Powering things with a UPS

[DrJohnZoidberg]

Will go to Builders tomorrow and grab everything, thanks!

When I open up the kettle lead and want to connect it to the extension lead, how would I know which 3 wires go where? (besides a diagram of the 3-ping extension, I have no clue) I'm assuming all kettle cords(?) will be color coded on the inside?

Brown - live (L)
Blue - neutral (N)
Green/Yellow - earth (E)

 

[Akirky]

I'm sure I have seen a range of these leads at Matrix Warehouse.

 

[benhart]

Using an adapter saves you some effort, and can be neater. Something like this http://www.what4electronics.co.za/iec-female-inline-rewireable-socket-adapter-plug-10a-250v.

I found some at ZakSpeed (http://www.zakspeed.co.za/) in Cape Town.

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

No, cut the plug off, strip the wires and crimp/solder them to a modular male kettle plug. They open via a screw, split in halve exposing the contacts.

Are those readily available at shops like Builders?

 

[benhart]

Are those readily available at shops like Builders?

I couldn't find them at Builders, but you might have better luck. Ask for a rewireable male iec (aka kettle plug) adapter.

 

[kayvee]

Using an adapter saves you some effort, and can be neater. Something like this http://www.what4electronics.co.za/iec-female-inline-rewireable-socket-adapter-plug-10a-250v.

I found some at ZakSpeed (http://www.zakspeed.co.za/) in Cape Town.

OP was looking for the male version, not the female one you linked.

Correct name is rewirable IEC male connector (in-line, or chord mount). Example here.

Most decent electrical/electronic distributors should stock. The likes of Mantech, Electrocomp, Communica, Zakspeed, etc. Not sure about Builders, perhaps.

I collected a few from Electrocomp yesterday, R9 each. Granted, not Schurter quality

 

[benhart]

OP was looking for the male version, not the female one you linked.

Correct name is rewirable IEC male connector

Yeah, realised the link was female after I submitted I meant the male though, I got some at Zakspeed a few months ago - I think about R12.

 

[akescpt]

so how long would this solution keep your setup alive OP?

 

[MagicDude4Eva]

My local Builder's (both Fourways and Cedar Square) have both the male/female plugs. Paranoid as I am, I took a APC multiplug, cut off the plug and attached the female IEC plug which connects into the UPS (my DIY skills barely extend to fixing a leaking faucet, so anyone capable of holding a screwdriver will be able to do it)

 

[DrewChan]

So what would be needed to power a 650w pc and lcd tv for 2 hours

 

[ponder]

Paranoid as I am, I took a APC multiplug, cut off the plug and attached the female IEC plug which connects into the UPS (my DIY skills barely extend to fixing a leaking faucet, so anyone capable of holding a screwdriver will be able to do it)

Not male?

 

[ponder]

Are those readily available at shops like Builders?

Some do, try mica, builit etc as well.

 

[PhireSide]

Do Telkom exchanges usually function during power outages? How long do the battery backups usually last in such cases?

 

[kayvee]

Just as an aside note, the efficiency of these UPS's at low load is not the greatest.

So just because you get the UPS to shut down the PC quickly by the UPS/software don't expect the UPS to keep going for hours on end just powering your router and switch, which are typically just a few watts.

Take a look at the APC graphs here.

At those sorts of loads they don't even feature on the graphs, the efficiency is so bad. The UPS is chowing more battery life than it is supplying power out, just to keep itself running. Typically you are not going to get more than 45 to 60 minutes run time.

 

[ponder]

Do Telkom exchanges usually function during power outages? How long do the battery backups usually last in such cases?

Telkom exchanges run on 48V DC power so the power stays on followed by the generator(s) kicking in in the event of a power failure.

 

[benhart]

So what would be needed to power a 650w pc and lcd tv for 2 hours

As far as UPS's go, quite a bit

You can use these as an indication (amongst other resources). We're 230V:
http://www.apc.com/products/runtime_for_extendedruntime.cfm?upsfamily=27
http://www.apc.com/products/runtime_for_extendedruntime.cfm?upsfamily=165

edit:
Seems apc site doesn't like the referer. You can't click the hyperlinks, gives an error. Copy the location and paste in browser path.

 

[PhireSide]

Telkom exchanges run on 48V DC power so the power stays on followed by the generator(s) kicking in in the event of a power failure.

Oh, was wondering as with our last load shedding our telephone line died along with everything else not hooked up to a UPS of some sort...

 

[ponder]

Oh, was wondering as with our last load shedding our telephone line died along with everything else not hooked up to a UPS of some sort...

If it's a cordless phone it won't work (operates from your mains), normal phone will work (powered via exchange).

If a normal phone stops working it means something at the exchange went wrong, genny never autostarted, genny ran out of fuel etc etc etc Batteries will only last for X time.

 

[mister]

Just as an aside note, the efficiency of these UPS's at low load is not the greatest.

So just because you get the UPS to shut down the PC quickly by the UPS/software don't expect the UPS to keep going for hours on end just powering your router and switch, which are typically just a few watts.

Take a look at the APC graphs here.

At those sorts of loads they don't even feature on the graphs, the efficiency is so bad. The UPS is chowing more battery life than it is supplying power out, just to keep itself running. Typically you are not going to get more than 45 to 60 minutes run time.

My 2000va cheap ups will power an led light for just short of four hours before shutting down.

 

[MagicDude4Eva]

Not male?

True - it's male. BTW: I am running an APC 650 Pro which in a power-outage manages to run my gigabit switch, DSL modem and NAS for about 15 minutes. The NAS auto-powers off after 5 minutes.