$50 APC UPS - doing its job.

Thunder and lighting outside, the electricity at my house keeps cutting out intermittently. But not for me, as I sit at the PC doing my nightly online studying regimen of 9pm to midnight (I go to WGU, getting a degree in Health Informatics).

My cable modem, PC, external hard drive, and primary monitor stay up 100% --not a bit of interuption except my non-battery powered right side monitor blinking off for a second or two. Plus, everything is surge-protected (except my laser printer--if you get a UPS, do NOT run a laser printer through it--they need current directly from an outlet).



Seriously, folks. Go down to Fry's Electronics or whatever you've got in your area, or go online to NewEgg or TigerDirect, and pick up a $50 Uninterruptible Power Supply. I recommend APC because they are the kings of UPS, but others I'm sure are better than nothing.

Cool beans...but, I don't know if I'd shop for electronics at a place called "Fry's".:lol2:

This year has been a doozy for power cuts.
We've had 2-3. All in the morning. All during the time of year where electricity is necessary in the morning.

As I don't use the internet at this time I can recommend a wind-up torch.
And going into work early to get a cup of tea.

Nothing I can recommend about a cold-water wash, except that you will feel better afterwards. And NOTHING I can suggest about having to wash your hair. Just hope it happens on a day you don't need to.

Had an APC for about 8 years before it died, it was great.

Flint;813345 wrote:

Plus, everything is surge-protected (except my laser printer--if you get a UPS, do NOT run a laser printer through it--they need current directly from an outlet).

A UPS claims near zero surge protection. And when in battery backup mode, it outputs surges into adjacent appliances. Why do appliances not fail? Any protection provided by a UPS is already done better inside every appliance. Therefore spikes from a UPS (and most from AC mains) do not harm electronics.

That UPS has only one purpose. To provide temporary power with constant surges. Protection inside appliances makes irrelevant even surges created by a UPS.

A utility demonstrates waveforms from a UPS (when powered from its batteries) that can even harm a laser printer or other motorize appliance:
http://www.duke-energy.com/indiana-business/products/power-quality/tech-tip-03.asp
Electronics are routinely so robust as to not be harmed by any UPS in battery backup mode.

Sounds like you are agreeing with Flint. Don't plug the laser printer into it, and it will work just fine with the computer.

glatt;813462 wrote:

Don't plug the laser printer into it, and it will work just fine with the computer.

Don't plug a computer into the UPS to have same hardware protection.

then what good is a UPS TW ??????

zippyt;813544 wrote:

then what good is a UPS TW ??????

To provide temporary power during a blackout.

Exactly, even a momentary interruption will shut off your PC. That can be pretty damn annoying especially if you haven't saved what you've been working on for hours.