New APC Back-UPS ES 650 fails

[MoeNeigh]

I am using kubuntu jaunty. I recently purchased a new APC Back-UPS ES 650, and while I have researched the configuration, and can get information on the status, whenever there is a power outage, everything shuts down immediately — no chance for a "graceful" shutdown. I also tested it by unplugging it briefly for a few seconds. Same thing, everything that is plugged into the APC drops down, shuts down immediately — computer, monitor, printer, etc. A few minutes later, after I restart the computer, the battery shows it is 99% charged, and shortly returns to 100% charged, with 39 minutes remaining.

It is my understanding you could plug in other things such as a TV or microwave and they would "hold" during a brief power outage. That, I'm assuming, is simply a hardware and electrical function, not a software function. We don't have a lot of power outages, and those that we do have are usually brief. Any idea why this is happening? I do want to protect my equipment. Here is the latest status, and by all rights the computer should stay on during a brief power outage, else I have wasted my money:

DATE : Sun Aug 09 14:33:24 CDT 2009
HOSTNAME : ********
RELEASE : 3.14.4
VERSION : 3.14.4 (18 May 2008) debian
UPSNAME : ********
CABLE : USB Cable
MODEL : Back-UPS ES 650
UPSMODE : Stand Alone
STARTTIME: Sun Aug 09 14:01:29 CDT 2009
STATUS : ONLINE
LINEV : 120.0 Volts
LOADPCT : 3.0 Percent Load Capacity
BCHARGE : 100.0 Percent
TIMELEFT : 39.4 Minutes
MBATTCHG : 5 Percent
MINTIMEL : 3 Minutes
MAXTIME : 0 Seconds
SENSE : Medium
LOTRANS : 088.0 Volts
HITRANS : 139.0 Volts
ALARMDEL : Always
BATTV : 13.5 Volts
LASTXFER : Low line voltage
NUMXFERS : 0
TONBATT : 0 seconds
CUMONBATT: 0 seconds
XOFFBATT : N/A
STATFLAG : 0x07000008 Status Flag
MANDATE : 2008-12-06
SERIALNO : ************
BATTDATE : 2000-00-00
NOMINV : 120 Volts
NOMBATTV : 12.0 Volts
FIRMWARE : 842.J3 .D USB FW:J3
APCMODEL : Back-UPS ES 650
END APC : Sun Aug 09 14:34:19 CDT 2009

Thanks for any insights.
~George

[Snowhog]

Re: New APC Back-UPS ES 650 fails

This UPS has eight outlets, only four of which offer UPS:

Power Output Connectors Details 4 x power NEMA 5-15 ( UPS and surge )
4 x power NEMA 5-15 ( surge )

Make sure that you have your PC plugged into one of the four that offers UPS, otherwise you are only getting surge protection.

[MoeNeigh]

Re: New APC Back-UPS ES 650 fails

Thanks, Snowhog. Perfect solution. I guess it would help if I could read.

[Snowhog]

Re: New APC Back-UPS ES 650 fails

We use UPS's at work, and I too found this out the hard way. We lost power and my laptop promptly stopped. I complained to our IT guys, and they told me the same thing: "Are you plugged into the UPS outlets on the UPS?" Duh!!