Which UPS would be the easiest to use?
Which UPS would be the easiest to use?
Hello Everyone,
We rarely experience power loss in my area. Over the past 40 years, I’ve only come across two such incidents.
However, I’m very concerned about losing data on my SSD during backups if there’s a failure.
While researching UPS options, I came across some extremely negative reviews for major brands:
- UPS stops working even when powered from AC and crashes the computer
- Emits unpleasant odors, smoke, and starts burning while in use
- Batteries fail without warning and cause crashes during power loss
- New units die within hours or days after purchase
- Replacement batteries are more expensive than the whole unit itself
- Shipping costs for warranty service are in the hundreds
It’s clear why I haven’t bought one despite using PCs for many years.
Do you have any suggestions for a model or brand that would minimize the risk of regret?
TIA.
No one can suggest a unit or brand that will keep you from regretting your choice. Please share your location, preferred shopping platform, budget, and the specifications of your build, including the PSU details, so we can assess the necessary investment.
Are you working at your desk while transferring files or do you leave your machine running without supervision?
Many UPS devices have limited battery life, offering only a few minutes of backup power when fully charged. Consequently, you may only have about five minutes to shut down your computer smoothly if the system's power needs are near its rated capacity.
Purchasing a UPS with a much higher output than your computer can provide 20 to 30 minutes of emergency power. For instance, a 1000VA/700W unit for a system needing just 125W should last several tens of minutes.
If you rely on a laptop—such as storing data on an external drive—to handle the backup, a fully charged battery should suffice during a moderate outage.
In any case, if nightly backups take hours without supervision, most UPS units won’t be able to support a desktop for extended periods during a prolonged blackout.
I prefer APC as my main supplier, but larger models can become costly, particularly when they include two substantial 12V batteries. Replacing these batteries is pricey, though you don’t always need original equipment unless you find a reliable substitute.
To reduce the risk of unexpected failure due to aging batteries, you can conduct monthly tests on certain units and review the outcomes. If the results indicate the need for new batteries, you’ll have clear guidance on how to proceed.
Data remains secure on your SSD. A brief period exists between the request and the final write completion. If interrupted, it may result in a corrupted write. Disabling write caching can lower this risk but may affect speed. Following a power outage, you can use CHKDSK to check file health. This article may be useful: https://www.kingston.com/en/blog/servers...protection
USA
Amazon, BH Photo Video, NewEgg, Microcenter
$300 max
Corsair RM1000x, Asus ProArt Z790, 128GB Ram Crucial MX500's two at a time max.
My Macrium Reflect backups usually take no more than 1 hour and are only done while I am present, though not necessarily in same room.
I am certainly going to stop a backup if I lose power. I just need time for orderly shutdown.
Did you come across any of the commonly mentioned issues from my initial query regarding your APC units?
My device was an APC 1500.
To address your concerns:
UPS stops working even when connected to AC and crashes the computer,
This situation never occurred.
UPS produces a bad smell, smoke, and begins burning during operation,
This also has never happened.
UPS batteries fail without warning and cause computer crashes when power drops,
A battery alert was received in my memory.
I have not experienced any issues with power interruptions or complete power loss.
There is an application named Power Chute to interact with the unit.
It includes a test for simulating power loss.
UPS batteries typically last several hours or days after purchase.
They have a limited lifespan, possibly around four years.
Replacement batteries are more expensive than the entire UPS unit,
The batteries are generic and not excessively costly.
Avoid purchasing from unreliable sources.
Shipping costs to send the unit in for warranty service are high.
I have never faced any service problems.
Full disclosure:
I no longer use this device.
In my area, power backup is reliable and rarely fails.
There have been no issues with the APC so far.
I purchased my 1500VA/1000W APC UPS "as new" at half price ($450 instead of $900) from a local seller on eBay. The person even delivered it personally to my home. Looking at the cardboard box, it seemed unused.
https://www.amazon.com/APC-Smart-UP...le...Param=true
The product advertises "pure sine wave output," but I haven’t used an oscilloscope to verify.
Be cautious of very inexpensive square wave UPS models. If the UPS produces a genuine square wave, it could damage your ATX power supply and cause smoke.
Higher quality units typically use a 'modified' or 'stepped approximation' sine wave, though they are usually pricier.
https://www.eaton.com/us/en-us/prod...ne...ained.html
The top-rated UPS models feature double conversion and always remain online.
https://www.vertiv.com/en-us/about/.../w...s-systems/
My APC 1500VA UPS supports running three PCs at once (7950X, 3800X, i7-4770K or Athlon 965) along with several 10G network switches, two hardware firewalls, a broadband router, and an inkjet printer.
I’ve owned the 1500VA UPS for over three years and should likely replace the batteries soon.
With certain UPS units, it’s possible to connect a cable from the UPS to a PC to indicate battery depletion. If Windows is set to power down when the UPS signals low battery, the operating system should automatically close unused applications and shut down the PC smoothly, without requiring manual intervention.
The 1000VA/700W APC unit next to me has a USB output for connecting one PC, but I’ve added an Ethernet card to my 1500VA UPS, enabling all devices on the local network to receive alerts about power loss when the battery is low and initiate a graceful shutdown.
The APC network card appears compatible and connects into the back of a suitable UPS.
https://device.report/manual/4001358
Here, a proper, line-interactive, true/pure sine wave UPS (1600VA/1000W),
amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/CyberPower-CP1500...B00429N19W
specs:
https://www.cyberpower.com/eu/en/product...600epfclcd
That is CyberPower PFC Sinewave series, revision 2. While what i have (two actually) and have using for the past 6 or so years, are the revision 1 UPS. Namely: CyberPower CP1300EPFCLCD (1300VA/780W, line-interactive, true/pure sine wave).
That can happen with square wave and simulated sine wave UPSes. True/pure sine wave UPSes doesn't have that issue.
This most likely happens with (dirt) cheap UPSes, that use square wave or simulated sine wave output.
Proper, good build quality, true/pure sine wave UPS would not start smoking. Unless there is manufacturing fault, which then is covered by UPS'es warranty. And proper UPSes also provide other component warranty which the faulty UPS could've damaged.
E.g the CyberPower UPS i linked, provides connected equipment guarantee as well, up to €50.000 in damages.
Cheap UPSes, yes. Proper UPSes have safeguards in place. E.g CyberPower UPS i linked, also has control software from where you can do battery testing and learn in advance when the battery is starting to go out. No surprises with this one.
Either given to cheap UPSes, or battery manufacturing fault, which UPS'es warranty will cover.
That depends completely on the UPS in question. Smaller/less known brands may have less stock for their replacement batteries and thus, charge more for battery than for the UPS. But big names: CyberPower, APC, TrippLite/EATON and Delta Electronics, have their battery supply in normal levels with normal pricing (cheaper than UPS itself).
When you send the UPS into warranty, you take out it's batteries 1st. This considerably lessens the weight of the unit, thus reducing shipping cost. Also, many consumer UPSes have replaceable batteries and if battery would be at fault, that you can replace on your own (like the CyberPower unit i linked). Or if there is issue with UPS itself (it's electronics/PCB), take out the batteries and send the empty unit for warranty.
Overall, that depends on the UPS brand in question. You need to consult their representative within RMA to learn if they want UPS with batteries or without them.