Choosing a UPS or 2...

[texasnightowl]

My apartment suffers from occasional power blips and every now and then it's enough to cause my computer to reboot. I really ought to do something about that :>

I borrowed a friends Kill-a-Watt (EZ 4460) to get an idea of what my units are roughly drawing. Measurements are typically close to idling. Here's what I've got:

Current desktop PC: 165-185 watts (PSU is a Corsair HX520.)

PS3 + Yamaha Receiver: 243 watts

TV - Panasonic 42" plasma (which I'll probably only surge protect): 105 watts

I also have a Windows Home Server unit that I did not check, but it has been doing OK on an APC Backups ES 650 (along with my 8 port hub and Linksys wireless router. (PSU is a OCZ Fatal1ty 550W.)

Other considerations:

1. I'm planning on buiding a new desktop PC soon...the current one is 4 years old running a C2D e6750...so I'm planning a build with an i7-2600k (for video encoding)...but I'm not a gamer so won't have high end graphics...just a generic card that can easily drive 2 monitors.

2. I'm planning on adding an HTPC to the living room within 6 months.

3. The Corsair HX520 PSU may be re-used either in the new desktop build or the HTPC build.


Plan:

1. Leave the WHS on the APC 650?

2. Buy a UPS for my desktop PC...something around the range of 400 watts seems like it should be plenty given the draw measured on the current pc?

3. Buy a more expensive higher capacity unit for the living room to handle the PS3 + AVR + HTPC...I think this is the one where I'm not sure what to go with. Given the 243 reading for the PS3+AVR and another minimum 200 for a new HTPC that puts me at 450 watts needed plus wiggle room.

Would the CyberPower CP1350PFCLCD do OK here? What is the real difference between the PFC vs AVR models? Or, if I went with APC, the Smart-UPS are so $$$ and not in the budget (except maybe...maybe refurbished). Is this sine wave stuff really all that important? Would one of the standard Back-UPS models be OK?

 

[Blain]

Always get more capacity than needed (not extreme, but more). The capacity will degrade over time.
Buy AVR units, dumb UPS aren't worth the $$ these days with AVR prices as low as they are.

 

[LiuKangBakinPie]

get one twice the size off the load. Remember theres no standard in the UPS business so that means manufacturers can put on any numbers on it without worrying someone going to test them like they do with psus/ Normally a ups can provide 60 percent of its VA rating.

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

the best advice I can give is this: not all UPS units are built the same, nor do they function the same either!
I've had three; from oldest to newest-350VA APC, 500VA Belkin, 1000VA CyberPower.
From my experience I would recommend APC...
But it all depends what features you place an emphasis/priority on.
a lot of the things you mention cannot or should not be placed on a UPS.
A lot of UPS's let you uprate the unit to a higher VA / Watt rating with a new battery.

1. Leave the WHS on the APC 650?
yes, check on their website if you can swing it to a 750VA if runtimes are short on battery

2. Buy a UPS for my desktop PC...something around the range of 400 watts seems like it should be plenty given the draw measured on the current pc?
If it's not going to be around for long, why spend anything on the system? Measure the VA on the killawatt and note the peak ~startup, and also max-loading with gpu+cpu fully loaded.

3. Buy a more expensive higher capacity unit for the living room to handle the PS3 + AVR + HTPC...I think this is the one where I'm not sure what to go with. Given the 243 reading for the PS3+AVR and another minimum 200 for a new HTPC that puts me at 450 watts needed plus wiggle room.
No don't do this.

Would the CyberPower CP1350PFCLCD do OK here? What is the real difference between the PFC vs AVR models? Or, if I went with APC, the Smart-UPS are so $$$ and not in the budget (except maybe...maybe refurbished). Is this sine wave stuff really all that important? Would one of the standard Back-UPS models be OK?
I would avoid cyberpower. I got a CyberPower CP1000AVRLCD 1000VA 600 Watt UPS in a combo deal on newegg, and discovered it is incompatible with pc's having a PFC power supply. Not only that, it can't be on the same circuit even if it is a different outlet. So I can't use it on the same line as either of my 2 desktops, or any other devices with PFC. It said it nowhere in the product description, details, packaging, or manual. They also preclude this specific case from being grounds for replace/exchange/return/warranty with cyberpower (so it being a combo deal I was stuck w/ the limited return/exchange window). The effects of trying to run despite the incompatibility are biggies. JUST DON'T DO IT- bad stuff will happen.

Definitely get a 'green' unit if your electric service is fine besides the lulls that reset the computer. It preserves the battery, and... a lot of people don't realize how wasteful UPS units can be- these kinds mitigate that, with a few trade-offs.

I'm a budget-conscious student, so looking at your post... I'd reconsider the i7-2600k. Will you be overclocking?


CyberPower CP1000AVRLCD 1000VA 600 Watt UPS




I have a tendency to delve into TMI, so feel free to reply or pm if you want more from me!

 

[mmaestro]

Would the CyberPower CP1350PFCLCD do OK here? What is the real difference between the PFC vs AVR models? Or, if I went with APC, the Smart-UPS are so $$$ and not in the budget (except maybe...maybe refurbished). Is this sine wave stuff really all that important? Would one of the standard Back-UPS models be OK?

I'd love an answer to this question, too. I just bought one of the Cyberpower pure sine wave units because my PSU is Active PFC. Damn thing was DoA. Amazon has already issued a refund (they won't accept a return as it's "hazardous materials" so I get a refund without having to send the unit back ), so I was wondering whether one of the APC Pro consumer units with a "stepped sine wave" would work or if my only option is a Smart UPS? The 600 watt consumer unit is $130, whereas the Smart UPS of roughly the same power but a real sine wave is $400. At that sort of price, I'm tempted to roll the dice with Cyberpower again...

 

[texasnightowl]

Oops! My original post went so long with no response (18 days!) that I forgot about it! Thanks to those of you who have chimed in!

Since my OP, I haven't done anything...except order parts to build a new desktop PC.

I am going to reuse my Corsair CMPSU-520HX however. I'm building an i5-2500k on a Z68 board. No graphics card, at least initially (I'll use the integrated graphics from the CPU)...therefore I expect my wattage usage to actually even go down.

So, the UPS I'm considering for the new PC build is the CyberPower CP1000PFCLCD (600watt). Though I have considered a refurbished APC Smart-UPS1000 for $120.

If/when I get around to the htpc build in another month or so, I will want a UPS for that also. I may end up recycling my current c2d e6750 into that. I'd still like to put the PS3 on a UPS also, but the PC's come first.

The WHS is still on, and will remain on the APC BE650.