Anyone know of a portable external power supply i can get?

dvdbunny

dvdbunny

dvdbunny

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Hey Guys,

I am after a portable power supply that i can use for my PC, the way i want this to work is that, I want to plug the CPU power supply end to this portable power supply and then a power cable from the potable power supply to the wall mains.

Then the idea is that while it is connected in to the mains the PC draws power from the mains, but if there is a power cut then the PC stays on while it draws power from an internal battery inside this external portable power supply.

Then the next idea is that if i was to remove the portable power supply from the wall i want the PC to continue operating while i move the PC to another location and then re connect it to another mains outlet. Then i want the PC to stop drawing power from the portable power supply and go back to taking power from the wall mains. Is this possible to do while the PC never switches off?

If this is possible do you know of any cheap quality devices and where i can get them from, does overclockers sell them?

any help much appreciated

Many thanks
 
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They're called UPS power supplies.

They start at about £15 but you would only get about 10 minutes out of one depending on your PC, closer to an hour for more expensive ones.
 
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I'm not entirely sure if UPS devices are meant to be moved while operating and they are fairly hefty since they need large batteries but it is the closest thing to what you appear to want.

I'd probably suggest just buying a laptop if it is likely to be a regular occurance, it is more or less what they were designed for after all.

Can I ask why you need to be able to move the PC while it is on? It isn't a particularly great idea considering you have components such as hard drives spinning and they are then at their most fragile.
 
It is possible to get an internal UPS, though run-time will be no more than a few minutes with a device that small, but then again moving a PC while on isn't a particularly smart idea. It's not even recommended for a lot of laptops though of course everyone does it.
 
It'd probably be easier just to hibernate the PC before you move it. UPSs aren't exactly portable - then again, nor are desktop PCs. What's the reason for needing to move the PC around? As has been said, I'd just get a laptop - they're amazingly cheap these days.
 
semi-pro waster said:
I'm not entirely sure if UPS devices are meant to be moved while operating and they are fairly hefty since they need large batteries but it is the closest thing to what you appear to want.

I'd probably suggest just buying a laptop if it is likely to be a regular occurance, it is more or less what they were designed for after all.

Can I ask why you need to be able to move the PC while it is on? It isn't a particularly great idea considering you have components such as hard drives spinning and they are then at their most fragile.
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The reason i need to move the PC is because i am trying to do a test for a future project where the PC needs to stay on only for like a few minutes while it's unplugged from the wall until it's been plugged back into another wall.

I have done a google search looking for a UPS and have also come across a PDU portable distribution unit, is this the same thing?

I cannot find a UPS for cheap, where are they i didn't see any for starting prices of £15, can i have some links please?

Also i am looking to keep my DVD player on for a few minutes while i unplug the power. I have seen these UPS devices to be as big as PC's can't you get something the size of a stone brick?
 
Ups's aren't designed for anything other than providing enough power to sort everything out before shutting down. For an external power supply for a pc, you'd have to get something else.
 
Guys,

Thanks for the replies

Raikiri i have searched the overclockers store and i cannot find the plexus UPS could you please post a link to where it is on the store thanks?

JonC

I have looked at the hot plug from wiebetech and yeah there quite pricey do you know of anything else like under £50

Also can you guys tell me with a UPS do you always have it plugged into your PC and then plugged to the wall mains and once there's a power surge then the PC draws it's power from the UPS until the power is back on and then the PC regains taking power from the mains while also the battery inside the UPS recharges, is that correct?

TIA
 
There is absolutely NO curcumstances where a PC cannot be tunred off. If your literally after moving something and wanting it to be powered for the few mins this takes, what exactly is it doing?

Hibernate, unplug, move, plug in, turn on.

Also, have you tried lifting an average sized UPS....
 
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dvdbunny said:
Guys,

Also can you guys tell me with a UPS do you always have it plugged into your PC and then plugged to the wall mains and once there's a power surge then the PC draws it's power from the UPS until the power is back on and then the PC regains taking power from the mains while also the battery inside the UPS recharges, is that correct?

TIA
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that is pretty much right. your pc plugs into the ups. then the ups plugs into the wall. when there is a problem the ups kicks in and supplys power from an internal battery. when problem is over it switches back to mains and then recharges the internal battery. how long it supplies the power for depends on the ups size you buy and the power draw of your computer.

i run a large ups that powers everything including monitor and will last 50 mins in apower cut but that came at price of around £170 i think it was. unfortunatly ups's are not cheap even the small ones that last 5 minutes. and you cant get one as small as a brick. i cant see how you can do waht you want it to do with out costing you to much money :(
 
Thanks for the replies,

I was thinking of not bothering with that weibetech hotplug and instead wondered is it possible to get a UPS and recharge it first but then disconnect it from the wall mains and plug your use PC into the UPS only for several minutes max 90 seconds to get power from the portable battery inside the UPS. Then take the UPS and PC while still plugged in and switched on to a mains outlet and plug it in for continuous use of the PC from the mains?

Is this possible? So again so you know what i am saying, i don't want to confuse you, the first time the PC is plugged in i want it to get it's power from the UPS's portable battery all the while the actual UPS is not plugged into the mains and then once i plug in the UPS to the mains out let while the PC is still on, is this possible, this way i wouldn't need a wiebetech hotplug, that's good if my PC is plugged into the wall and i need to get it off the wall while the PC power is still on, but right now it isn't on so can the first way i describe work?

TIA
 
I still think we need an explaination as to why you want this, as it appears your looking for a solution to keep a PC running for 90 seconds to carry it from one room to another.....

I struggle to see the point
 
Well i just need to move it as i am trying to do a test with my internet feed and wireless extender and i want to see how much of a signal that i can pick up, i don't have a laptop and i don't want to power off the PC. As well as i got some DIY project that i am working on where i need to do this with a PC and a dvd player.

So would it work with what i described in my last post, so can i do it with just the UPS and not needing the wiebetech hotplug?

TIA
 
your telling me you want to buy a UPS, hook it up to your computer, and then wander away from your house carrying both JUST to test the range on your wireless network.....

Seriouly dude, if there was an aware for the stupidest idea on these forums, youd have it.

In the time its taken you to write this thread you could have borrowed a laptop off a friend, or better still, bough one! A laptop is going to be a cheaper and far more usefull option!
 
Skeeter said:
your telling me you want to buy a UPS, hook it up to your computer, and then wander away from your house carrying both JUST to test the range on your wireless network.....

Seriouly dude, if there was an aware for the stupidest idea on these forums, youd have it.

In the time its taken you to write this thread you could have borrowed a laptop off a friend, or better still, bough one! A laptop is going to be a cheaper and far more usefull option!
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LMAO.

I had tears in my eyes reading this.
 
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