Gamer76 Posted June 16, 2012 Posted June 16, 2012 Hey guys and girls , I'm thinking about this UPS (uninterrupted power supply) as a back up source if I lose any electrical power without damaging my new gaming PC/hard-drives. So that way I can close down my PC safely. I had 8 black outs here last year due to power lines /boxes are being upgraded. So just asking what are your thoughts of these UPS and do you recommend it ? cheers Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sword_fish Posted June 16, 2012 Posted June 16, 2012 power interruptions won't damage your pc/drives afaik. it's the power surge could kill your system, surges usually happens the moment your power restores after an interruption. though i've heard that AVR(automatic voltage regulator) and UPS are things in the past now in the US and Europe but if power interruptions bugging you still, a good UPS can save you from improper shutdowns and probable data loss. and most UPS afaik are equipped with surge protection as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaporX Posted June 16, 2012 Posted June 16, 2012 Sword you are not 100% correct, low voltage, aka borwn outs can cause damage to electronics. A UPS can serve not just to keep the power on but as a power line filter as well to reduce power line noise and give your system cleaner, more stable power. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sword_fish Posted June 16, 2012 Posted June 16, 2012 (edited) Sword you are not 100% correct, low voltage, aka borwn outs can cause damage to electronics. A UPS can serve not just to keep the power on but as a power line filter as well to reduce power line noise and give your system cleaner, more stable power. hmmm.. i agree regarding with the voltage drop, i was just focused with the black outs i just can't find a reliable UPS sold locally cause i guess i need one neither. Edited June 16, 2012 by sword_fish Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmb938 Posted June 16, 2012 Posted June 16, 2012 I have a UPS for my computer. My dad likes to build things in the garage which the office is right next to. This ends up lowering the voltage in the power lines to around 90 volts when ever he uses something high powered. With my old dell computer it was fine because it was dell lol. With my current computer it would just completely shut off. Then the voltage would jump back up which can cause a surge. So a UPS would help in that situation like mine. My area also tends to have brown outs every once in a while. Depending how worried you are will pretty much decide for you. If your worry about surges a good surge protector is fine. But if you want more protection with voltages, cleaning and what not go for a UPS. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d6bmg Posted June 17, 2012 Posted June 17, 2012 Depending on your the config of the system you are running, a 1KVa or 1.5KVa UPS will suffice. About company, look for APC. I've heard that it is a good company for UPS. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacLeod Posted June 17, 2012 Posted June 17, 2012 Sword you are not 100% correct, low voltage, aka borwn outs can cause damage to electronics. A UPS can serve not just to keep the power on but as a power line filter as well to reduce power line noise and give your system cleaner, more stable power. Good point, I never really thought of the brown outs. I live kinda out in the country so we get a quick power outage almost every day it seems and usually from squirrels touching two power lines at once. I had a UPS but the battery didnt last and so I just hooked everything up to the surge protector and havent worried about it. Maybe I should look into replacing that battery. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flareback Posted June 17, 2012 Posted June 17, 2012 I have a UPS on my system. I think they're a good idea just so you don't lose anything your working on. We have a couple of blackouts a year where I live. I actually have two, I had an older smaller one and I got a newer one so I put the old one on my cable modem and wireless. Now I can get on the internet even if we lose power as long as the cable company didn't lose power at their stuff. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
beeiilll Posted June 18, 2012 Posted June 18, 2012 (edited) I have been using UPS protection for probably longer than some of the folks on here have been alive - LOL.I have always set up systems for business as well as home with a UPS as I strongely believe in their benefits and the added safety of having one on things. I also use them for my telephone and Media Center.With the APC UPS that I use, they also have insurance for you as well. I have had them replace a couple of computers due to lightning stikes and a big screen TV. Didn't cost me a penny other than to buy the UPS in the first place and have it on!So ya, I would say that it is a very wise investment to make.Don't forget that there are many things that can go wrong with power other than just having it go off. Brownouts, surges, frequency droops, noise, lightning, etc.. Cheap way to protect your property overall. Edited June 18, 2012 by beeiilll Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigball1 Posted June 18, 2012 Posted June 18, 2012 I dont really think there is a solid reason not to get a UPS. I had one when i was living in my apartment because of all the "dirty" power and the frequent power failures. I think someone was a Mad scientist in the apartment as it happened lots. But i now live in my own home and they got old and started giving me battery failures. So i just got really good powers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waco Posted June 18, 2012 Posted June 18, 2012 Sword you are not 100% correct, low voltage, aka borwn outs can cause damage to electronics. A UPS can serve not just to keep the power on but as a power line filter as well to reduce power line noise and give your system cleaner, more stable power. A brownout is unlikely to actually damage anything but it can easily cause data corruption when it happens. PSUs have gotten pretty good about shutting down if the line voltage drops below nominal though. Either way a UPS gives you peace of mind and time to shut down cleanup if something does get buggered up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Master Binky Posted June 18, 2012 Posted June 18, 2012 (edited) UPS are a good idea in general. If you are having power issues (brown outs, dirty signal, power outages, etc..) you'll end up replacing the battery in the UPS instead of your PSU. You're not likely to having any significant damage beyond the PSU without a UPS (Given that I know you would never skip going through an appropriate surge protector). I had a series of people come into a repair shop I worked at once that kept having PSU burn out (average lifespan was 4-6 months...), told them to through a UPS and their problem cleared up, they all happened to live near a hospital ( Hospitals have a tendency to put make the surrounding power system crappy). Edited June 18, 2012 by Master Binky Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now