>  * While waiting for my UPS to arrive, I tried using a normal cable and
>  * an rs232 break out box to see what I could see on one of the UPS's at
>  * work.  I managed to power off the UPS :-)

> It seems to me that what would be more useful in this situation than a
> breakout box would be a continuity tester.  Doesn't take much to figure
> out which wires go where.

Yep.  If I'd had the cable at the time, I could have done that :-) 
Or just used it :-)

--sjg