1500 VA / 900W APC Smart-UPS SMC1500 PSU and multiple PCs

BonzaiDuck

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
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1,684
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Perhaps I went overboard when I bought this PSU, but the replacement batteries are at most $20 to $40 from Refurb-UPS, and it's given me 4 years of stellar service so far with one battery replacement cycle. I chose the UPS model because the primary consideration had been the WHS-2011 server I built in 2014. Occasionally, I had two PCs attached to it, but only the server was configured to shut down with a power outage.

Even so, I understand that I can install the PowerChute System Agent on other PCs for the Business Edition appropriate for this PSU.

I investigated management of multiple systems on this PSU, and somewhere in the "general" literature, discovered the APC accessory device which is a Network Management Card that installs in certain models of the APC UPSes. Unfortunately, the device doesn't work with my SMC1500.

APC now informs me that even the installation of PowerChute System Agent on other PCs will not allow for control of more than one PC -- which must be connected by the USB communication link.

Is there ANY software available, or any means available that would allow two computers to initiate power-event shutdown when connected to the UPS with one communications link?

I spend most of my time in this room, and my favorite workstation is always hibernated or put to sleep when not in use. Hibernation would probably avoid any issues during a power event. Otherwise, being here much of the time as I said, I can manually shut down the second system while the server can be shut down automatically during a power event.
 

WilliamM2

Platinum Member
Jun 14, 2012
2,762
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I have two of the 1000va models. I always wondered if you could use the usb and serial port connections at the same time, but I haven't tried it. These days that would probably require a usb to serial adapter for most systems.
 

thecoolnessrune

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2005
9,673
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Install APCupsd on the computer you have connected to USB. When a power fail detection is noticed, have it execute a script to shutdown the other computer. Use ping or something to monitor for when the other computer is down, then have the daemon execute a local shutdown.
 
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XavierMace

Diamond Member
Apr 20, 2013
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Install APCupsd on the computer you have connected to USB. When a power fail detection is noticed, have it execute a script to shutdown the other computer. Use ping or something to monitor for when the other computer is down, then have the daemon execute a local shutdown.

That's how I've always done it for our clients that are too cheap to buy an appropriate UPS.