Uninterruptible power supply Advice? - Everything geek Channel • Geek.VideoSift: Online Video *Quality Control

posted by chilaxe

1 month ago • 259 views

My computer recently sustained damage because I wasn't using an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and we had a momentary power outage.

Does anybody have experience with calculating the wattage needed for a UPS? I just need the UPS for my monitor and computer.
---My monitor is listed as having power consumption of <105W.

---My computer's power supply unit (PSU) is a 450W.

---Does that mean I need a UPS of >555W? (105W + 450W) (I'm considering this one.)

BTW, the damage my computer sustained from the power outage is that it won't turn on anymore. I'm hoping replacing the PSU will fix it, but I don't really know much about this. I do know I'll be unplugging my harddrives before I test the new PSU: http://wtf.videosift.com/talk/So-what-makes-a-hard-drive-light-on-fire

Thanks in advance if anyone can offer advice!

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looks like a lot of dazzle where you don't need it. As far as I know your means of calculating your power requirements by superposition is correct. Add em up and that's your minimum.

written by rottenseed

| 1 month ago | CH

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My best advice is don't get one. Unless you have a server that has to be online at all times, then it's basically not worth it. If something has been damaged by a power outage (which very rarely happens), it's your PSU, so get a new one, maybe a really good one, so it won't get damaged in the future and that will be that.

UPS are only for servers in my mind.

written by gwiz665

| 1 month ago | CH

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Wasn't there a sift talk post in the last several months from a sifter who had serious computer damage from a power outage, like their motherboard was fried? (It was a different post from Nibiyabi's above-linked harddrive-on-fire post.)

Where I live outside of San Francisco, we have momentary power outages several times a year. I'll enjoy not having work disrupted by my computer turning off whenever that happens.

My understanding is that power disruptions aren't very good for electronic equipment, and some people claim they can occasionally contribute to harddrive failures.

written by chilaxe

| 1 month ago | CH

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I'd recommend something like a Surge Protector and not a UPS. Those things are loud, heavy, expensive and not very useful for home users.

written by demon_ix

| 1 month ago | CH

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actually lost my motherboard last week coz of a surge. now i went to walmart and spent $10.

written by marinara

| 1 month ago | CH

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i would have been using a UPS but the UPS died. UPS is mainly to give you time during a power outage. I have no ideas about a surge protector except you obviously need a good one.

written by marinara

| 1 month ago | CH

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oh, and did i mention that it was my motherboard taht had died? I bought a new motherboard for total good deal at newegg and everything is back.

written by marinara

| 1 month ago | CH

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Most modern UPSs can also send a shutdown command to any computers connected (usually via USB), so your computer shuts down properly even if you're not there to turn it off.

Other than that, yeah, a UPS will give you 30 minutes or so at best, and that's when the battery is good. I have one at work that drains out in under 2 minutes from a full charge, with 1 server connected to it..

written by demon_ix

| 1 month ago | CH

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APC has pretty good UPSU, you can probably find a 600watt rated one for around $80. If you're just looking to avoid damage a good surge protector will do the same thing, but an UPSU will make it so you've got enough time to save anything and properly shut your machine down, or if you're in an area that suffers from the occasional brown out it'll keep you going till the power comes back on. I actually use one for my broadband modem as well as my desktop so my internet doesn't die either.

I'd check your local office supply store, they always seem to have them on sale.

written by Crosswords

| 1 month ago | CH

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