EcoFlow River 3 Plus is a portable power station. In addition to its standard outdoor power features, it can also function as a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply). Compared to traditional lead-acid UPS systems, EcoFlow offers several advantages:
- Larger capacity (e.g., 286Wh)
- Lightweight and easy to carry
- Remote management capabilities (via app or web interface)
However, when connecting it to a Synology NAS as a UPS, many users find that the NAS fails to recognize the device—even after installing the official EcoFlow Power Manager for NAS package. This article analyzes the root causes of the issue and provides a practical solution.
Problem Analysis
During debugging, I found the compatibility issues mainly stem from the following factors:
-
USB Not Recognized: The version of NUT (Network UPS Tools) bundled with Synology DSM is outdated and may not recognize the EcoFlow device as a USB UPS.
-
Port Mismatch: EcoFlow Power Manager provides UPS services on port
3496, whereas Synology expects the UPS server on port3493. -
Device Name Mismatch: Synology assumes the remote UPS device is named
ups, while EcoFlow usesnutdev1by default.
Quick Solution Overview
To address the above compatibility issues, we can manually modify several configuration files within the EcoFlow Power Manager for NAS package to make it compatible with Synology’s UPS service.
Key changes include:
- Change the EcoFlow service port from 3496 to 3493
- Rename the UPS device from
nutdev1toups - Restart the Power Manager service to apply the changes
Step-by-Step Instructions (based on DSM 7.x)
⚠️ Please back up relevant files before proceeding. Familiarity with SSH is recommended. The paths below are based on default installation locations.
1. Install the Power Manager Package
Download and install from the EcoFlow official site:
https://www.ecoflow.com/us/support/download/index
2. Modify run.sh
Path:
/volume1/@appstore/PowerManagerNUT/usr/local/bin/nas/run.sh
Change this line:
output=$(sudo $BASE_DIR/bin/upsc nutdev1@127.0.0.1:3496 2>&1)
To:
output=$(sudo $BASE_DIR/bin/upsc ups@127.0.0.1:3493 2>&1)
3. Modify upsd.conf
Path:
/volume1/@appstore/PowerManagerNUT/usr/local/bin/nas/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-nut-server/etc/upsd.conf
Change this line:
LISTEN 0.0.0.0 3496
To:
LISTEN 0.0.0.0 3493
4. Modify ups.conf
Path:
/volume1/@appstore/PowerManagerNUT/usr/local/bin/nas/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-nut-server/etc/ups.conf
Change this line:
[nutdev1]
To:
[ups]
5. Modify eco_shutdown.sh
Path:
/volume1/@appstore/PowerManagerNUT/usr/local/bin/nas/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-nut-server/script/eco_shutdown.sh
Change this line:
status=$(/var/packages/PowerManagerNUT/target/usr/local/bin/nas/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-nut-server/bin/upsc nutdev1@localhost:3496 ups.status 2>/dev/null)
To:
status=$(/var/packages/PowerManagerNUT/target/usr/local/bin/nas/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-nut-server/bin/upsc ups@localhost:3493 ups.status 2>/dev/null)
5. Restart the Power Manager Service
You can restart the Power Manager NUT service via Synology’s Package Center.
Configuring the UPS Client in Synology DSM
- Go to DSM Control Panel → Hardware & Power → UPS
- Choose the Synology UPS Server mode
- Enter the IP address of the current NAS as the UPS server address
- Apply the settings; the NAS should now be able to detect UPS status from EcoFlow
To verify, run the following in terminal:
upsc ups@localhost:3493
Notes & Further Recommendations
- These changes may be overwritten when EcoFlow Power Manager or DSM is updated.
- If you have multiple NAS units and want to share the EcoFlow UPS with others, configure the other NAS to use Synology UPS Server and provide this NAS’s IP address.
- Long-term, monitor updates from DSM and EcoFlow regarding official NUT compatibility for native support.
References
- Related GitHub Issue on Network UPS Tools
- Reddit community discussions:
- EcoFlow Download Center
If you encounter any issues during setup, feel free to leave a comment below. You’re also welcome to share your experience using other portable power stations as a UPS.
I receive the following error message with the modification of PowerManagerNUT-x86_64-1.0.2-SynologyDS923+.spk. What did I wrong?
Installation completed successfully.1. 环境配置成功
1. Environment setup successful
Scanning USB bus.
[nutdev-usb1]
driver = “usbhid-ups”
port = “auto”
vendorid = “3746”
productid = “FFFF”
product = “EF-UPS-RIVER 3 Plus”
serial = “********serial showing up here**********”
vendor = “EcoFlow”
# bus = “001”
# device = “003”
# busport = “003”
2. nut-scanner 执行成功，成功扫描到 EcoFlow UPS 设备
2. nut-scanner executed successfully, EcoFlow UPS device detected
Using subdriver: ECOFLOW HID 0.1
Network UPS Tools – Generic HID driver 0.53 (2.8.2)
USB communication driver (libusb 1.0) 0.47
nut_libusb_get_string: Invalid parameter
using ‘battery.charge’ to set battery low state
using ‘battery.runtime’ to set battery low state
Network UPS Tools – UPS driver controller 2.8.2
default driverpath = /volume1/@appstore/PowerManagerNUT/usr/local/bin/nas/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-nut-server/bin
start_driver driverpath = /volume1/@appstore/PowerManagerNUT/usr/local/bin/nas/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-nut-server/bin
3. upsdrvctl 执行成功
3. upsdrvctl executed successfully
fopen /volume1/@appstore/PowerManagerNUT/usr/local/bin/nas/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-nut-server/var/state/ups/upsd.pid: No such file or directory
Could not find PID file ‘/volume1/@appstore/PowerManagerNUT/usr/local/bin/nas/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-nut-server/var/state/ups/upsd.pid’ to see if previous upsd instance is already running!
/volume1/@appstore/PowerManagerNUT/usr/local/bin/nas/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-nut-server/etc/upsd.conf is world readable
listening on 0.0.0.0 port 3493
/volume1/@appstore/PowerManagerNUT/usr/local/bin/nas is world readable
Connected to UPS [nutdev1]: usbhid-ups-nutdev1
Found 1 UPS defined in ups.conf
/volume1/@appstore/PowerManagerNUT/usr/local/bin/nas/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-nut-server/etc/upsd.users is world readable
4. upsd 执行成功
4. upsd executed successfully
Error: Unknown UPS
错误：未知错误（upsc），请尝试重新执行脚本
Error: Unknown error (upsc), please try running the script again
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It seems the service already started successfully. Could you try to run “upsc ups@localhost:3493” in Synology NAS’s terminal to verify ? Or you can run “upsc ups@[NAS-IP-ADDRESS]” from any linux/unix machine to verify.
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I get same error
Reply
So I also had to:
# 1. Update ups.conf to change [nutdev1] to [ups]
sudo sed -i ‘s/[nutdev1]/[ups]/’ /volume1/@appstore/PowerManagerNUT/usr/local/bin/nas/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-nut-server/etc/ups.conf
# 2. Update upsmon.conf to change the MONITOR line
sudo sed -i ‘s/nutdev1@127.0.0.1:3496/ups@127.0.0.1:3493/’ /volume1/@appstore/PowerManagerNUT/usr/local/bin/nas/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-nut-server/etc/upsmon.conf
# 3. Restart the PowerManagerNUT service
cd /volume1/@appstore/PowerManagerNUT/usr/local/bin/nas && sudo ./run.sh
Then I checked this:
admin@syno:/volume1/@appstore/PowerManagerNUT/usr/local/bin/nas$ upsc ups@localhost:3493
battery.charge: 92
battery.charge.low: 10
battery.runtime: 2075
battery.runtime.low: -1
battery.type:
device.mfr: EcoFlow
device.model: EF-UPS-RIVER 3 Plus
Success!
I couldn’t figure out a way to Start/Stop in Package Center.
Thanks for writing this up!
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Thank you for adding this, Keith. It helped me to successfully restart the service. Unfortunately, I still get an connection error when I try to configure UPS in the DSM control panel.
Any ideas how to solve this?
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Thank you for your preliminary work! After running “upsc ups@localhost:3493” in Synology NAS’s terminal I got this output:
battery.charge: 80
battery.charge.low: 20
battery.runtime: 1867
battery.runtime.low: -1
battery.type:
device.mfr: EcoFlow
device.model: EF-UPS-RIVER 3 Plus
device.serial: R631ZEBAWH1A0612
device.type: ups
driver.debug: 0
driver.flag.allow_killpower: 0
driver.flag.ignorelb: enabled
driver.name: usbhid-ups
driver.parameter.override.battery.runtime.low: -1
driver.parameter.pollfreq: 1
driver.parameter.pollinterval: 2
driver.parameter.port: auto
driver.parameter.synchronous: auto
driver.parameter.usb_hid_ep_in: 1
driver.parameter.usb_hid_ep_out: 1
driver.state: updateinfo
driver.version: 2.8.2
driver.version.data: ECOFLOW HID 0.1
driver.version.internal: 0.53
driver.version.usb: libusb-1.0.26 (API: 0x1000109)
outlet.1.status: on
ups.beeper.status: enabled
ups.delay.shutdown: 20
ups.mfr: EcoFlow
ups.model: EF-UPS-RIVER 3 Plus
ups.productid: ffff
ups.realpower.nominal: 286
ups.serial: R631ZEBAWH1A0612
ups.status: OL
ups.timer.reboot: -1
ups.timer.shutdown: -1
ups.vendorid: 3746
Like Marek I get the message “Connection to network ups server is not possible”
So what’s the problem?
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I got it. I had a wrong network-ups-server IP in DSM ups.
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After restarting the PowerManagerNUT service several times, it is working now. Thanks a lot for the helpful information on this page!
Reply
For anyone following this article, I also had to make one additional change.
Modify ups.conf
Path:
sudo vi /volume1/\@appstore/PowerManagerNUT/usr/local/bin/nas/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-nut-server/etc/ups.conf
Change this line:
[nutdev1]
To:
[ups]
Reply
Thank you for your comment! I have updated the post to include this change.
Reply
If I have Synology SA6400, is it possible somehow to support river3 for my nas? Do I need to buy ecoflow as ups or it won’t work with my nas. What do you think?
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Yes, you can use the Ecoflow RIVER 3 as a UPS for your Synology SA6400 for backup power.
However, the SA6400 is currently not supported by the Ecoflow Power Manager and cannot use the automatic shutdown method described in this post.
Limitation: If a power outage occurs, you must manually shut down your SA6400 before the Ecoflow battery runs out.
I hope Synology DSM updates its Network UPS Tools (NUT) package soon to automatically support the Ecoflow RIVER 3 Plus.
Reply
Hello,
I was able to modify and save all the files except the run.sh as per below error. Can someone help me? Thanks.
MobaXterm SSH-browser
!
[Message from SSH-browser of tab #5]
scp:
/volume1/@appstore/PowerManagerNUT/usr/local/bin/nas/run.sh:
Permission denied
Reply
Hi,
did you try:
sudo vi /volume1/@appstore/PowerManagerNUT/usr/local/bin/nas/run.sh
cheers
Reply
Hello!
Thanks for the amazing tips and tricks. I followed your guide and i could connect my river 3 and its now also seen by synology dsm.
But if i cut power, the system wont shut down. Its in a standby boot loop with grenn led flashin. I received emails tho.
I tried to update to Firmware 1.33.81.56.
System wont shut down. No emails.
I can ping my UPS with the correct port and receive information over ssh. (upsc ups@localhost:3493)
Anybody in the same sitution?
thanks )
Reply
Power Manager is loading thanks to this page. But the manual mentions a “home page” for power manager that never comes up for me. So I can’t see status or do any configuration. Thoughts?
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Yeah, thats misleading. But this “home page” is only availabe in the windows program/app. For your nas, thats all you see.. Configuration is best down with the mobile app over Wifi.
May i ask what model you have and does it power down after power outlet? cheers
Reply
*done*outake
Reply