What to look for in a UPS?

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emaja

Audioholic Intern
Thanks guys. It looks like I'll be going with an APC UPS. Now it is for me to find the one that best fits my needs.

Appreciate all the help.
 
W

westom

Audioholic
I forgot to mention that I live in an apartment, so the whole house thing won't work. That will be one of the first upgrades when I do get a house though.

So, as long as I get one that meets the load needs and has a response time between 1 to 5 ms, I am good? So there is no need to worry about the pure sinewave or adaptive sinewave stuff?
Surges that do damage are done in microseconds. 300 consecutive and destructive surges could pass through that UPS before it even begins to respond. Or just read its numeric specs. Where are numbers that claim protection from each type of surge? Do not exist. Too slow. No spec numbers. And many other reasons why the UPS is only for temporary power.

Apartment dwellers have numerous options. For example, the girl who reads electric meters can also install a 'whole house' protector. It is that simple if you rent it from them.

All appliances already contain superior protection. Therefore typically most 'dirty' electricity from a UPS in battery backup mode harms no electronics (but can harm small electric motors and power strip protectors).

Protection required to be inside electronics makes 'dirtiest' power from a UPS irrelevant. Same protection makes all but a typically most destructive surge irrelevant. Only a properly earthed protector can make those typically destructive surges irrelevant. Surges that occur maybe once every seven years. A number better understood by surveying neighborhood history for the past decade.

A UPS has one function. To provide temporary and 'dirtiest' power during a blackout. Protector must be located elsewhere to make the always required short (ie 'less than 10 foot') connection to single point ground.
 
Hi Ho

Hi Ho

Audioholic Samurai
I just installed an APC BR1300G in my rack. I haven't experienced any power outages yet but with all of my equipment on (TV is not connected to it) it only uses about 50% capacity and says it would have a 19 minute runtime. I really just wanted it to protect the equipment and allow the DVR to keep going during a power outage and I think it will do the job nicely.

One thing I noticed right away is that it has a very LOUD fan in it. When I first plugged it in the fan sounded like a jet turbine. It shut off after a few hours. It appearently only turns on when it is charging. It hasn't made any noise since.
 
E

emaja

Audioholic Intern
Apartment dwellers have numerous options. For example, the girl who reads electric meters can also install a 'whole house' protector.
I live in a large complex and it is simply not an option. I asked.

I really don't want this to turn into yet another "westom vs. The World" thread with the obligatory "10 foot' connection to single point ground," quotes from Dr. Martzloff and "surveying neighborhood history for the past decade" stuff. I have already read that and all it did was become a spitting contest that I am not interested in.

I have already decided that I am going to buy a UPS and am simply asking what to look for - not whether one is needed or not.

Thanks for your input though.
 
Z

zumbo

Audioholic Spartan
Surges that do damage are done in microseconds. 300 consecutive and destructive surges could pass through that UPS before it even begins to respond. Or just read its numeric specs. Where are numbers that claim protection from each type of surge? Do not exist. Too slow. No spec numbers. And many other reasons why the UPS is only for temporary power.

Apartment dwellers have numerous options. For example, the girl who reads electric meters can also install a 'whole house' protector. It is that simple if you rent it from them.

All appliances already contain superior protection. Therefore typically most 'dirty' electricity from a UPS in battery backup mode harms no electronics (but can harm small electric motors and power strip protectors).

Protection required to be inside electronics makes 'dirtiest' power from a UPS irrelevant. Same protection makes all but a typically most destructive surge irrelevant. Only a properly earthed protector can make those typically destructive surges irrelevant. Surges that occur maybe once every seven years. A number better understood by surveying neighborhood history for the past decade.

A UPS has one function. To provide temporary and 'dirtiest' power during a blackout. Protector must be located elsewhere to make the always required short (ie 'less than 10 foot') connection to single point ground.
Well my friend, let me enlighten you. My UPS catches voltage spikes often. It alerts me when it is doing so. I have been able to contact the power company when I get a constant voltage of 125v. They have to actually go to the location down the road several miles where all the funny looking equipment sets on a lot to make adjustments. They are shocked:eek: that I am able to alert them of a problem.

In the past, I am certain these problems have been the cause of electronics failure in my home. TV has been to the shop twice in the first year of ownership. Since I added the UPS, no more problem.

My clothes dryer has a digital timer. It's fried, but working at the moment. Again, I blame the power company.

Another feature of my UPS is the boost(buck/boost). Buck is what I spoke of before. Reducing the v. What's cool is that when I am pushing my system hard, like a concert dvd, the UPS will kick on to provide a boost because I am drawing a great deal of power.

Finally, the ability to shut my system down safely in a power outage. Maybe in a perfect little cookie cutter neighborhood with underground power lines, there is no problem. But out here in the one lane, eleven lake, cabin dwelling, tree falling, wind blowing, deer rubbing, coon crawlin, squirrel chewin, red-neck built power line back-woods, it's a dollar saver. :p
 
E

emaja

Audioholic Intern
That's one that I was looking at, but I don't have the proper outlet for it. If I go CyberPower - and now I am seriously confused - over APC, I will likely get the PR1500LCDRT2U. It looks the same as yours but with a lower capacity. I would likely need two, but that could be later.

It looks like the two units we are discussion can have control over the voltage limits to trigger going to the inverter through the software. Is that the case?
 
W

westom

Audioholic
I live in a large complex and it is simply not an option. I asked.
The complex has no say on what the utility puts behind their meter. That option exists regardless of what the complex says. You rent a protector from the utility. The utility installs it behind their meter. Complex has no say.

Other options also exist including kludge solutions.

Meanwhile a UPS is for temporary power. Any UPS will provide ideal power for all electronics. Your concern is sizing.

A typical UPS has a three year life expectancy. Its battery degrades that quickly. So that it can still output sufficient power three years later, a UPS should be selected to be much larger than what is required. So that its degraded battery can still provide sufficient power.

Start with a power label for each appliance located where each power cord attaches. Sum all wattages (or Volt-Amp) numbers. For example, if that total is 200 watts, then your UPS should be larger than 300 watts. UPS power output (in battery backup mode) is a relevant parameter. Anything else is made irrelevant by what already exists inside each appliance.
 
Z

zumbo

Audioholic Spartan
That's one that I was looking at, but I don't have the proper outlet for it. If I go CyberPower - and now I am seriously confused - over APC, I will likely get the PR1500LCDRT2U. It looks the same as yours but with a lower capacity. I would likely need two, but that could be later.
I was lucky. The three outlets on the wall my system is on has a dedicated 20A circuit. I just replaced my outlet with a 20A wall plate. I don't use the other two outlets.


It looks like the two units we are discussion can have control over the voltage limits to trigger going to the inverter through the software. Is that the case?
All I know is that it maintains a constant 120.

All this other talk about battery life, and quality of power while the UPS is the power source is pointless.

You and I are both aware that if the power goes out during use, you are going to cut the darn system off.:rolleyes:
 
W

westom

Audioholic
That's one that I was looking at, but I don't have the proper outlet for it.
Why are you looking at a 2200 VA UPS? How many appliances are to be powered by this one UPS? Total up wattages from power labels as described. A more than sufficient UPS should only require a 5-15P connection (not a 5-20).
 
Z

zumbo

Audioholic Spartan
I might just hurt myself diving to cut the power - LOL!
I have had my unit for several years, and have had no issues.

I have one complaint. If the power goes out, you get a constant beep to let you know. This is a problem if you are asleep, as it wakes you up. I guess the upshot is, you get woke-up to handle any business you may need to. My first order of business is to cut the darn UPS off to get that beeping to quit.;)
 
Z

zumbo

Audioholic Spartan
About the fan.

My fan only runs when:

1) The power goes out.
2) There is more than 120v coming in.
3) It is bucking the power while I am putting my system through the paces.:D
 
Z

zumbo

Audioholic Spartan
Funny thing.

Just had to get power company out today. UPS revealed 128v coming into the house. Sure enough, my house, and the neighbors on each side, had 128 coming in. The man that checked the meters had to get the engineers involved to reduce the current coming in.

Without my UPS, I would have never known.;)
 
W

westom

Audioholic
Without my UPS, I would have never known.;)
It could have been obvious. Incandescent bulbs were burning out in less than half the time. 128 volts is not harmful to any 120 volt electronic appliances.
 
Z

zumbo

Audioholic Spartan
It could have been obvious. Incandescent bulbs were burning out in less than half the time. 128 volts is not harmful to any 120 volt electronic appliances.
128v was the constant. When the problem began yesterday, I was getting voltage spikes. The lights flickered, the UPS alarmed. By the time I made it to check the UPS, the spikes were over. 128v was the constant afterwords. I have no idea what the spikes measured.;)

And yes it's obvious. That's why I own the darn thing.:rolleyes:
 
E

emaja

Audioholic Intern
After reading your replies and a TON of other near obsessive reasearch. I decided to go with the APC S15. At $1500 - no way, but Vann's has it for $300, so I grabbed one.

Thanks a lot for all the great info!
 

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