[Apcupsd-users] Compatibility between older versions of apcupsd and 3.14.14?

[Daniel Born]

Hi list,

I've replaced my dying DLA1500 APC UPS with a new SMC1000.

By the way, don't believe any information about the SMC1000 supporting
the MODBUS protocol... even after a firmware upgrade.

I was previously running apcupsd version 3.14.12 and it didn't talk to
the SMC1000 so I've upgraded to version 3.14.14 which is able to talk to
it (albeit in a limited fashion only being able to get %batt and time
remaining...).

My question is that I have another server running mythtv that is long
overdue for an update (still running kernel 2.6.32).
It is still running apcupsd version 3.14.6 and it was happy talking to
my other computer's version 3.14.12 previously.

Now with the upgrade to 3.14.14, this older linux setup isn't able to
talk to it anymore.

I know the ultimate solution will be to upgrade that computer to a more
recent version of everything but it is hard to do on a production
machine. Anything I can do in the short term to have it talk to version
3.14.14? (is it normal that I can't get them to talk?)

If I may squeeze in another question here: would getting the serial
cable instead of the supplied USB, for the SMC1000 get me more data from
the UPS or is that not true anymore?

Thanks in advance for any help on the subject,
Daniel

P.S. If anybody can prove me wrong on the MODBUS subject, I'd be
delighted! ;)

[Jernej Simončič]

Post by Daniel Born
By the way, don't believe any information about the SMC1000 supporting
the MODBUS protocol... even after a firmware upgrade.

I found that out quite a while ago - even contacted APC about it in an
e-mail, and they said that there's no support for modbus on SMC UPSes.

[Daniel Born]

Post by Jernej Simončič

Post by Daniel Born
By the way, don't believe any information about the SMC1000 supporting
the MODBUS protocol... even after a firmware upgrade.

I found that out quite a while ago - even contacted APC about it in an
e-mail, and they said that there's no support for modbus on SMC UPSes.

So did I, after purchasing it. It will still be usable but not as much
as I had hoped. That's what you get for wanting to save some money. Oh
well, next time confirm with Schneider/APC first and don't believe
everything you read on the internet...

About my other issue (older apcupsd not talking with newer version),
nevermind I must have been doing something wrong. I tried it again today
and it's working. Go figure.

[Ted Mittelstaedt]

Daniel,

APC says here that SMC 09.8 and later supports it:

http://www.apc.com/us/en/faqs/content/?id=FA281865

Can you please confirm the firmware version of your SMC UPS?

Ted

Post by Daniel Born

Post by Jernej Simončič

Post by Daniel Born
By the way, don't believe any information about the SMC1000 supporting
the MODBUS protocol... even after a firmware upgrade.

I found that out quite a while ago - even contacted APC about it in an
e-mail, and they said that there's no support for modbus on SMC UPSes.

So did I, after purchasing it. It will still be usable but not as much
as I had hoped. That's what you get for wanting to save some money. Oh
well, next time confirm with Schneider/APC first and don't believe
everything you read on the internet...
About my other issue (older apcupsd not talking with newer version),
nevermind I must have been doing something wrong. I tried it again today
and it's working. Go figure.
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[Daniel Born]

Post by Ted Mittelstaedt
Daniel,
http://www.apc.com/us/en/faqs/content/?id=FA281865
Can you please confirm the firmware version of your SMC UPS?
Ted

Sure, it's version 10.0

Thanks, I will send that link to the support person at Schneider and see
what he has to say about that.
I'm guessing it might be there but it just needs to be enabled (and
they're not telling).

Thanks Ted,
I'll post back here with the results.
Daniel

[Daniel Born]

Post by Ted Mittelstaedt
Daniel,
http://www.apc.com/us/en/faqs/content/?id=FA281865
Can you please confirm the firmware version of your SMC UPS?
Ted

Sorry, I should have read the document before responding...
Unless I'm not reading it right, all it says is the SMC units are
firmware upgradeable, nowhere does it mention that the MODBUS protocol
will be added by doing a firmware upgrade.
My unit was at FW10.0 and I decided to try an upgrade anyway. It did
something but in the end was still at 10.0 and according to Schneider
tech support, in response to the question about SMC units supporting
MODBUS:

"/I would want you to refer the below article which will explain to you
in brief on this.//
//link : //http://www.apc.com/salestools/MPAO-98KJ7F/MPAO-98KJ7F_R1_EN.pdf/

<...>

/I am sorry but I am not sure where you read that. I am not sure if this
feature will be made available in the future./"

That seems pretty clear to me, unless he doesn't know what he's talking
about, which is unlikely, at least for the short term.

Daniel