Very simple APC UPS monitor

Many APC UPS units have a serial port to monitor power and battery status. The serial port is very non-standard:

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Attach pins 4 & 6 to a DS10A door/window sensor and you have a inexpensive, remote wireless UPS monitor. Use with a X10 security compatible interface like the CM15A and the security script.

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Credit for the APC pinout: http://www.conserver.com/consoles/Clues/cons-apc.html
Security script: http://www.schollnick.net/wordpress/hom ... ty-script/

pretty slick!

I just dropped a couple of these in our server room at work. Here is an Indigo setup to email if power is out for more than 2 minutes.

Setup the DS10A in the security script Alarm_Matrix. Change the device id to your DS10A.
{100, "UPS", false, false, "Sound Chime", false, false, true, "UPS"}

The security script will fire 2 action groups, UPS_Opened and UPS_Closed.

Action Group: UPS_Opened (Power Failed)
- set variable AC_Power_On to false

Action Group: UPS_Closed (Power Restored)
- set variable AC_Power_On to true
- remove delayed actions for trigger "Power Fail Alert"

Add trigger: Power Fail Alert
- when variable AC_Power_On becomes false
- send email, delay by 2 min

Add a new variable to the Variable List called 'AC_Power_On', initial value true.

The Indigo computer and router are on the UPS, so email is still up in a power outage. X10 commands do not work with the power out, don't know about INSTEON. I chose a 2 minute delay to eliminate those quick power bounces.