Omega-TI Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 I'm considering getting a UPS for my den and at first glance << THIS ONE >> appears to be good, but I'd like to get some advice and opinions from people who have one. Ultimately I'd like to get one that gives me at least 2 hours of continuous use after an outage. The items I would have plugged in are: WiFi router, laptop, 20" LCD monitor, telephone and a LaserJet (not printing). I figure I can do without the TI during an outage. I'm considering a second unit as well for the living room powering a 42" LED TV and a satellite receiver and possibly even a lamp with a 12 watt LED bulb. Comments, advice, suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digdugnate Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 (edited) I highly recommend the APC Smart UPS units, similar to linked: https://www.amazon.com/APC-Smart-UPS-Battery-Backup-SMT750/dp/B002MZW5KE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492647237&sr=8-1&keywords=apc+smart+ups+750 I have used APC UPS units for about 11 years at both home and where I work (supporting ~150 computers locally daily); we have really dirty power here and so far I have not had more than a handful of machines die on me. The batteries tend to last 3-5 years. (edit to add that we also use the rack-mount ones to support all our network equipment nationwide as well, but that might be overkill ) Edited April 20, 2017 by digdugnate 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+arcadeshopper Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 Have you measured the power draw of all these devices? Sent from my LG-H830 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Lee Stewart Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 I would NOT support the LaserJet printer on the UPS! Even at idle, the fuser is kept warm, wasting precious watts. ...lee 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted April 20, 2017 Author Share Posted April 20, 2017 Have you measured the power draw of all these devices? Nope, I don't have a KILL-A-WATT, but I can always get down on the floor tomorrow and and read the ratings of the power transformers. I would NOT support the LaserJet printer on the UPS! Even at idle, the fuser is kept warm, wasting precious watts. Good point! I should get in the habit of turning it off when not in use. I've been keeping it on standby 24/7 in case I want to print anything or receive an email over it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+arcadeshopper Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 they sell those at harbor freight for pretty cheap..save you some time/energy/math Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Schmitzi Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 APC ist best, but no laserjets on a UPS 2 hours maybe is a joke. I give you less than 30 minutes (with 1500VA). but depends on your TV´s wattage, and maybe maybe, but I don´t think so I post a photo of my USVs later, to show how you can gain 2 hours 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digdugnate Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 great point made (that i forgot) about the laserjets- the power draw will freak out a UPS if you have it plugged into 'battery' side. have to plug in to 'surge' side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted April 20, 2017 Author Share Posted April 20, 2017 2 hours maybe is a joke. I give you less than 30 minutes (with 1500VA). but depends on your TV´s wattage, and maybe maybe, but I don´t think so Well technically I could plug the laptop into the surge side and run off it's internal battery for a couple of hours, that would just leave the 20" monitor and the router plugged in. If I cant get at least 2 hours out of those two devices, I'll just forget the whole idea as I'm not willing to spend over $200.00 on this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Schmitzi Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 IIRC there is a power calculator on the APC website. If the TV doesn´t suck so much, maybe it can work. Just check the powersupplies Or maybe someone here can calculate that ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted May 5, 2017 Author Share Posted May 5, 2017 The verdict is in: 9.4 watts is the draw (according to the 'Kill-A-Watt'). The computer can run on it's own internal battery, so I only need the monitor and router powered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digdugnate Posted May 5, 2017 Share Posted May 5, 2017 The verdict is in: 9.4 watts is the draw (according to the 'Kill-A-Watt'). The computer can run on it's own internal battery, so I only need the monitor and router powered. Are you interested in a desktop-grade UPS still? I think I have one still NIB in my office- the only gotcha is that I wouldn't be able to ship it till Monday if I still have it there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted May 5, 2017 Author Share Posted May 5, 2017 Thanks, but I'll probably pick one up at Staples. If I'm correct, and someone please correct me if I'm wrong, << THIS UNIT >> should last the two hours I've set as a goal with the 9.4 watt draw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digdugnate Posted May 5, 2017 Share Posted May 5, 2017 I'm thinking it should. If you do happen to change your mind, let me know- it's just taking up space there so I'm happy to get rid of it for shipping cost (or trade). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Schmitzi Posted May 5, 2017 Share Posted May 5, 2017 Thanks, but I'll probably pick one up at Staples. If I'm correct, and someone please correct me if I'm wrong, << THIS UNIT >> should last the two hours I've set as a goal with the 9.4 watt draw. 9.4 Watt (the monitor?) sounds very good on a 1500 VA UPS. Maybe it runs half a day or more ? (but not sure about!) or what is the total watts you want to connect to it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted May 10, 2017 Author Share Posted May 10, 2017 It turns out I'll have much more time than my original target. Below is the combined draw of my WiFi router, computer monitor and telephone/answering machine. I may decide to plug in the laptop later, but it has it's own internal battery good for a few hours on it's own. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iKarith Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 40 watts for a desktop computer? Um, my desktop has a CPU with a 77 watt TDP all on its own. Granted it's not "entry level", but it's also not a gaming powerhouse with multiple video cards and whatnot. Dell called it a Windows 7 workstation-class machine. That's one of the cool things about retro systems. The Apple IIgs had a 68 watt power supply, and while some people criticize the power supply for the IIgs was something like 68 watts. Now, people describe the power capacity of the IIgs as "weak", but that's actually the result of the skinny power traces running to the expansion slots on the motherboard and the fact that all drives and whatnot ran off the system CPU. The reason why current OSes and software run well on 4-5 year old computers decently is that the hardware makers have been focusing on recapturing the low power performance. Intel's NUCs are like under 50 watts total with a monitor, which is perhaps what the above spec sheet is suggesting: A solid-state NUC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LASooner Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 (edited) Had nothing but bad luck with APC, 2 outages in the last 3 years it completely failed both times after being replaced the first time. My company replaced all APC battery backups with Cyberpower, I did the same at home. Edited May 10, 2017 by LASooner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted May 10, 2017 Author Share Posted May 10, 2017 Sorry you had such bad luck. Everyone I talked to recommended APC to me, so that is what I went with. I'll have to wait and see what happens as there is nothing I can do now anyway. Since my current load on the battery side is so low, I've been considering hooking a lamp up to it as well. << LED LIGHT BULBS >> like the ones in the link use so little current, that I think it would be a perfect option, especially if an outage occurred in the evening . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Schmitzi Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 Just test the power outage scenario from time to time. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted May 10, 2017 Author Share Posted May 10, 2017 Just test the power outage scenario from time to time. I just had my first unplanned test! -- My coffee got cold, so I put it in the microwave I have here in the den. As soon as I turned on the microwave I heard a 'chunk' from the UPS. Apparently it when into automatic 'boost mode'. I normally have 122V, but according to the display on the UPS the voltage went down to 117. Slick! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted October 19, 2017 Author Share Posted October 19, 2017 I thought I would update this thread a little (dunno if anyone is interested though). Anyway, now that winter weather starting to set in, I'm all ready to stay nice and cozy in the den during a power outage... well, for two and a half hours anyway. Newer technology takes so little power that a basic UPS can provide more than just a few minutes of 'backup'... if you plan properly. For instance I run a laptop that has it's own internal battery, so it does NOT need to be supplied by the UPS. The secondary monitor on the laptop requires very little juice, so with the router, telephone and a 4 watt LED light bulb that puts out the equivalent of a standard 25 watt bulb, I'm good to go for longer than most power outages last. Sadly the other UPS for the older TV and satellite receiver is only good for 79 minutes if both are being used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 Wish I had seen this earlier. I have two SmartUPS 1500RM2Us in my network. These provide longer run-time than the consumer 1500s AND have true sine wave output, which is often easier on electronics and does not cause the physical resonance you may hear in a lot of electronic equipment like my audio receivers, TV, and projector. Anyway, I get about two and a-half hours run time from each having split the system between network equipment, DSL modems, internal server (AMD K6-3+/450,) two NASes, and a Core-i7 HyperV machine. I have paired them both with an APC MasterSwitch which I have programmed to cut devices as the power decreases depending upon need. The Hyper-V machine shuts down almost immediately and takes its NAS with it as it is just a testing and template system. The second NAS shuts down when it detects either its directly connected UPS or my desktop UPS has started shutting down, as it hosts an iSCSI LUN for the desktop. At a point of a power outage I wind up with nothing more than the internal server, primary network switch, and the wireless firewall with VDSL running. I have plotted to move the power equipment and the internal server up to the firewall so I can squeeze a little more run-time by killing the primary switch, but it draws a near negligible amount of power. During the last hurricane I connect my fridge to a consumer 1350 and it run the fridge for three hours. Of course, while powering the fridge it registers about 44 minutes run-time, but even that is far less than the expected draw based upon the rating placard in the fridge. I have a SmartUPS 1500 (SUA1500, tower unit) on my entertainment system and with the Intel NUC, the OTA digital DVR, the 3200 lumen projector, and the Onkyo receiver it will run a little over two hours (about 166 minutes, give or take.) A lot of gobble there just to say, yes, you can get some amazing run-time for even a well outfitted system. While I prefer to use SmartUPSes for the true sine wave output, they are more expensive and YMMV. I just do not like running stepped-approximation power through my electronics... it makes me feel uneasy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 Oh, and another thing. The newer and better LED bulbs (you can tell as they will have less to almost no perceivable flicker) do shave a lot off the draw on a UPS, but not what you might calculate based upon the power draw (a 40W-equivalent with about 450 lumen output lists 40mA) due to a non-optimal power factor of the current draw lagging behind the voltage. I have a couple of the consumer UPSes running LED lamps. On a new APC 600-M1 I ran a 40W-equivalent LED bulb for about six hours. Most amazing is the battery is about half the size of the standard RBC-2 SLAs of previous models and this unit will run just about as long as the older style on the same draw. Impressive. One thing I have noticed is a lot of dimmers do not like the consumer UPSes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osgeld Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 My company replaced all APC battery backups with Cyberpower, I did the same at home. we did as well, their support is practically non existant, and the devices are meant to be disposable if the battery dies ...we went back to APC 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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