What UPS do I need?

[moshan]

Hello! I'm encountering voltage fluctuations and I want to buy a UPS. My question is what UPS do I need if my PSU is 450W?
I've seen that the UPS voltage is measured in VA...So I will need an UPS which has the number of VA converted in W 450 or higher?
I'm also using this only for PC and not for monitor.

 

[wiggbot]

A volt amp is a watt.

P=IV

Power (watt) = current (amp) times voltage (volts)

 

[moshan]

A volt amp is a watt.

P=IV

Power (watt) = current (amp) times voltage (volts)

So...a 450VA will do the trick?

 

[ubercake]

Hello! I'm encountering voltage fluctuations and I want to buy a UPS. My question is what UPS do I need if my PSU is 450W?
I've seen that the UPS voltage is measured in VA...So I will need an UPS which has the number of VA converted in W 450 or higher?
I'm also using this only for PC and not for monitor.

The best thing about a UPS is it keeps clean power running through your system.

Here's a simulated sine wave UPS that will cover your system:
http://www.cyberpowersystems.com/products/ups-systems/intelligent-lcd-ups/CP825AVRLCD.html
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16842102106

I've been using the same 1500VA version for the system in my signature for 3 years so far without fail and even witnessed it keeping things running on battery through a power outage.

 

[ubercake]

A volt amp is a watt.

P=IV

Power (watt) = current (amp) times voltage (volts)

So...a 450VA will do the trick?

No. See my post above.

 

[moshan]

Hello! I'm encountering voltage fluctuations and I want to buy a UPS. My question is what UPS do I need if my PSU is 450W?
I've seen that the UPS voltage is measured in VA...So I will need an UPS which has the number of VA converted in W 450 or higher?
I'm also using this only for PC and not for monitor.

The best thing about a UPS is it keeps clean power running through your system.

Here's a simulated sine wave UPS that will cover your system:
http://www.cyberpowersystems.com/products/ups-systems/intelligent-lcd-ups/CP825LCD.html?selectedTabId=specifications&imageI=#tab-box
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&N=100006656&isNodeId=1&Description=cyberpower+CP825LCD&x=0&y=0

I've been using the same 1500VA version for the system in my signature for 3 years so far without fail and even witnessed it keeping things running on battery through a power outage.

So, I need a 450W UPS for a 450W PSU. Thanks for helping me!

 

[Onus]

You should plug your monitor in too, so you can see what you're doing if you have to save and shut down during an outage.
I would recommend one of the Cyberpower "APFC" units. These use a clipped triangle-wave that is much closer to a sine wave than the stepped waveforms most cheap UPS units use. I have one, and it works well, even on my most sensitive PSU to "funky" waveforms. Your next step up would be a considerable more expensive APC unit that offers a true sine wave.
You want one that has a wattage rating at least as high as what you'll pull from it. A 450W PSU will only pull what it needs out of the wall (which could be more than 450W due to efficiency losses). When your PC is idle, it may only be 150W or so. You'd probably want a UPS in the 500W-600W range, or around 800VA-900VA.

 

[ubercake]

You should plug your monitor in too, so you can see what you're doing if you have to save and shut down during an outage.
I would recommend one of the Cyberpower "APFC" units. These use a clipped triangle-wave that is much closer to a sine wave than the stepped waveforms most cheap UPS units use. I have one, and it works well, even on my most sensitive PSU to "funky" waveforms. Your next step up would be a considerable more expensive APC unit that offers a true sine wave.
You want one that has a wattage rating at least as high as what you'll pull from it. A 450W PSU will only pull what it needs out of the wall (which could be more than 450W due to efficiency losses). When your PC is idle, it may only be 150W or so. You'd probably want a UPS in the 500W-600W range, or around 800VA-900VA.

I agree. I use one of these Cyberpower units as well.

 

[Onus]

The first one you linked was one of their "AVR" models; I don't know what their waveform is, but would have assumed it is stepped. I haven't tried one, so I wouldn't know if it would keep my system up. Normally, it will shut off on a stepped sine wave.

 

[moshan]

Well I need it only for stopping randomly restarting when are voltage fluctuations, not for keeping my pc turned during an outage.

 

[ko888]

Hello! I'm encountering voltage fluctuations and I want to buy a UPS. My question is what UPS do I need if my PSU is 450W?
I've seen that the UPS voltage is measured in VA...So I will need an UPS which has the number of VA converted in W 450 or higher?
I'm also using this only for PC and not for monitor.

What country do you live in?

What are the brands and models of all of the components in your system including your power supply unit?

 

[moshan]

Hello! I'm encountering voltage fluctuations and I want to buy a UPS. My question is what UPS do I need if my PSU is 450W?
I've seen that the UPS voltage is measured in VA...So I will need an UPS which has the number of VA converted in W 450 or higher?
I'm also using this only for PC and not for monitor.

What country do you live in?

What are the brands and models of all of the components in your system including your power supply unit?

I live in Romania, in a rural zone.
My PC specs are:
MOBO: MSI P43T-C51
CPU: Q6600 G0 (stock speed)
GPU: ATI RADEON HD5450 1GB
RAM: 3,5 GB DDR2
PSU: I don't know the model but it's 450W for sure I've read on it when I bought it.

 

[ubercake]

The first one you linked was one of their "AVR" models; I don't know what their waveform is, but would have assumed it is stepped. I haven't tried one, so I wouldn't know if it would keep my system up. Normally, it will shut off on a stepped sine wave.

You know what... You're right. The one I have is the PFCLCD series (just looked at it). Sorry Moshan. Try this one:
http://www.cyberpowersystems.com/products/ups-systems/adaptive-sinewave-series/CP850PFCLCD.html
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16842102131&Tpk=CP850PFCLCD&IsVirtualParent=1

I should have checked it first. I mistakenly though the AVR series because I had considered it when I made my purchase a few years ago. It is in fact the PFCLCD. Sorry about the mixup.

 

[ko888]

I live in Romania, in a rural zone.
My PC specs are:
MOBO: MSI P43T-C51
CPU: Q6600 G0 (stock speed)
GPU: ATI RADEON HD5450 1GB
RAM: 3,5 GB DDR2
PSU: I don't know the model but it's 450W for sure I've read on it when I bought it.

Based on your system configuration you should be drawing less than 250 Watts at your power supply unit's AC power plug.

What minimum length of runtime are you looking for?

What brands of UPS' are are available in Romania? You'll need a UPS with 230 VAC, 50 Hz input and output.

 

[moshan]

I live in Romania, in a rural zone.
My PC specs are:
MOBO: MSI P43T-C51
CPU: Q6600 G0 (stock speed)
GPU: ATI RADEON HD5450 1GB
RAM: 3,5 GB DDR2
PSU: I don't know the model but it's 450W for sure I've read on it when I bought it.

Based on your system configuration you should be drawing less than 250 Watts at your power supply unit's AC power plug.

What minimum length of runtime are you looking for?

What brands of UPS' are are available in Romania? You'll need a UPS with 230 VAC, 50 Hz input and output.

I was thinking at these two:
http://www.emag.ro/ups-gembird-650va-ups-pc-652a/pd/EKMDTBBBM/?ref=hp_rec_1
http://www.koyos.ro/mustek-poweragent-848-offline-id63124.html

 

[Onus]

Unfortunately, those sites are blocked for me at work.

 

[moshan]

There is a UPS Gembirdd ups-pc-652a 650VA and a UPS Mustek PowerAgent 848 Offline 800VA/480W . You might found infos about it on google...

 

[Onus]

The second one looks to be more in the range of power you need. Is the store local, or would you be ordering online? Shipping costs of UPS units are high, so if there's any way to buy locally, it would probably save you some money and also let you test and return it if your PSU doesn't like it.

 

[moshan]

The second one looks to be more in the range of power you need. Is the store local, or would you be ordering online? Shipping costs of UPS units are high, so if there's any way to buy locally, it would probably save you some money and also let you test and return it if your PSU doesn't like it.

I will buy it online. The shipping is not very expensive and I can return it if it's not what I need.

 

[ko888]

The reason I asked about your power supply unit is to determine if it has active or passive PFC.

Some active PFC PSU models require the use of a pure sine wave UPS or the UPS will not properly switch over to battery operating mode during a power interruption event.

If your PSU uses passive PFC then you don't have any such worries.

 

[moshan]

The reason I asked about your power supply unit is to determine if it has active or passive PFC.

Some active PFC PSU models require the use of a pure sine wave UPS or the UPS will not properly switch over to battery operating mode during a power interruption event.

If your PSU uses passive PFC then you don't have any such worries.

Well...as I said I don't buy it for power interruption, I'm buying it for voltage fluctuations, so I don't think it will be a problem chosing a good UPS.

 

[ko888]

Save yourself some money and get an OPTI-UPS Home AVR SS1200.

 

[moshan]

Save yourself some money and get an OPTI-UPS Home AVR SS1200.

The UPS dosen't act like a voltage regulator?

 

[ko888]

Most line interactive UPS' have AVR. Since you're not concerned with battery backup you can save a considerable amount of money by just buying an AVR.

 

[moshan]

Most line interactive UPS' have AVR. Since you're not concerned with battery backup you can save a considerable amount of money by just buying an AVR.

Well some protection won't be useless so I'll buy an UPS. Thank you for helping me!