UPS - Battery Backup

lay-z-boy · 25 Jan 2007 at 13:04

had my belkin universal 1000va for almost a year now, powering my 8800gtx set-up and all the peripherals, great bit if kit.
I don't use the software as you don't need to, windows power management just makes your machine think its a laptop, which is great, it also lasts about 25-30min on battery which the machine under varying load.
ethernet protection is a great function as it saved my *** when a lightning strike on the phone line blew up all the house phones and my router with the ups stopping the shock from going any further.

That said, i really want some web biased monitoring software, APC seem to fit the bill for that one, so when this one either gives up the go or cant power my system no longer i will move over to an apc. (I am aware of the belkin range with snmp)

Avalon · 14 Mar 2007 at 14:47

Just to bring this back from the dead with a little real world testing. Not long after reading this post I purchased 3 Belkin UPS's to work alongside the APC unit's we have. The APC unit is 3+Years old and still works perfectly. The first Belkin failed after a week, the seccond has just failed and I keep looking at the third waiting for it to do the same now. Would I touch Belkin for a UPS again ? Nope. Ordering 3 APC's after I finish my lunch.

squiffy · 14 Mar 2007 at 15:00

Avalon said:
Just to bring this back from the dead with a little real world testing. Not long after reading this post I purchased 3 Belkin UPS's to work alongside the APC unit's we have. The APC unit is 3+Years old and still works perfectly. The first Belkin failed after a week, the seccond has just failed and I keep looking at the third waiting for it to do the same now. Would I touch Belkin for a UPS again ? Nope. Ordering 3 APC's after I finish my lunch.

If those three PC's are in the same room I would consider a single high capacity APC Smart UPS- the software communicates over the LAN from the "server" connected to the UPS.

jbloggs · 14 Mar 2007 at 15:27

I have both a belkin and an APC UPC and BOTH do exactly what they are supposed to do!

Neither is rubbish (In my opinion).

Phil2008 · 15 Mar 2007 at 14:09

Ive had my belkin 1200va ups just over 3months now and its still working perfectly. Our power has been off 15+ times over the time, and the ups has done its job perfectly. Thats with my main pc, router, printer, phone, z-680 speakers and a 20 - 45watt laptop all plugged in to it. It can keep all that running for 15 mins before it hits 25% of battery power remaining.

The big test is a thunderstorm tho

stoofa · 15 Mar 2007 at 14:31

Well as this thread has been bought back up from the dead.
My Belkin is still going strong, still doing it's job, still protecting me from those odd power outages.
So impressed with the price etc I bought a second one eventually for my wife's PC.
Hers is working equally well - not missed a beat.
Would I buy Belkin again rather than spending half as much again for less power via an APC? Sure I would.

Phil2008 · 15 Mar 2007 at 15:58

Has anyone opened there belkin ups and disconnected the speaker? If yes, how easy is it to disconnet? Cos when the battery power gets to low power (25%) it beeps constantly and there noway to turn the low power beeping off.

So when the batts get to low power (25%), I have to turn it off cos the beeping drives you mad,, I am sure without the beeping I could take it down to 10% before turning off the computer and will add another 5-8mins at least before I need to shut down my pc

YoungBlood · 15 Mar 2007 at 16:28

speedy2004 said:
Has anyone opened there belkin ups and disconnected the speaker? If yes, how easy is it to disconnet? Cos when the battery power gets to low power (25%) it beeps constantly and there noway to turn the low power beeping off.

So when the batts get to low power (25%), I have to turn it off cos the beeping drives you mad,, I am sure without the beeping I could take it down to 10% before turning off the computer and will add another 5-8mins at least before I need to shut down my pc

From your post I guess it does'nt work, but when you press the power button on the front does it not stop those beeps? I have never been bothered by the beeps personaly so not tried.

Also I personaly can't say a bad think about the Belkin's, considering I only got an 800va it lasts a good 20+ minutes @ 40%. Has never let me down, and it has to kick in a lot as we have a payg meter.

Phil2008 · 15 Mar 2007 at 16:54

YoungBlood said:
From your post I guess it does'nt work, but when you press the power button on the front does it not stop those beeps? I have never been bothered by the beeps personaly so not tried.

The power putton does turn of the beeps when it hasnt droped to low power (25%) but when you have 25% of power left, you cant turn off the beeping, plus when it gets to 25% or lower the beeps are every second

Phil2008 · 16 Mar 2007 at 13:15

YoungBlood said:
Also I personaly can't say a bad think about the Belkin's, considering I only got an 800va it lasts a good 20+ minutes @ 40%. Has never let me down, and it has to kick in a lot as we have a payg meter.

Mine is a 1200va and my load is 28-35% and it only lasts just over 15mins before the batts get to 25% power remaining??? :confused:

YoungBlood · 16 Mar 2007 at 14:30

Just done a test and 800va @ 33% load, lasts 22mins before the battery is out completly. Thats with a 19" TFT, Router, and a X2 4200 (was idle) with 3 HD's. I don't bother plugging the speakers into it.

Phil2008 · 16 Mar 2007 at 15:06

YoungBlood said:
Just done a test and 800va @ 33% load, lasts 22mins before the battery is out completly. Thats with a 19" TFT, Router, and a X2 4200 (was idle) with 3 HD's. I don't bother plugging the speakers into it.

When you say completly out, do yo mean when it gets below 25% and you cant shut up the beeping???

YoungBlood · 16 Mar 2007 at 16:05

speedy2004 said:
When you say completly out, do yo mean when it gets below 25% and you cant shut up the beeping???

It lasts around 22 minutes then the pc switches off as the battery is completly flat. I have the bulldog software set up to not shutdown the PC even when the battery is low.
As for the beep's, if I click on the bulldog software and go go control >> ups beeps off, then I get no beeps even when the battery is below 25%. Only thing with that is, is that it only works when the power is out and it is allready beeping. It does'nt seem to permanently disable the beeps.

Corasik · 16 Mar 2007 at 16:11

Shouldnt let the battery go below 10%, sealed lead acid UPS batteries HATE being totally drained, it will seriously reduce the lifecycle of the battery. Thats why they often start warning at 25%, to give you time to shut down the computer before the ups batteries are damaged.

Sure it will recharge, but each time you run it flat your probably knocking a month or two off the batteries total life (Average battery life 5 years)

YoungBlood · 16 Mar 2007 at 16:16

Corasik said:
Shouldnt let the battery go below 10%, sealed lead acid UPS batteries HATE being totally drained, it will seriously reduce the lifecycle of the battery. Thats why they often start warning at 25%, to give you time to shut down the computer before the ups batteries are damaged.

Sure it will recharge, but each time you run it flat your probably knocking a month or two off the batteries total life (Average battery life 5 years)

Learn something new everyday, but I only did it once to get a idea of how long it lasts. tbh it seems to cut out even though the reading is around the 18% mark. Maybe it is built to actualy never completly drain, rather cut out if it gets to a % determined by the firmware, for self preservation.

Corasik · 16 Mar 2007 at 17:24

Ahh, 18% would be no problem, as you said probably the UPS firmware... But thats why they often start warning at 25%, even though at first thought that seems like plenty.