Tom's Hardware > Forum > CPU & Components > Power Supplies, PC Cases & Case Mods > Should I get a UPS, if so which one?

Should I get a UPS, if so which one?

Forum CPU & Components : Power Supplies, PC Cases & Case Mods - Should I get a UPS, if so which one?

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bxmedic   02-27-2007 at 09:20:02 PM

The power in my home is less than accurate and reliable. (NYC ConEdison) It seems to have frequent fluctuations. I do have a quality Belkin surge protector and my PSU has Active PFC. (PcPower 750 Quad). I am wondering if I should also invest in a UPS for "clean steady power"? My machine is quite a power hog and I'd hate to ruin it due to crappy power.
Any thoughts appriciated.

Thermaltake Kandolf LCS
PC Power&Cooling 750Quad
EVGA 680i
Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 (3.38G 1500x9)
2G Corsair 6400CD(800mhz 4-4-4-12)
EVGA 8800GTX 690/925
WD 150G Raptor (Win XP MC'05)
2X WD 250G (Raid 0 for 500G storage and xtra games)
Buffalo 250G USB (Backups)

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doolittle   02-27-2007 at 10:56:34 PM
- 0 +

I have a line-interactive type (IMO a good balance between cost/protection), it's a tripp-lite 1000va that I got from costco for $99.

I ran your specs through the PSU calc, I got less than 375w so any unit over 800VA should give you a decent run time. Anything over 1400VA is probably overkill, even w/ your monitor, router and other basic HW with protection included.

UPS power requirement calculator@csgnetwork.com just plug-n-chug if you know your device wattage requirements.

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earnhardt   02-28-2007 at 04:19:30 AM
- 0 +

A UPS is not designed to keep a PC running over an extended period of time. They are intended to allow the user to save their files and then shutdown the computer. If you get a UPS, in your case it will not help your problems with your power issues. It has to have a line conditioner in the UPS to fix the power on the line before it hits your PC's power supply.

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doolittle   02-28-2007 at 07:16:06 AM
- 0 +

Quote :

in your case it will not help your problems with your power issues. It has to have a line conditioner in the UPS to fix the power on the line before it hits your PC's power supply.


That is the very reason why I selected the line-interactive type to protect my PC and networking components. They regulate power when necessary for the devices to function normally when your utility has issues providing a consistent waveform to your outlet - which sounds very much like the "frequent fluctuations" as described by OP.

Quote :

Line-Interactive UPS@pcguide.com[/url]"]The inverter/converter is also normally fitted with circuitry to filter out noise and spikes, and to regulate the power output, providing additional power during brownouts and curtailing output during surges.

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croc   02-28-2007 at 08:27:41 AM
- 0 +

Any of the decent UPS's from any of the major manufacturers should give you good service. Triplite and APC come to mind. The little desktop versions generally are not worth the money one pays for them... Look to spend a bit more.

Personally, here in AUS APC is generally more available. So I have an APC SmartUps 1000. It will hold my system up for ~ 15 minutes, depending on what I'm doing, in a complete blackout. The unit totally isolates my PC from the mains, and provides 220VAC @ 50HZ under almost all conditions. I haven't taken a lightening strike yet, but the warranty covers that.

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bxmedic   03-01-2007 at 01:29:30 AM
- 0 +

Quote :


That is the very reason why I selected the line-interactive type to protect my PC and networking components. They regulate power when necessary for the devices to function normally when your utility has issues providing a consistent waveform to your outlet - which sounds very much like the "frequent fluctuations" as described by OP.

Line-Interactive UPS@pcguide.com[/url]"]The inverter/converter is also normally fitted with circuitry to filter out noise and spikes, and to regulate the power output, providing additional power during brownouts and curtailing output during surges.



That's exactly what I am looking for. Just "Clean" power. If there's a total power outage I don't realy care. I am not into "mission critical" stuff and I acctualy do backup often since a RAID 0 disaster last yaer.

Reply to bxmedic
doolittle   03-01-2007 at 01:40:06 PM
- 0 +

This unit is the one I would get ($99 at costco), I have the older version w/o the LCD :cry:

TRIPP LITE SmartPro Digital SMART1000LCD 1000VA 500W

My coworker got one for his entertainment center powering his 42" LCD and A/V receiver over 6 months ago, is extremely happy w/ it.

Really any UPS unit that specs Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR) circuitry should provide adequate utility protection at reasonable costs. If you have $ to burn, get the line-conditioner for that perfect sine-wave to power your audiophile equipment - for SMPS it is a bit overkill... I would rather invest towards a new GPU :wink:

Reply to doolittle
PCAnalyst   03-01-2007 at 03:19:58 PM
- 0 +

I would recommend getting one simply to protect the RAID array from failure. I think you can trace many a HDD failure to power issues.

Reply to PCAnalyst
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