UPS' To The Rescue

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Wha t does 3 prongs have to do with it?

pm360_140.jpg
thats a 230 volt plug with 3 prongs 😛

I did not think anyone still used those for computer, old ibm's did that. power to psu, psu to screen(with that kind of plug)
 
I have an APC Back-ups ES 500 that is 5 years and still on the original battery. It only gives me about 10 minutes of runtime, but I did not buy it to keep my computer running for hours, just long enough to save what I am doing and shut down my computer safely.

Casey
 
Eaglesfan...
Maybe it was my supplier, I don't know. All I know is, I've had several (80-100) APC UPS 1500VA/1000VA units and about 90% of them the battery died with 1 or 2 uses. I also had certified electrical tech's check my electrical lines to make sure there wasn't anything going on there that would be causing these things to die. I didn't really want to have to replace all my APC units.....and these aren't the higher end models that you are praising, but still these are $300 - $500 units. Not to mention the circuitry inside these systems looks like I could go to RadioShack and get the same material for $1.35.

The poor performance of those APC units led me to switch to Tripp Lite across the board. I have several racks of Tripp Lite SU10000RT3U2TF's with external battery packs and PDU's. These have performed great, and the software to control these units remotely works wonderfully. I have also bought several smaller Tripp Lite units and replaced the failing APC units and it's been a year, several power outages....and I haven't replaced a single one.

Some of the APC's were also being used in a manufacturing environment, hooked up to PC's that are next to million dollar metal stamping presses. They just couldn't hold up to the challenge, maybe if they sat in air conditioning 24/7 in a nice, quiet environment they would fair better :)
 
Waste of time. 🙁
It makes little if any sense to "test" UPSs without specifying the PC Power Supply used in the test (if it has APFC, passive PFC or no PFC). Total power consumption depends on the UPS type (line interactive, backup, etc.) AND the PFC type. More importantly, backup time will also be affected by the UPS type AND the PFC type. Some combinations perform worse than you get under "normal" conditions.
 


I absolutely agree to that. While I am quite satisfied with my APC I was pretty angry when I discovered that not even the comp store that sold me that thing would provide adapters for it. I had to build one of my own...
 
Funny, US domestic units all have standard US style plug sockets, all the international units (including Tripplite) have standard IEC320 - C13's, not sure where you live but the C13 is the standard computer connector for just about the entire planet (USA excepted of course, although this is changing fast), most business class computing equipment has C13/C14 connectors, these are not really designed for home use but a small business arena.

International
http://www.tripplite.com/products/product.cfm?productID=2697
http://www.apc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=SC1000I&total_watts=25

US Domestic
http://www.tripplite.com/products/product.cfm?productID=2656
http://www.apc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=SC1000


If you look on the rear of the Eaton UPS it clearly states what voltages it is aimed at, 220/230/240, which makes it an international UPS as well hence the C13 connectors.

At the end of the day it's a battery in a box, if it works for you, all well and good.
 
Errrmm....you just proved us right there. These are the OPPOSITE connectors from what you would need... And there are NOT enough cables shipped at least by APC. So what dou you think one should do if you want to connect your switch/modem/router as well, huh?
 
My business has dozens of APC units scattered throughout the business to support critical computers. These are nothing fancy, basic 300-500w units sold for home or small business usage, typically $100 or so.

Most of the units are 5-6 years old. A couple units may even be 8 years old. A couple of the APC units are in the warehouse or shipping buildings where ambient temperatures routinely hit 110F for 3-4 months of the year.

We located on the Gulf of Mexico and due to our proximity to the coast line we have daily thunderstorms during the spring and summer months, with frequent power outages ... sometimes a dozen or more outages per year. So the units really do get used.

We have never had to replace an APC unit. While I can not estimate how effecient the batteries remain, there is no doubt that the battery units are holding a charge sufficient to shut down a computer after a power failure.

As stated, APC is nothing more than a battery in a box. Fortunately the battery works. That is all we expect the units to do, and they perform as expected.
 



What are you talking about? C14 out of the UPS goes to C13 on the computer.

Cisco switches SHIP with C14/C13 connectors. Cisco Routers, C14/C13.

If you want a unit with 3 prong plugs get a unit designed for home use, all the UPS's reviewed are business class UPS's (although lower end ones).


 



Let me clarify this for you, this review is targeting overclockers, not electricians, although these UPS's are for paranoid small businesses (explained later) or a very specialized group which would make them anti-mainstream items. These people "Overclockers" deal with small voltage DC only. Their only AC concern is that they have 110AC power that their PSU's standard NEMA 5-15R household can plug into, and it gets as clean & constant power available, and doesn't require them to even open the fuse box. "Overclockers" don't want to have to rewire their homes/apartments for 440 3-phase with a 500Amp transformer on a cement pad in the back yard with a transformer humming in the basement to give 188v to some Russian designed do-hickey then and change wall sockets to accommodate European equipment according to the Chinese instructions some UPS came with.

Get the point?

The only business reason to buy a "mainstream" 600/700W UPS that only has C14/C13 outlets is to keep employees from pluging their fans, lamps, & space heaters into it. If the employees don't have access to the UPS, it should have NEMA 5-15 outlets. Even our various 7' rack PDU's (power distribution units) provide NEMA 5-15 outlets. So, you need to stop and ask yourself, "why would I want to use the "special" power cable the UPS supplied and not the one my equipment came with & what if the UPS's special C13/C14 cable is too short to get around my desk?" Making a UPS with only C13/C14 plugs is assonine and an attempt to nickle-and-dime the end users for overpriced accessories.

Summary: We want common US power outlets for our common US consumer products. Thanks.
 
I'm looking for a UPS and probably the most important thing to me is how soon it kicks in. I live in the country so I get frequent power dips. Although runtime is important, voltage drops occur more often. I know that none of them probably kick in when the volgate goes to 109V but whats the best one out there.

Also, it seems I remember reading somewhere a while back that there are two types of ups. One kicks in the battery only when the power droops. The other runs off the battery to allow constant voltage while constantly recharging (similar to the way a car works.) the problem is i can't remember what the name of the latter was. If any one knows, please inform me. UPS knowledge is not my forte. (hopefully it soon will be)
 


Save yourself a lot of agonizing, time for the UPS to switch between wall power and battery is a mute point, and has been for over a decade.

Your only concerns should be wall AC power conditioning, runtime, and usablity (sockets/software). TrippLite products are my recomendation, the link above is in line with the products in the review but at a much higher quality, and warranty.
 
I thought that there were differences between ups as far as when they would kick in. I would rather have one kick in at 100V then wait until it got to 85V or so. The goal is to have the most steady stream of power running to my computer as possible.

Also, are there UPS's that always run off the battery and constantly charge? I would prefer this as it would provide the most steady stream of power.
 


There are differences, some UPS will kick in at wider ranges depending on what you want from the voltages your quoting I am assuming you are in the USA (I cannot see a 240V UPS having that wide a range) some can even be set by the user using the supplied software (not to sure if the reviewed UPS have that ability) if that is a requirement you could always check with the manufacturer first.

Online UPS's are also available, although they are usually more expensive, I think all of the manufacturers reviewed have online UPS models available as well as a lot of other manufacturers (it does seem a rather narrow range of UPS's were tested) most power supplies would have no problem with the transfer time on your average UPS although if you really want it you could pay the extra.
 




Maybe you should have checked the link to the USA variants of the PRODUCT. The products reviewed WERE NOT MADE for the US Market, why did the reviewers use UK/Euro models.. hmm, no idea... oh wait.. maybe they live there.

Every single manufacturer reviewed has a variant of the tested UPS made for the US market (with the appropriate connections on the back.... gasp!!!!). Maybe you should look at the UPS that is aimed at your market instead of having to 'rewire your house' although you seem smart enough to actually do that rather than sit down and figure out why they would have non-US connections on them, maybe people should take that into account when they look at your recommendations as to what to buy.

Get the point or would you like me to post some pictures in crayon that you might be able to understand????

Summary... Not everyone lives in the bloody USA and were happy to see C14/13 connectors.
 
Hi

I would like to add that I am big Fan Boi of Belkin UPS units. They are the right price in the UK (you pay like 2x the dosh for an 1200VA APC vs a Belkin 1200VA UPS). I have 3x 1200VA Belkin units and the software works well with XP and XP 64bit. I can schedule deep battery cycles every month. I can change the transfer voltage to switch from AC to battery backup (actually in the software utility). Plus a whole bunch of other stuff...

All 3 units do still work fine years (varys from ~1-4 years) after I bought them on the original battery. They all have standard UK plug sockets on the back thankfully!! If the power fails the units easily give enough power to keep my kit going long enough to shut down. They also pass the old "pull out the plug test" 🙂... They are very quiet as well.

OK I could get an 1500AV APC unit but I would probably have to be hospitalised if they are any heaver than the 1200VA Belkin units!!

Can't comment on the Belkin US models of course...


Just my $0.02 worth....

Bob Wya
 


Ugh... everything this guy said sounds ALL TOO FAMILIAR. APCs at work lose their batteries with an alarming frequency. Also, some models seem to lack the ability to silence audible alarms... we have crappy power in this county that goes up and down... I don't need a damned beep to let me know that REPEATEDLY. Fed up with their crap I have "field engineered" several units for silent operation (I opened them up and physically destroyed the speaker)
 
Just to add my experience,
Have used APC, IBM, and Cyberpower. The APC was good for a year or two til the battery is weak. The IBM had a garbage battery from the start. The Cyberpower AVR model is only 6 months old but has been great. You can get good deals on them too. Peace.
 
I'm using an Ultra ULT33046 (http://www.ultraproducts.com/product_details.php?cPath=35&pPath=154&productID=448) to provide safe power to an HTPC and a 46" LCD TV, plus power and/or surge protection to various other components. It works ok, but seems to suffer the same "admin only" problem described for the Belkin software above.

I'm guessing it's just a re-branded product made by someone else. Anyone have any opinions on it / Ultra relative to APC, Belkin, Tripplite, Cyberpower and the third Mfr mentioned in the article? It's saved me through a dozen outages this year so far.
 
We use the APC smart-UPS and have for some time, with no problem at all, I might add. Very quiet, efficient, and intercepts the myriad of power brown outs we experience here.
 
I use an APC 1400, which I got for free, but yet had to buy new batteries for.

I've had mine for about 6-7 years, and spent $111 bucks for new batteries. :lol:

I think its worth it.

About the run time. My linux is now my older PC. (P4 3.0 - 6800 AGP - 450W Cheetah) On a full charge, it will run about 20mins then start beeping. My new system with the 8800 GTS 320mb cuts that time to 11 mins, and starts beeping. :lol: . o O (o'well)

Edit:

I must add that I also run my 22" LCD, 15" LCD, Stereo, Router, and some other stuff. 😀
 
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