UPS

[randomwalsh]

Hi

I need to buy a UPS today but I am getting confused with the difference between a UPS and a surge protector.

Will a UPS protect a computer from a surge?

What UPS brands are good?

 

[RoganDawes]

Generally an online UPS will protect you from a surge (high voltage), but also from brown outs (voltage dips), or even blackouts (no power) for a period of time.

A surge protector will only protect you from the first.

I personally prefer to combine a surge protector and a UPS, since the surge protector is a lot cheaper than the UPS If something has to sacrifice itself, I'd rather it was cheap!

I have an APC UPS, but they tend to be a bit more expensive than others. That said, it does give me a couple of hours runtime with no mains supply.

 

[randomwalsh]

so would this combination be good on a budget?

http://www.wootware.co.za/apc-essential-surgearrest-5-plug-surge-protector.html

http://www.wootware.co.za/apc-back-...active-with-avr-power-conditioning-500va.html

 

[Gnome]

Depends entirely on what you plan to plug into the UPS.

 

[randomwalsh]

its just going to be stock pc that runs a dvr program linked to 5 cameras in a block of flats.

 

[RoganDawes]

Should be fine in that case.

 

[OGroteKoning]

That said, it does give me a couple of hours runtime with no mains supply.

A couple of hours? What size UPS do you have and what are you running from it when the power is down?

 

[RoganDawes]

APC SUA1500i, running an i5 2500k desktop (not overclocked), 20" and 26" LCD screens, a microserver, ADSL modem, router.

I haven't timed it exactly, but it has been pretty good, definitely in the region of a couple of hours.

Edit: OK, checking the linked page above suggests that I am perhaps a bit optimistic. Perhaps 1.5 hours or so. Anyway, that UPS is a lot more expensive that the OP was looking for. I was lucky - I found it on BidOrBuy for R400 with a dud battery. New battery was R1800, but that UPS new is around R4500, so a good deal all round.

 

[OGroteKoning]

Pricey! I thought it would be a bit cheaper than R5.5k

 

[RoganDawes]

Pricey! I thought it would be a bit cheaper than R5.5k

Yeah, I ended up paying around R2k. R5.5k would be out of my budget for a home office. That said, it was at the time of the Great Loadshedding, and I was the hell in with running for the generator, so I might have done that had I not found this one

An inverter-based system would be another approach if you need longer run times. Just multiply the batteries as needed.

 

[OGroteKoning]

Where did you buy it?

 

[randomwalsh]

ok so its agreed that the linked provided would sufficient?

 

[RoganDawes]

Where did you buy it?

I was lucky - I found it on BidOrBuy for R400 with a dud battery. New battery was R1800, but that UPS new is around R4500, so a good deal all round.

See my ninja edit above

 

[AfricanTech]

ok so its agreed that the linked provided would sufficient?

Yup - reckon so.

There was similar thread around this topic a couple of days ago Link

 

[randomwalsh]

is there a place to get a UPS wholesale price in durban?