This UPS any good?

[saturnotaku]

How about this bad boy? I'm guessing it's probably a bit overkill, but that seems like a good price for an enterprise-grade backup system.

[JaxMacFL]

Looks like a good one and at a real good price too. Beats Newegg price by quite a bit (over $100). Three out of four give it 5 stars and the fourth one evidently worked it out with CyberPower support.

Reviews: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16842102089

[Bman212121]

It looks like a decent unit, the only thing I would be concerned with is how many things you want to backup with it. Looking at the rear of the device shows it only has 4 battery backup outlets, and they don't have the most favorable spacing. If you wanted to plug in something with a transformer on the end then you'd only have 3 battery outlets on it. If it is a concern you can always just use a PDU (Power Distribution Unit) for more outlets. Basically it's a power strip without surge protection.



http://www.cyberpowersystems.com/pro...mageI=#tab-box

It should provide a little more runtime than the other models as it has more battery capacity. I did a quick check on the batteries and they are $20 a piece so it's not much more than batteries for other models either.

I've been digging into the documentation on them, and they all seem to be in the similar range of features. The unit will go down to 90V before kicking onto battery, which would be bad IMO if it didn't have AVR. With AVR it should be able to stay running with only 90V input and still output close to 120V without having to kick onto battery. This saves the battery for when the power actually goes out and has less wear and tear.

If you can pick it up locally it would probably save some on shipping costs as the unit weighs 52Lbs. I think it any of the 1500VA models should be okay for your needs, and this one might have slightly higher tolerances since it is supposed to be for enterprise equipment.

I couldn't find anything in the pictures for Cyberpower's business software, but here is one thing that APC's business software does which is pretty cool. I do see the option for data logging though.



The high and low levels on that graph are where the UPS will kick into AVR mode. We were having issues with the unit kicking in and stay on because our power coming in was a little high. It can stay in AVR mode for as long as needed but if it's running out of range 24/7 it might be worth a call to your power provider to see if they can tweak the lines. The drop in the graph was me pulling the cord from the wall.

I wouldn't worry about the APC business models though as they are quite a bit more costly for the unit and replacement batteries. I don't think you need to be too concerned about 24/7 operation for your home pc.

[saturnotaku]

After doing some more digging, I think I'm going to go with the Cyberpower 1500VA model. The company is apparently in the process of setting up a system where you can buy replacement batteries directly from them. I'm thinking they'd have it running by the time replacement would be necessary. If not, they actually do provide part numbers so you can buy them on your own. I like the aesthetics of the Cyberpower unit, and it seems to have received more consistent positive reviews than the comparable APC. It can also be had for about $170-175 shipped from some places, which undercuts Newegg by a bit.

[Tr1cK]

I think you are making a good choice. I've personally had 2 APC units croak on me and my 1 CyberPower has been great.

[rudedog]

We do sell battery replacement cartridges for the BR1500LCD
http://www.apc.com/tools/upgrade_selector/index.cfm
This may be a better link
http://www.apc.com/resource/include/...basket=3944,3c

It's about $80 and includes pre paid shipping of your old batteries back to us. However if the batteries fail within the 2 year warranty then they will be replaced (the whole unit) under said warranty.

Not that both the APC and Cyber units are step approximated square waves when on battery and I do not recommend using any type of surge protector to extend the number of outlets, only a PDU as mentioned above.

Normal battery life expectancy is 3-5 years (all usp systems) where 3 years if you have the unit placed in a room or closet with no ventilation, high temperatures and constantly switching back and forth to battery.

Disclaimer, I work for APC

[Bman212121]

I covered the battery replacement in post #3.


@Sat: Let us know how you like the unit. I've never really had any experience with them so it's always good to have some feedback.

[rudedog]

oops sorry Bman was trying to catch up before heading out the door...

[saturnotaku]

Originally Posted by Bman212121

@Sat: Let us know how you like the unit. I've never really had any experience with them so it's always good to have some feedback.

Will do. The final debate now is deciding between the non-LCD and LCD models. The former is cheaper by $10-30, depending on where you buy it. While the LCD is cool, and it should provide pretty useful information, I can't imagine it being absolutely necessary to justify its higher price, especially when the included software will show the same data. Thoughts?

[Tr1cK]

LCD is bling factor if you even care.

[Bman212121]

Yea I'd have to agree with that. Also if your UPS is under the desk it might be pretty hard to even see the LCD screen. Another thing to consider is brightness. If the screen is bright and can't be turned off, then you might have an unwanted night light.

As a side note I swear I'm going to smash than blue LED on the 780i board, it lights up half of my room.

[saturnotaku]

Originally Posted by Bman212121

Yea I'd have to agree with that. Also if your UPS is under the desk it might be pretty hard to even see the LCD screen. Another thing to consider is brightness. If the screen is bright and can't be turned off, then you might have an unwanted night light.

My computers are kept in a separate bedroom, and I don't leave them on 24/7. I went ahead and ordered the LCD model--got it for about $173 including shipping. If it goes out today, it should arrive by Friday. Since we're having some new flooring installed Saturday, I probably won't have time to get everything up and running until Sunday or Monday.

I really appreciate all the feedback, it was most helpful.