Fair Warning-Buy a UPS

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Oldie

Oldie

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My APC 750VA, just saved my butt. My buddy and I have identical systems and we were over here having a mini Lan party. Well the power started "browning" and it lasted for about 30 seconds before it went out completely. Mine stayed on until I shut down normally, and when it came back on, his system is dead.

We plugged in a new powersupply and it still won't post, so I'm working on popping in my spare mainboard now, we'll see what else is broken. He did have an Antec TrueBlue 480, but his system still got toasted.

I've been preaching about these things for years, and nobody ever listens. They are worth every penny, just make sure you don't buy a crappy one. I wholeheartedly recommend APC, I've been using them for years, and I don't think there's a better manufacturer out there.

I can't think of a more foolish thing than plugging $2000 worth of equipment into a $5 "surge protector" you bought at the dollar store. If you can't afford a UPS at least spend the $30 on a good quality rated surge protector.

Just my little rant.

 
Oldie said:
I can't think of a more foolish thing than plugging $2000 worth of equipment into a $5 "surge protector" you bought at the dollar store....
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I can't agree more. I bought an Opti-UPS from the Egg a while back and it's been great. Hard to believe I went for years without one. I never had hardware failure because of it, and if it wasn't for me losing data a third time, I still wouldn't have one.
 
Surge protectors are fine, but they don't protect your computer from brownouts.
 
it wont insure againt brownouts cause the surge protector wont be blown, so they'll laugh at you.
 
The best feature that a surge protector can't provide is voltage regulation. All over the globe there are locations that have periodic fluctuations up and down, which can gradually tear on your equipment. A good UPS will detect that and augment and regulate the flow to keep it within about 95-120. Couple that w/a good powersupply and you're virtually immune from electrical issues.

 
Surge protectors are hella better than nothing, but a UPS is hella better than a surge protector. Even a cheap one.
 
i got a APC UPS, and i cant imagine how many times it saved my computer. since i got it about two years ago, i've never had my computer shut off on me due to power surge. we've had some really bad ones too and it really saved my computer's ass.
 
a decent APC BE500U is good enough, i have 3 of them, but since i get them at $33 shipped i guess thats cool, but at least on retail at $55 or something is a great buy.
 
*****noob question alert******

Can I run into problems if I have 5 $15 dollar "surge protectors" daisy chained together? Where as all my computer stuff is plugged into the last one only?

*****end noob question******
 
Did you read this post. Its the voltage regulator that saves your pc. Surge protectors dont have this. They are more like fuses. They just sit there and trip whenever there is a surge. UPSs have brains behind the fuse. For analogy`s sake.
Oldie said:
The best feature that a surge protector can't provide is voltage regulation. All over the globe there are locations that have periodic fluctuations up and down, which can gradually tear on your equipment. A good UPS will detect that and augment and regulate the flow to keep it within about 95-120. Couple that w/a good powersupply and you're virtually immune from electrical issues.

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Tiny said:
*****noob question alert******

Can I run into problems if I have 5 $15 dollar "surge protectors" daisy chained together? Where as all my computer stuff is plugged into the last one only?

*****end noob question******
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Um, yeah. :eek:

Ever see those things where they tell you how it's a bad idea to have umpteen things jacked into the same place?
 
ashmedai said:
Um, yeah. :eek:

Ever see those things where they tell you how it's a bad idea to have umpteen things jacked into the same place?
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If it looks like "only" 5 octopus's entangled in a mad breeding ritual, you're okay. If it looks like 6, you're screwed. :p
 
Have been using APC equipment for over 10 years now. My first one was a Back-UPS 650 IIRC. I never run a computer in my house without it being plugged into an UPS. Since I also work on friends computers I don't want the hassle of trying to explain that their nice $500 wonder got toasted by So Cal Edison. So I have an extra Smart-UPS 700 for my extra station and I have a 1 Kva Smart-UPS for my regular box. We have brown-outs all the time here in California. If I lived where lightning is common I wouldn't even sell a friend a computer unless they wanted to pop for the UPS at the same time :D

Funny part is that none of my friends believe me about what a UPS will do for you till I tell them they need a new PSU, MB, and often a CPU! Then they invariably start asking me why I didn't slap them up the side of the head :confused:
 
i thought that if you plugged in a surge protector into a surge protector that they cancelled each other out and would be worthless... thats what i heard from friends at least
 
AFAIK no, but it adds noise to the system which isn't a good thing, while not actually accomplishing anything.
 
I just have stuff plugged into the last one, all the other are empty except for the one used for the next surge protector in line. I only did that cause I am currently living in a home made house from the early 70's and there is only two outlets in the basement, where I have all my computer stuff right now.
 
Chaining the things still won't make them any more reliable and probably less so. If you need an extension cord, get an extension cord.
 
TRIPPLITE 750 VA Internet Office UPS System <------ Is this a good UPC?
 
Ballz2TheWallz said:
or you could buy a $20 surge protector from best buy that ensures $75,000 of equipment made by belkin
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=4690061&type=product&productCategoryId=cat08028&id=1051384509916
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yeah good luck getting anything from them. Do you have any recipets from your purchases of said computer equipment? No? Then they wont even return your call. You do have them? Well you must have plugged it in wrong. Ive NEVER heard of anyone honoring that insurance unless you were a large business who wouldnt be using crap like that anyways
 
Yes I own an APC and I am thankful for it. I recently moved into a new home while I have mine reconstructed. My APC software detects 6- 10 pwer outages per hour ( sensitivity is high) I suspect I would have sufffered lockups with power as dirty as this home provides had I not invested in a high end UPS
 
Building my apartment is in was built in the year 190X. Wiring's not quite that old...but still. UPS == essential, unlike the other UPS that I try to avoid using.
 
Another important thing to look for is that you've got "everything" running through the UPS. For most of us that would include a cable/phone line and an ethernet pass through. If it plugs into the back, make sure it's protected. I saw someone w/an APC Surgearrest, a very good surge protector, who didn't use the telephone pass through for their dial up modem. I think we've all heard the "ever since that storm, my internet don't work" line. I pulled the modem and you could see the scorch marks near the connector.

If you're buying a UPS make sure you look to see if it has all of the connections you need, or plan to need.

Oh, BTW the end damage to buddy's system was the loss of: Antec 480W PS, IC7-Max3, and his weeks old Plextor PX716-A. An unfortunate way to learn a lesson. Don't let it happen to you!

 
actually yes i have thee recipts and i would take there ass to court for false advertisement and make more then insured profit
 
Haha, I read this thread and then back out and the very top thread on FS/T is WTB a UPS Battery Backup... Good job guys, get everybody on one, they rock!
 
my system has an industrial resetve PSU, it plug into the wall, and my PSU plugs into it. All day and night it stores power. If the power goes out, it plugs in automatically and keeps my computer running. I can run my computer for 3 hours using it, But I usually (whenever theres a brown/blackout) just shut down.

I got it for free though, and ya., I advocate UPSis.
 
This thread convinced me to buy a APC Back-UPS ES 725VA (BE725BB). :D

I got it off eBay for $60 shipped.

Thank you. ;)
 
Ballz2TheWallz said:
actually yes i have thee recipts and i would take there ass to court for false advertisement and make more then insured profit
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At which time you would have to prove that it failed as a result of their product...which would be pretty hard.

Edit: Also note that the high maximum amounts listed on those things are mostly for attention grabbing...dare you to get that high value of hardware connected to that power strip in the first place, much less find someone dumb enough to shell out $75k on a system and not use a very good UPS on it.
 
RandysWay said:
This thread convinced me to buy a APC Back-UPS ES 725VA (BE725BB). :D

I got it off eBay for $60 shipped.

Thank you. ;)
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Good luck, hope the battery isn't shot
 
ashmedai said:
Surge protectors are hella better than nothing, but a UPS is hella better than a surge protector. Even a cheap one.
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Except when they combine the input voltage and battery voltage together, over-volt the PSU and detonate it like I've seen happen at a LAN party. A cheap Surge Protector with an insurance of the value of your attached equipment is a better choice.
 
I got a CyberPower from the egg when it was like $10 less with free shipping.

All it takes is one little brownout for a UPS to save your ass so you don't lose your work or fry any hardware and it's completely paid for itself.

Of course, after having a rather rambunctious cat who liked to run behind my desk and knock plugs out of the wall, I learned to save frequently, like every few words or such. :p

Seriously, though, you spend a lot of money on computer components. A UPS should be considered mandatory. Stash it away under your desk and you'll never even notice it until it kicks in. Then you'll be damned glad you had one. :)
 
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