UPS features, can these be managed?

Question

I probably should ask this on another forum but I figure someone here can help me and I trust you all with my Mac! And of course it is the weekend so I can't call APC and I'd like to figure this out before Monday if posibble.
The APC UPS item BR1200 that I am considering says it has the following features among many others:
a. Audible Alarms: Provides notification of changing utility power and UPS conditions.
b. Automatic restart of loads after UPS shutdown: Automatically starts up the connected equipment upon the return of utility power.
a. Does anyong know if you can shut off the audible alarms on these products?
b. If the computer is OFF when the power goes off, will it still be restarted when utility power returns?
And, if I shut off the computer successfully when the power goes off and it is running on battery, will it still come ON when the power returns?
Most importantly - is there a way to change these settings?
Thanks,
Mrs H
Here's a link to what I'm looking at:
http://www.apc.com/resource/include/techspecindex.cfm?base_sku=BR1200&tab=models&totalwatts=500

Answer 1

Hi,
From the APC web site:
http://www.apc.com/resource/include/techspecindex.cfm?basesku=SFPCPE133
PowerChute Personal Edition v1.3.3 (10.3.9 - 10.4.1)
PowerChute Personal Edition OS Compatibility
Version 2.1.1
• Windows ®Vista
Version 2.0
• Windows® XP
• Windows® Media Center
• Windows® 2000 Professional
Version 1.5.0
• Windows® ME
• Windows® 98
Version 1.3.4
• Mac OSX 10.4.4 - 10.4.9
Version 1.3.3
• Mac OS X 10.3.9 - 10.4.1
So, You apparently have 10.4.11 so I would NOT try to install the APC PCPE software. When I emailed APC about the lack of software for Leopard OS X 10.5.x they replied:
“When Apple released native UPS support back in the early days of Mac OS X Tiger 10.4, the need to run PowerChute Personal Edition in its current form effectively ended.
You will notice that as soon as your APC UPS is connected via USB to your Mac running Tiger or Leopard, the UPS is detected.”
I think APC was just too lazy to write the proper software for Macs. I think Windows also has default software for UPS but APC takes the trouble to write Windows software. As with printer drivers, When you use the manufacturer supplied software you typically get more features than if you use the default. We cannot do this so are stuck with the Mac default which I guess is good enough. I wish I could see time remaining though.
So, whenever you wish to use your Mac you boot it from scratch? Wow. Even during my PC days, I always left the computer running 24/7. I did & still do , set the display to power off after a period of ~ 10 minutes & after 30 minutes have the HD shut down. So power consumption is minimal.
This is my 1st UPS since I didn’t have space for one before. My rationale is to not have the computer crash if the power goes off for even 10 seconds whether I’m using it or am away. It is not so I can continue working for an hour till the power comes back on. I’m still trying to discover exactly how much runtime I will get since it is not displayed.
You do not have to select an option for all 3 shutdown settings.
I set mine to Shutdown computer When time left on UPS power is 5 minutes, Shutdown computer When UPS power level drops to 15%.
I did not Check the top one.
I just want to make sure that the Mac has enough time to close programs & power off properly b4 the loss of power causes a crash.
I think the UPS will do whichever occurs 1st. So, if I say shut down when 15% & 5 minutes remains & say I actually only get 10 total minutes of runtime --When 5 minutes are remaining it is only at 50% but will still shut down. That is if it can even tell how many minutes, I bet it cannot. But it DOES display % so, I think I am safe.
Good luck.