UPS recommended reading, reviews, etc

[Essence_of_War]

I'm thinking about purchasing a UPS, and I need to educate myself.

Are there any standard references, recommended reads, rules-of-thumb, etc to which anyone might direct me?

 

[Blain]

Buy an APC, Cyberpower or Tripp-Lite, AVR model with plenty of capacity.

 

[aigomorla]

larger the better.... means u can plug more things in without overloading... also means longer run time when power is down.

Try not to aim for just enough, but more then enough if u have the floor room for an UPS.

bear minimun to look for in a UPS is match it with your PSU... if u have a 500W PSU u will need a 500W UPS or a 900VA one..

VA is not Watts... VA is always a higher number then Watts.

 

[Golgatha]

I'm thinking about purchasing a UPS, and I need to educate myself.

Are there any standard references, recommended reads, rules-of-thumb, etc to which anyone might direct me?

VA times 0.6 = # of watts at maximum load is a pretty safe estimation of your needs. For example, the computer in my signature can pull 650w at about 85% efficiency, so I would need about 765w of capacity for the computer tower alone. I probably have another 200-300w worth of accessories, monitor, etc. plugged into it; so let's just say 1000w is my need. My UPS is 1500VA, so 1500*0.6=900w. Most of the time I'll be below max usage and really you can fudge that 0.6 to be between 0.6 and 0.7. I like to have a bit of excess capacity and I feel 1500VA is a nice sweet spot between excess capacity and cost.

For your system, I think 900-1000VA would be a pretty good number.

 

[westom]

Are there any standard references, recommended reads, rules-of-thumb, etc to which anyone might direct me?

As others noted, first know what the load demands (ie watts, VA). No computer is consuming 700 watts. Otherwise there would be a slot to also toast bread.

Most computers consume around 200 watts and infrequently as much as 300 watts. Most of the time, computers are consuming around 100 watts. To say more means you must measure your machine (Kill-A-Watt is a popular and inexpensive consumer's tool.) Select a UPS based upon max power. Add monitor power requirements. Add in anything else that might be used.

Let's say your system needs 300 watts. Many factors apply here - not just power factor. For example, a UPS battery typically degrades quickly in three years. So you will need something large enough to still maintain temporary power three years later when its battery is seriously degraded. Generally, that, power factor, and other requirements dictate a 300 watt load means a 500 watt UPS. To provide more than sufficient margin.

Some may need an option that informs a computer of a UPS in battery backup mode. So that a computer can save unsaved data before the UPS battery expires.

A UPS has only one function: temporary and 'dirty' power so that unsaved data can be saved. Claims of hardware protection can only exist when spec numbers are ignored. Once we include facts and numbers, that hardware protection is really near zero. A UPS is for data protection; not for hardware protection.

Many will argue 'pure' sine waves. First, a true 'pure sine' wave output means spending $thousands. Meanwhile, this 120 volt UPS outputs 200 volt square waves with a spike up to 270 volts. It is also called a pure sine wave output. Since even spikes and square waves are only a sum of pure sine waves. Due to superior protection already inside every computer, that '200 volts plus' is ideal power for every computer. However that same power may be harmful to small electric motors or power strip protectors. A UPS should only power electronics.

A warning. Some computer power supplies have active power factor so tightly designed as to be confused by 'dirty' power output by most every UPS in battery backup mode.

 

[aigomorla]

Many will argue 'pure' sine waves. First, a true 'pure sine' wave output means spending $thousands. Meanwhile, this 120 volt UPS outputs 200 volt square waves with a spike up to 270 volts. It is also called a pure sine wave output. Since even spikes and square waves are only a sum of pure sine waves. Due to superior protection already inside every computer, that '200 volts plus' is ideal power for every computer. However that same power may be harmful to small electric motors or power strip protectors. A UPS should only power electronics.

A warning. Some computer power supplies have active power factor so tightly designed as to be confused by 'dirty' power output by most every UPS in battery backup mode.

cyberpower pure sine wave test

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QlF5vJlXaA

that is VERY GOOD for a 150 dollar UPS.

pure sine waves do not cost 1000 dollars anymore.... u can get very close for cheap.

 

[westom]

that is VERY GOOD for a 150 dollar UPS.

Stay with the point.

Due to superior protection already inside every computer, that '200 volts plus' is ideal power for every computer. However that same power may be harmful to small electric motors or power strip protectors.

Be mildly suspicious of that demonstration, in part, because they used a resistive load. And very little load. Computers, electronics, and other devices are reactive loads (as another demonstrated with a 0.6 power factor). Reactive loads make power 'dirtier'. However that has only minor to no relevant to the OP's question.

A utility demonstrates the classic UPS output:
http://www.duke-energy.com/indiana-business/products/power-quality/tech-tip-03.asp
Their figures even shows AC power switching to UPS battery power. Note how 'dirty' that UPS power is. And this is the point relevant to the OP's question. 'Dirty' UPS power is ideal power for electronics. This need for pure sine waves is often only promoted by fear; not by technical necessity.

Often a pure sine wave output means its battery expires faster. One reason for 'dirtier' power is less lost power in the 'battery to AC power' conversion.

A UPS provides temporary power for data protection. Purity of a sine wave is mostly irrelevant due to hardware protection routinely part of every electronic design. Even this 120 volt UPS (200 volt square waves with a spike of up to 270 volts) is sufficient and safe power for electronic hardware.

Of greater concern is a UPS meeting minimal power requirements and other lesser factors such as how many minutes it will provide that power and how many years before its battery must be replaced.

How often does power fail when using a computer? Battery backup mode is (should be) a rare event. When not in battery backup mode, then a UPS connects a computer directly to AC mains. No magic or electrical changes exists when power passes through that UPS. As the Cyberpower video even demonstrates.

Another concern. Some UPSes are confused by noise. Many assume the UPS is switching to battery due to 'bad' utility voltage. Reality: if incandescent bulbs do not dim to 50% intensity, then AC voltage is more than sufficient.

That UPS was confused and switched to batteries. Not because voltage dropped. Noise (ie a refrigerator switching off) can cause a lesser UPS to switch, too frequently, to battery power. Some, only using speculation, assume that is the UPS protecting their computer from a voltage drop. If voltage drops, then low voltage is indicated by indisputably dimmed incandescent light bulbs. How often do your bulbs dim that much? A properly designed UPS should rarely be in battery backup mode.

Above and in the previous post are the purpose of and relevant / irrelevant factors for selecting a UPS.

 

[paul878]

What are you reasons for wanting a UPS?
Do you plan to do work when the power goes down?

You have a SSD, when power is lost your system should be able to hibernate pretty fast, so you don't need a huge ups.

 

[Blain]

What are you reasons for wanting a UPS?
Do you plan to do work when the power goes down?

You have a SSD, when power is lost your system should be able to hibernate pretty fast, so you don't need a huge ups.

Blackouts are only one reason to use a UPS.
AVR will help to keep clean power flowing to his expensive components at all times (blackouts, brownouts, spikes).

Excess battery capacity generally leads to longer UPS lifespan.
Batteries drained down 100% don't live as long as those drained down to 30-50%.

 

[Essence_of_War]

Thanks everyone who has weighed in so far.

What are you reasons for wanting a UPS?
Do you plan to do work when the power goes down?

I'm really worried about sudden power losses bricking my SSD, or killing something work related before I had time to save/quit gracefully. With a couple of minutes I'd have more than enough time to save my simulation/workspace states to disk, and shut down gracefully.

Basically I've been thinking about doing this since in my geographic area I've had a handful (~3) surprise blackouts in the past year, unrelated to weather. I grew up on horror stories about computers in storms, so I'm pretty careful about turning off (and even unplugging the power strip!) when I know there is a risk of electrical storms. Anyway, luckily when the surprise power losses happened I wasn't doing anything important (boo-hoo, lost a few civ5 turns) and my components appeared to make it out undamaged.

Lifehacker had a handful of reader-recommended UPS's also. Are any of these specific units worth a look?
http://lifehacker.com/five-best-battery-backups-ups-units-1465536280

I think the CyberPower unit is the one aigomorla showed off in that video.

 

[aigomorla]

I think the CyberPower unit is the one aigomorla showed off in that video.

i make sure every system i build for family has one of them.
They always scorn me for adding a 150 dollar ups... however they won't complain if i did add a 180 dollar PDU ontop of a 150 dollar ups on my next build, if i tell them its for protection / insurance.

My server room has 4 UPS's dedicated to each server / PC i run in that room... i dont take power distribution lightly...
Id get the largest u can afford, and also the space requirements as well, and stay with that..
U will need to replace the battery tho in a time frame of 2-3yrs depending on how long the UPS was shelf'd.
Buy the batteries on AMAZON... as its far cheaper then getting it elsewhere with the exception of EBAY.