What to look for in a surge protector / battery backup solution

SoylentG

Senior member
Oct 26, 2005
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I've got no experience buying these in the past, but I'm wanting to buy one now. What should I be looking for in a battery backup / surge protector solution? I've just got 1 computer hooked up to it, with a 19" CRT. The computer is going to have a 550W PSU, what rating will the backup need in order to function properly?

Any reccommendations would be welcome, but I'd like to understand what the good qualities are, for future purchasing.
 

CactusJak

Junior Member
Oct 27, 2005
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I had a Belkin UPS (can't remember the model) and it flat out didn't work. I had a 400W PSU and a 21" monitor hooked up to it, and when the power went out it shut off with the rest of the house. I was hoping to use it at least as a surge protector, but it seems to have died completely when I unplugged it last weekend. I can't reset it and it doesn't respond to the power button.

I'm curious about what good experiences people have had with UPS's too. Preferably one that will give me at least a few minutes of power running a 500W PSU and a 21" monitor.
 

Navid

Diamond Member
Jul 26, 2004
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APC is the recommended brand since they offer good products and good service.

Find out the power your system draws. You can estimate it by adding up the power of different components. Look in the user's manual of the CRT for its power. While doing that don't confuse power in Watts (W) with the VA rating. VA is not the same is W.

You also need to decide what you expect from the UPS. Do you intend to run a system for a long time when there is no line power (will need a very expensive unit) or do you need it to keep the system going just long enough so that you can save your files and power it down?

After you have these two pieces of information, you can go to the web site of the UPS manufacturer and look for run time charts like this one.
http://apc.com/products/runtime_for_extendedruntime.cfm?upsfamily=21

From this chart, you can see how long each unit will run for different power loads. Since you know your power and you know how long you want it to run, you can pick a device. keep in mind that you need to satisfy the first figure you found also (the maximum power that the UPS can provide).

The maximum power a UPS can provide has to do with the inverter that converts a DC voltage into an AC voltage and the output resistance and the efficiency of the system ....

The run time has to do with the capacity of the battery. You can add extra batteries to some units. That only increases the run time, not the maximum output power.

Edit:
I forgot to add that the UPS battery ages fast. In 2 to 3 years, you may need to replace the battery. That is another good reason not to get an expensive UPS. Then, you can just get a new UPS.

Automatic voltage regulation is a capability that some UPS devices offer, which you may want to have. But, again it will increase the price.

Cheap UPS devices are always off! They only engage and convert DC voltage to AC when the line voltage drops below the threshold. There are UPS units that are always on. This offers more control and consistency of the output voltage (for a price).
 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
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Careful not to bump your thread too many times. Once every 4 hours. And besides, the first page isn't the same for everyone. For me, the first page goes back a day and a half - 200 topics per page. :)

I've got a bunch of Cyberpower UPSes for my stuff (and an APC because it had a good rebate deal on it). A Cyberpower 1250AVR (paid $123 for it at Newegg) estimates about 19 minutes of runtime for my PC and monitor:
7 x 7200 rpm hard drives
Radeon 9800 Pro
Athlon XP-M 2400 @ 2.1GHz, under full load
1.25GB RAM
21" CRT monitor

I haven't actually had much chance to test out its absolute maximum capacity (fully discharging lead-acid batteries isn't good for them anyway), but it is able to go at least 5 minutes, without triggering a "low battery" warning. The software is decent, allowing you to set the voltages where the battery kicks in (for both under and overvolt conditions), how long the thing should run until shutting down, how low it should run the batteries down, the output voltage while on battery power...and a few other little options I can't remember right now. :)
Fairly simplistic software, but it gets the job done nicely.
So I'm a fan of Cyberpower's stuff. Fortunately, I've not had to deal with them for power-surge damage - fortunate in that I've had no power surges, that is. I don't know how well their damage resolution and reimbursement system works.
Recommendation - buy as much power as you are able to pay for. The first time the power goes out while you're working on something important (like say, a BIOS flash) you are going to give your UPS a hug, start feeding it, take it for walks, and give it its own comfy bed.
 

Skyhanger

Senior member
Jul 16, 2005
341
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Get a Cyberpower CPS1100AVR. It's the cheapest one w/ full buck and boost AVR. I remember I got mine for $87 shipped. Anything cheaper and you'll lose out on features...

Buck AVR reduces voltage when there is overvoltage. Boost AVR steps up the voltage when there is undervoltage. A UPS only needs to have one of the two to officialy call itself AVR capable. Make sure the model you select does both.
 
Nov 4, 2004
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APC

Get the RS series, for cost/features ratios.

No matter what, make sure the UPS does LINE CONDITIONING.

I recommend the APC RS 800 or 1000. Perfect protection for most home users.