No, not all Pure Sine Wave UPS are identical.
No, not all Pure Sine Wave UPS are identical.
I reside in a residential building, but our management team has considered installing solar panels on the roof. Unfortunately, because of the existing electrical setup and its limitations for residents, those panels offer minimal benefit. This proposal was ultimately not pursued. Additionally, the expense involved would be substantial, reinforcing that solar panels aren't practical for our needs. Nevertheless, the management did acquire a gasoline-powered backup generator with simulated waveform output, which could keep essential systems like heating and water distribution running during grid outages.
Yes, certain PSUs are compatible with simulated sine wave UPS systems. That's why I mentioned:
I understand some EVGA PSUs also function well with APC simulated sine wave UPS. However, it's limited to specific models rather than the entire range.
Because of this, I don't really trust Corsair's statement that all their PSUs work with simulated sine wave. That would include low-quality units (like VS-, VX-, CS-series) as well as high-quality ones (such as HX-, HXi-, AX-, AXi-series).
The entire Corsair product line has been developed by various PSU OEMs: Seasonic, Flextronics, Great Wall, Channel Well Technology, HEC/Compucase, and Chicony Power Technology. (For example, your RMx is manufactured by CWT.) I've noticed that some models from these manufacturers don't perform well with simulated sine wave UPS.
In the end, it's better to avoid risking performance and opting for a more reliable solution.
🤔
Or another way to look at it: if you install a simulated sine wave UPS and it fails to maintain your RMx due to a power gap at the transfer switch, what then? Would you reach out to Corsair to replace the PSU? I doubt they would. Even if they did, you'd likely end up with the same RMx model again, which might not work with the simulated sine wave UPS. Corsair wouldn't reimburse you for this, so you'd have to choose between your PC, your budget, and your decision.
In the end, it's your choice.
I've considered this too, thinking it's a 50/50 chance of getting anything at all on higher-end PSUs. But honestly, they're producing these units and still can't promise which one will actually work or not. It seems like they're not really committed to supporting us when we ask about UPS issues.
By the way, are these my main options? Do they really differ if you ignore the wattage specs (like 1000W vs 1320W)?
BGM2200B-GR
CP1600EPFCLCD
The key distinction between a generator and a UPS lies in their operational duration.
Most UPS systems typically last only a few minutes, whereas a generator can sustain operation for days at a time.
Power supplies, when they become too efficient, may simply cut off when they detect insufficient power quality.
More often, they operate less efficiently, leading to increased energy loss as heat or, in extreme cases, failure to provide adequate power for your equipment.
Running a generator that isn’t designed for pure sine wave can also increase the risk of damaging the power supply.
Generators that draw power into heat instead of converting it tend to shorten their lifespan.
A UPS generally experiences similar issues but usually operates for much less time per year—often under an hour annually—and only activates briefly during brief power interruptions.
Plugging a UPS into an inexpensive generator creates additional complications. The generator will activate, the UPS will sense the unstable power, and it will transfer all load from the battery to the generator while drawing more power to recharge the batteries.
The generator then slows down due to reduced demand, causing voltage and frequency fluctuations. The UPS responds by switching back to the battery, resulting in constant switching between the two devices.
Higher-quality generators, such as inverter or sine wave models, avoid this problem because they are less reliant on engine speed for stable power output.
I understand, which generators work well for a 10 kW to 100 kW home system? There are many options available, and prices vary widely. Could you share some examples you're considering?
Just as there exists a wide range of PSU manufacturers—from unbranded Chinese options to top-tier models—UPSes follow the same pattern. The same applies here: they begin with a standby configuration, delivering square wave output, and progress to online delta-conversion designs that provide true or pure sine wave.
These power supplies are built to function on the main electricity grid, which inherently uses a true/sine wave format. It shouldn’t be blamed on PSU manufacturers when UPS makers compromise on build quality and deliver subpar units.
Each product varies in construction standards. In general, you’ll find options spanning budget, average, and premium price points. Typically, the higher the cost, the superior the performance (usually).
This is what I’ve already mentioned:
Depending on your specific needs, you can choose among various UPS models.
Let’s compare the specifications:
APC BGM2200B-GR:
https://www.apc.com/shop/hr/en/prod...-P...GM2200B-GR
CyberPower CP1600EPFCLCD:
https://www.cyberpower.com/eu/en/product...cification
Differences:
Capacity:
APC – 2200VA / 1320W
CyberPower – 1600VA / 1000W
Recharge time after full discharge:
APC – 16 hours
CyberPower – 8 hours (to reach 90% charge)
Runtime:
APC – [value not available]
CyberPower – 2.6 minutes at 1000W load; 9.7 minutes at 500W load.
Surge suppression (up to):
APC – 1080 Joules
CyberPower – 405 Joules
Input ports:
APC – 1 x IEC C20
CyberPower – 1 x IEC C14
Output ports:
APC – 2 x IEC C13 with battery + surge protection; 2 x Schuko with battery + surge protection; 2 x Schuko with only surge protection.
Direct links if image doesn’t load:
https://download.schneider-electric...S_2200B_GR_B_V&p_File_Type=rendition_1500_jpg
CyberPower – 6 x Schuko, all protected by battery + surge protection.
Direct links if image doesn’t load:
https://www.cyberpower.com/eu/en/File/Ge...7630e554d9
Noise levels:
APC – 45 dB(A) at 1 meter
CyberPower – 0 dB(A) *
* Noise details aren’t listed for CyberPower, but if we consider their UPS as a reference, it appears nearly silent. When switching to battery power, a loud alarm sounds, indicating a power outage. This helps you protect your work and shut down your PC safely.*
In summary, despite both offering true/sine wave and line-interactive designs, there are notable distinctions between the two models. Your decision is yours.
Personally, I’d prefer CyberPower because it provides a wider selection of output ports compared to APC’s offerings. With APC, only two ports are dedicated to PC use (IEC C13), and you might need an additional IEC C14 cable if your PSU uses Schuko instead of the female plug.
Moreover, two of the Schuko connectors on APC models lack battery backup, functioning essentially as enhanced surge protection. In contrast, CyberPower’s UPS features all output ports protected by both battery and surge protection, making it more user-friendly overall.
I've just checked the power consumption of the 1320 W APC model and the 1000W CP model, and you're right—when I looked at the differences in watts, there wasn't any real variation. Here are the details:
CYBER POWER - >
https://imgur.com/a/1gjIuP9
View: https://imgur.com/a/1gjIuP9
APC - >
https://imgur.com/a/UM1Nb6a
View: https://imgur.com/a/UM1Nb6a
In reality, there are variations, and APC performs worse.
Also, thanks for the APC charts. It didn't load for me, even when I used Firefox and Chrome.
The raw load times are:
APC - 132W = 43min
APC - 500W = 9min 8s
APC - 600W = 6min 49s
APC - 100W = 2min 9s
APC - 1320W = 28s
CyberPower - 60W = 122min 12s
CyberPower - 500W = 9min 42s
CyberPower - 600W = 7min 6s
CyberPower - 1000W = 2min 36s
On equal loads, like 500W and 600W, CyberPower lasts longer, even though it has less capacity overall. That shows better efficiency for CyberPower UPS compared to APC UPS.
Additionally, CyberPower charges much quicker than APC—about twice as fast.