Just 1 question.. Surly the switch over from mains to battery,, there must be some kind of delay, unless both mains and batteries work together somehow so theres no switch over from mains to battery? If theres any delay the pc will turn off right?
Thinking about getting a Belkin 1200VA Universal Series UPS
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speedy2004 said:
I don't like sounding flippant - but can you think of a use for a UPS where the delay in switching from mains to battery actually causes your computer to power off or reboot?
The whole idea (and by definition) of a UPS is that in the case of a power outage anything you have attached to the device will continue to run until the batteries are almost exhausted.
At which time a "Shutdown" signal is sent to the PC attached to the UPS and it closes down cleanly.
I went for the Belkin 1200VA.
Why?
I play a lot of MMORPG's and there is nothing worse than a power cut dropping your connection to the game.
When you come back you're going to quite possibly be dead or in an awkward situation.
By having the capcity from the Belkin and making sure my PC, LCD, ADSL Router etc are all connected this is no longer an issue.
We lose power and I know I've got over 15 minutes to get myself to a safe logout position.
A lower capcity UPS would mean I wouldn't drop connection, but I'd just have less time to get myself safe.
Of course 99% of the time the UPS is just protecting me from the odd short drop or brown-out, spike etc.
The only drawback with the Belkin is that the software it comes with isn't great - does the job but isn't great.
I haven't tried it under Vista yet - however under Vista the UPS of course works (it is just a battery pack after all) but without the software installed it wont do the automatic "safe shutdown" you'd need to do that yourself.
hp7909 said:
I would say all together I will prob be using 450watts, I want connected is:
1 my pc (150watts idel 250watts full load)
2 19inch lcd (about 30watts)
3 logitech z-680 (depends how loud they are, Wouldnt say no more then 25 -30 watts)
4 router about (10 - 15watts)
5 land line phone (5 - 10watts)
6 maybe my printer
Plus if I get a high powered 1, the battery should last longer in powercuts or when the trip goes off like its just done 10mins ago
Edit : With APC UPS how do you plug things into it that has a 3 pin plug,, cos the sockets on the APC ups are strange?
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when in battery mode you here a sbuzzing noise not very loud and normally even a light flashes or a maybe a beep to tell you mains power has gone.
as for the strange connectors on apc they arent that strange realy. you know the lead that plugs into back of your pc thats the male conenctor of a kettle lead you just get a wire with a female version on the other end can normally pick em up cheap from online stores for a coupel of quid.
and nope there is no delay its viretually instant we talking milliseconds. so pc keeps on going
another thing to remmeber is that the number does not represent the wattage output. for instance i have an old apc rs-500 that will put out 300 watts. wich was fine for my last rig but not for my new one i am currently looking into gettina new one.
as for the strange connectors on apc they arent that strange realy. you know the lead that plugs into back of your pc thats the male conenctor of a kettle lead you just get a wire with a female version on the other end can normally pick em up cheap from online stores for a coupel of quid.
and nope there is no delay its viretually instant we talking milliseconds. so pc keeps on going
another thing to remmeber is that the number does not represent the wattage output. for instance i have an old apc rs-500 that will put out 300 watts. wich was fine for my last rig but not for my new one i am currently looking into gettina new one.
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hell yeah i would trust through a thunderstorm thats what its for. ups isolate you from mains power and give you clean energy. i know my apc also switched over to battery when it detect a voltage spike or a under voltage situation. even when there is no actuall power cut.
thefishdude said:
About 5 year ago my computer was taken out through a thunderstorm, so I guess even with the ups im not sure if I would leave my pc on in a thunderstorm due to bad experience in the passed,,, cos even at night time and its thundering, I fire out of bed and disconnect everything.
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the ups will level everything out they are very sensitive mine would switch over and i would be wondering why as everything else was still working normally.
a lot of them you can plug phone lines and ethernet lines in aswell.
a lot of them you can plug phone lines and ethernet lines in aswell.
speedy2004 said:
The unit is approx. 4.75" x 11.75" x 7.5" (W x D x H)
According to the estimate I should be able to get over fifteen minutes - fifteen minutes is the longest I've had to run it for and then power was restored.
I have attached to mine:
Core Duo based system
20" Dell LCD
Netgear ADSL Modem/Router
DECT Phone
I should be able to get in the region of half an hour to be honest.
However that again isn't what the UPS is really there for.
It can save me in online gaming - but I'm not going to hang around in the game thinking I've got half an hour of game time left.
It is there to give me time to get to a safe point and get logged out.
Likewise if I'm doing work I'm not going to sit there working away - I'm going to get everything safely saved.
The UPS does make a quiet hum when in operation - however I cannot hear it over my PC at all.
Even if my PC is switched off, I have my UPS on the floor and I still cannot hear it in a quiet room.
The handy thing about the Belkin is that there are four "normal" sockets on the back.
Three of them are UPS/Surge Protected and one is just surge protected.
I have my PC plugged directly in one, my LCD in another and then a 6-way gang in the final UPS socket.
Into the 6-way gang I have my Router/Modem, DECT phone.
The UPS also has the effect of "cleaning" the supply of power.
Occasionally I'll be sitting here and for no apparent reason it will kick in - you don't realise how unclean your power supply can be
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An online UPS is totally immune to influxes in input since the PC is powered totally from the internal battery - so should there be a power drop/spike/cut, the PC doesn't know and isn't affected, until of course the battery runs out.
So those are the 'proper' UPSs - Line-Interactive UPSs are 'nearly but not quite'
So those are the 'proper' UPSs - Line-Interactive UPSs are 'nearly but not quite'
stoofa said:The unit is approx. 4.75" x 11.75" x 7.5" (W x D x H)
According to the estimate I should be able to get over fifteen minutes - fifteen minutes is the longest I've had to run it for and then power was restored.
I have attached to mine:
Core Duo based system
20" Dell LCD
Netgear ADSL Modem/Router
DECT Phone
I should be able to get in the region of half an hour to be honest.
However that again isn't what the UPS is really there for.
It can save me in online gaming - but I'm not going to hang around in the game thinking I've got half an hour of game time left.
It is there to give me time to get to a safe point and get logged out.
Likewise if I'm doing work I'm not going to sit there working away - I'm going to get everything safely saved.
The UPS does make a quiet hum when in operation - however I cannot hear it over my PC at all.
Even if my PC is switched off, I have my UPS on the floor and I still cannot hear it in a quiet room.
The handy thing about the Belkin is that there are four "normal" sockets on the back.
Three of them are UPS/Surge Protected and one is just surge protected.
I have my PC plugged directly in one, my LCD in another and then a 6-way gang in the final UPS socket.
Into the 6-way gang I have my Router/Modem, DECT phone.
The UPS also has the effect of "cleaning" the supply of power.
Occasionally I'll be sitting here and for no apparent reason it will kick in - you don't realise how unclean your power supply can be
Thanks mate. Have you tested it trough a thunderstorm? I bet it would be always kicking in through a storm with the decrease and increase in power?
Just won a new Belkin 1200VA Universal Series UPS from a well known auction site.
My only concerns are, it says its new, but is it, cos if its not the batteries will be useless.
Do you think I sud stock up on batteries in a few months or so? cos when they need replacing in 2 or 3 years time, I wont be able to get any, knowing my luck. Ive been reading reviews and ppl say you cant get replacement batteries. Ive had a look on the net, and you can buy them but there not very common, so when I need some, they will be non existent.
My only concerns are, it says its new, but is it, cos if its not the batteries will be useless.
Do you think I sud stock up on batteries in a few months or so? cos when they need replacing in 2 or 3 years time, I wont be able to get any, knowing my luck. Ive been reading reviews and ppl say you cant get replacement batteries. Ive had a look on the net, and you can buy them but there not very common, so when I need some, they will be non existent.
If any of you guys has taken the belkin 1200va apart to change the batteries, would you say these are the right ones:
http://www.mdsbattery.co.uk/shop/pr...epartmentName=UPS Batteries &DepartmentID=178
http://www.mdsbattery.co.uk/shop/pr...epartmentName=UPS Batteries &DepartmentID=178
Well they certainly look like the batteries you would need for that unit.
I've only had mine (from brand new) for about 4 months now so I'm not planning on having to replace the batteries for a good couple, maybe three years.
By which time, considering the price of the UPS I'll probably be prepared to throw it away and start again anyway.
The batteries are only used when you have a power outage - they don't constantly run down and recharge.
So you should get a few years use out of them before the need to replace them.
However...
If you've bought one second hand you've got no way of telling the condition of the batteries in the unit.
I've only had mine (from brand new) for about 4 months now so I'm not planning on having to replace the batteries for a good couple, maybe three years.
By which time, considering the price of the UPS I'll probably be prepared to throw it away and start again anyway.
The batteries are only used when you have a power outage - they don't constantly run down and recharge.
So you should get a few years use out of them before the need to replace them.
However...
If you've bought one second hand you've got no way of telling the condition of the batteries in the unit.
If i was to get an APC UPS How would i be able to plug in my speakers and router to this as the APC uses a kettle lead system on the back of it and my speakers and router have plugs on the ends of them.. Is there a way? 
(PS I need an APC as i need something with a high Wattage than 670w)
(PS I need an APC as i need something with a high Wattage than 670w)