[SOLVED] Can Surge Protector compensate for UPS?

navodit14

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May 20, 2018
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Hello everyone!
I have a desktop which already has a power backup in the form of inverter & battery. But the problem is that inverter cannot work as UPS, meaning that in case of power outage & voltage fluctuation, my PC sometimes restarts.
So, I wanted to ask whether a Surge Protector can help me keep my PC running uninterruptedly.

Thanks.
 
Solution
A surge protector is not a UPS.

Surge protector protects from surges caused by lightning strikes. It does not buck or boost input voltages that may be lower or higher than nominal from the wall.

A UPS can help because it has a battery and an AVR (which bucks or boosts the mains voltage if it deviates from nominal voltage).

But instead of spending a bunch of money on a UPS, tell us what kind of PSU you have.

A really cheap PSU only works within a small range of input voltages. If the mains drops below that voltage, the PSU shuts down. Furthermore, a cheap PSU has a limited hold up time, meaning the bulk capacitor cannot keep the bus voltage charged long enough to keep the PSU running during a brown out.

So the problem may not be...
A surge protector is not a UPS.

Surge protector protects from surges caused by lightning strikes. It does not buck or boost input voltages that may be lower or higher than nominal from the wall.

A UPS can help because it has a battery and an AVR (which bucks or boosts the mains voltage if it deviates from nominal voltage).

But instead of spending a bunch of money on a UPS, tell us what kind of PSU you have.

A really cheap PSU only works within a small range of input voltages. If the mains drops below that voltage, the PSU shuts down. Furthermore, a cheap PSU has a limited hold up time, meaning the bulk capacitor cannot keep the bus voltage charged long enough to keep the PSU running during a brown out.

So the problem may not be that you need to get a UPS. It may be because you have a cheap PSU.
 
Solution

navodit14

Honorable
May 20, 2018
17
0
10,510
A surge protector is not a UPS.

Surge protector protects from surges caused by lightning strikes. It does not buck or boost input voltages that may be lower or higher than nominal from the wall.

A UPS can help because it has a battery and an AVR (which bucks or boosts the mains voltage if it deviates from nominal voltage).

But instead of spending a bunch of money on a UPS, tell us what kind of PSU you have.

A really cheap PSU only works within a small range of input voltages. If the mains drops below that voltage, the PSU shuts down. Furthermore, a cheap PSU has a limited hold up time, meaning the bulk capacitor cannot keep the bus voltage charged long enough to keep the PSU running during a brown out.

So the problem may not be that you need to get a UPS. It may be because you have a cheap PSU.
Thanks for the reply. I've a Corsair VS550. Is it good enough?
 

navodit14

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May 20, 2018
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I understand. Also, I wanted to ask if capacitor in psu might be the problem, can changing it or replacing it with a better capacitor work?
P.S. My PSU is a little more than 2 years old.
 
I understand. Also, I wanted to ask if capacitor in psu might be the problem, can changing it or replacing it with a better capacitor work?
P.S. My PSU is a little more than 2 years old.

No. PSUs are more than a box of capacitors.

And that PSU is more than two years old. You might have bought it two years ago, but the VS was replaced with the current version back in mid-2017.
 

navodit14

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May 20, 2018
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Thanks for the help. I've ordered a UPS. I think it's the only reliable solution. Changing the psu may still cause the problem. If problem still persists, I'll change that too.