Recommend a good UPS

csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
edited April 2006 in Hardware
Well like the title says ...I'm in need of a good UPS for my next purchase. I'd prefer buying from newegg. Other than that I'd like to oversize a bit.

My specs are linked here ...http://www.short-media.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33837

Thanks
csimon

Comments

  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited March 2006
    I've had both APC and Belkin UPSs in the past. Right now I have a house full of Belkins because they were on sale for $20 each. Both have worked flawelessly for keeping my PCs in power, but I really prefer the software monitoring package that comes with APC better than the Belkin Bulldog software. Why? Well, the software really is like a bulldog. It sunk into my system and wouldn't let go. I'd almost call it malware, because I had to log in to the Safe Mode With Command Prompt, go to the directory, and delete the files from there because the program would not uninstall with any traditional method. Not to mention the fact that it didn't detect the UPS that was plugged in via USB...

    Here's my comparison:
    (keep in mind this is just my personal experience with the particular models of each UPS I've owned)

    APC

    Pros:
    +Worked flawlessly
    +Well-known brand
    +Connected equipment warranty
    +APC monitoring software
    +Uses power switch

    Cons:
    -Price is higher
    -USB connection cable was nonstandard - has an RJ45 plug at the UPS end(?)

    Belkin

    Pros:
    +Normal USB A-B cable for interface
    +Has worked flawlessly
    +Price
    +Connected equipment warranty

    Cons:
    -Belkin Bulldog software
    -In order to shut the unit off you have to hold the power button in for several seconds while the UPS is deafeningly beeping in your ear like an air raid siren to notify you that the battery is dying, if your power is off for too long.


    Both brands make you send in the registration card in order for the connected equipment warranty to be valid.
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited March 2006
    Thanks Ghoos ...chunk one up for APS! I tried the apc configurator yesterday but the Opteron multi-proc wasn't listed as an option. I think I did ok though.
    There are some other brands at Newegg that I've never heard of ...wonder if those are ok? The prices sure are nice.
  • lemonlimelemonlime Canada Member
    edited March 2006
    Im in the market for a UPS too, csimon.. I've been looking at APC as well. I think I'm going to need a beastly one to keep the vapo running for longer than a few seconds though :(
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited March 2006
    The belkin is my kind of affordable but I'm still not sure which one to get ...one of the APC's has my eye at the moment.

    This belkin looks like a good deal ...http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16842101224
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited March 2006
    That Belkin does seem fairly feature-packed.
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited March 2006
    GHoosdum wrote:
    That Belkin does seem fairly feature-packed.
    Well originally I was looking at this one - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16842101225 but it's out of stock now. Probably more than I need anyway.
  • HawkHawk Fla Icrontian
    edited March 2006
    I have used APC for all my backup power.
    Ever since the Pentium 75 days.
    This is the latest one I've perchased at BJ's Wholesale.
    Got it on sale for $129 about a yr ago -- http://www.pcnation.com/web/details.asp?affid=303&item=857633
    I've never had any problems with APC, and we get a lot of power outs, brownouts and surges here.
    I have 2 full pc's,monitors, sound systems,printer fax scanner, etc, on this backup and it gives me around 5 mins after power goes out.
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited March 2006
    I just bought an APC NS1250 series 1250va from Sam's Club last time I was in, Chris. It seems like a really nice UPS so far and plenty of power delivery for my Opty rig. It was around $130 plus tax. I was looking on APC's site and it looks like they've replaced the NS series with the RS series. You might want to make a run to Sam's Club and see if they still have them in stock though, as that seems to be a good price for that size UPS.
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited March 2006
    ;D
    muddocktor wrote:
    I just bought an APC NS1250 series 1250va from Sam's Club last time I was in, Chris. It seems like a really nice UPS so far and plenty of power delivery for my Opty rig. It was around $130 plus tax. I was looking on APC's site and it looks like they've replaced the NS series with the RS series. You might want to make a run to Sam's Club and see if they still have them in stock though, as that seems to be a good price for that size UPS.
    um ...can I borrow your card? Do we look alike?
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited March 2006
    Give me a call this weekend, Chris. We are going to Lafayette to see Ice Age 2 tomorrow. I could run by there tomorrow and check Sam's Club out and see if they still have them for you.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited April 2006
    I just bought an APC NS1250 series 1250va from Sam's Club last time I was in
    That's a heck of a beast. I have one of those. Until today I was running systems 1, 3, and 4 all off of that UPS - that's six highly overclocked Prescott cores! The load meter showed my systems pulling between 760 and 780 watts. Problem is, the maximum rated battery load for the 1250 is 780 watts. I wanted to be able run my monitors on battery backup as well, so a got another APC, a Backups 500, and reconfigured the cabling this evening, spreading out the load. I've been using APC for close to 10 years now. They are bulletproof. My second choice would be Belkin, but I don't like their "Sentry Bulldog" (or whatever it's called) software.
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited April 2006
    Hot damn sweet deal. It turned out to be around $129.95 w/ tax. I've got it running now and it's terrific. We really need to hook up soon and do the family thing. Did I mention I almost backed over the whole bunch of Gautreauxs on my way out??? That's gratitude for ya!!! LOL ;D

    Oh yeah ...and the movie Christopher did so well with last week was "Curious George". Tracie said he was glued to the screen until 20mins before it eneded when he crashed!

    Thanks a bunch Mudd :thumbsup:
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited April 2006
    Glad I could help you out, Chris. :D It was great to finally meet you and we definitely have to get together some time. :thumbsup:

    So Curious George was the show that Christopher was so immersed into, huh? That's great.
  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited April 2006
    I got the 1500VA APC UPS at CompUSA for around $100 before. I have 2 750VA APC UPS for $50 each from CompUSA as well.
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited April 2006
    It was great meeting you too ...and your deaughter and wife. Your wife is definitely a sweetheart!

    I mentioned how dad and I had loaded, hauled, and unloaded 500 dogeared cedar boards from abbeville in 3 trips ...well I saved enough money by doing that to buy the ups, 350' of garden weedborder, and a 3hp donut air compressor for 60$. All that and some change!

    I wasn't completely sure about the instructions but it seemed like I could just connect the battery and plug everything in and power up so that's what I did. It's been running great ever since. Is there any kind of indicator that tells how much wattage/load I'm pulling?
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited April 2006
    I
    s there any kind of indicator that tells how much wattage/load I'm pulling?
    Install the PowerChute software that came with it. I've attached a screenshot of the "Current Status" window from mine.
  • gtghmgtghm New
    edited April 2006
    Ebay...

    I went out to APC's web page and input my system specs and it configured a set up for me. It was like 1500 or so new. I went out to Ebay and pucked it up for way less, couple hundread at most. I think I posted about it on here once way back... an office was selling them because they went out of business... It is the one that has the serial port for the computer monitoring a connection for a second full battery pack add on, the one is huge like 12"-16" high and 19"-23" deep. I got them both togther its a boehmith. The thing takes like 4 small car batterys... It cycles itself.
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited April 2006
    Leonardo wrote:
    I Install the PowerChute software that came with it. I've attached a screenshot of the "Current Status" window from mine.
    I'll definitely check it out. It came with PC on a cd but I may look for it online first. Thanks Leo!
  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited April 2006
    It depends on the model you have. Some will give the wattage being used, some will not.
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited April 2006
    model APC NS1250 series 1250va ...how ya been marc haven't seen you in a while.
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited April 2006
    I got powerchute v2 loaded and it shows 171w idle and 241v load. Battery time at idle shows 33min and at load is 25min.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited April 2006
    I got powerchute v2 loaded and it shows 171w idle and 241v load.
    Hmm, that's interesting. Get this:

    On my UPS, exact same model, I have systems 1 and 4 connected, both are at full load, overclcocked per the signature. I also have my LCD monitor connecte. It draws approximately 48 watts. Here's where the numbers get interesting. The total power draw measured by PowerChute v2.0 is 530 Watts. Subtract that by 48 Watts for the monitor and that leaves a net draw of 482. Two computers equal a draw a draw of 482. The configuration and overclock of each computer is nearly the same, so we'll assume an equivalent power draw for each. That comes out to 241 Watts per computer. Same as your rig? Hmm, are you running SLI or something. I don't understand why your system would be drawing as much power as my dual core D820 power pigs. :scratch:
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited April 2006
    No Sli ...I've got dual cores @ 2.65g, lcd, 3.1 w/ sub, and a modem all plugged in. That's it 241w.
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited April 2006
    OK, this is a real head scratcher, guys. I just installed the Powerchute software last night on my main rig, which is fairly similar to csimon's, but not exact. I'm running a different mobo and vid card. I'm also presently running at 250 X 10 for 2500 MHz with 1.5v vcore dialed in. And guess what the Powerchute software is showing; 3 guesses for you and the first 2 guesses don't count. That's right, it's showing 241 watts exactly.;D ;D I'm not running my lcd off the UPS but I am running the power brick for my sat modem on it.

    Something tells me that there is a little something not quite right with the Powerchute software and it's wattage figures.:scratch:
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited April 2006
    Wow, guys, that's quite a discovery! I doubt it's a coincidence.
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited April 2006
    Wow ...do you really need 1.5v to run at 2500? Just curious because my mobo doesn't go that high. =P
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited April 2006
    csimon wrote:
    Wow ...do you really need 1.5v to run at 2500? Just curious because my mobo doesn't go that high. =P

    I really don't know, but I'm still dialing up the overclock on it. I've left it there for around a month to see if it will help in it's max overclock (burning in). My folding temps run around 42-45° C right now, cooling with an XP90C with a 92mm Panaflo M1BX, which is almost dead quiet. I'm considering putting my Zalman 9500 or a Scythe Ninja (found a refurb at the egg for $33 yesterday I ordered) on it this weekend and see how the temps respond.

    My Epox board will give me up to 1.6v vcore for a 90nm A64 though. :D
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