The 900-watt UPS isn't sufficient for...
The 900-watt UPS isn't sufficient for...
Hi, I was wondering if the UPS you have, which has 900 watts, would be sufficient for your gaming PC since your power supply only provides 850 watts and you also have a gaming monitor. Before I used it, I had to rely on this UPS because of electricity outages.
It's not just about the wattage, it's more about how long you run the load compared to the power draw. Your PSU might be marked as 850W, but if your steady load is only 400W, a '900W' UPS could give you just 3-4 seconds during an outage, whereas a '1500VA' unit would provide 30-60 seconds.
This doesn't account for the type of UPS. Those using artificial or modified square sine waves last much longer and cost less, while some are essentially just battery backups if power cuts completely, unlike line-interactive models that also draw from the battery during partial outages.
It's not the wattage so much as the amount of time vs load. Your psu might be labeled as 850w, but in reality your entire constant load is only 400w. In that case a '900w' UPS may only buy you 3-4 seconds time during a complete power outage, but a '1500 VA may buy you 30-60 seconds instead.
And that's not including the 'type' of UPS. Those that use artificial/modified square sine waves will last far longer and cost far less than those that use 'real' sine waves, and there's a difference between those UPS which are basically nothing more than a battery backup if power is completely shut off and those that are line interactive so will also use the battery to supply extra power during a 'brown out' where power is there but the lights are dim because it's only partial voltage.
UPS are not cheap, and if they are too cheap, there is most definitely a reason why, and it's almost guaranteed that that reason is because it will not do the job you really need it to do. A cheap UPS that only works at power loss, doesn't clean up the voltage, doesn't help with low/high voltage conditions and only lasts less than 10 seconds at fractional loads is a total waste of your money.
Yes, you're correct about the 1500VA rating, but I'm focusing on the watts now.
Recently this UPS has stopped working and it also turns off during power outages...
Man, thanks a lot for the details! I purchased a budget UPS called "SVC V-1500 L." At first, it seemed to function well and handled power outages, but after some time it stopped working properly. It turns off when the PC shuts down during power cuts. Later, I bought another UPS with higher capacity, hoping it would last longer.
The batteries in a UPS aren't indefinite, they behave similarly to car batteries and are also confined within a compact, heat-retaining case. Typically, you can anticipate 2 to 3 years of operation.
I own a Minuteman 700 Pro that's about 13 years old. It's so outdated that its only connection to the PC is via a D-Sub cable, yet it still functions. However, it consumes a battery every 18 months to two years. At $25 per battery, it matches the same type used in certain commercial exit or fire escape lighting systems.
Perhaps your batteries are failing, which explains the complete loss of power during a main power outage.