Is APC's smart-signaling cable (940-0024) really proprietary?

Solution 1:

Having configured a number of SmartUPSes with AP9606 in my time, I do not remember ever having had the need for an "APC-proprietary" serial cable. The documented pinout looks like a simple null-modem cable swapping the TX and RX pins:

+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
|                                                                 |
|  Black APC 940-0024C Smart Signalling UPS Cable Wiring Diagram  |
|  This information is verified and tested to be 100% correct.    |
|                                                                 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
|                                                                 |
|       DB9M(UPS)            2m Cable          DB9F(Computer)     |
|       ---------            --------          --------------     |
|                                                                 |
|         (SHELL)<---------+----//----+----------------<(SHELL)   |
|                          |          |                           |
|                          -          -                           |
|                         | |        | |                          |
|       CHASSIS 9<--------------//---------------------<5 SG      |
|                         | |        | |                          |
|           TXD 2<--------------//---------------------<2 RXD     |
|                         | |        | |                          |
|           RXD 1<--------------//---------------------<3 TXD     |
|                         | |        | |                          |
|                          -          -             +--<1 DCD     |
|                                                   |             |
|                                                   +--<4 DTR     |
|    NOTES:                                                       |
|    Cable type is shielded 28AWG.                  +--<7 RTS     |
|    The DB shells are connected                    |             |
|    to each other via the shield.                  +--<8 CTS     |
|                                                                 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
|                                                                 |
|    Operation:     The UPS communicates with the Computer via    |
|    ordinary RS-232 serial protocol at 2400-8N1 with software    |
|    flow control. Jumpered pins in the DB9F connector are for    |
|    automatic or PNP cable identification by UPS software.       |
|                                                                 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
|                                                                 |
|                           Male (pins)        Female (holes)     |
|   DB9 RS-232  PC                                                |
|   type connector          1         5         5         1       |
|  ----------------       _______________     _______________     |
|  Pinout numbering       \  . . . . .  /     \  o o o o o  /     |
|  looking into the        \  . . . .  /       \  o o o o  /      |
|  end of the cable         -----------         -----------       |
|                             6     9             9     6         |
|                                                                 |
|  NOTE: Solder a wire to the metal shell for use as a FRAME-GND  |
|                                                                 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+

And instead of using a PC with a serial port, I would advise simply getting one of the PL2303-based USB-to-serial adapter cables - they work well for managing serial console stuff with nearly every OS released within the last 10 years.

Solution 2:

Well, it may be proprietary (in the sense of it being a non standard pinout), but you can find pinout diagrams if you know what you are looking for, and if you have a few inexpensive tools, you can also make one.

Here's a fairly simple one: This is the 0024C model:

+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
|                                                                 |
|  Black APC 940-0024C Smart Signalling UPS Cable Wiring Diagram  |
|  This information is verified and tested to be 100% correct.    |
|                                                                 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
|                                                                 |
|       DB9M(UPS)            2m Cable          DB9F(Computer)     |
|       ---------            --------          --------------     |
|                                                                 |
|         (SHELL)<---------+----//----+----------------<(SHELL)   |
|                          |          |                           |
|                          -          -                           |
|                         | |        | |                          |
|       CHASSIS 9<--------------//---------------------<5 SG      |
|                         | |        | |                          |
|           TXD 2<--------------//---------------------<2 RXD     |
|                         | |        | |                          |
|           RXD 1<--------------//---------------------<3 TXD     |
|                         | |        | |                          |
|                          -          -             +--<1 DCD     |
|                                                   |             |
|                                                   +--<4 DTR     |
|    NOTES:                                                       |
|    Cable type is shielded 28AWG.                  +--<7 RTS     |
|    The DB shells are connected                    |             |
|    to each other via the shield.                  +--<8 CTS     |
|                                                                 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
|                                                                 |
|    Operation:     The UPS communicates with the Computer via    |
|    ordinary RS-232 serial protocol at 2400-8N1 with software    |
|    flow control. Jumpered pins in the DB9F connector are for    |
|    automatic or PNP cable identification by UPS software.       |
|                                                                 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
|                                                                 |
|                           Male (pins)        Female (holes)     |
|   DB9 RS-232  PC                                                |
|   type connector          1         5         5         1       |
|  ----------------       _______________     _______________     |
|  Pinout numbering       \  . . . . .  /     \  o o o o o  /     |
|  looking into the        \  . . . .  /       \  o o o o  /      |
|  end of the cable         -----------         -----------       |
|                             6     9             9     6         |
|                                                                 |
|  NOTE: Solder a wire to the metal shell for use as a FRAME-GND  |
|                                                                 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+

Found Here