Another UPS thread - need to know

[adsl3g]

Hi forumites

Just need your views on this matter re a UPS. I want to connect the following items to a 600va MGE UPS available from Makro:

http://www.makro.co.za/ProductDetail.aspx?cat=-1&prod=31051&SKU=000000000000098838|EA

Harman Kardon 5.1 DD Receiver - the receiver is a few years old already and the power capacitor which stores its settings has given up the ghost resulting in it losing all its settings when there is a power outage.
LG DVD Recorder - the famous model that does not keep its settings when the power goes out.
Sony PS3 - mainly just for power filtering.

Do you think the 600va will handle these items - obviously they will only be on standby if there is a power outage as I do not intend to use them just off the UPS batteries.

I dont fancy the 1100va model UPS as it has a somewhat noisy fan in it but then again if I do get that one, could I stck my PVR on it as well (to record when there is a power outage)

 

[adsl3g]

**nobody dare to comment?? **

Surely someone has tried this.

 

[grubsner]

I have my Pioneer Amp, DVD player, DSTV Decoder and 38" Panasonic Plasma on a Mecer 1000VA UPS. The total power drawn when all the applicances are on is about 250W. The UPS last for about 20 minutes.

The 600 VA should be large enough to support the mentioned items. The Mecer has 2x12V 7AH batteries installed.

The UPS protects agains those power surges when the power comes back on. I can watch TV until teh next add break before getting up to start the Genset. The PVR also stays online during outages. With all the units on standby and only the PVR running I get more thn 2 hours of service from the UPS.

HTH

Grubs

 

[adsl3g]

@thanks Grubs - maybe i should get the 1100va just for getting the PVR on as well and lasting through a power outage. It seems to be the same as the Mecer with the 2x 7ah batteries

What I'll also do is check the power consumption of each and see what the total is.

 

[DearHeart]

I'm curious to know, doesn't the beeping from the UPS drive one crazy when the mains is off? For normal usage on a PC, the UPS will beep for up to +- 20 minutes, giving you time to shut down and switch the UPS off. But if you are using it for other purposes such as described here, how do you put up with the noise? I would also like to use a UPS for back-up power for my ADSL modem and to power a 18W energy saver lamp for +- 2 hours during load shedding, but short of opening the UPS and somehow disabling the beeper, I can't figure out how to keep it quiet.

 

[StillOnSent]

I'm curious to know, doesn't the beeping from the UPS drive one crazy when the mains is off? For normal usage on a PC, the UPS will beep for up to +- 20 minutes, giving you time to shut down and switch the UPS off. But if you are using it for other purposes such as described here, how do you put up with the noise? I would also like to use a UPS for back-up power for my ADSL modem and to power a 18W energy saver lamp for +- 2 hours during load shedding, but short of opening the UPS and somehow disabling the beeper, I can't figure out how to keep it quiet.

All "computer" type ( APC ect ect ) I have ever had, have a button you can press to stop the beeping

The big UPS's like the Intellipower units that run TV, PVR ect ect for 8 hours, dont beep at all.
Only way you know with them the power is out, is their small cooling fan kicks in

 

[howardb]

Usually if you press the power button on the UPS for less than one second, it should switch off the beeping and not the whole unit -- this is only on the push-type buttons (like a VCR power button), and not for the click-type buttons... check the UPS manual or their website.

 

[DearHeart]

Thanks for the info guys, seems better rather go for an APC or one of the brandnames than the R300 jobs one gets at Matrix etc. Read somewhere on the forums that the cheaper ones don't handle lower output very well either.

 

[d0b33]

I have a question regarding my APC BackUPS 350va...

At the moment my PC has not gone beyond 150W even on full load and it seems the max my UPS can handle is 220W, what will happen if I upgrade my PC and exceed the 220W limit?

Can't seem to find an answer for this question anywhere.

 

[howardb]

I have a qeustion regarding my APC BackUPS 350va...

At the moment my PC has not gone beyond 150W even on full load and it seems the max my UPS can handle is 220W, what will happen if I upgrade my PC and exceed the 220W limit?

Can't seem to find an answer for this question anywhere.

The UPS will probably just shutdown to prevent damage.

...or if it's a dodgy model, explode

 

[grubsner]

The Mecer UPS is not that expensive but I have 3 units and none have ever given me any hassles. 1400VA for the PC's, 1000VA for the home theater and a 1000VA for the bedroom TV and lights.

The Mecer UPS comes bundled with Winpower that allows you to disable the beeper via software. But this option is not permanent. Sometimes the beeper will just come back on by itself. The UPS on the PC is easy to sort because of the permanent connection to the PC. For the other UPS units I had to boot the laptop and load Winpower etc everytime there was a power outage... so I made plan...

For the other two UPS units I have opted for a hard nosed approach...I have de-soldered the beeper units from both! I know when the UPS goes into backup mode when the FAN starts. Easy!

Grubs

 

[DearHeart]

Me and a soldering iron, think not...

The Mecer UPS is not that expensive but I have 3 units and none have ever given me any hassles. 1400VA for the PC's, 1000VA for the home theater and a 1000VA for the bedroom TV and lights.

The Mecer UPS comes bundled with Winpower that allows you to disable the beeper via software. But this option is not permanent. Sometimes the beeper will just come back on by itself. The UPS on the PC is easy to sort because of the permanent connection to the PC. For the other UPS units I had to boot the laptop and load Winpower etc everytime there was a power outage... so I made plan...

For the other two UPS units I have opted for a hard nosed approach...I have de-soldered the beeper units from both! I know when the UPS goes into backup mode when the FAN starts. Easy!

Grubs

 

[Tun@]

Me and a soldering iron, think not...

Side cutters <=> soldering iron