APC Power Conditioners with Battery Back Up

[gene]

audioholics.com/news/pressreleases/APCS10S15batterybackup.php">American Power Conversion (APC) today announced availability of their new S-line of power conditioning battery backup models designed exclusively for the high performance home audio/video (A/V) and custom electronic installer market. The new APC S10 and S15 A/V Power Conditioners with Battery Backup help eliminate power anomalies as a threat to component hardware, A/V signal integrity, and system availability.

[Read the Press Release]

[HookedOnSound]

It's nice to see APC offer products in this market segment (A/V).

This might sound like an endorsement but as an APC customer I have always trusted APC in my data center and I am confident that APC will offer competent products for audiophiles. I am sure these products will service ppl for years.

They aren't the cheapest solutions for sure but I honestly can't remember the last failed unit (APC) under my responsibility.

The only thing I would note is that going with a battery backup means that you have to treat the batteries as a consumable, I have run in to alot of ppl in IT who just don't seem to understand the concept.

You're covered for the first 2 years under the wrty but after that you have to buy battery replacement kits.

As an example, we have a 5 yr old APC unit and have replaced the batteries twice so far so we are quite pleased with the performance considering the unit was slightly undersized for its application. Unit load is also a determining factor.

Aluminum finish (S10/S15)! Awesome!

Thanks for posting the article.

P.S. they also have a very good recycling program, free shipping in the USA for used batteries if I am not mistaken.

[gene]

We have had several discussions with the design engineers at APC on these products. All we can say is they appear to be snake oil free. Note the UL markings on the backpanels. This is very rare for power conditioners and we are noticing there is just as much snake oil in this area of home theater as there is in cables. We plan on cracking this wide open in the future Stay tuned....

[Takeereasy]

You guys are busy little beavers. I too am a big fan of APC products. We use their uninteruptable power supplies at my office. Those things are built like tanks and I've never seen one fail, and had to use them three or four times. Being at a desk next to one when the battery starts to go is damn annoying though. It's nice to hear that they seem to be carrying that quality over to HT. My power bar is an APC model as well, no UPS though.

[claudermilk]

I'd be truly amazed to find any snake oil in an APC product. We use a ton of them here & have never had a single problem. Now I wonder if they have something a bit more affordable for a more modest HT system.

[Mort Corey]

Is the base unit the top piece and the two lower units the optional additional power packs? Any idea what the backup time rating might be? It'd be nice (for me anyway) to just have five or ten minutes to be able to shut things down properly in a blackout.

Mort

[Shadow_Ferret]

Wow. $1200? Why can I get a good UPS unit for my computer for a 6th that price?

[gene]

Now I wonder if they have something a bit more affordable for a more modest HT system.

They do, for around $400 with no battery backup. I will post the press release tomorrow.

[HookedOnSound]

Wow. $1200? Why can I get a good UPS unit for my computer for a 6th that price?

Most computer grade UPS have square/modified square sine wave output waveforms. Although perfectly acceptable for most computer based applications, there are some equipment that will perform poorly or simply not work at all.

Pure sine wave UPSes use better quality inverters to regenerate an AC waveform with utmost fidelity.

Factors such VA rating, rated current, etc. that are also important and affect price as you go to higher application needs. That is why it's important to size your UPS accordingly for its intended use.

[philh]

Are power conditioners worth the "overhead" power costs? Of course as I sit here wondering how much the recent power outage (thunderstorms) will cost me a year from now, as equipment begins failing. Will a power conditioner stop spikes from passing through? I kinda came into possession of a power conditioner designed for an old DEC mini computer. Don't remember the brand or any other details other then it uses a 20amp twist lock 120V cord. Also tested it once and it pulls 150w just sitting there. Thing is physically very heavy.