UPS Question regarding IEC/Fuses

[benji182]

Hi all,

I wasn't really sure where to post this and couldn't find anything related via searches but...

I'm looking at getting a UPS for my PC, Monitor and was also going to put the router/switch/access point on it as well.

First question: I have a TV right next to all of this and rather than having this on a standard UK plug top, would it be worth having it on the UPS for surge/spike?

Only issue I can think of is most UPS's have IEC connections which would require me chopping the TVs plug and wiring this into an IEC (not an issue if it is worth while for protecting the TV).

Second question: With regards to everything being powered via IEC cables you no longer have a 3 or 5 amp fuse in the plug top so does the UPS offer more protection for such devices?

Sorry if these are silly questions but I'm genuinely a bit confused by it all.

 

[LuckyBenski]

The primary question I'd ask is, are you looking for power cut protection or surge protection? It's not a big deal if a TV suffers a power cut. I don't believe UPSs are considered proper surge protection.

Not an authority on fusing and such but I can say that the fuse in a 13A plug is there to protect the wire, not the device on the end.

 

[benji182]

Hi,

Thank you for the answer on the fuse. I have no problem with them all being IEC leads then.

The PC & monitor is for power cut protection. Just enough time to save and close down any work.

The rest purely for surge protection.

The APC Back-UPS 700 Watt has 6 IEC outputs and what caught my interest was the "Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR),which instantly adjusts high and low voltage fluctuations to safe levels for your electronics" comment.

I have everything plugged into a belkin 6 way with surge protection but if the UPS has it is it better if it balances out the fluctuations?

 

[EsaT]

The APC Back-UPS 700 Watt has 6 IEC outputs and what caught my interest was the "Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR),which instantly adjusts high and low voltage fluctuations to safe levels for your electronics" comment.

Forget that VA rating used for marketing.
That was usefull only in time of no PFC and lots of devices drawing notable reactive power component.
What matters in modern era of PFC equipped PSUs is watts.

And as you're talking about IEC socket that should mean model number is BX700UI, right?
That BX line is almost marketing scam line with very weak "power factor" and actual real power output capability.
For that particular model PF is 0,55 and it's capable to outputting only 390 actual watts.
BX1400 even has absolutely craptastic 0,5 PF and only 700W output capability.
Makes me suspect BX models are rebranded Chinese garbages.

Even if your PC is low end one and couldn't overload that UPS, there are likely better choises for same price.
Cyberpower BRIC serie would have UK sockets allowing use of normal power cords.
https://www.cyberpower.com/uk/en/product/series/brics_lcd


Surge protection capability of it isn't much to talk about either, as is typical for UPSes.
You'll find beefier surge protection components from average level surge protectors.
And in bigger surge protectors we're talking nearing ten times the surge energy rating for them.
(the smaller those surge protection components are, the more easily even small surges wear them down)
So no matter what ads of the UPS claim, having standard surge protector before UPS helps to filter out surges.

 

[benji182]

It was the BX700 or 1400 I was looking at.

So the 700W rating would last merely moments and isn't worth while?

After reading a little bit about the line switching and such it sounded much more stable than running off a standard wall outlet with a 4 or 6 way surge protected splitter.

 

[EsaT]

Both BX models have battery capacity in line with their actual capaiblity.
But don't see any reason in supporting such marketing scam numbered UPSes sold using artificially inflated numbers.
I mean would you buy a car advertised with 200hp engine, when it actually had only 100hp engine?
More likely you would be pulling that under tightened tie of salesman few notches tighter.
That's pretty much how APC has named those.

With IEC sockets they don't even have anything over x+dozen other (usually more honestly model numbered) UPSes available.
While those Cyberpower BRICs would even have UK sockets avoiding need to buy IEC cables/do other jerry rigs at least for router's power supply.

As for APC's UK socket equipped BE models (former Back-UPS ES) just forget them.
They're closed plastic boxes intended to cook Chinese garbage capacitors alive.

 

[memyselfandi]

Only issue I can think of is most UPS's have IEC connections which would require me chopping the TVs plug and wiring this into an IEC (not an issue if it is worth while for protecting the TV).

Don't commenting on where to use it or not is a good idea or what UPS you should get but you shouldn't need to cut/rewire anything. You can just get little cables which are IEC to a standard 3-pin socket which can be used for anything which doesn't use a normal kettle lead (you can also get ones which go to 4 sockets as well)

 

[Avalon]

IEC to power strip solves most issues, I only bother with higher end APC UPS', anything else has always proven to be a false economy.

 

[Rroff]

Yeah I use atleast one IEC to a 2 gang standard mains socket on my setups. I usually have my UPS in a data cabinet with a PDU mounted as well.

 

[benji182]

Don't commenting on where to use it or not is a good idea or what UPS you should get but you shouldn't need to cut/rewire anything. You can just get little cables which are IEC to a standard 3-pin socket which can be used for anything which doesn't use a normal kettle lead (you can also get ones which go to 4 sockets as well)

Thank you- I just saw IEC on back of the UPS's and didn't even think to use an adaptor.

IEC to power strip solves most issues, I only bother with higher end APC UPS', anything else has always proven to be a false economy.

In your opinion what would be classed as a 'higher end APC UPS'? I'm only asking as if anything entry level or mid range (not sure if the BX1400 i mentioned is mid or entry) then I'll likely not bother.

Yeah I use atleast one IEC to a 2 gang standard mains socket on my setups. I usually have my UPS in a data cabinet with a PDU mounted as well.

Thank you

 

[EsaT]

I'm only asking as if anything entry level or mid range (not sure if the BX1400 i mentioned is mid or entry) then I'll likely not bother.

BX1400 is dirt low/fraud level UPS with that model naming/numbering.

 

[amused1796]

Buy a cheap APC ups and you'll be ok