involuntary UPS testing

Be careful what you wish for...

I had wondered out loud to the RASC Toronto Centre council earlier in the week about the condition of the uninterruptible power supplies at the observatory. I knew the one supporting our weather/security system server worked (it's only a year old). But I didn't know if the one in the basement supporting UWO's all-sky camera server (and our routers) worked. I didn't know if the one under the telescope worked.

I had plans to test them over the weekend...

But at 12:05 AM, there was a brief brownout. In the warm room, I saw the lights flicker around me. I heard clicking and beeping of various equipment. In particular, I heard the UPS on the telescope trigger its alarm. Crikey!

As I looked around, everything was fine! Woot! Saved. Of course, it was a non-issue for the modern laptops with their internal batteries. I was very pleased that the telescope mount continued to operate. A continuous connection.

With the old tower computers, that would have been a big deal. Boooooossssshhhhhzzz. Eerie silence. What did people do then? If the power went off for a long time?! I guess you'd walk over to the mount and shut it off...

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Again! 12:09. Another brownout. Very slightly longer. UPS alarmed. Paramount and computers fine!

Each time, I've lost the wireless network connection. My music stopped playing for a moment. But it came back fairly quickly once the wireless router (configured as a hub) resurrected itself.

I'm assuming the entire network is still working... But that UPS I have yet to confirm works. The rapidity that I regain the internet connection though suggests to me that it is all still powered.

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12:16. I was in the kitchen when the another brownout rippled through the house. The emergency lights came on! Damn. There goes my night vision!

Heard the UPS on the weather/security system server.

Good to know the emerg. lights work.