To UPS or not to UPS

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snugam

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Hello, Fellow Posties;

I need some advice and opinions here.

We are experiencing problems with electricity in an old Area in Bloemfontein (no comments about eskom please, its not relevant here)

We're considering buying a UPS to clean up the electricity, but the general opinion is that a normal UPS doesn't clean up the power it just relays it as is, and if a power-cut occurs, it kicks in.

We're looking at the Online UPS's which is suppsed to clean the power before it reaches the PC.

  1. Do we really need a online-ups or are there different possibly cheaper solutions that will provide the same service
  2. Are there any brands that you could recommend that have served you well in the past/sofar
  3. Where in Johannesburg/Pretoria areas can we orderd these UPS's at a reasonable price

This is not urgent :rolleyes: ; but your input is appreciated.

Just FYI, we've blown 4 motherboards on 2 pc's the past 3 years, both ended up with the same symptoms - so we're pretty sure, cleaning the power will make a difference.

THANKS FOR A GREAT FORUM. ;)
 
I have a line-interactive 400VA UPS, that filters the power, cost me around R300

Sure id doesnt last long, about 2 minutes, but thats enough to shut down safely...
 
I can get Powercom Line-Interactive 600VA UPS's for you at R500 each. It would give power for about 4 to 5 minutes. Thats the one I have.

One time our power in the area was flaky and there was a brownout giving 180V, I handily operated my PC with the UPS giving a clean and stable 230V through. During that time we also often had overvoltages, so the lines would run at 250V and the UPS cut it off at 238V.

You can monitor it all with the serial cable and software provided and tell the PC to safe and shutdown after a certain time of power outtage.

I checked my one supplier and a APC 500VA line interactive one will cost over a R1000, but might be a expensive supplier...
 
Kan nie seer maak om 'n UPS te gebruik nie.

I'm using a 600vA Line Interactive UPS, lasts about 5 minutes.
 
For business I'd suggest going for a generator hooked up to db by proper technicians. Yes, UPS is necessary still, but you don't merely want to shut down, do you? The point is to weather the storm. For this you need proper generator. A UPS will not carry you through unless you get a mother Fer of a UPS. :D
 
bekdik said:
A good quality UPS will always run off the inverter, so the output signal is always clean, provided you do not overload it.
Click to expand...

Thank YOu all

This I need to know. So a "Line Interactive UPS" will reduce spikes and compensate for other problems on electricity?

If I go to a shop an a person can prove to me on the box or in the Manual that it says Line Interactive; it will be worth it to get it.

We are not so worried about keeping the machine alive for a long time, but just to ensure that the power is clean - replacing motherboards becomes very expensive after a while you know :P

But OK, So then.... Line Interactive it is.

Thank YOu,
 
Zabzoo said:
Thank YOu all

This I need to know. So a "Line Interactive UPS" will reduce spikes and compensate for other problems on electricity?

If I go to a shop an a person can prove to me on the box or in the Manual that it says Line Interactive; it will be worth it to get it.

We are not so worried about keeping the machine alive for a long time, but just to ensure that the power is clean - replacing motherboards becomes very expensive after a while you know :P

But OK, So then.... Line Interactive it is.

Thank YOu,
Click to expand...

Yes, a line interactive will do that (keep the power clean, between 216V and 238V), thats why its got the desciption "line interactive".

Like I said you can get 600VA ones from me for R500 each and you can even see how it works on my machine.
 
If you don't use an UPS your PSU will die within a few months. Your disks will die when the power spikes or goes. Your ram will start throwing out errors after it gets damaged corrupting your data. If you spend R5000 on a PC spend R400 to keep its delicate components from dying. I have seen many PCs go without an UPS withing months of purchase.

Recently my UPS saved an ADSL router from a thunder strike.
 
edc said:
If you don't use an UPS your PSU will die within a few months. Your disks will die when the power spikes or goes. Your ram will start throwing out errors after it gets damaged corrupting your data. If you spend R5000 on a PC spend R400 to keep its delicate components from dying. I have seen many PCs go without an UPS withing months of purchase.

Recently my UPS saved an ADSL router from a thunder strike.
Click to expand...


Get your self an ELLIES “XHi Surge Safe Power Protector (16A)” “manufactured with flame retardant materials”
6 stages surge protection, 3 MOV’s and 3 Gas arrestors (Neon). Absorbs up to 20 000 amps on live, neutral and earth
Lowest clamping voltage is 300 Volt, where other surge protectors clamp between 700 and 800 volts

I got mine from “Pick n Pay” for +- R120 range, mine is a white one, it has a reg merkie and a verkeerde merkie to show you the status of your mains, it’s cool

I don’t have a smart UPS, because I built my own UPS with 2x 70Ah cars batteries parallel and a trickle charger and a inverter and a small 12V supply just to keep my inverter in tune incase the power cuts out form the mains and then my relays click over to battery power and can keep my pc’s running for +- 7 hours on the inverter, bit it’s not yet tested for so long period, but last year, I played vice city on my pc for a couple of hours then the power was cut for a very long time period, so it’s working ok



Recently my UPS saved an ADSL router from a thunder strike.
Click to expand...

How did your UPS saved your ADSL router, was the ADSL modem power adapter connected up to your UPS or where you Ethernet cable protected with the add-on surge protector for Ethernet plugs input and output
 
Jacquesl said:
I don’t have a smart UPS, because I built my own UPS with 2x 70Ah cars batteries parallel and a trickle charger and a inverter and a small 12V supply just to keep my inverter in tune incase the power cuts out form the mains and then my relays click over to battery power and can keep my pc’s running for +- 7 hours on the inverter, bit it’s not yet tested for so long period, but last year, I played vice city on my pc for a couple of hours then the power was cut for a very long time period, so it’s working ok
Click to expand...

You did what?!?! Tell me more on how that works please :D
 
Yea, I’m going to built it all over onto PCB’s with my new function “High And Low Voltage Cut Off With Time Delay” modified of course, so eks amper reg vir daai f0kkin 110V k@k, if your liggies glow if their on dim mode, it’s probably receiving some 110V, refrigerators, motors and my UPS likes it very much, my UPS sounds like if its in Iraq, sound like kla kla kla kla, it’s all those relays not getting the right voltage, machine gun sounds

You did what?!?! Tell me more on how that works please
Click to expand...

It’s just a inverter running as a backup bra, +- 7 hours backup or longer depends on how many devices is running from it, don’t listen to loud music then the power is down because that bass like those Amperes


I had a REAL UPS and it Sucks! Very unstable voltage, no regulator, is k@k, my inverter stays at 220V 50Hz no matter what, lekker soos n cracker

Oo ja, and use those energy saver lights then your on a back-up storie
 
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