Auto shutdown/restart software for FreeBSD?

[WizLayer]

On Monday 14 May 2007 08:27:48 pm you wrote:
> On May 13, 2007, at 7:13 PM, WizLayer wrote:
> > On Sunday 13 May 2007 07:17:14 pm Aftab Jahan Subedar wrote:
> >> Would it recharge the battery fully after discharge? I dont think so.
> >> So you got to  recharge the external battery EXTERNALLY after power
> >> failure.
> >
> > What's wrong with that?  Trickle-charge the battery and ride the
> > computers
> > from the battery at the same time...  That's an uninterrupted power
> > supply.
> > A voltage regulator, converter, and a few filters will give you a
> > clean,
> > constant supply.  It will last longer, and it's a lot cheaper in
> > comparison.
> >
> > Actually, this is a project of mine that's been on the back burner for
> > years
> > now.  I'd like to add a network interface for remote controls, some
> > health
> > checking, and test modes, but would have to incorporate an embedded
> > processor
> > (serial port and/or USB interfaces are just as possible).
> >
> > Being that I've never messed with such, any suggestions as far as a
> > good
> > processor to start with?  It doesn't necessarily have to be a
> > processor that
> > will do the whole kit-n-kaboodle.  Right now, I'm just looking for
> > something
> > I can learn the basics with.
> >
> > I know it's not a BSD-related question, but I figured I'd ask anyway.
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > WizLayer
>
> This is another approach that seems like it would be practical:
> Use deep cycle car batteries, trickle charge with solar panels.
> If a desktop computer can run on square wave generated by
> dc/ac converter, use that as a power backup system, It would
> have to have some kind of switching system to detect main
> power drop and switch to the backup system.
> Perhaps someone would be willing to, with engineering expertise
> put together servers that would work on laptop batteries, like a
> laptop. I do have one machine that has Yellow Dog linux (Mac
> Powerbook 3400c) that runs 24/7 as my backup DNS server.
> JK

Why settle for a square wave?  It's not hard to clean that up, and besides...  
Wouldn't that bring mayhem and havoc on a scanner (ie, I'm pretty sure that 
you your screen would do very unhappy things)?  LCD screen? don't know.  (or 
a system's power supply over long term?  hmmm)

As far as the type of batteries, deep cycle marine batteries, whatever.  It 
doesn't really matter except to say that some types can be fully discharged 
and some would be ruined on a full discharge.  The health and monitoring 
portion of the UPS would have to be designed with those limits in mind (and, 
hey...  That could be part of the embedded mprocessors job, too...  more 
options).

Switching power from one source to another is something that I've not had a 
lot of  luck with, esp with sensitive stuff like a computer's power supply 
(touchy).  On the other hand clean, dc power in a parallel circuit is as 
simple as it gets.  Edison had a good idea after all.  

Look at the battery as your constant source, and work away from that.  Your 
secondary source merely compliments the battery.  So long as you use 
regulators for your "other sources", it will stay "Clean by default."  :)

As far as switching power sources from regular charger to something like solar 
panels, same concept...  Don't switch from-to anything.  Keep it constantly 
hooked up in parallel with the battery.  

Some simple logics could perform circuits acts for the solar panels ("if sun 
is good and elec_co's bad , then close..."  however you want to hack it.)  
Same for dis/associating the charger. 

I just need someone to point me in the right direction as far as embedded 
mprocessors.  I've googled it, and found a few hobby kits, but I'd rather 
hear it from someone who deals with stuff like this and can suggest a "start 
here."  I hate jumping into something only to have to unlearn in order to 
learn it right. 

WizLayer


PS  When I finally get this finished, I'm going to find some way of modifying 
the BSD license to apply it and release the whole thing to the public.  One 
would only have to buy the parts, program, and assemble the thing...  Why?  
Because UPS prices are a rip-off and some jerk told me I couldn't.  :)

-- 


Life is better with a BSD.
For more info, www.bsd.org.

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