Battery Backup/UPS

[nebruin]

I am looking for a good UPS system for a desktop, preferably around a true 350-600 Watt unit. I would also like a unit that is always run on battery. The cheaper units switch from AC to battery when they detect that power is out, the nicer units always run on battery, so you never have to worry about the switch. Anyone have any ideas, I am hoping to pay around less than $120, but I am not set on price. I like APC, but I can't figure out which units switch, and which units don't. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

 

[UltimaParadox]

Typically all units run on AC and then switch to battery when it runs out. I did not know that there was too many UPS's that actually ran on battery 100% of the time, since the battery would degrade much faster, since it would have to be recharged all the time.

Usually the quicker and cleaner it can make the switch from AC to battery power is what makes it more expensive than the other. If I were you I would just save my money and buy an AC one from APC, and that should be suitable for most if not everyone's needs. If you are really wanting to be serious about it there are companies like MGE that make some massive backup and battery schemes, but we are talking tens of thousands of dollars.

 

[tdg]

What you're thinking of is "on-line" or "double conversion" UPS's, as opposed to the cheap "standby" type, but they don't run on battery all the time per se, they battery is wired in parallel between a AC->DC and back to AC->DC converters, which makes an AC cut entirely transparent. And $120 will not buy one that does this sorry to say, not even close.

Even my nice set of APC Smart-UPS backups are "line interactive" type, a big step up from standby type, but still not the double conversions, and they were $799 each new.