Hi All,
My T610 is flagging an issue.
The server is showing "E1618: Predicted Failure on Power Supply 2 (870W0. Check Power Supply" within the status LCD. At the same time, the RAC remote management web page shows the redundancy status as "Full" and the individual power supplies as follows:
Status Location Type Input wattage Max wattage Online status FW version
OK PS1 AC 1050 870 Present 08.13.00
NOK PS2 AC 1080 870 Present|Predicted Failure 08.13.00
We have a UPS and PS2 plugged into the same AC mains outlet. Normally, when the AC line drops, the UPS would feed power (240V modified square wave) to PS1 and obviously PS2 would loose power. In these instances, the server would flag lost redundancy. When the AC line power returns, the UPS reverts to AC feed (with AVR) to PS1 and obviously PS2 would receive AC line power directly from the same outlet feeding the UPS. The server would then flag redundancy has been restored (or words to that effect). Usually power interruptions are short lived and we either ride it out or shut down the server after 5 or so minutes. Now i acknowledge that this may not be the cleanest way to connect the server to backup power but it has worked for over a year and a half.
Unfortunately the UPS is now misbehaving and not doing the intended job as evident when we last had a power failure. I thus removed the UPS from the live server by switching off the UPS, removing the PS1 lead from the UPS and then plugging it into the same power outlet as PS2 lead. In testing the UPS, it worked fine with other more tolerant equipment (like a 75W globe powered from batteries for over 1 hour - OK not an exhaustive test but i didn't have access to more appropriate test equipment to check the wave form and the voltage levels of the UPS output). In reality we only need a 5 or so minute window to cleanly shut down the system if power is not restored and since we don't have limitless funds for a server grade UPS, this cheap 700W unit was selected.
However, when returning the unit back to service after the simple check above, i tested the system by pulling the UPS's AC power cable from the outlet, the server lost power redundancy. I reconnected the UPS AC power lead and the server redundancy was restored. I did this again test a second time and then the server displayed the above listed message saying that PS2, (the one connected to the 240V wall outlet, not PS1 which is connected to the UPS), is predicted to fail.
So i have the following questions:
1. Does the T610 870W power supplies need a pure sine wave UPS or is a modified square wave UPS OK?
2. Is it OK to connect PS1 to the UPS and PS2 to the 240V wall outlet, or is it better to connect both PS1 & 2 to the same UPS?
3. Would the connection method and the fact there are numerous power interruptions be the cause of PS2 predicted failure?
3b. Is PS2 really about to fail or is it just that when cutting UPS power (and thus power to PS1) the diagnostic system gets muddled in some way?
4. Is there a PSU test routine that i can run on PS1 & 2 which would clear the predicted failure flag?
5. How does one clean the error message from the status LCD?
Also, the server (1x E5606 CPU, 1x 8G ECC RAM, 2x 300GB seagate 15K SAS drives, PERC6/i, DVD-ROM, iDRAC6 & XFX 7600GS PCIe graphics card) uses 137W according to the status LCD but i also need the 19" LCD monitor, wireless ADSL2+ router, 8 port hub to run from the UPS.
6. What sort of UPS capacity would one require to provide 1/2 - 1 hour of reliable backup power should one loose AC? What brand UPS is recommended? ,
Thanks in advance :)