UPS - How Do They Work?

[Ducman69]

I have a Belkin Energy Use Monitor, that appears to work flawlessly, but I am baffled by the results with my electronics behind a UPS.

Because this is new construction, I have three UPSs, and when I hook up the Belkin to them, I do not see a change in power draw when I turn on and off devices connected to any of them.

Eventually, they do change over time, so a quick google search indicates that I might have three "continuous UPS" systems, in which the devices are constantly running off the battery, which is constantly being charged.

However, my search also reports this is extremely unlikely, and typically only seen on large-scale server setups, and that its more likely my three are Standby UPSs, in which case the battery does nothing until there is a power outage.

If this is the case, why am I not seeing power fluctuations on my meter?

 

[ghost6303]

eventually, they do change over time

change how? you looking at voltage or current or both?

what exact UPS's do you have? you can look up what type it is and how it operates...

 

[Ducman69]

change how? you looking at voltage or current or both?

what exact UPS's do you have? you can look up what type it is and how it operates...

It has three functions, CO2, wattage, and average cost per year.

For the one in the living room for example, it has a 55" television, big amplifier, and computer attached. With all running its around 55 watts, and if you turn them all off, its about the same.

I have several different models, with the same symptoms with each, the wattage/cost per year changes very slowly. Plug any of those in directly to the meter bypassing the UPS and its instant results updated every second.

The UPS I'm on right now is an APC Back-UPS XS 1500, the other two are both different models/manufacturers.

http://www.apc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=BX1500LCD
Whatever this means:
Waveform Type Stepped approximation to a sinewave
Battery Type Maintenance-free sealed Lead-Acid battery with suspended electrolyte : leakproof
Full time multi-pole noise filtering : 5% IEEE surge let-through : zero clamping response time : meets UL 1449

 

[ghost6303]

For the one in the living room for example, it has a 55" television, big amplifier, and computer attached. With all running its around 55 watts, and if you turn them all off, its about the same.

i can tell you that 55watts is not an accurate reading, not only because it doesnt change. a "big amplifier" would pull more then 55 watts alone. the very small 5.1 speaker system i have pulls just around 50w. any less-than-10-year-old computer would be pulling between 100 and 400 watts. so, not even including the tv, you should be seeing a few hundred watts.

i would say its either user error or broken electronics, but 55 watts is not a reasonable number given all of that stuff plugged into it. i have almost that exact model of UPS, but it doesnt have an LCD to display power draw. however when i plug the UPS into my killawatt power meter, it reads it reasonably accurately (and the reading does indeed change when you turn equipment on and off), so it wouldnt be that a UPS somehow interferes with the reading.

 

[Ducman69]

i have almost that exact model of UPS, but it doesnt have an LCD to display power draw. however when i plug the UPS into my killawatt power meter, it reads it reasonably accurately (and the reading does indeed change when you turn equipment on and off), so it wouldnt be that a UPS somehow interferes with the reading.

The UPS attached to the TV/amplifier/computer is smaller triplite (can't see model).

The TV is an edge lit 55", the computer a Inspiron Zino HD (micro computer), and a Denon amp. Now that the TV, computer, and amp have been on a while, it reads 188 watts/$65 a year.

If I turn off devices the change is very slow, but if I plug a regular powerstrip bypassing the UPS, the Belkin meter (similar to killawatt) updates immediately. Oh well, I'll just assume it means that its running off the battery at all times, and the UPS ups the power draw based on how quickly the battery is being drained. Its the only thing that makes sense to me. Apparently this is horrible efficiency though, as the power draw never goes very low.