John Goerg <john at krwc1360.com> writes:

> David Dyer-Bennet wrote:
> <snip>
> > Note that my two UPSs use "stupid" communications protocol, not
> > "smart".  There's actually a diagram in the Back-ups 600 manual
> > showing what each connection on the 9-pin port is (I believe from
> > reading how-tos and things that they 600 and 650 are about the same in
> > this; the 650 manual doesn't actually give a diagram, though).
> > The diagram actually looks like it would be better off with a pull-up
> > resistor on the line it uses to signal line power fail (the 600
> > manual, at least, describes that line and two others as open-collector
> > outputs).
> 
> It seems like apples and oranges here.  Sounds like the ups's are
> discrete type outputs (open collector) designed to run an external
> alarm, and you want to hook it to a serial port.  Won't work.  Some
> ups's are switchable between serial and discrete (stupid) outputs.
> Or maybe some pins are for serial and others are alarm outputs. Best
> ups did this for a while.  If you can set it for serial try a null
> modem adapter or cable.

No, the normal way to monitor the discrete ouput (stupid) UPSs has
always been through a serial port (but not with a standard serial
cable).  There are a bunch of lines you can directly monitor and
control on a serial port -- DCD, DTR, DSR, CTS, RI, stuff like that.

None of my UPSs are new enough to use actual serial communications. 
-- 
David Dyer-Bennet, dd-b at dd-b.net  /  New TMDA anti-spam in test
 John Dyer-Bennet 1915-2002 Memorial Site http://john.dyer-bennet.net
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