UPS Backup - what to buy?

[aaronrkelly]

How many of you use a battery backup (UPS) unit on your computer? I am considering purchasing one and want everyones opinion on what to buy. I am trying to stay cheap and was considering the one below, any comment or suggestions?

http://www.apc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=BE500U&language=en&LOCAL.APCCountryCode=US

[jmg_NX21]

We have one NOT for our cpu's but SERVER.

BUT just make sure it is NOT one of these
http://www.apcc.com/rely/pressrel.cfm

[wellsjs]

Been using one for about six years now. I'm on my second generation one. Wouldn't leave home without leaving one there!

[birick]

I've been using an APC Back-UPS 500 (not the recalled one) for 2 1/2 years. Best insurance I ever bought for my PC.

[Cindy R]

I have 2 UPS 350v in my home and because of frequent power failures it's been a life saver for us. After numerous power outages this last December I decided that all my kids should have one so it made a great Xmas present for them.
L.

[Anita]

I live in an old house that suffers from occasional power fluctuations and short 1-minute power outages (not to mention real Iowa storms that have been known to fry modems, TVs and the like). . .

I bought a 700VA Tripp Lite not quite two years ago when I switched from a laptop-based desktop system (and I knew the laptop battery had been kicking in periodically<g>) to a power-hungry AMD Athlon desktop.

I love it. Tripp is regulating uneven power flows and kicks in seamlessly whenever there's an outage. I don't even have the thing hooked up to do the full save-and-shutdown and I still love it.

My big problem was the power fluctuations and Tripp seems to have totally eliminated that.

I recommend going to one of the manufacturer sites and running the VA calculator and then following their advice to get more backup power than you calculate. When I did that I couldn't believe how naiive I had been to think the little $30 "surge supressors" I had used before would do absolutely anything to protect equipment.

Anita

[Cindy R]

I agree that a lot of people think just because they have a surge suppressor it will protect them form voltage variations and outages. It might protect them from spikes but not low voltage.

[wellsjs]

In shopping among the various brands (APC, Tripp, etc.), the most important "feature" to look for is "isolated output power." What that does is the unit receives the "dirty power" from your good ol' local power company and converts it to DC power (via transformer). Then (via another transformer) it converts it back to a clean and pure AC. Incoming spikes from local power co. die a quick death on the input transformer where they are filtered to ground, harmlessly. The internal battery's charge will insure a smooth voltage output level even when local power "browns" or dips. The output power is "isolated" from input power by two transformers. You'll pay a little more for an isolated output power UPS, but it's definately worth it.

So, as you can see, an UPS is not just for when you loose power, but is at work for you all the time. You do not need a surge protector on the back end of this type of UPS, but I use one built into my distribution strip (having one doesn't hurt, but don't pay big bucks for surge suppression on the back end of this type UPS).

[Gizmo]

"You'll pay a little more for an isolated output power UPS, but it's definately worth it." ~wellsjs

Great tip. Thanks :)

[Griff]

I use one on my main PC setup and one on my entertainment center.