Serial interface for UPS

[HavocXphere]

So I just got a new UPS and its got a serial RS-232 interface.

The problem is...I just checked the back of my PC and it doesn't seem to have a serial port. I thought they all had one.

And the BIOS has a clear Serial port option...which is why I never checked the back of the PC.

It's got a PS/2 at the back, which is also serial...but those are only 6 pins and I need a 9 pin serial.

Motherboard is a Asus P5K.

So...where is my phantom serial port?

 

[Ryder_JHB]

You may find a 9-pin header on the board which requires a little "dongle" to be plugged in, which will give you a "blanking plate" with a serial port in to attach in one of the card slots... These dongles are usually shipped inside the motherboard box.

However, newer motherboards tend not to always have the serial ports anymore as USB has superceded them. You can buy a USB to Serial convertor for relatively cheap though!

 

[LazyLion]

So I just got a new UPS and its got a serial RS-232 interface.

The problem is...I just checked the back of my PC and it doesn't seem to have a serial port. I thought they all had one.

And the BIOS has a clear Serial port option...which is why I never checked the back of the PC.

It's got a PS/2 at the back, which is also serial...but those are only 6 pins and I need a 9 pin serial.

Motherboard is a Asus P5K.

So...where is my phantom serial port?

many board manufacturers do not actually include the physical port these days but list it as "optional"... since nobody uses the serial ports much anymore. Open the case and find the pin interface for the serial port cable... then find someone who has an old PC and might have a serial cable lying in their garage (like me). then just get the cable and plug it in.

In my experience though, it is not worth it for the UPS... if you can get the software to work, it only gives you minimal useless info. Either the UPS works or it doesn't.

 

[HavocXphere]

Open the case and find the pin interface for the serial port cable... then find someone who has an old PC and might have a serial cable lying in their garage (like me).

Checked the mobo manual and you're right...its an internal one. And I think I've got a suitable adapter somewhere.

In my experience though, it is not worth it for the UPS... if you can get the software to work, it only gives you minimal useless info. Either the UPS works or it doesn't.

Firstly I'm curious and I also want to log brownouts...cause maybe the other PC needs one too. The other reason why I need the serial interface is to shut down the PC...if its got the ability then I might as well use it.

Thanks guys.

 

[HavocXphere]

Ok...new problem.

The software isn't communicating with the UPS.

The internal connector on the mobo can go in either way.

On the mobo, the one pin is left out...the other side is pin 1 according to the manual. And the wire has a red colouring on the one side...I think this side is pin 1. So I matched it that way.

But if one looks at This Diagram (The one on the right), it looks like pin 1 is unused. So it would make sense to match the unused pin with the empty pin on the mobo....but that would imply that the connector has to be connected the other way round.

Can I trial&error the connection or is it sensitive like a parallel connection where one can cause serious damage?

@Garyvdh: Software shows Temp, voltage In&Out, Frequency In, Battery charge and UPS load.

 

[LazyLion]

Ok...new problem.

The software isn't communicating with the UPS.

The internal connector on the mobo can go in either way.

On the mobo, the one pin is left out...the other side is pin 1 according to the manual. And the wire has a red colouring on the one side...I think this side is pin 1. So I matched it that way.

But if one looks at This Diagram (The one on the right), it looks like pin 1 is unused. So it would make sense to match the unused pin with the empty pin on the mobo....but that would imply that the connector has to be connected the other way round.

Can I trial&error the connection or is it sensitive like a parallel connection where one can cause serious damage?

@Garyvdh: Software shows Temp, voltage In&Out, Frequency In, Battery charge and UPS load.

Ja, I have rarely gotten those things to work. I don't remember one UPS out of about six that I have bought that actually communicated with the OS. Technology FAIL!

 

[bekdik]

In my experience though, it is not worth it for the UPS... if you can get the software to work, it only gives you minimal useless info. Either the UPS works or it doesn't.

Obviously you don't have an APC. Their powershute software makes it easy to manage such things as shut down options, allow one to monitor battery and UPS status etc.

 

[Ryder_JHB]

I have found the software supplied with the MGE range very nice too.

Also, dont forget about NUT if you are a Linux fan!

 

[Bcm]

I'd rather buy a USB to Serial convertor, they're R100.

What operating system are you using, I assuming windows because the software you'll get on the enclosed CD most likely won't work on anything else.

What serial port do you have available to your operating system?
If XP, do a Win+Break, Hardware, Device Manager and look in the port section.

 

[HavocXphere]

I've turned the COM port thing around and now the software says UPS Connected...but provides no other info.

I'll keep fidgeting with it. The App looks like Win3.1 tech so maybe the linux thing isn't a bad idea...I'll check when 8.10 is released.

 

[LazyLion]

Obviously you don't have an APC. Their powershute software makes it easy to manage such things as shut down options, allow one to monitor battery and UPS status etc.

I have had several locally and Asian manufactured UPSs... they all have claimed to support it (otherwise why would they have the serial interface? For show?), but I have never gotten any of them to work. Have not bothered with the last few. K@k technology if you ask me. Why can't they move into the 21st century and come with a USB interface? No I have not had an APC... never even seen one for sale in SA.

 

[HavocXphere]

I'd rather buy a USB to Serial convertor, they're R100.

I considered that too...but they are like R250. And not guaranteed to work either.

What serial port do you have available to your operating system?
If XP, do a Win+Break, Hardware, Device Manager and look in the port section.

Well, the BIOS gives me an option of Com 3 or 4. And the OS detects it as Com2, and I changed that to Com 4. But there are so many different settings for the COM ports in the dev manager. Gonna restart now and see if the switch had an effect.

I assuming windows because the software you'll get on the enclosed CD

Enclosed CD...yeah right. They wanted another R200 for a cable and CD...got it off the net instead (6meg download).

 

[Bcm]

Well, the BIOS gives me an option of Com 3 or 4. And the OS detects it as Com2, and I changed that to Com 4. But there are so many different settings for the COM ports in the dev manager. Gonna restart now and see if the switch had an effect.

Ok, So what I recommend you do is remove things from the equation.

I'd disable the UPS application (have a look @ the settings first, see if you can see the serial settings, you'll need baud rate, stop bits and handshaking)

Then open hyperterminal on the ports that your operating system has available and see if you're getting any data from the UPS (or even better, use another serial device to see if you're getting any data at all)

That way you can confirm that the serial is working before trying to fix the application...

 

[HavocXphere]

I'd disable the UPS application (have a look @ the settings first, see if you can see the serial settings, you'll need baud rate, stop bits and handshaking)

lol Handshaking...I can't even figure out what *brand* it is. The person who gave it to me doesn't know, the person answering the suppliers phone gave me wrong info and the distributor went through a lot of trouble to to hide it. (dodgy hey). Box doesn't have a brand name, manual doesn't either, UPS has stickers in all the crucial places...and *under* the stickers the name is blanked out with a permanent marker.

I'll probably get the brand & model tomorrow though...gonna make a fuss till I get what I want. (& hold my breath till I turn blue if necessary)

That way you can confirm that the serial is working before trying to fix the application...

Wouldn't a serial mouse also be enough to confirm it works?

Is there a danger of damaging the UPS with hyperterminal?

I hope the tool ryder wrote about is good...cause I was planning to switch to linux full time soon.