Is it worth it getting a UPS?

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stuman74

Senior member
Oct 26, 1999
874
1
81
Originally posted by: stuman74
UPS question...

I just got a APC BX800 UPS the other day from CC. I am plugging in my cable modem, wireless router, Vonage box, and phone base.

The cable modem and wireless router have those huge surge blocks integrated into the plug and the UPS only gives spacing for one, not two of them.

Is there any reason that I can't plug all of those items into my previous "non-UPS" surge protector and then simply plug the surge protector into one of the UPS recepticles?

Thanks!

Can anyone out there please still reply to my above question? Thanks!
 

Unkno

Golden Member
Jun 16, 2005
1,659
0
0
Originally posted by: stuman74
Originally posted by: stuman74
UPS question...

I just got a APC BX800 UPS the other day from CC. I am plugging in my cable modem, wireless router, Vonage box, and phone base.

The cable modem and wireless router have those huge surge blocks integrated into the plug and the UPS only gives spacing for one, not two of them.

Is there any reason that I can't plug all of those items into my previous "non-UPS" surge protector and then simply plug the surge protector into one of the UPS recepticles?

Thanks!

Can anyone out there please still reply to my above question? Thanks!


hmmm, i'm not sure but wouldn't that cause conflicts??? Oh well, here's a bump for someone to answer your question
 

jjsbasmt

Senior member
Jan 23, 2005
485
0
71
stuman74.........I have done what you are asking about. No know issues, go for it.
 

MWink

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
3,642
1
76
Originally posted by: stuman74
UPS question...

I just got a APC BX800 UPS the other day from CC. I am plugging in my cable modem, wireless router, Vonage box, and phone base.

The cable modem and wireless router have those huge surge blocks integrated into the plug and the UPS only gives spacing for one, not two of them.

Is there any reason that I can't plug all of those items into my previous "non-UPS" surge protector and then simply plug the surge protector into one of the UPS recepticles?

Thanks!

Do NOT plug a surge protector into a UPS (except maybe one of the UPS's "surge only" outlets). The Stepped wave output of the UPS can cause problems with the surge protector and may cause serious damage. If you need more outlets use something like a powerstrip "liberator" you can find them at Cyberguys or get a power strip without surge protection, but I've found them kinda hard to find.
 

AndrewZorn

Senior member
Jul 22, 2005
384
0
0
yeah, i really want one too, can someone tell me if the power/wattage rating has anything to do with how MUCH can be hooked up? i care absolutely ZERO about how long stuff stays powered after an outage, i just want it to clean the power of my computer, TV, and a couple other things... so do i need to stay under the wattage/output rating when attaching all this stuff? because i have almost 1000w worth of stuff i want to hook up to one. ALL I WANT is the cleaning...?
 

stuman74

Senior member
Oct 26, 1999
874
1
81
Originally posted by: MWink
Originally posted by: stuman74
UPS question...

I just got a APC BX800 UPS the other day from CC. I am plugging in my cable modem, wireless router, Vonage box, and phone base.

The cable modem and wireless router have those huge surge blocks integrated into the plug and the UPS only gives spacing for one, not two of them.

Is there any reason that I can't plug all of those items into my previous "non-UPS" surge protector and then simply plug the surge protector into one of the UPS recepticles?

Thanks!

Do NOT plug a surge protector into a UPS (except maybe one of the UPS's "surge only" outlets). The Stepped wave output of the UPS can cause problems with the surge protector and may cause serious damage. If you need more outlets use something like a powerstrip "liberator" you can find them at Cyberguys or get a power strip without surge protection, but I've found them kinda hard to find.

Thanks for that reply. I just ordered 5 of those liberators from Cyberguys via Amazon. Came to around $16 with shipping. Once I get them, sounds like I'll be set. Thanks!
 

reader850

Member
Apr 28, 2005
28
0
0
I, too, have a surge protector plugged into my APC UPS. It providies power to my second computer. I don't know what "stepped wave output" is, or why it might cause a problem. Could MWink elaborate please? (Save me doing the research.) My APC instruction manual doesn't caution agains plugging a surge protector into it. But then it doesn't say that would be OK, either.
 

Navid

Diamond Member
Jul 26, 2004
5,053
0
0
Originally posted by: stuman74
Originally posted by: stuman74
UPS question...

I just got a APC BX800 UPS the other day from CC. I am plugging in my cable modem, wireless router, Vonage box, and phone base.

The cable modem and wireless router have those huge surge blocks integrated into the plug and the UPS only gives spacing for one, not two of them.

Is there any reason that I can't plug all of those items into my previous "non-UPS" surge protector and then simply plug the surge protector into one of the UPS recepticles?

Thanks!

Can anyone out there please still reply to my above question? Thanks!


This gives a good description of why you should never plug a UPS into another UPS or a UPS into a surge protector or a surge protector into a UPS ......
 

Fox5

Diamond Member
Jan 31, 2005
5,957
7
81
Originally posted by: evilharp
Originally posted by: Fox5
I had my PC at college running on a UPS...within the first 2 days my UPS was completely fried. Strangely, now my computer is hooked into a normal surge protector and just fine.

Sounds like dirty power to me. Your UPS was probably switching like mad to compensate for voltage spikes/sags and "electrical noise". I worked in a Call Centre that was located in an industrial area, and we had huge problems due to dirty power. The company had to shell out a huge lump of cash to buy a Power Conditioner large enough to protect the IT framework (desktops/servers/lan/PBX/IVR/etc..).

I wouldn't feel so secure about you PC being safe hooked up to that circuit. When the UPS was running, what did the Power Log (record of interruptions/UPS activity) indicate?


The Power Log? No idea how to check that, I just had the thing laying around and decided to use it basically as a surge protector. I had heard the college's power output was pretty bad, plus whenever plugging anything into the power outlets there, there is some pretty severe arcing. My computer has been fine plugged into the outlet though, no crashing or anything.(I think anyhow, ever once in a while I'll find my PC off and I didn't remember shutting it down) Maybe I just have a good quality power supply? It's an antec neo power 480 watt, and I'm probably running at well below it's max load.
 

Leros

Lifer
Jul 11, 2004
21,867
7
81
Get a UPS to protect against low voltage. We had a power outage one day that happened to kill two harddrives and my electric oven. Turns out the power dropped to a few volts, not completely out.
 

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
17,768
485
126
Originally posted by: JToxic
Get a UPS to protect against low voltage. We had a power outage one day that happened to kill two harddrives and my electric oven. Turns out the power dropped to a few volts, not completely out.


Nice but cheap ones don't buck/boost and the (cheaper) ones that do have fixed taps and the steps can make your served go nuts every once in a while.