Why does my PC shut down even though it's connected to a UPS?

[arni-gx]

Hi,
I've used the software years ago and it is indeed hot steaming shit.
Remove the software and disconnect the usb cable.

Live without it for a while
Your best friend is the apc display not the crappy software.

I also turn off the alarm because i can clearly see the display.

yes, i have unplug the cable in the original poster, after that i am not plugin the monitoring usb cable into ups apc bx 2200 mi ms.....so, the alarm is going ON in the last couple days.....i can turn it OFF, after a few times, ON-OFF in that ups apc.

 

[Waldorf]

i have yet to see any consumer grade UPS not having sealed batteries, so if THOSE vent, its not normal.
replacing batteries without checking if they actually need to be replaced, is a waste of money, no matter where you buy em.
most auto part stores have chargers that can charge/test them (as lots of sport/garden "toys" use them).

you dont need the UPS sw to config shutdown, as i did use all APC or CP in the past +10y without it,
sometimes i did install to change some stuff (turn off the alarm before i used units with a button for it) and then uninstalled it.

@arni-gx
check the settings in win power profile, set the low/critical battery lvl to 5% and see if that works.
i have a new unit with good battery but win no shows it "charging" for about 10s on boot,
which my APC/CP units never did (same win/pc hw), but i moved, and votage/other stuff has changed as well,
so i cant easily pin point to "why" win does it.

@Bill_Bright
and yes, the fact the pc turns back on IS normal, as the stock (win/sw) setting on low batt is hibernation/sleep,
not shutdown, unless changed by user.

 

[ThrashZone]

yes, i have unplug the cable in the original poster, after that i am not plugin the monitoring usb cable into ups apc bx 2200 mi ms.....so, the alarm is going ON in the last couple days.....i can turn it OFF, after a few times, ON-OFF in that ups apc.

Hi,
What does the apc display readings say when the alarm turns on = How many minutes are left before battery is empty or drained ?

With that amount of minutes what exactly is connected to the battery ?

 

[Bill_Bright]

the alarm is going ON in the last couple days.....i can turn it OFF, after a few times, ON-OFF in that ups apc.

When the alarm is going off, check your LCD display panel for "System fault" codes. These are error codes that may [hopefully] give you a clue as to the problem and may [hopefully] give you a resolution. Check your UPS manual for the codes.

If your UPS is frequently kicking over to battery even though you are not actually having a power "outage", you may need to change the sensitivity of the UPS. This changes the transfer voltage thresholds. Check your manual for the settings, and how to adjust them. This can be changed via the UPS front panel buttons, or the software.

@Bill_Bright
and yes, the fact the pc turns back on IS normal, as the stock (win/sw) setting on low batt is hibernation/sleep,
not shutdown, unless changed by user.

Sorry, Waldorf but that is NOT the "default" (stock) setting. The default setting in motherboard BIOS Setup Menus (except some motherboards specifically designed as "server" motherboards), is (as per the "AC BACK" setting noted in my Gigabyte manual),

Always Off

The system stays off upon the return of the AC power. (Default)

Different motherboard/BIOS makers may use slightly different wording. I just checked two other computers here, another Gigabyte and an ASUS and the default in all is "stays off". The fact the computer may have been in hibernation/sleep mode before power was lost is immaterial. Most users don't want their computers to automatically start up after power is restored. And that makes sense for security reasons alone. But also because power outages, and the subsequent restoral of power, is not always "clean". That is, power may "flicker" on and off until it becomes stable - or the storm passes.

See: How To Configure Windows To Auto Restart After a Power Outage (technewsworld.com)

The point is, "if" we want our computers to automatically boot up when power is restored, we must manually change that setting in our motherboard's BIOS Setup Menus. Check your manuals for the steps.

But do note, however, this will only take you to the operating system's login screen. If your installation of Windows or Linux requires a password upon boot, and if you want your system to boot completely into the OS, you will need to do some significant tweaking of the OS too.

So, if you have security cameras, for example, that record video on your computer, you may need to change those settings if you have a power outage and want your Ring doorbell to resume recording after the power returns.

The biggest consideration actually becomes the strength of the floor since that many car batteries can weigh several tons.

Many many years ago, our air traffic control radio facilities had whole building UPS that were designed as "uninterruptible" power sources to maintain power long enough for the back-up generators to fire up, stabilize, then cut-over and supply power to the entire building.

When ever power went out, there would be about 50 - 60 seconds where everyone would hold their breath until we heard the generator start.

We had a battery "room", accessible only from the outside of the building. IIRC, there were about 60 large (~50lbs each) 12V truck batteries strapped to provide 48VDC power. The weight was significant but the bigger problem was exposure to acid and fumes. These batteries were not "sealed". In fact, weekly PMIs (preventative maintenance inspections) required us to check the specific gravity of each cell with a hydrometer.

No doubt there are some here who remember having to routinely check our own vehicle batteries and if necessary, top off each cell with distilled water.

And that leads me to the following:

i have yet to see any consumer grade UPS not having sealed batteries

Exactly! It was a HUGE relief when, back in the mid 70s, all those batteries were replaced with "sealed" lead acid batteries - the same type used in all gas powered cars today. I too have never seen an UPS that didn't use "SLA" (sealed lead-acid) batteries, or Lithium Ion batteries (which are also sealed).

 

[Waldorf]

i was talking about win or the UPS sw, those are set to hibernation on low/critical batt level,
not shutdown, and most will wake, when you unplug the usb cable.

 

[Methodical]

so, the battery on my ups apc bx 2200 mi ms, has been degraded and must be replaced ??

It's possible. arni-gx, I do believe you can do a test in the software.

Hi,
Yeah if the apc/ ups comes with software disk I just use it for a wobbly table shim hehe

ThrashZone,
You should save your money and just get a multi outlet plug because that's the way it's being used.

 

[OkieDan]

Half of these functions can be had with the default windows battery driver and HWInfo (I have bolded them). If one doesn't need those other features there's absolutely no need to install additional UPS software. Windows will gracefully go to sleep based on the set Power schedule settings, as it was a laptop PC.

This is what I use. Windows power settings and HWINFO. I don't need more than this, so I prefer not to install UPS software.

 

[ThrashZone]

ThrashZone,
You should save your money and just get a multi outlet plug because that's the way it's being used.

lol
Really
The main power goes out and my computer stays on crazy concept I know

The display on my ups tells me how long "in minutes" it can stay on with the power draw atm yes I can clearly see the display I know it's a crazy feature of ups placement and eye sight but I'll roll like that

The ups display also lights up if there are weird low power fluctuations that also kick the battery on if power is to low.

So how is that not better than a power strip and a waste of money

Personally the os using the ups as a power strip is the main point.
I can better decide when to shut down than the os can.

And no I do not leave my machines running unattended
I leave, I turn off the computers, "not sleeping and not hibernating ever and sure as hell don't just sign out"

People here have been greatly exaggerating the importance of the usb connection to a ups because they can not grasp the obvious user attention to the ups display or alarm firmware doing it's job by illuminating telling the user how long they can stay in operation before the battery is depleted

But then again they don't want to give notice to the obvious because then they can't create lame arguments over and over.

 

[Methodical]

lol
Really
The main power goes out and my computer stays on crazy concept I know

The display on my ups tells me how long "in minutes" it can stay on with the power draw atm yes I can clearly see the display I know it's a crazy feature of ups placement and eye sight but I'll roll like that

The ups display also lights up if there are weird low power fluctuations that also kick the battery on if power is to low.

So how is that not better than a power strip and a waste of money

Personally the os using the ups as a power strip is the main point.
I can better decide when to shut down than the os can.

And no I do not leave my machines running unattended
I leave, I turn off the computers, "not sleeping and not hibernating ever and sure as hell don't just sign out"

People here have been greatly exaggerating the importance of the usb connection to a ups because they can not grasp the obvious user attention to the ups display or alarm firmware doing it's job by illuminating telling the user how long they can stay in operation before the battery is depleted

But then again they don't want to give notice to the obvious because then they can't create lame arguments over and over.

You obviously don't know the purpose of the UPS or how it works. When the power goes out, the UPS keeps your computer running so it can shut normally and avoid damage vs just shutting off when the power goes out. Now, what would be even worse for a computer are rolling brown outs, in which case the UPS allows the computer to keep running so that it can shut down normally to prevent damage.

 

[arni-gx]

Half of these functions can be had with the default windows battery driver and HWInfo (I have bolded them). If one doesn't need those other features there's absolutely no need to install additional UPS software. Windows will gracefully go to sleep based on the set Power schedule settings, as it was a laptop PC.

yup, in the past, i used using the default app battery ups from win 10 when plugin the usb cable monitoring from ups apc bx 2200 mi ms into my pc.

right now, after turn off my PC, i am still testing that ups apc, with recharge battery for some hours with no usage at all. later night, will back to testing again.

i am still unplug that usb cable.

 

[Franz]

this......

For some reason, in the last few days, every time I turned on the UPS APC BX 2200 MI MS, an alarm sound would appear on that UPS APC, so I was forced to turn off that UPS APC, then turn it on again for the umpteenth time, then the alarm sound would disappeared.

I had an UPS with this problem, every first start an alarm of battery was sounded and stopped after turning it off and on again. It did not become a issue because I used 24/7 and rarely it happens.

You need to consult the manual and troubleshooting by the beep pattern, knowing the cause of the alarm you will know how to handle this.

 

[Waldorf]

@ThrashZone
except that there are times when i do stuff like encoding, where i dont care to "sit around",
so having the usb connected allows for fall back, that if the blackout takes longer, it will shutdown,
as i dont care to run my batteries down if i dont have to.

@Methodical
thats exactly what he uses it for, as in his post..
ignoring he wont need the usb cable connected (as he dosent run the pc if not present).

 

[arni-gx]

in the last couple days, i have been conducting some testing (recharge for few hours for my ups without load at all) about my ups apc bx 2200 mi ms & my seasonic psu 850w, right now i have plug in the monitoring usb cable into my ups, somehowm everytime that i am going to login to windows for 1st, bar meter is always 95% for my ups battery, but for couple minutes/hours later, the bar meter is changed into 100% again.... it is anomaly ??

 

[ThrashZone]

in the last couple days, i have been conducting some testing (recharge for few hours for my ups without load at all) about my ups apc bx 2200 mi ms & my seasonic psu 850w, right now i have plug in the monitoring usb cable into my ups, somehowm everytime that i am going to login to windows for 1st, bar meter is always 95% for my ups battery, but for couple minutes/hours later, the bar meter is changed into 100% again.... it is anomaly ??

Hi,
Going from 95 to 100% ?
I'd be more worried if it dropped from 95-100% down to lower with nothing connected to it
Battery firmware might have some optimizing features that discharge/ recharge the devise ?

I was reading about seasonic psu's and they have some sort of sense plug sensor that trips and shuts down the pc using rtx 30 series gpus
@freeagent has experienced it first hand maybe he can info us a bit and point us back to that thread where the convo was going on ?

That would not explain what's going on with the wifi dropping off though that's back to the ups if it's plugged into it as well as the pc.

 

[freeagent]

Hi,
Going from 95 to 100% ?
I'd be more worried if it dropped from 95-100% down to lower with nothing connected to it
Battery firmware might have some optimizing features that discharge/ recharge the devise ?

I was reading about seasonic psu's and they have some sort of sense plug sensor that trips and shuts down the pc using rtx 30 series gpus
@freeagent has experienced it first hand maybe he can info us a bit and point us back to that thread where the convo was going on ?

That would not explain what's going on with the wifi dropping off though that's back to the ups if it's plugged into it as well as the pc.

I have not snipped the line yet, since my EVGA gave me no problems. I dealt with it by giving it less hardware to drive

After my encounter with their tech support, I really have nothing good to say about them other than they make a nice looking PSU with nice cables lol..

 

[ThrashZone]

I have not snipped the line yet, since my EVGA gave me no problems. I dealt with it by giving it less hardware to drive

After my encounter with their tech support, I really have nothing good to say about them other than they make a nice looking PSU with nice cables lol..

Hi,
Where is the thread where the cable mode was on ?

 

[freeagent]

Hi,
Where is the thread where the cable mode was on ?

I have no idea, I would have to search for it

 

[ThrashZone]

I have no idea, I would have to search for it

I didn't post on it so I lost track

Here it is

PSU time again, unbelievable.

Almost 2 years ago (23 months) I had to replace my SS 850 because my 3080 Ti was tripping PSU's OCP. Got SS TX-1000 and was good. Now my 4080S is triggering instant power-off, reading that it's SS to blame once again (even 1300 will trip off, something about faulty supervisor IC). Which PSU is...

www.techpowerup.com

 

[arni-gx]

Hi,
Going from 95 to 100% ?
I'd be more worried if it dropped from 95-100% down to lower with nothing connected to it
Battery firmware might have some optimizing features that discharge/ recharge the devise ?

I was reading about seasonic psu's and they have some sort of sense plug sensor that trips and shuts down the pc using rtx 30 series gpus
@freeagent has experienced it first hand maybe he can info us a bit and point us back to that thread where the convo was going on ?

That would not explain what's going on with the wifi dropping off though that's back to the ups if it's plugged into it as well as the pc.

are u sure, that my ups apc battery is still OK, today ?

because, last year, before this problem arise, the bar meter of battery is always 100%.

 

[ThrashZone]

are u sure, that my ups apc battery is still OK, today ?

because, last year, before this problem arise, the bar meter of battery is always 100%.

Hi,
I don't know

Plug just a fan or lamp to ups and unplug it from the wall outlet and see how long it stays on and monitor the ups display on how many minutes it shows it can operate with the fan or lights load.

 

[arni-gx]

This is strange, plugged the USB monitoring cable from the APC UPS into the PC, suddenly Win 10 said if the battery was low, even though this morning it wasn't there when I am to turn off the PC then turn off the UPS by turning off the socket switch too, the APC UPS battery icon was still full.

The warning on Win 10 tonight was that the battery was low, suddenly the PC turned off after entering Windows, so I unplugged the USB monitoring cable from the PC to the APC UPS, the PC suddenly turned on normally again, what the hell happened??


** APC BX2200MI MS (1200w), has been used since sept 2021.

damn, it man..... this is happen again, last night......
great, my ups apc battery has trouble, now....

 

[AleXXX666]

This is strange, plugged the USB monitoring cable from the APC UPS into the PC, suddenly Win 10 said if the battery was low, even though this morning it wasn't there when I am to turn off the PC then turn off the UPS by turning off the socket switch too, the APC UPS battery icon was still full.

The warning on Win 10 tonight was that the battery was low, suddenly the PC turned off after entering Windows, so I unplugged the USB monitoring cable from the PC to the APC UPS, the PC suddenly turned on normally again, what the hell happened??


** APC BX2200MI MS (1200w), has been used since sept 2021.

well. We have old UPS in office. I just disconnected damn stupid USB cables as I don't need desktop would initialize itself as a laptop, showing battery. Our purpose in UPS is just to switch off PC properly and not run on bat, though.

 

[ThrashZone]

damn, it man..... this is happen again, last night......
great, my ups apc battery has trouble, now....

Hi,
Just remove the brand packaging off the battery to see who really manufacture it and part number and search amazon for it

Or just buy a new with 2-3 year warranty
2 year is usually enough this has been my luck and I get a new when it dies.

 

[destoo]

Found it.

By default, Windows 10, amongst others, will initiate shutdown as soon as it receives a power failure through USB from a plugged in UPS device.

So without the right software, two scenarios are possible:

* UPS battery 100%.
* Plug in the PC.
* Plug in the USB.
If I unplug the battery from the wall, the PC says right away "low battery. shutting down.." with no way of interrupting it.

* UPS battery 100%.
* Plug in the PC.
* DON'T plug in the USB.
If I unplug the battery from the wall, the PC runs for 20 solid minutes.
And then shuts down with no warning after that 20 minutes.


The OTHER way to handle this, for a consumer APC/SE UPS anyway, is by installing the software POWERSHUTE. (which is apparently being sunset. fun, heh?)
This will allow you to customize the action when your PC receives the warning.
Here's a screenshot of the interface. Default action is "immediately".

 

[Bill_Bright]

Found it.

By default, Windows 10, amongst others, will initiate shutdown as soon as it receives a power failure through USB from a plugged in UPS device.

I don't think this the same thing as the OP was addressing. The OP reported, "suddenly the PC turned off". That suggests the system suddenly crashed. Never good and certainly not the correct behavior when connected to a UPS that is working properly with good batteries - regardless of the Windows or UPS software settings.

He also said the system came back on by itself. That also is not a default behavior, but instead requires a user change in the BIOS Setup Menu (see here) - typically used by admins of mission essential "unattended" computers - computers running in remote, unmanned locations.

All that is totally different from the system automatically "initiating a shutdown" which would be the safe and "graceful", and correct way to deal with power outages. And while the UPS itself typically restores power to its outlets once mains power is restored, again, the default behavior of PCs is to remain powered off, until the power button is pressed by a human.

If the UPS batteries are good, and the UPS is properly sized for the expected loads, then, in the event of a power outage, at a bare minimum the connected devices should continue to receive "uninterrupted" power long enough for the controlling software to "initiate" and "complete" a graceful shutdown of the connected computer.

If a properly sized UPS with good batteries is not maintaining backup power that long, the UPS is faulty.

Note I am assuming the wall outlet is properly wired too since some UPSs will balk if they sense the outlet is improperly wired, or even if missing an Earth ground. For this reason, every home and every computer user should have access to a AC Outlet Tester to ensure the wall outlet is properly wired and grounded to Earth ground. I recommend one with a GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupt) indicator as it can be used to test bathroom and kitchen outlets (outlets near water) too. These testers can be found for your type and voltage outlet, foreign or domestic, (like this one for the UK, or this one for German outlets) at most home improvement stores, or even the electrical department at Wal-Mart. Use it to test all the outlets in the home and if a fault is shown, have it fixed by a qualified electrician.

Having said that, if the wall outlet is not properly wired, the typical quality UPS will alert the user immediately when plugged into the wall, either by alarm, an error message on the status display screen (if the UPS has one) or an indicator LED, typically on the back of the UPS. In other words, if the outlet wiring is faulty, the UPS will not work for a period of time, then suddenly not work - not unless a new fault in the outlet wiring suddenly appears.