APC’s smart protocol

^A

Model string

SMART-UPS 700

Spotty support for this query on older models

^N

Turn on UPS

n/a

Send twice with > 1.5s delay between chars

Only on 3rd gen SmartUPS and Black Back-UPS Pros

^Z

Capability string

(long string)

See "Capabilities" section for more info

A

Front panel test

Light show + "OK"

Also sounds the beeper for 2 seconds

B

Battery voltage

27.87

This obviously varies a lot based on the current charge.

Compare this to the nominal battery voltage

C

Internal temperature

036.0

Units are degrees C

D

Runtime calibration

!, then $

Runs until battery is below 25% (35% for Matrix)

This updates the j values - only works at 100% battery charge

Can be aborted with a second "D"

E

Automatic selftest intervals

336

F

Line frequency, Hz

60.00

If this varies much, have a word with your local electrician

G

Cause of transfer

O

I

Measure-UPS: Alarm enable

FF

(not yet decoded)(bitmapped table, coming soon)

J

Measure-UPS: Alarm status

0F,00

(not yet decoded)(bitmapped table, coming soon)

K

Shutdown with grace period

OK

Send twice with > 1.5s delay between chars

Older units may send "*" instead of "OK"

Also see grace period

L

Input line voltage

118.3

Does not necessarily read 000.0 on line failure

M

Maximum line voltage

118.9

This is the max voltage since the last time this query was run

N

Minimum line voltage

118.9

Like the one above, this one also resets itself on every query

O

Output voltage

118.3

Also see on battery output voltage

P

Power load %

023.5

Relative to the capacity of the UPS

Q

Status flags

08

See status flags section for more info

R

Turn dumb

BYE

Only on 3rd gen Smart-UPS, Smart-UPS v/s, Back-UPS Pro

UPS must receive command to enter smart mode continue communications after sending this

S

Soft shutdown

OK

Command executes after grace period

UPS goes online when power returns

Only works when on battery

U

Simulate power failure

!, then $

See async notifier section for info on ! and $

V

Firmware revision

GWD

Can be used to determine abilities of hardware

W

Self test

OK

Tests battery, like pushing the test button on the front panel

Also see test results entry

X

Self-test results

OK

Y

Enter smart mode

SM

This must be sent before anything else on this page will work.

Also see turn dumb command to exit smart mode

Z

Shutdown immediately

n/a

Send twice with > 1.5s delay between chars

UPS switches the load off immediately (no grace period)

a

Protocol info

(long string)

b

Firmware revision

50.9.D

c

UPS local id

UPS_IDEN

Writable variable

Up to 8 letter identifier for keeping track of your hardware

e

Return threshold

00

g

Nominal battery voltage

024

The battery voltage that’s expected to be present in the UPS normally

Compare to the actual voltage reading

f

Battery level

099.0

Percentage

It’s much easier to use this rather than doing math on the current battery voltage and the nominal battery voltage

h

Measure-UPS: Ambient humidity

042.4

Percentage

Only works on models with the Measure-UPS SmartSlot card

i

Measure-UPS: Dry contacts

00

j

Estimated runtime

0327:

Minutes

Must be calibrated to be effective

k

Alarm delay

0

l

Low transfer voltage

103

Writable variable

See capabilities to get values for a UPS

UPS goes on battery after voltage drops below this point

m

Manufacturing date

11/29/96

Format may vary by country (MM/DD/YY vs DD/MM/YY)

n

Serial number

WS9643050926

Unique for each UPS

o

On-battery voltage

115

May be a writable variable on 220/230/240 VAC units

p

Shutdown grace delay

020

Writable variable - seconds

See capabilities to read values

Sets the delay before soft shutdown completes

q

Low battery warning

02

Writable variable - minutes

See capabilities to read values

The UPS will report a low battery this many minutes before it runs out of power

r

Wakeup delay

000

Writable variable - seconds

See capabilities to read values

The UPS will wait this many seconds after reaching the minimum charge before returning online

s

Sensitivity

H

u

Upper transfer voltage

132

Writable variable

See capabilities to read values

UPS goes on battery after voltage rises above this point

v

Measure-UPS: Firmware

4Kx

Firmware information for Measure-UPS board

t

Measure-UPS: Ambient temperature

80.5

Degrees C

Only works on models with the Measure-UPS SmartSlot card

x

Last battery change

11/29/96

Writable variable

This holds whatever the user sets in it, much like the UPS local id variable

y

Copyright notice

© APCC

Only works if firmware letter is later than O

z

Reset to factory settings

CLEAR

Resets most variables to initial factory values except identity or battery change date

Not on SmartUPS v/s or BackUPS Pro

-

Capability cycle

(various)

Cycle through possible capability values

UPS sends | afterward to confirm change to PROM

@nnn

Shutdown and return

OK

UPS shuts down after grace period with delayed wakeup after nnn tenths of an hour plus any wakeup delay time

Some older models send * instead of OK

0x7f

Abort shutdown

OK

Abort shutdown - use to abort @, S, K

Also known as the delete key in some places

~

Register #1

n/a

See register 1 table

'

Register #2

n/a

See register 2 table

7

Dip switch positions

n/a

See dip switch table

Only makes sense on models which actually have dip switches

8

Register #3

n/a

See register 3 table

9

Line quality

FF

>

Battery packs

n/a

SmartCell models: returns number of connected packs

Non-SmartCell models: returns number set by user (use + and -)

[

Measure-UPS: Upper temp limit

NO,NO

Degrees C

Writable variable

Values: 55, 50, 45, …, 05 for both

Use - to enumerate through left side, + to enumerate through right side

]

Measure-UPS: Lower temp limit

NO,NO

Degrees C

Writable variable

See lower temp limit above

{

Measure-UPS: Upper humidity limit

NO,NO

%

Writable variable

Values: 90, 80, 70, …, 10 for both

Use - and + to change values

}

Measure-UPS: Lower humidity limit

NO,NO

%

Writable variable

Values: 90, 80, 70, …, 10 for both

Use - and + to change values

Matrix-UPS and Symmetra commands

^

Run in bypass mode

n/a

If online, "BYP" response is received as bypass mode starts

If already in bypass, "INV" is received and UPS goes online

If UPS can’t transfer, "ERR" received

<

Number of bad battery packs

000

Returns count of bad packs connected to the UPS

/

Load current

n/a

True RMS load current drawn by UPS

\

Apparent load power

n/a

Output load as percentage of full rated load

^V

Output voltage selection

n/a

^L

Front panel language

n/a

w

Run time conservation

n/a

0

4

Low battery alarm changed from 2 to 5 mins. Autostartup disabled on SU370ci and 400

1

3

Audible alarm delayed 30 seconds

2

2

Output transfer set to 115 VAC (from 120 VAC) or to 240 VAC (from 230 VAC)

3

1

UPS desensitized - input voltage range expanded

4 - 7

-

Unused at this time

0

1 = runtime calibration occurring

Not reported by Smart UPS v/s and BackUPS Pro

1

1 = SmartTrim

Not reported by 1st and 2nd generation SmartUPS models

2

1 = SmartBoost

3

1 = on line

4

1 = on battery

5

1 = overloaded output

6

1 = battery low

7

1 = replace battery

!

Line Fail - sent when the UPS goes on-battery, repeated every 30 seconds until low battery condition reached. Sometimes occurs more than once in the first 30 seconds.

$

Return from line fail - UPS back on line power, only sent if a ! has been sent.

%

Low battery - Sent to indicate low battery, but not on SmartUPS v/s or BackUPS Pro models

+

Return from low battery - Sent when the battery has been recharged to some level only if a % has been sent previously

?

Abnormal condition - sent for conditions such as "shutdown due to overload" or "shutdown due to low battery capacity". Also occurs within 10 minutes of turnon.

=

Return from abnormal condition - Sent when the UPS returns from an abnormal condition where ? was sent, but not a turn-on. Not implemented on SmartUPS v/s or BackUPS Pro models.

*

About to turn off - Sent when the UPS is about to switch off the load. No commands are processed after this character is sent. Not implemented on SmartUPS v/s, BackUPS Pro, or 3rd generation SmartUPS models.

#

Replace battery - Sent when the UPS detects that the battery needs to be replaced. Sent every 5 hours until a new battery test is run or the UPS is shut off. Not implemented on SmartUPS v/s or BackUPS Pro models.

&

Check alarm register for fault (Measure-UPS) - sent to signal that temp or humidity out of set limits. Also sent when one of the contact closures changes states. Sent every 2 minutes, stops when the alarm conditions are reset. Only sent for alarms enabled with I. Cause of alarm may be determined with J. Not on SmartUPS v/s or BackUPS Pro.

|

Variable change in EEPROM - Sent whenever any EEPROM variable is changed. Only supported on Matrix UPS and 3rd generation SmartUPS models.

0

In wakeup mode (typically lasts < 2s)

1

In bypass mode due to internal fault - see register 2 or 3

2

Going to bypass mode due to command

3

In bypass mode due to command

4

Returning from bypass mode

5

In bypass mode due to manual bypass control

6

Ready to power load on user command

7

Ready to power load on user command or return of line power

0

Fan failure in electronics, UPS in bypass

1

Fan failure in isolation unit

2

Bypass supply failure

3

Output voltage select failure, UPS in bypass

4

DC imbalance, UPS in bypass

5

Command sent to stop bypass with no battery connected - UPS still in bypass

6

Relay fault in SmartTrim or SmartBoost

7

Bad output voltage

0

Output unpowered due to shutdown by low battery

1

Unable to transfer to battery due to overload

2

Main relay malfunction - UPS turned off

3

In sleep mode from @ (maybe others)

4

In shutdown mode from S

5

Battery charger failure

6

Bypass relay malfunction

7

Normal operating temperature exceeded