PowerChute Agent not recording lost communications in a serial-to-USB configuration

Issue:
PowerChute Agent not recording lost communications in a serial-to-USB configuration.

Product:
PowerChute Business Edition
PowerChute Serial Shutdown

Environment:
All supported Windows OS

Cause:
When you have the following configuration:

• 940-0272A cable,
• connecting a serial port on the Smart-UPS SC 1500 to a USB port on a server,
• and running with the PL2303 driver from the Prolific company,
• and the cable is disconnected, accidentally or otherwise, then PowerChute is unable to report it as a lost communications event.

(This happens because when the cable is disconnected, the Prolific driver is disabled.)

Solution:

If this happens, you must reconnect the USB plug to the CORRECT USB port on your server and restart the APC UPS Windows service: "APC PBE Agent".

We recommend using a serial-to-serial connection to avoid this issue.

NOTE: If the issue is connecting Smart-UPS SC to Windows OS using the 940-0272A cable, PowerChute Agent does not discover the UPS. Please see Kbase FA283834

Released for: Schneider Electric Philippines