UPs and power supply

[gkm]

Living in Cape Town, I was wondering the following:
My little file server PC sits behind a UPS and I would like it to stay up as long as possible. Currently is has a 400W power supply, but since it is very stripped down in terms of components, is should probably work fine on a 200W PSU. I do not know much about PSU's ,so I do not know it the Watt rating only means peak power, or if it affects continuous consumption as well.

I have a spare 300W (same make) lying around. Would it be worth installing that or will I not gain much?

 

[i-Guru]

two things you can do:
a) Put more batteries in the UPS, will make it run longer
b) Decrease the overall current consumption of the complete PC

 

[gkm]

a) Put more batteries in the UPS, will make it run longer

As far as I understand it the UPS is already maxed out at 2000 VA. It can keep the server up for 55 minutes at the moment before it starts screaming.

b) Decrease the overall current consumption of the complete PC

What would be the best options to achieve this? (It is a P4 3Ghz on an Intel 865G Bayfield motherboard with integrated graphics and 2 X 160GB Sata drives running RedHat ES 4.)

 

[stoke]

You can have a 900W power supply running there, it won't make a difference.
You're right on the assumption that that's the maximum power it can provide.
The UPS only has to provide the amount of power being drawn.
i.e. Changing the power supply will not help.

 

[gkm]

Thanks for the info, Stoke.

 

[Person]

The smaller the PSU the less power used. The less parts using Power through the PSU the longer the UPS is going to work. Only way you will get the PSU to last longer on the UPS is to buy a bigger UPS

 

[gkm]

Thanks. I shall try a test.