power outage - best practices?

[completelyhis]

So we had a power outage a bit ago, which got me thinking about how best to automate for such things. This was the first one that has lasted this long since I've been automating. Here are my questions:

1. I know there is a restart computer/restart Homeseer trigger option with the safe restart plugin. What about a shut HS down/shut computer down option? I know the TripLite UPS I use has a shut the computer down option, but I do not currently have that software installed, and would like to keep it all HS, you know. I'd like to set up an event for this situation that would be like "if UPS status is "On Battery" and battery level is "X %" or X minutes remaining" then close homeseer and turn computer off" or something like that.
2. I think my computer has a power on after power failure feature in the bios. Will that work if the computer is powered off by software because of the afore mentioned scenario?
3. What sort of "recovered from power failure do people use? I know a lot of devices have the "include in power failure" box that can be checked. Which devices are do people do this with, and how exactly does that work?
4. Any other advice people have for power failures?

Thanks,
Ian

[Rupp]

So we had a power outage a bit ago, which got me thinking about how best to automate for such things. This was the first one that has lasted this long since I've been automating. Here are my questions:

1. I know there is a restart computer/restart Homeseer trigger option with the safe restart plugin. What about a shut HS down/shut computer down option? I know the TripLite UPS I use has a shut the computer down option, but I do not currently have that software installed, and would like to keep it all HS, you know. I'd like to set up an event for this situation that would be like "if UPS status is "On Battery" and battery level is "X %" or X minutes remaining" then close homeseer and turn computer off" or something like that.
   Theres a free power monitor plugin in the updater that reports on or off power and can be used to trigger a shutdown.
   
2. I think my computer has a power on after power failure feature in the bios. Will that work if the computer is powered off by software because of the afore mentioned scenario?Yes, this is exactly what I use
   
3. What sort of "recovered from power failure do people use? I know a lot of devices have the "include in power failure" box that can be checked. Which devices are do people do this with, and how exactly does that work?
   I put all of my devices in the "include in power failure. This way when HS restarts it will check all the the inlcude information and if the event was supposed to fire during the outtage it will fire. This way, to HS at least, it's as though the power failure never occured
4. Any other advice people have for power failures?

Thanks,
Ian

...

[completelyhis]

Rupp,
I use the BLUPS plugin, I don't see a way to shut down HS, then the PC, based on a UPS battery level trigger, can you explain in more detail which plugin you are referring to and/or how it can be done?

Thanks for all the info!

[Rotech]

I use BLUPS, with a script that Jon00 made for me to do just that. The way I have it is. Mytripplite turns to battery power, which activates a count down of 30 min. at the same time I have a delayed event triggered for the same amount of time, when time is elasped, it first sends me a email saying that there was a power failure, then the script kicks in and shut down HS then the server. If power reutrns within the 30 min. there another event that cancels the delayed event, sends me an email saying that power has been restored and all is normal.

[Rupp]

If this plugin has a trigger available then you should be able to setup an event based on the value of this trigger (ie onBattery, offBattery,etc) and in the action of the event use a script and enter a "one-line" hs.shutdown You can even put a delay in the trigger so it doesn't happen the exact minute the UPS kicks in.

[completelyhis]

Rotech,

Can you share some details of how your system is set up? It sounds exactly like what I'm wanting to do!

[Rotech]

Rotech,

Can you share some details of how your system is set up? It sounds exactly like what I'm wanting to do!

ok, since you you already use blups, first make a manual event that will run the script to close HS and then shut down PC (name it HS shut down or what ever) then make a event where the trigger is "change to battery" which is one of the virtuals that blups makes in your status page. As you known the blups script has a built in count down, so what you do is set up the amount time of the count down that you prefer , then in Action run event (HS shut down for example) with a delay of the same count down time ( this is so that the action can take place as soon as the count down finishes). If you would like a email add a action to send you a email.

To reset the HS shut down:

make a manual event which the trigger is "on ac power" add a action which will "remove delay event" to the HS shut down event and if you want an email add a email command. I can share my shut down script to you ash soon as I get home if your interested. I hope I make sense, my english is poor. let me known.

Hector

[completelyhis]

I would be interested in your script, because I don't understand how HS can shut down the PC after shutting down HomeSeer. Thank you very much (and your english is quite good, actually!)

Ian

[Rotech]

Ian

Send me your email, so I can send you the script.

[Rotech]

you should have in your mail. if not let me know.

[langenet]

keep it simple

I have a UPS and use TrippLite's software. It works great. When on battery, I have it e-mail notification and text message my cell phone indicating it is on battery. When the battery hits critical, it e-mails/texts me again before the system is shutdown in an orderly fashion. After the power comes back on, the power-on settings cause the system to boot.

THe only issue I can imagine (which I have not had to deal with), is if after the shutdown is initiated and while the server is on it's way down, the power comes back on. Oh well... can't have it all I suppose.

Robert

[Rotech]

Ian:

Did you recieve the email?

[Rotech]

resent script to .org address.

[completelyhis]

I got the script, thanks!

I'm trying to build the event, but i upgraded from the UPSMonitor to BLUPS (same plugin, newer version). after doing the upgrade, i can't get my event trigger based on power status change (battery/ac) to change. can you show a copy of your event trigger page?

Thanks,

Ian

[Rotech]

Here you go friend, remember to remove the event just use the oposite.