all communication between the official and
commercial software supporting this UPS, and the UPS itself. If I find
a way to record what happens on the Windows box, with the clock being
in sync between the systems, it might be even more helpful.

I am quite hopeful that the LanSafe III software can detect and make
use of the load segments of my UPS, and maybe other less known
features of the UPS Code II protocol too, and I would love to be able
to document it. I have no idea how many others are using less than
brand new UPS equipment, but it might help someone else too.

What do you think, Arnaud and other developers?

Happy New Year!
Johan Adler
Stockholm, Sweden

2008/12/24 Arnaud Quette <aquette.dev at gmail.com>:
> Hi Johan,
>
> just a quick note to say that I saw your mail and will process it soon.
> sorry for not having answered earlier, but the Christmas mail I'm
> preparing will complete your mail..
>
> cheers,
> Arnaud
> --
> Linux / Unix Expert R&D - Eaton - http://www.eaton.com/mgeops
> Network UPS Tools (NUT) Project Leader - http://www.networkupstools.org/
> Debian Developer - http://people.debian.org/~aquette/
> Free Software Developer - http://arnaud.quette.free.fr/
>
> 2008/12/24 Johan Adler <johan.adler at gmail.com>:
>> My UPS is an Exide NetUPS SE PRC1500i (1500 VA), also known as
>> Powerware 5119, according to Karl Schmidt
>> (http://lists.alioth.debian.org/pipermail/nut-upsuser/2005-July/000026.html)
>> also Deltec PowerRite Pro II, and according to
>> http://www.usedups.de/compaq_ups.html also Compaq R3000h. I am not
>> sure if the information in http://www.bps.hu/powerware/model_en.html
>> is to be interpreted as that it was previously also known as Fiskars
>> PowerRite Max and before that Fiskars PowerServer 10. The current
>> Powerware models (e.g. the sucessor 5125) are sold under the name
>> Eaton Powerware.
>>
>> The NUT UPS hardware compatibility list does list Compaq R3000h,
>> Deltec PowerRite Pro II, Exide NetUPS SE, Fiskars PowerRite Max,
>> Fiskars PowerServer 10, and Powerware 5119. They are all said to be
>> compatible with the genericups driver, type 15, except for the two
>> Fiskars models and the Compaq OEM version, that should all work with
>> the upscode2 driver.
>>
>> I made a serial adapter (allowing me to use a standard serial cable)
>> according to the specifications in
>> http://www.usedups.de/uploads/pics/Lansafecable_1_.jpg (should work
>> with 3115, 5105, 5119, 9110, 9150 and 9305), confirmed by
>> http://geekbiker.net/cables/powerware.txt
>>
>> Powerware's user's guide (currently
>> http://www.emea.powerware.com/EOL/Manuals/Powerware/5119/English/5119.pdf)
>> says that the 5119 is UPS Code II compliant, so I decided to try the
>> upscode2 driver. The user's guide also helped me confirm the cable
>> specifications.
>>
>> Using minicom I get the same output as Karl Schmidt
>> (http://lists.alioth.debian.org/pipermail/nut-upsuser/2005-July/000038.html).
>>
>> The upscode2 driver works just fine for me, except for the fact that
>> my UPS has what Powerware calls two "load segments" that the driver
>> does not seem to acknowledge. I have tried the bcmxcp driver (that
>> according to the source seems to support these load segments) but it
>> does not recognize my UPS, at least not with the cable I am using.
>>
>> Summary:
>> * Powerware 5119, also known under other names, work fine with the
>> upscode2 driver except for the "load segment" part.
>> * The following cable should work with Powerware  3115, 5105, 5119,
>> 9110, 9150 and 9305 (and clones):
>>
>> UPS  PC
>> 1 -------- 3
>> 2 -------- 2
>> 4 -------- 5
>> 5 -------- 1
>> 6 -------- 8
>>
>> I suggest that the UPS hardware compatibility list is updated iin
>> order to show that the 5119 (under all it's names) support the UPS
>> Code II protocol, and that the cable specifications are included in
>> the NUT package. It might also be a good idea to alter the list so
>> that the aliases of a model point to the main model, making it easier
>> to maintain the list and keep it current.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Johan Adler
>> Stockholm, Sweden
>> --
>> http://nyfiken.org/
>> http://www.librarything.com/profile/jadler
>> http://www.linkedin.com/in/johanadler
>> http://www.ravelry.com/people/jadler
>> http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=540692136
>> http://del.icio.us/johan.adler
>>
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>>
>

-- 
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http://www.linkedin.com/in/johanadler
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