[SOLVED] I think I need an UPS

[MichaelNowik]

Hi

I have moved to Poland and my stationary pc in my room is restarting every now and then when I am in the middle of doing something. Its the same on Linux and Windows 10. I have a APC Surgearrest (similar to this: https://www.x-kom.pl/p/557080-listwa-zasilajaca-apc-essential-surgearrest-5-gniazd-18m.html) where the PC is connected to the electricity. I thought the APC Surgearrest would protect the PC from dangerous electricity variations but now I am wondering what it is doing because a server I have in another part of the apartment is not rebooting itself every now and then.

I know a bit about UPS products and I wonder if that would solve the problem with these reboots?
Why do a UPS need software and a USB cable?
Is it Windows only support with the UPS-software?

 

[Ralston18]

Three comments:

1) Surge protectors only provide limited protection measured in joules.

Your surge protector is rated at 918 Joules as I understand the specs in your link.

Absorbing excess energy is cumulative. After some number of hits protection will be lost.

And the rated "Joules" value is quite dependent on design, materials, and manufacturing quality..... And any rated value was most likely determined under ideal conditions and testing. Not real world.

2) A UPS is intended to even out power supply to the supported systems- by providing a constant power source during brownouts and blackouts. The UPS may or may not provide additional protection against electrical surges.

The intent is to provide the end user enough time (just a few minutes) to gracefully shutdown the computer to prevent/minimize data loss.

Not to continue working, playing games, or continue watching some streamed event....

3) Using UPS software and a connecting USB cable is, as far as I know, still optional. I have two UPSs capable of providing just a few minutes time to shut down the hosted computer. (For the most part, I seldom have both computers running at the same time.)

Although I have experimented in the past with UPS software I found that there was little value added in running the software and just one more cable (USB) to get in the way.

And you will not gain much and could perhaps lose out if you daisy chain some series of power bars, surge protectors, and UPSs.

Doing so is not recommended.

= = = =

As for the server that is not rebooting - more information needed. Power surges are one thing. A power loss is another.

 

[MichaelNowik]

Okay, interesting. I have plugged in the PC directly to the wall outlet and now Ill just wait and see if it works better.