APC UPS daily reports overvoltage issue

[speckytecky]

Our APC 1500 with Power Chute software daily reports that it has experienced over voltage issues. I have carried out the recommendations on settings but still no success. Anyone else having similar events and if so have and how have you resolved the issue please?

[tom_newton]

a) yes

b) we routinely ignore it

[rasssp]

I ignore it too, shame you cant turn the email alert off.

[Polski]

When you say you have carried out the recommendations on settings, do you mean you have adjusted the sensitivity by pressing the button on the back?

 

Green light bright - high sensitivity.

 

Green light medium - middle

 

Green light dull - low.

 

It should basically reduce the tendency for the UPS to send alerts every time it THINKS it is heading for an over-voltage / under-voltage.

 

Yet will still alert you if it goes over for an extended period.

 

The button is on the back of the case near the top, with its indicator light next to it.

 

Sorry if you have already done that, the next step would be to re-configure to disable messages. You will know soon enough when the server shuts down and you at least know the system well enough to check it daily using the APC console.

[Polski]

I have enclosed the web link this time.

 

http://www.apcmedia.com/salestools/AKOV-699KQK_R0_EN.pdf

 

See page 8 for the diagram.

[Andrew_C]

Have you actually checked that the supply isn't over voltage? This can happen especially if you are near the sub-station feeding a long line. The voltage is set high so that by the end of the line the drop doesn't leave the distant consumers on a low voltage. The supply should be 230v ±10%.

[speckytecky]

Have you actually checked that the supply isn't over voltage? This can happen especially if you are near the sub-station feeding a long line. The voltage is set high so that by the end of the line the drop doesn't leave the distant consumers on a low voltage. The supply should be 230v ±10%.

 

Thanks for the suggestion but what would I need kit wise and how would I set about checking that please.

[Ric_]

Thanks for the suggestion but what would I need kit wise and how would I set about checking that please.

 

A big multimeter

 

I know that my UPS units tell me how much voltage they are getting - you can then specify a number as the 'normal' voltage.

[Andrew_C]

A multimeter is indeed what you need. It should have fused probes for working on mains.

 

However, I just checked that I was right on my 10% figure, and find that there has been another fudge.

European Voltage Harmonisation

 

The United Kingdom for many years had a standardised supply voltage of 240V ±6% (415V for three-phase) whereas continental Europe had a nominal supply level of 220V (380V). From 1 January 1995 the nominal voltage across Europe has been ‘harmonised’ at 230V/400V.

 

 

Plans to harmonise the whole of Europe to 230V ±10% (i.e. 207 - 253V), which were due to be applied from 1st January 2003, were first postponed until 1st January 2008 and are now postponed indefinitely pending a consensus between the various parties.

For more reading chick here.

[m25man]

Do you have an AP9617 installed?

The detailed logs will show the voltage at given times and might offer a clue to a trend that is outside of your control.

At one site we look after the input voltage drops steadily from 09:00 until 13:00 as the kitchens get busy then after lunch is over it begins to increase until the APC is trimming until home time.

 

Another time we found a laminator had been plugged into a PDU meant for the switches FFS!!

[Drax]

We had similar issues, the volts were over 250 because we were right next to the distribution board (incoming feed) and its sometimes necessary to be raised because of transmission / volt loss over the building (or at the sub depending on distance)- the other end of our building was lower than 220v!

 

Ask your facilities manager to check which electrical distribution board you're on - we were jointly on the kitchen one which had fluctuations everytime the fridges, cookers and the like came on which was a real pain.

 

We're on a seperate board now and although still some smart trimming there are much less power related events.

 

Edit: your PAT testers should be able to check your volts out when they do their annual checks

[Andrew_C]

Edit: your PAT testers should be able to check your volts out when they do their annual checks

I wouldn't rely on that. Some PATers are monkeys who have been taught which button to press when. They wouldn't know the difference between a Volt and an Amp if it bit them. Nor would PATers necessarily have a meter to measure your line voltage. Their tester MAY indicate the supply voltage when plugged in.

[Drax]

I wouldn't rely on that. Some PATers are monkeys who have been taught which button to press when. They wouldn't know the difference between a Volt and an Amp if it bit them. Nor would PATers necessarily have a meter to measure your line voltage. Their tester MAY indicate the supply voltage when plugged in.

 

Yeh true enough with a number of them- we do use a select number of companies for elec's - you need someone you know will do a good job and has the kit.

[speckytecky]

We had similar issues, the volts were over 250 because we were right next to the distribution board (incoming feed) and its sometimes necessary to be raised because of transmission / volt loss over the building (or at the sub depending on distance)- the other end of our building was lower than 220v!

 

Ask your facilities manager to check which electrical distribution board you're on - we were jointly on the kitchen one which had fluctuations everytime the fridges, cookers and the like came on which was a real pain.

 

We're on a seperate board now and although still some smart trimming there are much less power related events.

 

Edit: your PAT testers should be able to check your volts out when they do their annual checks

 

Thanks Drax,

 

We are a fairly new build and I'm told that the supply to the ICT suite is filtered.

[synaesthesia]

Had this at one of my schools but it was only in the 3phase juiced server rack it was situated in. Went straight into a normal mains socket (not ideal but will help until we can find a lower rated cabinet busbar) and we're all sorted. The busbar in use currently outputs at 253-255v on average :/

[talksr]

I presume there is no way to disable this alert without disabling any future power loss and power re-connection alerts?

I am getting hundreds of these emails per day at the moment.

We know there are power issues, and the electrician is on the case, but would rather not have to completely turn off my alerts, would rather tailor them to just tell me about on or off power issues.

It doesn't look like the report can be quite that binary.

[pete]

I know the Netbotz can be quite granular, but I don't think our main UPS is.

 

Assuming it's sending via a mailserver you control, sling a transport rule in that looks for a word/phrase that only exists in the messages you want and just forwards those on?