UPS for FreeNAS

[Sander Jansen]

Hey,

I'm looking for a small UPS that works with FreeNAS. I have been looking around and found most posts linking to: http://networkupstools.org/stable-hcl.html But most of those taht are green are way to big and expansive for what i need. (120 Watt NAS) i was thinking more along the lines of: APC Back-UPS 700VA (BX700UI)


Can someone tell me if this one will work? or maybe something else that is along the same price and VA?

 

[danb35]

In the US, APC and CyberPower seem to do pretty well, as long as the UPS has USB or network connectivity. Not sure what's available in .nl.

 

[Sander Jansen]

well i have internet so ... ordering world wide seems to be a option :) but yea, we have those avalible in the netherlands. I guess its worth it to try.

I have a old one I got second hand, a smart ups 2200 ismart something with a network extension card but that one never seemed to work with FreeNAS... but yea it's a really old one so that's probably why...

 

[danb35]

Sure, you can order worldwide, but UPSs are heavy and therefore expensive to ship. But depending on the network interface, that Smart UPS 2200 might work--is the network interface a separate card, or a port built-in to the device? Note that APC like to use funky connectors, like an almost-RJ45 for a serial port.

 

[Sander Jansen]

its a separate network card...

on information is says:
Model: Smart-UPS 2200
Serial Number: GS9945000814
Firmware Revision: 80.11.I
Manufacture Date: 11/01/99

but not much usefull info... i dont know the type of card... I only know it works with power shute software 6 or something that is officially supported untill XP... maybe Vista... but windows 7 and 10 doesn't work with it... thy can see the ups but shutdown and stuff is just not working

 

[Spearfoot]

its a seperate network card...

on information is says:
Model: Smart-UPS 2200
Serial Number: GS9945000814
Firmware Revision: 80.11.I
Manufacture Date: 11/01/99

but not much usefull info... i dont know the type of card... i only know it works with power shute software 6 or something that is officially supported untill XP... maybe Vista... but windows 7 and 10 dontw ork with it... thy can see the ups but shutdown and stuff is just not working

Did you try the apcsmart driver when you tested this UPS with FreeNAS?

 

[Evertb1]

FreeNAS supports almost all APC models. If your model is not in the list there is still a very good chance that the driver for another APC model will work OK. As the APC Back-UPS 700VA (BX700UI) is a fairly recent model it should be no problem. I have a APC Back-UPS PRO 1200VA myself and I needed to use a more generic driver because that specific model was not in the list. But it is working perfectly well. I would forget about the old SMART-UPS 2200. Even if you got it to work with FreeNAS you will likely have issues with the battery. If the original one is still in there you are talking about 18 years (a life span of 2-3 years is accepted). The 2200 is not exactly a consumer model. A replacement for the battery could be (very) expensive.

 

[danb35]

A replacement for the battery could be (very) expensive.

Could be, but probably not--the batteries are generally standard 12-volt sealed lead-acid battery packs. A replacement pack from APC would no doubt be expensive, but you can replace the batteries yourself with generics for much less.

 

[Evertb1]

Could be, but probably not--the batteries are generally standard 12-volt sealed lead-acid battery packs. A replacement pack from APC would no doubt be expensive, but you can replace the batteries yourself with generics for much less.

Expensive is relative of course. The OP was looking at a new budget UPS that can be found on the Dutch market for around 80 euros. I would not be surprised if the batteries needed to rebuild the pack for the old UPS exceeded that amount. Of course the OP would then end up with a far more powerful UPS (if he gets it to work) but also with old technology.

 

[danb35]

Of course the OP would then end up with a far more powerful UPS (if he gets it to work) but also with old technology.

Yeah, you're probably right that new batteries for the 2200 would cost more than a new (much smaller) UPS. I'm not sure about the relevance of the technology, though--are you thinking square-wave vs. sine-wave? That's the only technology difference I can think of that might matter.

 

[Evertb1]

I'm not sure about the relevance of the technology, though--are you thinking square-wave vs. sine-wave? That's the only technology difference I can think of that might matter.

My command of English is not as good as I would like. I should have stated "components" and not "technology". The technology itself should by OK. About those old components: I am thinking of capacitors specifically. Correct me if I am wrong but there should be some capacitors (elco's?) in the circuitry of any UPS. The lifespan of capacitors is limited (a thing I learned the hard way with the power source of an beloved amplifier). Though I am certainly not an expert I believe that after 19 years, capacitor failure can happen. If I wanted to have an reliable UPS I would have them replaced.

 

[danb35]

Ah, yes, that makes sense--specifically with electrolytic caps. Not something I've thought of wrt a UPS, but I'm sure there are some in there for output filtering, if nothing else.

 

[Sander Jansen]

Well the 2200 has 4 batteries and replacing them even with generic ones was more expensive and also the software with it only goes to win XP... FreeNAS could not work with it... so those were the most important reasons for me to replace it... and yea the efficiency is bad... it used to be like 1 hour backup time and that has gone down to like 35 minutes even with new set of batteries (generic) when i last replaced them


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[Spearfoot]

The lifespan of capacitors is limited (a thing I learned the hard way with the power source of an beloved amplifier)

Ah, you must be another guitar player with a vacuum tube amplifier! I build and service vacuum tube guitar amps and yes, indeed, changing the electrolytic capacitors is standard procedure as the amps age. See my website: www.spearfoot.net for details on a few of my projects.

 

[wblock]

Well the 2200 has 4 batteries and replacing them even with generic ones was more expensive and also the software with it only goes to win XP... FreeNAS could not work with it... so those were the most important reasons for me to replace it... and yea the efficiency is bad... it used to be like 1 hour backup time and that has gone down to like 35 minutes even with new set of batteries (generic) when i last replaced them

The APC Smart-UPS are good units, and work with FreeNAS through the built-in NUT software. If the replacement batteries are good, the unit might just need a calibration to show the actual run time.

 

[Ericloewe]

Well, the old ones had a reputation for overcharging batteries to the point of bulging, or so I've heard.

 

[wblock]

I've checked a a couple and found the charging voltage not far from perfect. Maybe earlier ones did that and they fixed it in firmware. I do have a cheap Back-UPS APC that will reliably kill a battery within a year.

 

[Evertb1]

Ah, you must be another guitar player with a vacuum tube amplifier! I build and service vacuum tube guitar amps and yes, indeed, changing the electrolytic capacitors is standard procedure as the amps age. See my website: www.spearfoot.net for details on a few of my projects.

I 'm afraid we are going a bit offtopic but please don't shoot me, I can't help myself. No I am not a guitar player but I do own a couple of Quad hi-fi amplifier combinations. I lost the left side of my 303 power amp once due to a couple of blown caps (big ones). Let me tell you that was an expensive excercise. Restoring the left site and updating the power unit with new caps. But I love the sound they produce and play all my vinyl with them (yeah I must be old).