Poll: Do you use a UPS?

[Algere]

Originally posted by: Mik3y

Originally posted by: Glpster

I'm thinking of getting at least a 5 minute UPS. Just enough time for a clean shutdown (attended or unattended) should the power go out (which it does 2 or 3 times a year).

By-the-way, OMGWTFBBQ, what does the BBQ stand for?

the bbq stands for "be back quick".

Thought it stood for Barbecue.

 

[otispunkmeyer]

i dont have one, and even if i did, theres no point in the auto hibernate feature....my rig bsods on hibernate or shut down, so id lose the data anyway

 

[Arcanedeath]

I have a 1500VA APC one w/ line regulation, my power sucks and its beeping at me at least 3 times a week w/ brown outs or surges so one is kinda required.

 

[Jayczar]

yep

 

[His Lord Uberdude]

No, and it's not likely that I will.

 

[BFG10K]

On my home computer I don't really need one.

 

[bex0rs]

Needed one when living in apts. But I still use it for peace of mind.

 

[Steven the Leech]

Yes after i lost a router and modem and 4 NIC's due to a lightening storm i have one, and cyberpower surge protectors on my other pc's and network equiptment.

 

[Looney]

Of course

 

[Glpster]

Originally posted by: Mik3y

Originally posted by: Glpster

I'm thinking of getting at least a 5 minute UPS. Just enough time for a clean shutdown (attended or unattended) should the power go out (which it does 2 or 3 times a year).

By-the-way, OMGWTFBBQ, what does the BBQ stand for?

the bbq stands for "be back quick".

No, that doesn't make any sense in the context of the other words in the acronym.

Which Presumably are:

Oh My God What The F---

 

[tr1kstanc3]

using a 1500va apc because its worth the peace of mind.

 

[Kogan]

I used to until the battery in mine died (it was about 2 years old). Now I just use it as a surge protector. I used to have power flashes at least twice a week where the power would go off for 2-30 seconds, but this hasn't happened since hurricane Ivan (in Pensacola, FL), so they must have fixed something when they were replacing all of the power lines

 

[ohnnyj]

Have a 800va here.

 

[Muse]

No yet, but I'm considering it. So far, I don't know that I've ever needed one. I see one on sale cheap so I'm thinking about it, but I have a lot of other things to do, so I have to wonder if it's time/money well spent.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: otispunkmeyer
i dont have one, and even if i did, theres no point in the auto hibernate feature....my rig bsods on hibernate or shut down, so id lose the data anyway

I used to use hibernate but then my system would BSOD on it. I haven't even tried it with my current install of Win2000. I figure it would plain bomb. I try to make a habit of saving anything of any importance to disk very frequently so that a crash or power failure would have little to no impact. I suppose the main risk is damage to my equipment. Don't know if that's significant. Most times, power failures are fairly rare where I am, but they do happen. I don't keep my equipment on all the time, in any case. If it is on, anything important has been saved to disk. I do use surge protection, which I suppose provides some "line conditioning." Maybe the biggest risk is damage to a Windows file or one of my HD's if it's in the middle or a write. Don't know how significant those risks are.

 

[IGBT]

..got 3 of em..at costco. Got tired of power line glitches.

 

[Demonicon]

No. I mostly play games and browse the internet on my home PC. No need for a UPS.

 

[CalvinHobbs]

yeps since 2000 i'm using ups...those saying they don't need it don't realise how foolish a statement this is...power cutouts or surges can do a lot of damage to your hardware and software..just because you've not been affected so far doesn't mean you'll never be affected...you've been warned

 

[Demonicon]

Originally posted by: calvinHobbs
yeps since 2000 i'm using ups...those saying they don't need it don't realise how foolish a statement this is...power cutouts or surges can do a lot of damage to your hardware and software..just because you've not been affected so far doesn't mean you'll never be affected...you've been warned

I think most people use surge protectors, I daresay even those that use UPS. If lightning strikes a UPS is pretty much as useless as a surge protector (why are people using their computers during lightning storms? re:an earlier post). I only lose power a couple times a year at the most, the chances of me losing hardware because of this is pretty much nil, so it certainly doesn't justify the added expense in my mind.

Now, certainly those that use UPS do have that added piece of mind. Of course if you are working on critical files you don't want to lose them in the event of a power failure. Which is really the purpose of a UPS in the first place.

 

[yellowm50]

whats a good UPS right now? i think i may get one some time soon and want to here some good stuff about the ones you use or like? and prices? size of UPS? i have a 21'' monitor, will that be a problem for a UPS? how long do they usualy run with that size screen? whats the minimum UPS size recomended?

thanks..

 

[Corporate Thug]

Originally posted by: ItmPls
No

 

[corkyg]

Originally posted by: yellowm50
whats a good UPS right now? i think i may get one some time soon and want to here some good stuff about the ones you use or like? and prices? size of UPS? i have a 21'' monitor, will that be a problem for a UPS? how long do they usualy run with that size screen? whats the minimum UPS size recomended? thanks..

Depends on a few important factors. First, your power load - and then, how much time do you want on battery, and - do you want an automated shutdown or do it the old fashioned way.

I have 3 UPS's - two 650 VAs (Costco) for two desktops with LCDs, and one 350 VA for cable modem and router. I use no automation - all manual. Here in Tucson, we are in the lightning capital of the region during the summer, and power surges and flickers are commonplace. Whenever I "leave the building," I generally power down. When I go on a trip, I disconnect all main connections.

A couple of years ago, a close strike blitzed my entire security system, and that was about a $1K replacement of the whole system.

I have also lived in areas where brownouts, etc., were common, and a UPS is also a line conditioner that can offset that and prevent damage to expensive electronics.

 

[bowserjs]

No

 

[Megatomic]

Yes I do. I need to get one for my wife's computer though.

 

[Megatomic]

Originally posted by: TechnoKid
1000va, heh, i even have my cable modem and router on backup.

Same here. I'll be able to surf for a few minutes after power has gone out.