UPS Installation

Do you need a special cable - can you make one yourself?

The answer is probably, and probably. Some of the companies are including cables and software (for less enlightened OS's) with their product, so with them you don't need to make a cable. Other companies seem to think that if someone is fool enough to pay $565.95 for a battery, they will cough up another $70.98 for a couple of cables and software.

If you do need to make a cable, check the UPS-HOWTO and the file genpower.docs in the genpower-1.0.1 package.

Also, if you don't already have one, get an RS-232 Break-Out Box or an RS-232 Mini-Tester from Radio Shack. These will help you to see what your cable is actually doing.

Most of the diagrams assume that you are making a cable that has a DB-9 connecter at the UPS end, and either a DB-9 or DB-25 connecter at the computer end. If you want to use the Break-Out box to test things out before committing yourself to solder, the sequence of parts is more likely a DB-9 cable from the UPS to a DB-9 to DB-25 converter, the Break-Out box, and perhaps a DB-25 cable to the back of your computer (so you can see the lights without digging around the back of the computer as much).

Also, please do most of your experimentation with the computer safely plugged into the wall outlet and a lamp plugged into the UPS. This will save you several trips to fsck land.