APC UPS Question?

Page 3 - Seeking answers? Join the Tom's Hardware community: where nearly two million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar


Yea your right I wasn't thinking straight it's 110 and 220 for some reason I was thinking 120 and 240, duh.
 


While searching, I found this link:
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,49153,00.asp
 


I would trust your UPS reading. I installed the APC BN 1050VA yesterday and it confirms that my total draw is 132Watts. I also have a Zalman ZM-MFC2 fan controller that has a Power Meter. The Zalman is showing 108 Watts - if you add my Brother MFC-240C printer, DSL Modem and the Netgear Router That is also plugged into the UPS, the reading of 132 Watts appears to be correct. My system is as follows :

GA-P35C-DSR3 motherboard
Intel E6550 CPU
ATI HD 2600XT
OCZ Hyper 2 G PC6400
Corsair Power Supply HX620W
2 Western Digital 500 SATA drives
2 PATA CDROM/RW drives
Zalman ZM-MFC2 Fan Controller
4 Case Fans (120mm)
 


An off-line or standby UPS normally powers the load directly from the line, the battery is off-line and not connected to the load. The battery charging circuits trickle-charge the battery to keep it fresh. When power fails, the UPS switches the load to battery power through the inverter very quickly (typically only a few milliseconds). However, there is a measurable period of time when the load is not actually powered. In some very cheap designs, the waveform of the inverter is not phase-synchronized to the waveform of the line, so immediately after the switch to battery power, there can be high inrush currents in capacitive and inductive loads.

Because the load is normally powered from the line, the load bears any power variations, including over- and under-voltage conditions, and variations in frequency or waveform shape. When these parameters exceed some specification, the UPS will switch to battery power.

Some UPS's are labeled as "line-interactive", which is essentially the same thing as an off-line UPS, but does have some ability to regulate the voltage of the load when the load is being powered from line power.

An on-line UPS (sometimes called a "double conversion" UPS) continuously powers the load through the battery. The line power always is rectified and used to charge the battery, and the battery power is always run through an inverter to power the load. When power fails, the only thing lost is the battery charging circuit. The battery and inverter continue operation to power the load with no interruption and no phase-synchronization issues.

Since the UPS's inverter circuit is always powering the load, its regulators are responsible for the output voltage and frequency, so the load is never affected by voltage and frequency variations on the line.

Another difference between consumer grade UPS's and higher end models is the output waveform shape while on battery power. Cheap UPS's use a square-wave output, which is only suitable for powering devices containing DC power supplies, or devices that are agnostic about the waveform shape, like a incandescent light bulb. Better UPS's use a stepped waveform, which approximates utility power. Most line-interactive and enterprise-level UPS's output a pure sine wave. A pure sine wave UPS is the only one that can safely run any type of AC motor (unlikely to be connected to a UPS, but possible).
 
yo, joe7777, may you recommend a very nice UPS (at least 750w) that outputs a pure sine wave, if not almost-perfect sine wave?

thanks in advance
 


Try the APC Smart-UPS XL 1000VA.

This is a line-interactive UPS, so it has a small switching transient, but it can protect against over- and under-voltage, and it outputs pure sine waveform.
 



SomeJoe7777 Does this APC UPS below offer great protection for my computer, or is there one with better faster protection? Also what is the difference between an APC UPS and a Smart APC UPS? Thank you!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16842101140

 
SomeJoe7777, Nice and complete information, you are now the goto guy with regards to UPSs. I think you should take the post you made, start a new thread and have it made a sticky. Maybe flush it out with more details on relative (not specific) price, loading, etc. THG certainly needs more awareness and info about UPSs.
 


I totally second that! :) We need someone like you here at THG SomeJoe7777, UPS's are probibly the most overlooked companion for our computers.
 


UPS's and quality PSU's. Neither is flashy and won't make Crysis look better but both could save your system.
 
I have found SomeJoe's posts to be quite knowledgeable in several areas.

His RAID and controller posts are excellent sources of information.

Now he has shown the same level of expertise in UPS's...

I hope he doesn't leave.
 
You can't poach this kind of thing. Either people want to help noobs, and I'm not saying that disparagingly, or they don't.

Edit: Additionally people can post on multiple sites.
 
There are a couple things this site is missing like a PSU guru since mpilchfamily left. Even knowledgeable people don't know everything so the help isn't only going to noobs. This most recent purchase is the first UPS I've owned so my understanding of them is fairly limited and it's nice to see someone around who can give a concise but detailed description of the difference between low and high end models.
 
It's good that you feel that way. I'm sorry that mpilchfamily is gone as well. I think it is unfortunate that a rift occurred that could have been so easily averted. It hurts me that we have lost. I guess there is a tug of war to pull as many people, that have any clue, away as possible. A little vindictive, but I can certainly understand it because I am vindictive myself.
 
Since the mass exodus, we need all the remaining talent to remain loyal, and I gratefully welcome any new talent as well. :hello: Unlike some of the enthusiast sites, Tom's seems to attract a high certain percentage of n00bs, which tends to wear some of us down answering repetitive n00b questions, especially those who just want to be spoon-fed quick information, and don't want to read or learn... :non: Don't get me started... :fou:
 
Tom's has gone downhill quite a bit since the forced departure of Dr. Pabst. More pop-up adverts, and in general total # of adverts, plus the degraded quality of the articles.

Would this have changed with Dr. Pabst still in control? Well, didn't happen, so we'll never know.

I have always gotten reviews from multiple sites, to get a balanced opinion. I find Anand one of the best sites at the moment for balanced reviews, but always cross check with, say, hardOCP, and a few other sites.

I find the discussions on Anand a bit slanted by the US readership, so try to check it whenever possible with the Register (I do like the Register!).

One thing in Tom's favour is that it is not ruled by commitee, and I find the moderators for the most part to be fair. Jake and I have had some issues, but they have always been resolved. I can't remember an issue with Turpit.

And, mind, I do post quite a bit of the time with my tongue planted firmly in my cheek.

OK, general rant, rant over.
 
I agree completely. I'm very pleased with the Moderators here at Tom's, however, in terms of Mods at Anand, they don't seem to be paying attention. I get the impression that the lights are on, but nobody's home. It's difficult to find a Mod, let alone get one to respond. I think they prefer to remain hidden. I find that OverClockers and XtremeSystems are quite good.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom