UPS battery backup recommendations

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Tunnelcat
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UPS battery backup recommendations

Post by Tunnelcat »

I've been trying to find a battery backup UPS system for my computer and router/modem in the office since my old APC died, but all the new stuff out there by APC, Tripp Lite or Cyberpower are all pretty much firehazard junk or unreliable. APC has taken to building their transformers using aluminum wire windings and they don't know how to solder or crimp aluminum connections, creating a short and fire hazard. Search YouTube if you don't believe me. Anything now built in Vietnam or Mexico is absolute junk and these companies expect us to plug these units in and hope for no fires and reliable operation. Made in China stuff is starting to look like Rolls Royce construction anymore. WTF! Any recommendations?
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Re: UPS battery backup recommendations

Post by Krom »

I have some older cyberpowers that are doing fine, but I have a standby generator out back with an automatic transfer switch so about the longest my power ever goes out for is 10 seconds at a time.

I can at least say I used to have some belkin units and they weren't good, float charged the batteries to oblivion within like 9 months consistently because they just blasted 28v into the packs 24/7 without a care in the world.
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Re: UPS battery backup recommendations

Post by Nosferatu »

I like Mr. Carlson's lab videos and I saw that one.

Unfortunately I have one of those models and I'm a little scared to use it now. :frown:
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Re: UPS battery backup recommendations

Post by Tunnelcat »

I'm now looking at SKE units. They don't have pure sine wave power, but I'll take old school Made in China over the crap I've seen from the newer Made in Vietnam APC and Tripp Lite offerings. I'm not sure where Cyberpower is made, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was Vietnam as well. I'm almost wanting to look at a small power wall battery installation for certain dedicated circuits in my house in case of power failures, because unfortunately, we have lots of little power blips that mess up electronics.
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Re: UPS battery backup recommendations

Post by Tunnelcat »

Another question. Does APC use MOV's for surge protection in their UPS units? My 2 current APC 1500va units were bought in 2010 and 2014. Since we get lots of power blips, I wonder about the life expectancy of the surge circuitry?
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Re: UPS battery backup recommendations

Post by Nosferatu »

A bit of a necro-post.

But last summer I did decide to live dangerously and use my PC Back UPS 1500
(The one in Mr. Carlsons lab)

Its been running fine for 7.5 months.
No magic smoke
No code F2

Knock on wood of course. :P
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Re: UPS battery backup recommendations

Post by Tunnelcat »

I finally found a rack-mount Cyberpower programmable UPS that's great, but it's expensive. You can program the wait until shutdown time just in case the power outage is just a blip. I set it for 5 minutes, plenty of time to turn off my gaming rig. It conditions the incoming power and I can also tell it to either power back on after a certain number of minutes when the power returns, or tell it to stay off until I turn it back on. This is great if I'm out of town so don't have to worry about the power going out and then having to be there to physically shut down the UPS before the batteries are drained.
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