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Help picking out UPS

J

jamesrb

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Jul 29, 2004
Messages
1,051
I typically have a high understanding of electronics, but shopping for a UPS has me confused. Trying to figure out the ratings I need, I have read a lot of pages that don't explain it well.

If I wanted to hook up an average gaming PC (Phenom II 955, Radeon 4850) and a 7.1 surround sound receiver (Onkyo TX-SR805), what rating would I need in VA and W for the UPS?

I don't care about the UPS ability to provide extended periods of power. It only needs to keep the devices on during a power flash for a couple of seconds. Any extra capacity to hook up a separate DirecTV DVR would be nice as well.

Thanks.
 
I think you want sine wave b/c of your audio equipment...so we're talking SmartUPS or higher (APC brand). I think they got the wattage on the boxes/product description. I'd aim so you're only using 50% of the units capacity, so you have plenty of time.
 
Ignore the VA rating; what you need to look at is the wattage rating. The specific amount you need depends on the load you'll be running. 400W would be a safe estimate for your PC. As for the surround receiver and any speakers you have connected, I don't know how much that would consume, so try and figure that out yourself. And I would also question whether or not it's necessary to have that equipment connected to the UPS altogether, since it could consume a lot of power and force you to get a model with higher capacity. It isn't really critical to keep power going to your receiver, even if it's only for a few seconds. Remember that the circuitry in the UPS has to be able to handle the load you place on it even when it's running off the mains, so you can't load it too much in any situation or you might damage it.
 
well, you need two different things...

The UPS for the computer will not work quite well for the receiver. There is "noise" in the power created by a UPS.

Why would you put a receiver on a UPS? Want to listen to your tunes in a blackout?

I would rather get a quality surge protector or line conditioner for the receiver.

Here is a link to APC's A/V solution -
http://www.apc.com/products/apcav/index.cfm

Note the focus on surge protection, noise filtering, and voltage regulation - key to getting the best sound out of your receiver. Bad news is - for A/V quality protection, expect to pay thru the nose...

Do buy an UPS that is more wattage than what you will be running off of it. At least 20-30% more UPS wattage than load. Try to hit higher if you can.

What kind of run time are you expecting? Typically, the UPS, unless it is powering "mission critical" items, such as a server farm, will supply enough time to save files and shut down. Do not expect the UPS to run for hours.

General FYI: Never plug a surge protector or another UPS into an UPS. This is a fire hazard...
DO buy APC - do not buy Best Buy or store branded UPS.
 
I have my speakers hooked up to my UPS and it does indeed have a hum to it so yea UPS and Sound not the best idea. I hooked it up because I don't care about the hum (I can only hear it when the speakers are at about 75% volume). I do think APS is the ONLY way to go though so go for it :).
 
My receiver has a problem where it looses all of the settings when the power is cut (due to a bad chip). Due to the size and weight of the receiver, in combination with the distance to a service center, I figured it would be easier to stick the receiver on a UPS than send it to the service center. The odds of the receiver being damaged in shipment is pretty high.

Our power only goes off for 1-2 seconds but will do this at least every couple of weeks. I do not need a long run time. I figured if I am getting a UPS, I might as well stick the computer on there too.

The receiver can supposedly consume 9.5A if you beleive the manual (if it were pulling this, it would be throwing my 15A breaker that has a LOT of stuff on it). From some forum posts though, I have seen someone say that they measure power consumption while the receiver is playing back at a moderate level to be around 160W.

It seems to me like a 900W UPS should be fine then if just the receiver and computer are on it. Is this not the case? From what I have read, I would need a pure sine wave model to work with an active PFC PSU in a compuer. If it was a pure sine wave model, it seems like the receiver shouldnt have any audio problems as well?
 
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You don't need a pure sine wave UPS; a simulated sine wave unit should do fine even with APFC PSUs. However, you may want a pure sine wave unit anyway for the receiver. And a 900W unit would be enough.
 
(Hope a short Q won't make a hijacker.)

When you (first time) charge UPS, do you turn it ON? Or is electrical cord plugged in enough?
 
courteous said:
(Hope a short Q won't make a hijacker.)

When you (first time) charge UPS, do you turn it ON? Or is electrical cord plugged in enough?
Click to expand...
I believe it should be on, although you should consult with the manual to make sure.
 
The Pro-Source is a mediocre UPS and isn't worth the money. Either of those Cyberpower UPSes would be good.
 
Zero82z said:
I believe it should be on, although you should consult with the manual to make sure.
Click to expand...

Only one A5 paper came along, no hints on it. Also nothing on CD. :confused:

What have you done when you first charged (any) UPS? Turned it ON or left it OFF?
 
I have always turned them on. I never tried charging a UPS while it was off so I can't say whether or not that would work.
 
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