Basic rules for the operation of the UPS. The main purpose of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to protect computer equipment
Increasing requirements for the quality of electricity at the present time is a completely natural process. The requirements of the mentioned standards are due to two components. The first is the desire of consumers to protect themselves as much as possible from the consequences of emergency situations in the power system. The second component is related to the operating conditions of the load. This should include the requirements for stable and continuous operation of intelligent and power electrical equipment, reducing losses in the supply network, and so on. One of the effective options for technical solutions to the problem of power quality is sources uninterruptible power supply(UPS, English UPS).
The main task of the UPS is to provide the consumer with electricity at the moment when the quality parameters go beyond the regulated norms (drawdown, voltage increase, significant shape distortion ...). By performing this task, the UPS can:
- disconnect from the power supply and transfer power to the load using its own source;
- supply the load with the corrected mains voltage.
In more expensive UPSs, a function to improve the quality of the consumed electricity can be implemented (power factor corrector integrated).
Types of "uninterruptibles"
There are three basic types of UPS.
- Redundant UPS(standby, offline, back-ups). The simplest and cheapest technical solution(for example, the popular APC Back-UPS CS 500). In case of a significant overvoltage or undervoltage, the UPS is disconnected from the 220V network and switches to battery mode. Main elements of offline UPS: accumulators (battery), Charger, inverter, step-up transformer, control system, filter (Fig. 1).
a)
b)
Rice. 1 Normal operation (a) and battery operation (b) The advantage of an offline UPS is its low cost and high efficiency when operating from the mains. Flaws: high level distortion of the output voltage (high harmonics, ≈30% in the case of a rectangular signal), the inability to adjust the parameters of the input voltage. The characteristics of the output voltage will be discussed in more detail below.). - Interactive UPS(English line - interactive). It is an intermediate type between a cheap and simple offline UPS and an expensive multifunctional online UPS (for example, ippon back office 600). Unlike the offline UPS, the interactive source has an autotransformer that allows you to maintain the output voltage level within 220V (+ -10%) during mains voltage drops / increases (Fig. 2). As a rule, the number of voltage levels of an autotransformer ranges from two to three.
(a)
(b)
(in)
(G)
Rice. 2 Interactive UPS operation with normal voltage network (a), with a drawdown of the mains voltage (b), with an increased mains voltage (c), with the disappearance of the mains voltage or a significant increase (d) The output voltage is adjusted by switching to the appropriate tap of the transformer winding. With a deep drawdown or a significant increase or complete disappearance of the mains voltage, this class of UPS functions similarly to the offline class: it disconnects from the network and generates an output voltage using battery power. Regarding the shape of the output signal, it can be both sinus and rectangular (or trapezoidal).
Advantages of line-interactive compared to standby UPS: faster switchover time to offline work from batteries, stabilization of the voltage level at the output. Disadvantages: lower efficiency when operating from the network, more high price(compared to offline type), poor surge filtering (surge). - double conversion UPS(English double-conversion UPS, online). The most functional and expensive type of UPS. The bespereboynik is always included in a network. The input sine current is passed through the rectifier, filtered, then inverted back to AC. In the link direct current a separate DC/DC converter can be installed. Since the inverter is always in operation, the delay to switch to battery mode is practically zero. Stabilization of the output voltage during drawdowns or dips in the mains voltage is better, in contrast to the stabilization of the line - interactive UPS. The efficiency can be in the range of 85%÷95%. The output voltage is often sinusoidal (harmonic distortion<5%).
Rice. 3 Functional diagram of one of the online UPS options. 3 shows a block diagram of the online UPS option. The mains voltage is rectified here by a semi-controlled rectifier. The impulse voltage is filtered and then inverted. In online UPS circuits, there may be one or more so-called bypasses (bypass switches). The function of such a switch is similar to the function of a relay: switching the load for battery power or direct from the network.
Based on the online structure, not only low-power single-phase, but also industrial three-phase UPSs are created. The continuity of the power supply of large file servers, medical equipment, telecommunications is carried out exclusively on the basis of the online structure of the UPS. - Special types of UPS. Other specific UPS types are also used. For example, a ferroresonant uninterruptible power supply. In this UPS, a special transformer accumulates a charge of energy, which should be enough for the time of switching the power supply from the network to the batteries. Also, some UPSs use the mechanical energy of a super flywheel as a power source.
The main characteristics of the UPS.
- Power. Power units: volt-ampere (VA), watt (W), volt-ampere reactive (VAr). Recall that there is total S, active P and reactive Q power. The equation relating powers
S2=P2+Q2
Active power(W) is spent on useful work, reactive (VAr) - does not perform useful work. Accordingly, apparent power, by definition, is the maximum power that a source must have to provide the load with the necessary energy. The ratio of active power to full power shows the quality of electricity use and is called the power factor (English Power Factor, PF):
(incandescent lamps, heaters) has PF=1, full power equals active power. PC, microwave ovens, air conditioners have calculation example.
Calculate an uninterruptible power supply for a computer (two PCs + two monitors). The power of a PC is easy to estimate, knowing how much power the power supply is designed for. Let the PC have 450 W power supplies (active power). With an unknown PF for a PC with a power supply without PFC (English Power Factor Corrector, power factor corrector), PF can be taken equal to 0.65. Similarly, we take the PF of the monitor equal to 0.65. The active power of the monitor is 50 watts. As a result, the total active power of the consumer (two jobs)
R=450+50+450+50=1000 W
Gross power (from formula 2):
S= P/PF=1000/0.65=1538 (VA).
If a power factor corrector (PF=1) is installed in the power supply units (PSU) of the PC and the monitor, then the total power S is equal to the active power.
S=P=1000 (VA)
For a load in the form of a PC, you can calculate the UPS without power reserve, based on the following facts:
- Computer power supplies have overload protection. In other words, the PC will not be able to consume more power than the declared power of the PSU.
- The power of the power supply is the maximum power. In fact, in idle mode (immediately after startup), PCs consume about 50% of their power.
Result.
So, the required minimum parameters of the UPS:
- for PCs with power supplies without PFC - 1 kW / 1540 VA.
- for PCs with power supplies with PFC - 1kW / 1kVA.
For the first option, an apc Smart-UPS C 2000VA uninterruptible power supply (linear-interactive UPS 2kVA / 1.3 kW) is suitable. For the second - UPS Ippon Smart Winner 1500 (1.35 kW) or Eaton 5SC 1500 VA (1.05 kW).
When calculating, it is important to take into account the short-term increase in power for loads such as electric motors. At the moments of starting, the current Istart is five, seven times higher than the rated In:
Istart=(5÷7)*In
Application features.
Uninterruptible power supplies for a heating boiler, as well as uninterruptible power supplies for gas boilers, have a feature associated with the operating modes of the neutral conductor. Often, boiler automation requires the connection of a neutral network. The fact is that the burner flame control circuit is connected to ground and in a four-wire 220V network, the neutral conductor and the boiler ground are ultimately closed through the physical ground. However, when the neutral is broken or when the consumer zero is mechanically disconnected from the zero of the power supply network (autonomous offline operation of the UPS), the flame control circuit is broken. The following solutions are available to resolve this issue:
conclusions
The starting point for choosing an uninterruptible power supply is to determine the nature of the load (UPS for a computer, for heating boilers ...). For responsible consumers and devices containing AC motors, expensive and functional online UPSs should be chosen. For PCs and office equipment, cheaper line-interactive or back IPBs are suitable. The next choice is to calculate the power and battery life of the UPS. It should also be possible to use a "through" zero. When forming the final solution, one should take into account the popularity of brands in the market: the leader APC owns about 50% of all sales, followed by Ippon, Eaton Powerware, Powercom with a significant margin.
Before you buy a new UPS, you should familiarize yourself with some of the "internal" aspects of its operation. And in order for the uninterruptible power supply to serve you as long as possible and to make the most of your investment, try to follow the tips below.
What batteries are used in the UPS
All UPSs manufactured by APC (and other well-known large UPS manufacturers) use lead-acid batteries, very similar to most common car batteries. The difference lies in the fact that, if we make such a comparison, then the batteries used by APC are made using the same technology as the most expensive car batteries available today: the electrolyte contained inside is in a gel-like state and does not spill if the case is damaged; the battery is sealed, so it does not require maintenance, does not emit harmful and explosive gases (hydrogen) during operation, it can be “turned over” as you like, without fear of spilling the electrolyte.
How long do UPS batteries last?
Even though different UPSs use what appears to be the same battery technology, UPS battery life varies widely between manufacturers. This is very important for users as battery replacement is expensive (up to 30% of the original cost of the UPS). Battery failure reduces system efficiency and is a source of downtime and unnecessary headaches. Temperature has a significant effect on battery reliability. The fact is that the natural processes that cause battery aging are largely dependent on temperature. Detailed test data provided by battery manufacturers show that battery life is reduced by 10% for every 10°C increase in temperature. This means that the UPS should be designed to minimize battery heating. All online UPSs and online hybrids run hotter than redundant or line-interactive UPSs (which is why the fan is needed first). This is the main reason why standby and line-interactive UPSs require less battery replacement than online UPSs.
Should I pay attention to the design of the charger when choosing a UPS?
The charger is an important component of the UPS. The charging conditions of the batteries have a significant impact on their durability. UPS battery life is maximized when it is continuously charged by a constant voltage or float type charger. In fact, the life of a rechargeable battery is much longer than that of simple storage. This is because some of the natural aging processes are suspended by constant recharging. Therefore, it is necessary to recharge the battery even if the UPS is turned off. In many cases, the UPS is turned off regularly (if the protected load is off, then there is no need to keep the UPS on, as it can trip and cause unwanted battery wear). Many UPSs on the market do not provide the important feature of continuous recharging.
Does voltage affect reliability?
Batteries are made up of individual cells, approximately 2 volts each. To create a higher voltage battery, individual cells are connected in series. A 12-volt battery has six cells, a 24-volt battery has 12 cells, and so on. When the battery is under trickle charge, as in UPS systems, the individual cells are charged at the same time. Due to the inevitable scatter of parameters, some elements take a larger share of the charging voltage than others. This causes premature aging of such elements. The reliability of a group of series-connected elements is determined by the reliability of the least reliable element. Therefore, when one of the cells fails, the battery as a whole fails. It has been proven that the rate of aging processes is directly related to the number of cells in the battery; therefore, the rate of aging increases with increasing battery voltage. The best types of UPS use fewer, more powerful elements instead of more, less powerful elements, thereby achieving increased reliability. Some manufacturers use high voltage batteries, which at a given power level can reduce the number of wire connections and semiconductors, thus reducing the cost of the UPS. The battery voltage of most typical UPSs at a power of about 1 kVA is 24 ... 96 V. At this power level, APC UPS batteries, in particular the Smart-UPS family, do not exceed 24 V. Low-voltage batteries in APC UPSs, have a longer service life than competing devices. The average service life in APC batteries is 3-5 years (depending on temperature, frequency of discharge / charge cycles), while some manufacturers indicate a service life of only 1 year. Over a 10-year UPS lifetime, users of some systems spend twice as much on batteries than on the unit itself! Although it is easier and cheaper for the manufacturer to design a UPS using high-voltage batteries, there is a hidden cost to the user in the form of a shortened UPS life.
Why "Ripple" Current Reduces Battery Life
Ideally, the UPS battery should be kept on a "float" or permanent charge to extend the usage time. In this situation, a fully charged battery draws a small amount of current from the charger, called floating current, or self-charging current. Despite the recommendations of the battery manufacturers, some UPS systems subject the batteries to additional ripple current. Ripple currents occur because the inverter that supplies AC to the load consumes DC input. The rectifier, located at the input of the UPS, always produces a pulsating current. The ratio remains non-zero even with the most advanced rectification and ripple suppression circuits. Therefore, a battery connected in parallel with the rectifier output has to give some current at those moments in time when the current at the rectifier output decreases, and vice versa - to be recharged when the current at the rectifier output drops. This causes mini discharge/charge cycles at a frequency typically equal to twice the operating frequency of the UPS (50 or 60 Hz). These cycles wear out the battery, heat it up and cause it to age prematurely.
In a UPS with a battery in standby, such as classic standby, ferroresonant standby, line interactive, the battery is not affected by ripple currents. The UPS battery is online to varying degrees (depending on design features), but is nevertheless always affected. To find out if there are ripple currents, it is necessary to analyze the UPS topology. In an online UPS, the battery is placed between the charger and the inverter, and there will always be ripple currents. This is the classic, "historically" earliest type of "online double conversion" UPS. If, in an on-line UPS, the battery is separated from the inverter input by a blocking diode, converter or switch of one type or another, then there should be no ripple current. Naturally, in these designs, the battery is not always connected to the circuit, and therefore UPS with a similar topology is usually referred to as hybrid.
What you can't rely on in a UPS
The battery is the least reliable element in most well-designed UPS systems. However, the architecture of the UPS can affect the longevity of this critical component. If you keep the battery under continuous charging even when the UPS is turned off (as is done in all UPS manufactured by APC), its life is increased. High battery voltage topologies should be avoided when choosing a UPS. Beware of UPSs where the battery is exposed to ripple currents or overheating. Most UPS systems use the same batteries. However, design differences between UPSs of different systems result in significant differences in battery life and therefore operating costs.
Be sure to charge the batteries before using a new UPS for the first time.
The batteries of the new UPS during transportation and storage in the warehouse, of course, lost most of the "factory" charge. Therefore, if you immediately put the UPS under load, the batteries will not be able to provide the proper level of power maintenance. Furthermore, a self-test routine that runs automatically each time the UPS (except Back-UPS) is turned on checks, among other diagnostics, whether the battery can handle the load. And since an uncharged battery can't handle the load, the system will probably report that the battery is bad and needs to be replaced. All you need to do in such a situation is to let the batteries recharge. Leave the UPS plugged in for 24 hours. This is the first charge of the batteries, so it takes more time than the usual regular charging, regulated in the technical description. The UPS itself may be turned off. If you brought the UPS in from a cold place, let it warm up at room temperature for several hours.
Connect to the UPS only those loads that really require uninterruptible power
Using a UPS is justified only where power loss can lead to data loss - in personal computers, servers, hubs, routers, external modems, streamers, disk drives, etc. Printers, scanners, and even more so lighting lamps do not need a UPS. What happens if the printer loses power while printing? A sheet of paper will deteriorate - its value is not comparable to the cost of a UPS. In addition, a printer connected to an uninterruptible power supply, when switching to battery power, consumes their energy, taking it away from a computer that really needs it. In order to protect against discharges and interference equipment that does not carry information that can be lost as a result of a power failure, it is sufficient to use a network filter (for example, APC Surge Arrest) or, in case of significant fluctuations in mains voltage, a network stabilizer.
If your source frequently switches to battery mode, check that it is configured correctly. It may turn out that the response threshold or sensitivity is set too demandingly.
Test the UPS. By periodically running the self-test procedure, you will always be sure that your UPS is fully operational.
Do not unplug the UPS. Turn off the UPS using the button on the front panel, but do not unplug the UPS cord from the outlet unless you are leaving it for an extended period of time. Even when switched off, the APC UPS is charging the batteries.
ComputerPress 12 "1999
As civilization develops, it begins to consume more and more energy, in particular, electrical energy - machine tools, factories, electric pumps, street lights, lamps in apartments ... The advent of radio, televisions, telephones, computers gave mankind the opportunity to speed up the exchange of information, however, tied it to sources of electricity, because now, in many cases, the loss of electricity is tantamount to the loss of a channel for delivering information flow. This situation is most critical for a number of the most modern industries, in particular, where computer networks are the main production tool.
It has long been calculated that after a couple of months of work, the cost of information stored on a computer exceeds the cost of the PC itself. For a long time, information has become a kind of commodity - it is created, evaluated, sold, bought, accumulated, transformed ... and sometimes lost for a variety of reasons. Of course, up to half of the problems associated with the loss of information arise due to software or hardware failures in computers. In all other cases, as a rule, problems are associated with poor-quality power supply to the computer.
Ensuring high-quality power supply to PC components is the key to the stable operation of any computer system. The fate of whole months of work sometimes depends on the shape and quality characteristics of the mains supply, on the successful choice of power components. Based on these considerations, the following research methodology was developed, which is intended to become the basis for testing the qualitative characteristics of uninterruptible power supplies in the future.
- GOST provisions
- UPS classification (description, diagram)
- Offline
- Line Interactive
- Online
- Main types by capacity
- Physics
- a. Types of power, calculation formulas:
- Instant
- Active
- Reactive
- Complete
- a. Types of power, calculation formulas:
- Testing:
- Purpose of testing
- General plan
- Options to check
- Equipment used in testing
- Bibliography
Everything related to electrical networks in Russia is regulated by the provisions of GOST 13109-97 (adopted by the Interstate Council for Standardization, Metrology and Certification to replace GOST 13109-87). The standards of this document fully comply with the international standards IEC 861, IEC 1000-3-2, IEC 1000-3-3, IEC 1000-4-1 and IEC 1000-2-1, IEC 1000-2-2 publications in terms of electromagnetic compatibility levels in power supply systems and methods for measuring electromagnetic interference.
The standard indicators for power grids in Russia, established by GOST, are the following characteristics:
- supply voltage — 220 V±10%
- frequency — 50±1 Hz
- voltage waveform distortion factor - less than 8% for a long time and 12% for a short time
The document also discusses typical power supply problems. Most often we have to deal with the following of them:
- Complete loss of voltage in the network (no voltage in the network for more than 40 seconds due to disturbances in the power supply lines)
- Sagging (a short-term decrease in the voltage in the network to a value of less than 80% of the nominal value for more than 1 period (1/50 second) is the result of turning on powerful loads, externally manifests itself as the flickering of lighting lamps) and surges (short-term voltage increases in the network by more than 110% of the nominal for more than 1 period (1/50 of a second); appear when a large load is turned off, externally appear as flickering of lighting lamps) voltages of different duration (typical for large cities)
- High-frequency noise - radio frequency interference of electromagnetic or other origin, the result of the operation of powerful high-frequency devices, communication devices
- Frequency deviation out of range
- High-voltage surges - short-term voltage pulses up to 6000V and up to 10 ms duration; appear during thunderstorms, as a result of static electricity, due to the sparking of switches, have no external manifestations
- Frequency run-out - a change in frequency by 3 or more Hz from the nominal (50 Hz), appear during unstable operation of the power source, may not appear outwardly.
All these factors can lead to the failure of fairly "thin" electronics, and, as is often the case, to data loss. However, people have long learned how to defend themselves: mains voltage filters that “quench” surges, diesel generators that provide power to systems in the event of a power outage on a “global scale”, and finally, uninterruptible power supplies are the main tool for protecting personal PCs, servers, PBXs and others. Just the last category of devices will be discussed.
UPS classification
UPSs can be “separated” according to various criteria, in particular, by power (or scope) and by type of operation (architecture / device). Both of these methods are closely related to each other. By power, UPSs are divided into
- Uninterruptible power supplies low power(with total power 300, 450, 700, 1000, 1500 VA, up to 3000 VA - including on-line)
- Small and medium power(with total power 3–5 kVA)
- Medium power(with total power 5-10 kVA)
- big power(with total power 10-1000 kVA)
Based on the principle of operation of the devices, two types of classification of uninterruptible power supplies are currently used in the literature. According to the first type, UPSs are divided into two categories: online and off-line, which in turn are divided into reserve and line-interactive.
According to the second type, UPSs are divided into three categories: reserve (off-line or standby), line-interactive (line-interactive) and Double Conversion UPS (on-line).
We will use the second type of classification.
Let's start with the difference between UPS types. Backup Type Sources made according to the scheme with a switching device, which in normal operation provides connection of the load directly to the external supply network, and in emergency - transfers it to battery power. The advantage of this type of UPS can be considered its simplicity, the disadvantage is the non-zero switching time to battery power (about 4 ms).
Line Interactive UPS made according to the scheme with a switching device, supplemented by an input voltage stabilizer based on an autotransformer with switched windings. The main advantage of such devices is the protection of the load from overvoltage or undervoltage without going into emergency mode. The disadvantage of such devices is also a non-zero (about 4 ms) switching time to batteries.
double conversion UPS voltage differs in that in it the alternating voltage supplied to the input is first converted by the rectifier to direct, and then - using the inverter - again to alternating. The storage battery is permanently connected to the rectifier output and inverter input and feeds it in emergency mode. Thus, a sufficiently high stability of the output voltage is achieved, regardless of fluctuations in the input voltage. In addition, interference and disturbances, which abound in the supply network, are effectively suppressed.
In practice, UPSs of this class behave like a linear load when connected to the AC mains. The advantage of this design can be considered a zero switching time to battery power, a minus is a decrease in efficiency due to losses during a double voltage conversion.
Physics
In all reference books on electrical engineering, four types of power are distinguished: instant, active, reactive and complete. Instant Power is calculated as the product of the instantaneous voltage value and the instantaneous current value for an arbitrarily chosen point in time, that is
Since in a circuit with resistance r u=ir, then
The period-averaged power P of the circuit under consideration is equal to the constant component of the instantaneous power
The average AC power over a period is called active . The unit of active power, the volt-ampere, is called the watt (W).
Accordingly, the resistance r is called active. Since U=Ir, then
Usually, it is active power that is understood as the power consumption of the device.
Reactive power - a value that characterizes the loads created in electrical devices by fluctuations in the energy of the electromagnetic field. For a sinusoidal current, it is equal to the product of the effective current and voltage and the sine of the phase angle between them.
Full power - total power consumed by the load (both active and reactive components are taken into account). Calculated as the product of the RMS values of the input current and voltage. The unit of measure is VA (volt-ampere). For a sinusoidal current is
Almost every electrical appliance has a label indicating either the total power of the device or the active power.
Testing
The main purpose of testing- to demonstrate the behavior of the tested UPS in real conditions, to give an idea of additional characteristics that are not reflected in the general documentation for the devices, in practice to determine the influence of various factors on the operation of the UPS and, possibly, to help determine the choice of one or another uninterruptible power supply.
Despite the fact that there are currently a great many recommendations for choosing a UPS, during testing we expect, firstly, to consider a number of additional parameters that you should be interested in before purchasing equipment, and secondly, if necessary, adjust the set of selected methods and parameters testing and develop a basis for future analysis of the entire power path of systems.
The general plan for testing is as follows:
- Specifying a device class
- Indication of the characteristics declared by the manufacturer
- Description of the scope of delivery (presence of manual, additional cords, software)
- Brief description of the appearance of the UPS (functions placed on the control panel and the list of connectors)
- Type of batteries (indicating the capacity of the batteries, serviced / maintenance-free, name, possibly interchangeability, the ability to connect additional battery packs)
- "Energy" component of tests
During testing, it is planned to check the following parameters:
- The input voltage range at which the UPS operates on mains without switching to batteries. Larger input voltage range reduces the number of UPS transfers to battery and extends battery life
- Switchover time to battery power. The shorter the transfer time, the lower the risk of failure of the load (device connected via the UPS). The duration and nature of the switching process largely determine the possibility of the normal continuation of the operation of the equipment. For a computer load, the allowable power interruption time is 20-40 ms.
- Switch to battery waveform
- Switchover time from battery to external power
- Oscillogram of switching from battery to external power
- Offline time. This parameter is determined solely by the capacity of the batteries installed in the UPS, which in turn increases with the maximum output power of the UPS. To provide autonomous power supply for two modern SOHO computers of a typical configuration for 15-20 minutes, the maximum output power of the UPS should be about 600-700 VA.
- Output voltage settings for battery operation
- The shape of the pulse at the beginning of the discharge of the battery
- Pulse shape at the end of battery discharge
- UPS output voltage range when input voltage changes. The narrower this range, the less the effect of input voltage changes on the supplied load.
- Output voltage stabilization
- Output voltage filtering (if any)
- UPS Behavior in Output Overload
- UPS Behavior During Load Loss
- UPS efficiency calculation. Defined as the ratio of the output power of the device to the power consumption from the power supply
- Nonlinear distortion coefficient, which characterizes the degree of difference between the voltage or current waveform from a sinusoidal
- 0% - sinusoid
- 3% - distortion is not noticeable to the eye
- 5% - distortion visible to the eye
- up to 21% - trapezoidal or stepped waveform
- 43% - the signal is rectangular
When testing, we will not use real workstations and servers, but equivalent loads that have a stable consumption pattern and a power utilization factor close to 1. The following set is currently considered as the main equipment that will be used during testing:
Bibliography- GOST 721-77 Power supply systems, networks, sources, converters and receivers of electrical energy. Rated voltages over 1000 V
- GOST 19431-84 Energy and electrification. Terms and Definitions
- GOST 21128-83 Power supply systems, networks, sources, converters and receivers of electrical energy. Rated voltages up to 1000 V
- GOST 30372-95 Electromagnetic compatibility of technical means. Terms and Definitions
- Theoretical Electrical Engineering, ed. 9th, corrected, M.-L., Energia publishing house, 1965
- Company promotional materials
- Internet resource
UPS selection
First of all, you should pay attention to the following characteristics:
- Maximum power, measured in volt-amperes "VA" and watts "W" (the choice depends on the power of the computer and monitor, the larger they are, the larger the UPS numbers should be);
- Battery life at full and half load (5 and 15 minutes are good);
- Input voltage range (within what limits the UPS will cope without using a battery, preferably 180-250 Volts or wider);
- The number and type of sockets for connecting devices (there may be ordinary "Euro-sockets", or there may be special computer ones).
When buying a UPS, it’s better not to save money, otherwise you will have to pay extra regularly later (for too frequent battery replacement or repairs), and who wants this?
When choosing an uninterruptible power supply, you can follow a simple rule: don't buy under $90.
There is one exception to this rule which I have described in comments to this article ().
Starting from $ 150-200, there are even more reliable models that work according to a more advanced principle, but this price is not already affordable for everyone.
UPS and computer power supply compatibility
Before buying a UPS, you should know one important point that is not often talked about:
Some computer power supplies do not work correctly with the UPS!
You can check with the seller, informing the model of the power supply.
In one of the following IT lessons (but at a higher level of training) we will look at why this is and how to avoid this problem. If the question does not tolerate, then contact the comments on this article, I will try to help.
Connecting the surge protector and UPS
The connection is pretty simple:
- The power cord of the system unit, monitor and other external devices (scanner, printer, etc.) is included in the surge protector or UPS.
- The plug of the cord of the filter itself or the UPS is connected to the household electrical outlet.
If you are using a UPS, then it is not necessary to connect a surge protector, except to increase the number of outlets or as an extension cord.
Note: a laser printer cannot be connected to a UPS, as it has too much power, often a special socket is provided for it, which is not powered by a battery, but has an interference filter (in the last photo in the article, such a socket is painted white).
Summarize
The main idea of this lesson is that a surge protector and an uninterruptible power supply are necessary things and should be used with every computer. If you do not already have these devices, then be sure to buy at least a surge protector!
So, we figured out the important additions, now you can move on to the sixth IT lesson. It's on the way, stay tuned! Here is a link to receive site news to your email.
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Video supplement
Today, as an addition, a video from the Chip and Dip company about uninterruptible power supplies:
P.S. Isn't the information too complicated? I have a request for you: write in the comments to this article what is not clearly described, I will correct it!
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Communication and exchange of experience (146 comments):
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Hello, Alexander.
If you have a “double conversion” UPS (aka “Online”), then turning off will definitely extend the battery life.
At the expense of backup and interactive UPS, the question is better addressed to narrow specialists in this field. Try to ask a question on a specialized forum http://electrotransport.ru/ussr/index.php/topic,2103.0.html with Alex_Soroka. The topic http://electrotransport.ru/ussr/index.php/topic,1950.0.html may also be useful.
I turn off the UPS when the computer is not working.-
Ridik, this is already beyond the field of computer technology. Several parameters must be taken into account: boiler type, power, maximum current, etc.
It is better to turn to specialized resources so as not to miss anything, and choose the right device.
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Sergey - good evening. Today I put new batteries on my UPS. The old ones worked flawlessly for 3.5 years. The question for YOU is this - what is better for UPS batteries to work in constant mode or turn off after turning off the computer. There are a lot of opinions, but we need good sound advice. Sincerely, Alexander.
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I love and welcome criticism (if it is justified, adequate and constructive).
I will answer your comment, Valentin.
1. UPS from 600 UAH
The UPS shown in the photo has been serving me for 11 years without changing the battery and is no longer being produced.
There is a UPS that costs $80 (640 UAH) APC BK500-RS almost like mine, it doesn't have phone line protection, but the mentioned model is really good. This model can be considered exception to the rule.
The next price model BK500EI costs more than 800 UAH (it has a wider voltage range and a connection with a computer via USB and a telephone line filter).
(A link to this note has been added to the article.)2. About the superficiality of the article.
Most likely, you did not pay attention to the description of the site and the category of this article.
Let me explain: this site is a guide from beginner to professional and the complexity of the material grows gradually. This lesson belongs to the "Level 1 Beginner" category, so I did not deliberately complicate the material. When we get to Level 2 and 3, then we will consider in more detail the different components, including those mentioned in this lesson.3. “How do you write “the best protection” will be provided by ARS, Belkin worth 150-200 UAH.”
Where did you see that I advise "Belkin worth 150-200 UAH"? How about the phrase about the UPS "do not buy less than $ 90"? This is about surge protectors, I said “the best protection is models from $ 12”, which include Sven, Platinum Pro.4. About protecting telephone lines, separate switches for sockets, stabilizers, etc.
Not everyone needs phone line protection anymore, but it is available in the recommended price range. As an electronics engineer, I can also explain the effectiveness of this protection “for show” (in this price range).I have a network Sven, Platinum Pro, from my own experience I can say that not everyone needs separate switches, this is far from the main characteristic.
I did not mention stabilizers, since they are used less often (again, based on my practice), and determining the need for them, and even more so their choice, is a separate issue.
The main thing that a beginner should remember after this article is the importance of needing at least a surge protector, as well as the thought of purchasing a UPS.
And I have nothing to be offended by, on the contrary, thanks for the criticism!
Of course, Victor, in addition to sockets, there are elements in the surge protector that reduce sudden power surges (which last for a fraction of a second).
Directly connect the car battery to the stabilizer will not work. Additional special circuits are needed: one for converting the battery voltage (+12V) to the computer supply voltage (~ 220V), the second for monitoring the absence of voltage in the network and switching power to the battery with a converter. This is all simplified.
I do not think it makes sense to try to make such circuits yourself, since cheaper, more reliable and safer use uninterrupted power supply unit(UPS).
Hello Ludmila.
Since there is no exact description of your UPS model, I can only answer based on the comment, according to which I can assume that you have an IMP-425AP or IMD-425AP model. If so, then you connected the monitor and the system unit correctly (on the photo from the official site, the inscription “UPS + Surge”).
The instruction, of course, should be included with the UPS itself. If the store is stubborn, you can download the instructions from a href="http://www.pcm.ru/" target="_blank" > official site.
Check the model designation on the UPS itself, if you have any questions, please contact.
Indeed, for your configuration, the UPS power of 255 watts is small.
Here is a rough calculation of the power of your PC:
Athlone 640 processor - up to 95 W
GT 400 video adapter - up to 65 W
Motherboard - up to 35W
Hard drive - about 12W
DVD - about 10W
RAM - up to 10W
USB devices, etc. - up to 10 W
Total for the system unit: 237 W
Let's add 20% to the stock and get 285 WLet's not forget about the monitor (what diagonal?) for a 22 inch monitor 30-45 W
Total system unit + monitor - up to 330 W at maximum load!
Real numbers may be lower, but a UPS is desirable in terms of power at least 300 watts.P.S. I would also pay attention to the computer's power supply. If the manufacturer is too "economical", then the real maximum power may not be 400 watts, but somewhere around 200-300 watts. If the PSU is of good quality, then there should be no problems.
Regarding the date of manufacture, I will give an excerpt from the instructions for the UPS:
6.3 Long term UPS storage conditions
6.3.1. When the storage environment temperature is -15°C to +30°C (+5°F to +86°F), the UPS battery must be recharged every 6 months.
6.3.2. When the storage environment temperature is +30°C to +45°C (+86°F to +113°F), the UPS system battery needs to be recharged every 3 months.Those. we can conclude that two years of storage without recharging could well reduce the battery life. It's hard to say by how much.
Vision is more affected not by the diagonal, but by the brightness and the way it is adjusted, which was implemented by the monitor manufacturer (a separate article is planned on this topic in IT lessons).
The size of the interface details also affects fatigue, which depends on the screen resolution for the current diagonal.
But we digress, the question was about the power of the monitor 🙂At the expense of temperatures - everything is fine, but it was originally about the quality of the power supply.
You can compare voltages (especially +12 V) at minimum and maximum loads. But it is better not programmatically, but actually (by a tester), only in your case this is not possible (the system unit is sealed).
If the voltage deviations are large enough, then it is better not to trust such a PSU.Alex, let's clarify two questions first:
1. Does the light blink periodically for short periods of time (up to 1 second), or does the light remain dim for a longer time (more than 5 seconds), and then return to normal?
If periodically and up to 1 second, then the UPS should cope.2. Did I understand correctly that you already have a UPS and, despite this, the computer restarts during short (?) power surges?
For stabilizers. Their purpose is to bring the voltage level to normal (220 V) and keep it for a long period of time. If power surges are rare and short, and mostly the voltage is normal (about 220 V), then a good UPS is preferable.
1. The light blinks for a fraction of a second.
2. No, there is no UPS.
In general, I would like to understand what is called reverse continuity between these three devices - a filter, a stub and a UPS. Those. will the stabilizer perform functions incl. surge protector, and the UPS to act as a surge protector and stabilizer? Or, if I want to provide maximum protection, do I need to buy a surge protector, connect a stabilizer to it, and power the UPS from the stabilizer?
And another question regarding power supplies - as far as I know, various protection, filtering and voltage stabilization systems are already built into expensive PSU models - is this true and if so, how does this correlate with the equipment we are discussing (filter, stub, UPS)? And how to determine the presence of such functionality in the PSU.
Thanks for answers.
PSU, UPS and stabilizer must contain a filter, but in cheap models, the manufacturer "misses" it or greatly simplifies it.
Expensive UPSs contain both a filter and a stabilizer. You can recognize them by labeling. "Line-interactive" (interactive). For maximum (!) Protection, servers use "double conversion" or "Online" UPSs.
The stabilizer is mainly used to power household equipment (when the voltage strongly deviates from the standard one or there are frequent power surges in the network). For a PC, a good UPS is preferable, if necessary, with a built-in stabilizer.
The input voltage range (and for the PSU too) is indicated in the specifications.
It turns out to be more profitable to take some FSP Aurum CM 550W with a filter, a 90-264V stabilizer and all kinds of protections (OCP, OVP, SCP, OPP, OTP, UVP) than to spend money on expensive filters, stubs and UPS. Who does not need a safety net of the work done in the form of a battery, of course.
Apparently, restarting the computer is not related to the blinking of the light, at least I didn’t trace the dependence - I can leave it for the night, and wake up in the morning and find that it was rebooting. At the same time, without blue screens and other errors, it just abruptly goes into overload and that's it. It doesn't happen often, but it's annoying. Could this be related to the power supply? I have FSP HEXA 500W 80 PLUS.
A good stabilizer with an input range of 90-264V, and even at an affordable price, is problematic to find.
I repeat, it is better to take a good PSU (from 40-50 USD) + a good UPS (from 80-90 USD).As for the periodic reboot of the computer, offhand it is impossible to say. Look at "System Log".
Maybe a PSU, and RAM, and a joint venture, and a hard drive, and a Video adapter ...
Hello, Tatyana.
Judging by the description, it looks like a bad contact between the cord and the connector in the power supply. It is very rare, but I have had a similar case in practice. If everything works well with the second cord, then leave it and the problem is solved, if the problem persists, then try the following option:It is necessary to check (visually) the contacts on the pins in the PSU connector, if they are oxidized or dark, then carefully clean them. You may need to choose a cord that will work well in your power supply connector.
But these recommendations are only if you have described the problem in full.
1. Confusing Phrase "cord from the system to the PSU". May be "cord from the system unit to the UPS"? Where is the cord connected from the power supply in the system unit?
2. Is there a surge protector and/or UPS?
3. In the morning, when the computer does not turn on, have you tried to simply unplug the cord from the outlet, then plug it back in and press the power button?Hello Ludmila.
Given that the battery is 2.5 years old (since production), 1% wear is a very good indicator. So far, there is no point in changing the battery, keep an eye on its condition in the next 2-4 months. If in 2 months the condition of the battery deteriorates by more than 5%, then you should think about wearing out too quickly. But now there is no reason to worry.Hello Ludmila.
During a thunderstorm, the first thing to do is disconnect the cable through which you are connected to the Internet(twisted pair from a network card or router, telephone cable from a modem). After disconnecting, it is advisable to place the cord away from the connector and the device itself (computer, laptop, router, modem).
Why in the first place? Statistics show that most often during a thunderstorm, the network card and / or PC motherboard fails.Secondly, it is desirable unplug from outlet the device that powers the computer (filter, UPS, or power supply cord). Additionally, pulling out the cord from the power supply does not make sense. It is also advisable to place the disconnected plug at a distance from the outlet.
Generally, during a thunderstorm, it is advisable to turn off from the electrical network all devices especially in a private home.
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Hello Lyudmila!
Power management schemes are relevant primarily for laptops, because. help save battery power. For desktop PCs, you can set " Home/Desktop”, by separately configuring the standby or hibernation settings.
When operating from the mains, the power management schemes do not affect the operation of the UPS.
Readings of 96-99% indicate that with a small discharge, the UPS recharges the battery.Try to check the battery as follows (the method is a bit "barbaric", but the most accessible for the average user):
1. Turn on the computer;
2. Close all programs and make sure that there is no access to the hard disk (the red indicator on the front panel of the system unit does not blink);
3. If there is a program for indicating the current charge of the UPS battery, open only it (to control the charge);
4. Unplug the cord UPS power supply from the outlet (i.e. we create the situation “The lights were turned off”);
5. Monitor the battery discharge (either through the program or by the icon in the notification area);
6. In your case (UPS with 425 VA, 255 watts with the above configuration of the CPU and video adapter), if the uninterruptible power supply lasts 5-10 minutes, then it’s good, 10-20 minutes is excellent, if less than 5 minutes, then bad.If the computer turned off immediately, then two options:
- incompatibility of the UPS and the PSU (more on this in the comments above);
- battery wear.As for the question " why put old batteries in the UPS?"- everything is on the conscience of the manufacturer.
A discharge of 20% in 5 minutes is quite normal, you can not change the battery. When in 5 minutes it will be discharged up to 20%, then it will be possible to think about replacing it.
Interestingly, the message "change battery" was displayed from the OS or from the program of the UPS manufacturer?
How did the UPS beep? The manual for one similar to yours states the following:Infrequent beeps (once every 2 seconds) - Battery backup.
Frequent beeps (2 times per second) - Low battery.
Continuous beep - Overload.Of course, the uninterruptible power supply itself does not need to be changed - only the battery.
To find out the cost, you can look here: http://hotline.ua/computer/akkumulyatory-dlya-ibp/ (as I understand you live in Ukraine).
Presumably you have a battery. CSB GP1272 F2 or Yuasa NPW36-12 (can be NPW45-12), check the exact model when disassembling the UPS (see instructions). The link to the first http://hotline.ua/computer-akkumulyatory-dlya-ibp/csb-battery-gp1272/ indicates a price range of 180 - 235 UAH.date of manufacture indicated on the battery case:
- For CSB, this is a circle with an arrow;
- For Yuasa, these are the numbers near the red terminal, the first two are the year, the third and fourth are the month (09021830 - February 2009).It is difficult to judge what happened from your words, there is too little information.
1. When you turned off the computer, did you try pressing the power button for more than 5 seconds (as indicated in Lesson 6)?
2. Is your computer turning on and off normally now (namely, the computer, not the UPS)?
3. Leave the UPS on for a few hours, then repeat the shutdown process (as instructed in Lesson 6).If something is not working as it should, please describe detail their actions and results.
Hello Valery!
Indeed, the system unit does not rest when the computer is not disconnected from the network (by a button on the filter or by the UPS button). Inside the system unit there is a standby voltage necessary to control the status of some devices (network card, modem). The power supply itself, of course, is also energized, although it consumes a little.
I myself I always turn off my computer(switch on the extension filter in front of the UPS). Really quieter and nothing flashes 🙂
In addition, in the event of a power failure (lightning, inattentive electrician, etc.), there is a minimal chance of damage to the computer and peripherals.At the expense of the battery that powers the BIOS chip: it's not a battery, it's a lithium battery type CR2032, its main task is to store settings in a microcircuit, the service life is 3-6 years, it costs less than 1 USD. Why save on it?
Hello Svetlana!
If the computer restarts and turns off only when games are running, then I would check for overheating.Perhaps the conditions during the test in the computer room were cooler than at home. Is the system unit standing by the battery, are the ventilation holes covered on the side (for example, by the side vertical surface of the computer desk or pressed against the sofa), etc.?
Run the program PC wizard(IT lesson 12 and 13), go to " Voltage, Temperature and Fans” and look at the temperature immediately after turning it on, and then compare it with a fully loaded processor and video adapter. First of all, check the temperature of the video adapter.
If you make sure nothing gets hotter than 60-70 degrees, only then it will be possible to think about the problem of power supply.Check, then write me the result, then we will understand in more detail.
Hello, Alexander!
A similar problem (which is described above in the comments) Vladimir solved as follows:“Most likely it’s a ground loop. The ground, in addition to the power wire, also goes through the VGA cable - it turns out a loop where there is too much dirt on the screen of the VGA cable. In the load, power consumption increases, the current flows through the cable is high, and more goes to the ground, which is why interference appears. When I plug it into different sockets, there is no loop, so everything is fine. I see no other reason for this situation.
From all sockets in the surge protector. In our apartments of the former USSR, as a rule, there is no land for ordinary sockets. If there was land, there would be no problems.
I took a tee without earth contacts, connected it to the UPS, and the cable from the monitor to the tee and the problem disappeared.
Now the PC and the Monitor work from the UPS without any problems.In addition, pay attention to the type of cable used to connect the monitor to the video adapter, if it is a VGA cable, then it is very susceptible to interference and it is better to place it away from the UPS and high-current lines. If possible, it is better to use a DVI cable.
It is suspicious that the voltage instead of + 12V is displayed as 10.75 V.
Go into the BIOS and check the readings in it (you didn’t report the motherboard model, so I can’t name the exact section, you can look in the instructions or go to each section in turn).
The phrase "Power supply surges detected during the previous power on" is translated "Surges in the supply voltage were detected during the previous power on."
By pressing F1 you will enter the BIOS settings, and pressing F2 will reset the BIOS settings and boot will continue.To prevent the inscription "ASUS Anti-Surge was triggered to protect system from unstable power supply unit" at boot, you can disable the Anti Surge function in the Power section.
But that won't solve the problem.
1. You need to deal with the supply voltages of the power supply (in my previous message, I drew attention to the deviation from + 12V)
2. Do you have lights flashing periodically at home? Do you know how much the voltage in the network differs from the specified 220 Volts?In computer technology, you can often find such intermittent problems.
Happy for you, Svetlana, that such an accident helped solve the problem on the spot 🙂Hello Pavel!
Does your computer freeze every time you turn it on? Or maybe only after restoring from hibernation/standby?
Did I understand correctly that the "Reset" button (reset) does not help, only turning off the power helps?On the UPS side, I would use a regular power strip with multiple outlets (to avoid possible filter circuits interfering with the UPS output circuits). And if we are talking about choosing a UPS, then it is better to immediately buy a model with several outputs in order to avoid unnecessary adapters and extension cords (they potentially reduce electrical and fire safety).
Yes, the freeze occurs every time you turn it on. To avoid them, you have to turn off the surge protector for a few seconds, after turning on the computer it loads normally. Here is such a primitive (
It's hard to pinpoint exactly what the problem is. You need to do a detailed diagnosis.
First step, I would reset the BIOS settings to make sure they are not the cause. Then try turning off the computer (via the start menu, not the power button), keep the filter on, wait 30 seconds (to stop the HDD pancakes from spinning), turn on the PC, see if it boots without freezing. Remember the result.
In the second step, I would check the actual voltage values \u200b\u200bproduced by the power supply (through the BIOS or using the PC Wizard program. It is advisable to check the voltages under different loads (CPU and video adapter). Deviations from standard voltages should be minimal.
As a third step, I would repeat the situation on a clean version of the OS of the same version (you will have to reinstall Windows or install on a second hard drive, if any). This step can be problematic, but it will narrow your search considerably.
After these steps, it will be possible to draw the first conclusions.
Hello Ludmila.
It's been three months since my analysis to upgrade your computer. The situation on the market for video adapters has changed markedly. The GeForce 5xx was replaced by the 6xx series, which is more economical and less noisy. I advise you to pay attention to it. (If you have questions, it's better in that topic).For UPS account:
We have already considered the theoretical power consumption of your PC: with a new video card (if there is a 560 Ti) it will be about 340 watts (at the maximum), and a monitor is also connected to the UPS.
You can take a chance, hoping that during a power outage (or long deviations from the normal voltage in the network), the computer will consume not the maximum possible power, but half ... then the UPS, of course, will survive. Perhaps it will withstand a short-term load and with more power.
But I would not recommend in this case to use a UPS with a power of less than 400-450 watts.
I think it will not be so difficult to sell your used uninterruptible power supply, and thus save on buying a new one.Good day, Seryozha! Thank you very much for the advice, I will think about what is more profitable to do. We do not have stores for used components, we will have to look for buyers for the UPS. Without replacing the UPS with a more powerful one, I don’t want to risk a new video card and power supply. If I don’t find a buyer, then it’s better in 1 year 4 months. sell the system unit along with the UPS and buy a new powerful modern gaming PC. I will definitely pay attention to the video card of the sixth series. Sincerely, Lyudmila
Hello Tamara.
If there is an incompatibility between the UPS and the computer's power supply (this is mentioned in the lesson and comments), then during power surges, the computer will indeed restart. And such a frequent reboot can lead to failure of the PC.
The same can happen if the UPS is defective.
Have you been told what exactly failed inside the system unit?Yuri, try swapping the cords (use the one to which the system unit is connected to the monitor).
There is also a marriage, there was even such a thing that the length of the contacts in the connector is incorrect, as a result, the device did not work.Stanislav, I sympathize with you. I encountered a similar situation when I lived in a private house, I was saved by turning on an autotransformer and a UPS in series.
I have no experience with connecting a car battery to a UPS. Of course, the first thing to check is the compliance of the charging currents and the presence of the required voltage. On the forums, it is often advised to separate the charging and converter circuits. come to the conclusion that the battery will not have time to charge, as a result it will fail.
There are references to working systems "UPS + Car Battery" (example: http://forum.oszone.net/post-1323278-26.html), but before experimenting with connecting a car battery to a UPS, one should take into account the differences in the features of their use: http://www.1000va.ru/actual/?actual_id=10
Do not be shy. File a complaint (to begin with by phone) with the Electricity Networks Administration and state your grievances. They have to come and sort it out. In the end, as a consumer, you pay money for electricity, which must comply with the requirements of GOST. For connecting the welding transformer to the lighting network in the evening and on weekends, they must insert a wick for homemade.
Lyudmila, in fact, the buzz of a UPS that is plugged into the outlet, but turned off by the button, is relatively common. Sometimes this buzz is very faintly audible, sometimes stronger.
If the sound in your case appeared “suddenly”, and loud enough, then bring it to the service center, let them figure out what the problem is.
Olga, there can be several reasons.
1. The mains voltage may be out of range for too long (too low or too high);
2. Maybe the battery has reached its end of life and it is time to replace it;
3. The problem may be in the load (in what is connected to the UPS);
4. There is a possibility that the UPS itself is out of order.
And these are not all options.There is not enough information to suggest more accurately, start by checking the first and third points.
In your house, the wiring does not match the power of the electric boiler. It is necessary to immediately replace the wiring in the house using copper wires in accordance with the maximum power consumption (with a margin) and the soldering of the joints made by twisting. You should also check the quality of the wiring from the meter to the power line (on the pole). Don't take risks.
Victor, it's really not so simple with filters, and most of them are extension cords.
Even the cost does not always indicate the quality of performance, for example:
The APC PF8VNT3-RS is one of the most expensive, but there have been complaints about build quality in recent years.
APC PH6T3-IT also has controversial solutions, which are written in this review.
Energy Elite Most EHV (but not ER) seems like a good scheme, but there are complaints.
Good reviews about the Defender DFS 805 and Defender DFS-PRO5, but I did not find a full-fledged review-testing.
Inexpensive filters with minimum allowable filtration parameters: SVEN Platinum PRO/SVEN Platinum/SVEN Gold (there are complaints about build quality).In short, I don’t know the ideal filter, I don’t buy the cheapest one with filtration circuits, I disassemble it and look at the build quality, if necessary, I fix it or leave it as an extension cord.
For a computer, I consider a UPS to be a mandatory protection.
Thank you! 🙂 I chose Defender. 😀 And I already have a UPS. APC CS-500. It's just not in working order. Emits beeps and hisses. At the same time, the “on battery” indicator flashes. Even if you disconnect the battery. There is no reaction to the Power button yet.
Hello, Alexander. The main rule is not to exceed the maximum power for which the UPS is designed (or better, leave a margin of 20-30%). Add up the maximum power consumption of each device (usually indicated on the back of a special sticker), and compare with the maximum allowable power of the uninterruptible power supply.
Hello Allah!
The filter that made a short circuit - be sure to return it under warranty.
The batteries in the UPS have to be changed over time, but the service life depends on the quality of the battery and the UPS, available on the website.
The UPS can be used without a filter, but it will not be worse from the filter in front of it.
Regarding recommendations: I have good experience with APC UPS, but recently there have been more complaints, you need to choose a model based on reviews / reviews (do not chase a low price). Good reviews about APC Back-UPS CS 500VA, pay attention to the warranty, it should be 1-2 years.-
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God, it's hard to say exactly what happened. It is necessary to fully study the situation, assess the condition of the devices, in general, conduct an investigation. In our conditions, this is not possible, therefore, if it is possible to show the filter to a specialist, use it, let him evaluate the internal state of the device. In the meantime, carefully monitor the work of the new instance, controlling the connected devices.
Finally took the Pilot to the store (20 days have passed). The store checked it 10 times, it works. At first she refused to replace, but the deputy came. director and said that they would give a new one, agreed, but they were looking for a very long time. Today I was already afraid to turn it on, it's better in the morning. Although, he worked for a week. They didn't believe me anyway.
What was it? I thought that the insulation near the toggle switch was broken.
They said that they would give it for diagnostics. But I don’t know what’s the matter, sorry. Hello Anton!
In your case, you can connect a filter to the UPS, but usually do the opposite.
Problems can occur in rare cases if the filter has a specific circuit and the UPS is not compatible with it. I didn’t set up such experiments, so I advise you to connect an ordinary extension cord with several sockets, there definitely won’t conflict with the UPS.
Hello everyone, the description is certainly good, I learned a lot of things. So, I have a CyberPower UPS, I don’t know the exact model, it just sits like that for half a year, before the plaza was connected through it. So, on the back of the case, only euro sockets are installed on it, i.e. There are no separate outputs to the computer. I thought about this, is it possible to connect all the computer equipment to the filter, and insert the filter wire into the UPS, will it work like that and what consequences can there be from this?
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Sergey, there may be several options, if this is really a cooler, then you can try to clean the UPS from dust. But it is better to contact the official service center, especially if the UPS is under warranty.
Good day, Ekaterina.
In older models, the sound indication was turned off by a switch, most likely, in your model, the setting goes through the PowerChute program. If you do not have the program installed, you can download it from this link, after installation, look for the appropriate setting.Lyudmila Fedorovna, flashing on the Pilot filters indicates a large input voltage deviation. For Pilot X-Pro, the indicator flashes red when the voltage rises above 260 Volts, orange / yellow flashes when the voltage drops below 170 Volts. Those. when flashing, you need to wait for the voltage to return to acceptable values.
Please note that stabilizers and UPSs can also be produced under the Pilot brand. Specify which device you have according to the model indicated on it.
And I will criticize, because The article is written VERY superficially.
UPS cost from 600 UAH. Normal, inexpensive, reliable ARS. There are no alternatives in terms of durability and reliability, and which is actually shown in the photo in your article.
And about the protection of telephone lines, are you generally silent?
Network filters? For 30 UAH there will be a cheap Chinese non-name extension cord. As you write, "the best protection" will be provided by ARS, Belkin worth 150-200 UAH. What about the ability to turn off the power separately in each outlet, like in Sven Pro? And again, the protection of the bodies. and lan lines?
And about the third type of protection - stabilizers, why not say a word?
The article is designed for housewives who need a UPS only in order to have time to save a page in classmates.
No offense.
It is not entirely clear to me, due to what the filtering of the mains voltage, the mains filter occurs. Maybe in this surge protector there is some kind of circuit other than five sockets for plugs. My computer and other consumers are powered by a voltage stabilizer. The question is, how can you connect a car battery to a voltage stabilizer in order to protect yourself from unexpected power outages.
I bought a UPS by Checkcom 425. Explain, please, if I connected the system unit and monitor to the back panel of the UPS correctly. There are 3 slots on the left to BATTERY BACKUP, I connected 1 monitor on top, 2 below it is the system unit. Did I do the right thing by connecting the monitor and the system unit to the OUTPUT of the UPS with backup power. It's all on the left. On the right side there are 2 slots_OUTPUTS UPS with voltage filtering only. I did not install anything in these sockets and also on the right below them is the INPUT network connector, I connected this connector with a plug to the surge protector socket. Please write to my e-mail. There was no driver and instructions in the package, I'll go to the store to figure it out.
Thank you Serezha for the quick response! The full name of my UPS is Line Interactive UPS. Imperial UPS, with display. Improved protection. The store gave instructions and a USB cable. When I connected this cable, it's good that I have a lot of slots on the back and front of the system unit. Battery indications appeared 1 pc. HID UPS Battery, chemical composition PdAc. Energy reserve - mains powered. What confuses me is what is written about the battery: the date of manufacture is 12/23/2009. Is the battery too old? There was no driver. I downloaded the UPSMON program from the Internet, but it writes that it is impossible to connect to the UPS. I have a 4-core computer, Athlone 640 3.0 GHz, video card GT 440 1 GB (128), screw 750 GB, RAM-4 GB. BP-400. The computer is sealed for 2 years (warranty). All data from AIDA. It seems to me that a UPS with 425 VA, 255 watts is rather weak for my computer, although enhanced protection is written. Basically, the computer was taken for games. I look forward to your advice. Sincerely, Ludmila.
Monique Acer 19*, I think it is ideal for close distance on the table, large monitors strongly affect the eyes (close distance on the computer table). Upgrade can be done only after 1 year, warranty for 2 years. But my computer is very quiet, all the games Black Ops, Crisis, Metro, etc. pull without problems. WDC WD7500AARS-00Y5B1
Temperature 34°C
Winbond W83627DHG-P
CPU VCore 1.408V
AVCC 3.344V
3VCC 3.344V
3VSB 3.472 V
CPU 40.50°C
Auxiliary 33.50 °C
System 33.00 °C
System Fan 20149RPM
CPU Fan 1082RPM
This is the pace now. after cs 1.6. If I only change, then the south bridge of the mother Asrosk 68, I think that it is rather weak for my computer. Although it is better not to upgrade, but to buy a powerful gaming computer every 3 years. AUX - I think it's the PSU temperature.
Good afternoon, I will ask a question about the UPS and the noise (traveling background waves) displayed on the monitor (LCD) because of it, which are noticeable mainly only in the latest games (Crisis 2, The Witcher 2, Sniper Elite, Battlefield 3)
Monitor- Asus 24T1E-H
UPS-EP1500
The outlet is not grounded.
Diagnostics:
1. When the monitor is connected directly to a free outlet, no interference was detected. (UPS at a distance of ~ 1 meter from the monitor)
2. When connected to a surge protector socket, the power cord of the UPS is inserted into the 1st plug into the 2nd power cord of the monitor - Interference is detected.
3. Connecting the monitor power directly to the UPS (connected to a socket without grounding) - Interference is detected.
P.S.
1. A PC with an Antec HCG 750 power supply is connected to this UPS
2. These interferences are noticeable only in powerful 3D games, there are no such interferences when watching movies and working in the OS.
3. In all tests, the UPS did not move and is located at a distance of approximately 1 meter. (I didn’t see the point of rearranging, since no interference was found by connecting directly to the network.)
4. I tried to connect an APC P1-RS surge protector to the UPS (which, according to the manufacturer's specifications, filters em interference), and the monitor's power cable to it did not help.
Please tell me how to get rid of interference by connecting a monitor with a system unit to the UPS.
Grounding will not work.
Thank you for your attention.
Sincerely, Chernyshenko Vladimir Anatolyevich.
So, nevertheless, about stabilizers - as far as I understand, they are something intermediate between a surge protector and a UPS, but not all UPSs have stabilizer functions. But in what situations are stabilizers needed in practice? Do they perform the functions of a mains filter or exclusively stabilize under/overvoltage?
The situation is this - the light in the apartment blinks from the air conditioner and the computer in games (i.e. under load), it sometimes goes into cut - will the stabilizer solve this problem or will you definitely need to spend money on a more expensive UPS?
Hello, please tell me what is the reason. The computer turns off at night, and does not work in the morning, it turns on only when the cord from the system to the PSU is replaced, while the PSU itself is working and another computer works with the same cord that was replaced by the same PSU
Good afternoon, Seryozha! I have already asked for your help and I am grateful to you for your professional answers. Sorry, I need your advice again: the tray shows the battery icon from the UPS 99% (remaining). Battery name
HID UPS Battery, PbAc chemistry, energy storage: mains power, charging. Date of manufacture 12/23/09 Question: can change the battery, the period of use of the UPS is 2 months. Sincerely, Ludmila.
Good day, Sergey! As always, I look forward to your professional response! The UPS is standing, the monitor and the system unit are connected to it, then it is connected to the surge protector, the surge protector is already connected to the outlet. Question: during a thunderstorm, if there is a UPS, is it necessary to pull out the mains plug from the system unit and remove the plug from the mains filter.?
*After disconnecting, it is advisable to place the cord away from the connector and the device itself (computer *, - DID NOT KNOW!
*It is also advisable to place the disconnected plug at a distance from the outlet*-. DONT KNOW!
So, the UPS will not save the computer during a thunderstorm!
Thank you very much, Seryozha! So I will do as you suggested!
Good morning Serezha! You are to me like an ambulance to my computer. On this battery, right-click: Power properties, there is a tab: power management schemes, now I will list:
home / desktop
Portable
Presentation
On all the time
Power Saving Manager
Battery saving
In the power of the game mode plan
Which circuit is the best, what can you say about BATTERY SAVING?
I set it to Home/Desktop.
Sometimes charging appears at 96%, I press refresh, it returns to 99%.
Sl. tab: power buttons
it says when you press the power button on the computer - shutdown
When you press the button to go to sleep mode, the transition to standby mode. This is how I stand.
I disabled sleep mode
Alarm tab: Low battery alarm, checkbox ENABLE such battery at 30% level
Low battery alarm is checked: ENABLE this alarm at 99%
the tray shows the battery icon from the UPS 99% (remaining), sometimes it shows 66%. Battery name
HID UPS Battery, PbAc chemistry, energy storage: mains power, charging. Date of manufacture 12/23/09. I bought the UPS in May 2012, the UPS itself is 2011, why are old batteries inserted into the UPS?
I trust you, therefore your advice is very necessary! Sincerely, Ludmila
Thank you Serezha! Everything is clear and understandable! Today the light turned off, the UPS was beeping, there was a message on the monitor urgently change the battery, the charge was 77%. There was no light for about 5 minutes, the UPS did not turn off, it squeaked, and then the light turned on and the battery began to charge up to 96 percent. Sometimes 99% appears, but less often., Five months have passed. after purchasing a UPS. The UPS itself does not need to be changed, only the batteries, right? And what is the cost of these batteries, I have only one. When will I buy, how will I determine the year of manufacture of the battery? Sorry again, I have no one else to turn to, I do not trust sellers, it is advisable for them to sell stale goods.
Maybe still off topic: in May 2013, the 2-year warranty of my system unit ends, the case of which is sealed with stickers. Am I doing the right thing:
1. Take it to a specialist to clean it from dust and change all coolers and radiators to expensive ones.
2. My mother is a cheap budget one, where the south bridge heats up in games in the summer up to 65 degrees, will the Giforce GT 560 DDR5 video card (I know that 256 bus is better than 128) fit it not by 1 GB, but by 512 MB, but tire 256
3. I won’t add RAM, because I love XP and don’t want to change to another OS, but 4 GB is enough for me (for cs and other computer games)
I have a 440 GB PSU, I think the new video card will not stand it, I will change it to a 650 pb chip.
Your advice: will my mother survive this upgrade, I like the AMD 4-core 640, it does not get warm. Can only change the cooler and radiator on the video card? I need your advice as an expert. Sincerely, Ludmila.
Hello ... Today something happened to the PC and it hung ... I had to turn it off directly from the outlet (Nothing helped ... after that I barely turned it on (and then when all the cords were installed well), but now I can’t turn off the UPS ((lit button and that's it .. I hold it down, but it does not turn off .. I turned it off from the outlet so it squeaks and everything ... what I just didn’t do ... it’s very strange (why did this happen? I’m now afraid that the light will be turned off, and it will squeak for 3 hours and I I can't turn it off
Hello Sergey!
Recently, my computer was tidied up with the master and he issued such a remark-information: “Why are you turning off the power? There is also a battery in the BIOS ((he probably meant the battery ??)) is worth it, it can deteriorate ... "
I feed the computer, monitor, speakers (active) through an extension cord for 5 sockets with a switch. I completed the work, everything calmed down, I flipped the switch ... and it becomes so easy on my soul)))) You can sleep peacefully)))
After the completion of the computer, I examined the entire computer "economy", and I see: the mouse is powered; monitor in stand-by, diode glows; the indication on the keyboard lights up; and only the main block is blissful, resting (but I’m not completely sure about this either).
In general, I still continue to disconnect the power from the mains with a switch on the extension cord. And doubts gnaw
Good day, Sergey. I have this problem. Literally 5 days ago I bought a new computer (Quadro AMD FX-4100 (3? 6) / 4Gb / 1Tb / GeForce GTX5500Ti / 1Gb / DVDRW / CR / GLAN / Miditower). and everything was fine exactly until the moment when I turned on one of the “heavy, large-scale” buh (Dragon Age, Aion, etc.). The joy lasted for 40 minutes, after which the computer suddenly began to reboot and in the process turned off completely and for some more time it didn’t turn on in any. and this happens every time you start such games, the rest of the time the computer is perfect. in the store where the computer was bought, they tested it and assured that everything was in order with it. I didn’t believe on their word and gave the computer for diagnostics to another computer salon (independent, so to speak), but even there the check did not reveal anything, no errors, failures, overheating, etc. The specialist who dealt with my computer suggested that the problem was in my home electrical network. what do you advise in this case? is this really a problem? how to solve it? to what kind of uninterruptible power supply (as I understand it, if the problem is electricity, it will need to be purchased?) you need to purchase (is it necessary? and will it help?), what power, etc.? (and, if possible, not very expensive ) I myself, as you probably already understood, do not understand anything about this ... I would be very grateful if you could help me with good advice!
Good afternoon,
I have a question similar to the waves on the monitor. Waves appear in the latest toys. And so they are not. If the monitor is disconnected from the UPS and included in the filter, everything immediately disappears, it seems, why do I need it then ?. The system is as follows: 500W power supply. Video, percent, monitor and everything else in total no more than 300W at maximum loads. Uninterruptible such Powercom BNT-1000AP (600W). already changed filters and all that - all the same, if the monitor is direct, then there are no waves.
Thanks in advance.
Good evening, Sergey! Thank you for your answer! I did everything as you wrote.
the only change that I made on my own initiative was that I used a different surge protector for the computer itself (+ a different socket), everything else (monitor, speakers, table lamp, etc.) was left in the same place. result: almost an hour and a half of the game without reboots .
power-on data
<<>>
>
>> General information
ISA Address: 0x290
Config Mode: 0x290
Support: M5A78L-M LX3
>>Sensor Information
Sensor: ITE IT8712F
Mode: ISA (SuperIO LPC)
PECI Mode: No
>> Chassis Information
ICH Intrusion detected: No
> VIN1: 2.96V
> Voltage +3.3V: 2.66V
> Voltage +5V: 4.57V
> Voltage +12V: 10.75V
> +5V VCCH: 0.46V
> VBAT: 2.21V
>
>> General information
Support: M5A78L-M LX3
> Processor Voltage:
>Voltage: 1.375V
> AMD FX Processor: Sensor DTS
> Core 1: 255.9°C
> Core 2: 255.9°C
> Core 3: 255.9°C
> Core 4: 255.9°C
>
>> General information
>Temperature: 29°C
>Temperature (GPU) : 29°C
> Fan: 1020 rpm
> Fan: 30%
>Voltage: 0.950V
>
> HDD ST31000524AS: 22 °C
data obtained during the game
<<>>
> Control chip: ITE IT8712F
>> General information
ISA Address: 0x290
Config Mode: 0x290
Support: M5A78L-M LX3
>>Sensor Information
Sensor: ITE IT8712F
Mode: ISA (SuperIO LPC)
PECI Mode: No
Q-Fan/SmartFan Allowed: No
>> Chassis Information
Sensor Intrusion detected: No
ICH Intrusion detected: No
> VIN1: 2.96V
> Voltage +3.3V: 2.66V
> Voltage +5V: 4.57V
> Voltage +12V: 10.75V
> +5V VCCH: 0.46V
> VBAT: 2.21V
> Control chip: Asus ATK0110
>> General information
Support: M5A78L-M LX3
> Processor Voltage:
>Voltage: 1.288V
> AMD FX Processor: Sensor DTS
> Core 1: 255.9°C
> Core 2: 255.9°C
> Core 3: 255.9°C
> Core 4: 255.9°C
> NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti: nVidia Driver
>> General information
>Temperature: 56°C
>Temperature (GPU) : 56°C
> Fan: 1050 rpm
> Fan: 30%
>Voltage: 1.075V
> Hard Disk Monitoring: S.M.A.R.T
> HDD ST31000524AS: 35 °C
maybe it was worth playing longer to make sure that there would be no reboot, but ...
can changing the socket and surge protector be the solution to the problem?
Sergey, sorry, it's me again... nothing foreshadowed trouble... the games weren't running... the computer turned off and during the reboot the following appeared:
4079 Mb OK (Installed Memory Size:4096 Mb)
USB Device (S)^: 4 Storage Devices
Auto-Detecting SATA 3G_3///IPE Hard Disk
Auto-Detecting SATA 3G_4 ATAPI CD-ROM
SATA 3G_3: ST 31000524AS JC4B Ultra DMA Mode - 6, S.M.A.R.T. Capable and Status on
SATA 3G_4: ATAPI iHAS122 with XL08 Ultra DMA Mode_5
Auto-Detecting USB Mass Storage Devices…
Device#01: Generetic_SD/MMC*HiSpeep*
Device#02: …Compact*HiSpeep*
Device#03: …SM/XP_Picture*HiSpeep*
Device#04: …MS/MS-Pro*HiSpeep*
04 USB mass storage devices found and configured
Power supply surges detected during the previous power on
ASUS Anti-Surge was triggered to protect system from unstable power supply unit
press F1 to run SETUP
Press F2 to load default values and continue
can you help clarify the situation? please!)
good evening, Sergey! I hasten to inform you how my misadventures with the new computer ended)
I was on a business trip for a little less than a month, upon returning from which I decided by hook or by crook to achieve justice, a solution to my problem. Once again I gave my computer for diagnostics, once again I was informed that it was in perfect condition. And at that very moment, when one of the employees wanted to turn off my computer (and it worked all this time, they tested it repeatedly) and touched the place on the back panel where the power supply is located, this very employee was shocked (slightly, of course) and the computer began to reboot again , as it happened at home. in general, the problem was, as you expected, in the power supply, something with grounding)!
thank you very much for your advice))) and happy new year to you)
Sergey, greetings! Your opinion is interesting. The problem is the following: the system unit is powered by a surge protector. The voltage from the socket is 217-220 v. When you turn on the computer while Windows is loading (the moment when the blue squares run), for some reason these squares stop and the download stops. it helps to disconnect the pilot from the power supply and then everything loads normally. what's the problem ???
and the second question: if the UPS has only one output, is it appropriate to use a surge protector at its output as a breed?
Good evening, Seryozha! I decided not to wait until the warranty on the system unit sealed for 2 years expires and give it to specialists to clean it from dust and change all the coolers to new ones. And immediately change, as you advised, the video card to Geforce 560ti DDR5 bus 256 bit. And at the same time I change the PSU to a more powerful one because of the video card. But I have this question: my UPS is now pulling a computer, without light for 8 minutes. But will it pull when I put this powerful video card and PSU at 750, if it is 425 VA, i.e. 255 watts. I do not want to change the UPS, it is already expensive, 680 UAH or 2518 rubles. What do you advise? Sincerely, Ludmila.
Hello Sergey. I have a question. Can the system unit break down due to the fact that it has a UPS? The computer began to reboot many times and eventually stopped working. They said it was from this.
Sergey, good evening, can you tell me I took a Powercom BNT 800AP usb UPS, connected a system unit to it in one socket, and in the other through a surge protector for the UPS led monitor LG LED E2242C, the system unit works, but the monitor does not. What could be the reason?
Hello. While everything is clear. Thank you very much for the lesson. Please pay attention to this text. Here one word was repeated twice. (To be smarter like mine 🙂
——— In one of the subsequent IT lessons of the lessons (but at a higher level of preparation) we will look at why this is so and how to avoid this problem. If the question does not tolerate, then contact the comments on this article, I will try to help. ———
word —— *lessons*
about the UPS - a good thing. But I have a laptop
Hello Dear Sergey There is such a problem
The neighbors started a major repair with welding (heating, gratings, a dog aviary, and something else, plus a concrete mixer and other powerful tools, and all this in the private sector) we sit on the same line with them on the second one, we can’t jump over there even worse "VIEW THERE IS AN IRON BUNKER BUILDING THERE AT ALL"
and so from 17-00 to 22-00 I have a disco and sometimes the light just fades for 5-10 seconds until the “Illich Light Bulb” mode measured the voltage during the decay for 10 seconds, it showed on the “Chinese tester” 170 times up to 116 volts and as a result, the computer is cut down, although the TV is standing nearby No changes (apparently there is a different decoupling on the transformer)
There was an option to use Sov stabilizers (for TV), but now the voltage has become even lower and it can’t cope
Today I freaked out and went to the analysis with the neighbors and remembered that My Neighbor (Another) sold the Computer and she still had the UPS, but it was lying before the sale of the company for about a year
His model is bnt 400a (manufacturer not specified) he is 210 watts maximum Connecting it did not give anything
I am an electrician myself, but I have never encountered a UPS before
An autopsy showed that the Fuse on the Charging circuit had burned out (I replaced it), but the battery was dead because it showed 3-5 volts according to measurements. (Gel) didn’t notice But I still launched it with the help of Yulok Power (Laboratory) but he (Block) buzzed at startup, but after switching the circuit to “NETWORK” it stopped
There is an idea to connect to it a battery from a Car for 60 amperes (they say it will help), but it confuses the charge current, it is 0-75 amperes, will the battery plates be destroyed?
Or is it possible to use the UPS as a Stabilizer? (This function is available) and light up the UPS from the Laboratory PSU ???
Replacing the Battery immediately disappears because there is no money at all for the Scholarship and there is nothing to eat ...
Bolshaya Porosba reply to E-mail because I am writing from someone else's computer (I have a disco with drops)
Good evening, Seryozha! My Imperial line-interactive UPS began to buzz if the plug is in the socket, but it is turned off, a hum is heard. Battery charge 96 percent.
Good day, there was no time and opportunity to contact you Sergey. At first, I also didn’t have grounding and there were problems with the computer and the UPS, everything was decided! Now it works. There were modem failures due to overvoltage, but when, on the advice of one computer engineer, I connected the modem through the UPS, the picture became different, though I had to make a mini socket for connecting on the UPS itself (it's a pity that all the connectors are not intended for the modem's power supply).
Please tell me why the UPS (IPPON for 700 VA) gives short beeps and turns off ??? Connected through a network filter. P.S. There is an electric boiler in the house.
I read articles with pleasure, I can’t ask any question, just if something is not clear I reread the article and answers to questions from other users. Thank you.
Hello Sergey. When I am not working with the computer, I turn off the UPS. I turn on the UPS first (APC Back-UPS 700), then the electrical appliances connected to it. Sometimes the electric drill turns on normally. There are cases when, when the device is turned on, the uninterruptible unit starts to squeak, while the lights on the connected devices blink dimly. Sometimes squeaking and flashing lasts a couple of seconds, then the devices work normally. Sometimes in appliances, when a beepless device squeaks, an electric crackle is heard. Simply On/Off helps in all situations. Then everything works fine. The described problems appear only at the initial start of the uninterruptible power supply. What is happening? Does it take time for an uninterruptible start to compensate for the lack of power? And the main question: is an uninterruptible power supply capable of harming electrical appliances? All this flickering of light bulbs and electrical crackling disturbs me.
I'm concerned about some of the "network filters" that many people have. They are more like simple extension cords. Having disassembled such a “network filter”, you will not find anything in it that can protect equipment. The maximum that can be on such a sample is a thermal switch and a switch. But there is no interference filtering block at all. I got lucky with my APC. Almost six years, he has served me as reliable. But I decided to buy a new one. Sergei, which one would you recommend? 🙂
Hello Sergey! I wanted to describe my “uninterruptible power supply”. I have had it since 2010. I changed the battery after 3 years. Model: Back-UPS ES 525. I like it! Although it was a little expensive at that time, it justifies itself. 3 sockets and one. 3 - from interference and a battery, and one - only from interference. And this one outlet always works even when I'm off. an uninterruptible power supply with a button (I connected a fixed answering machine to this outlet). There is even a wire connection to the COMPUTER. networks and when. And there is also protection for a landline phone in it. In short, a cool uninterruptible power supply - I like it! THANK YOU !!!
Hello Sergey. But will there be problems if 5-6 electrical appliances are connected to one UPS output through a surge protector (with a plug for connecting to the UPS) (a 20″ monitor, a non-gaming system unit, speakers, a table lamp, an ice TV 40″)?
Hello, Sergey! I also ask for advice.
I have a laptop on the table, it was Dell since 2008, now ASUS N56V. I value it. In 2008 I bought a Pover Cube PRO filter, it worked perfectly - I always turn on the laptop in the morning and until night, turn it off only if I leave.
Recently, his toggle switch went bad, I tried to insert it myself -
hissing when turned on. I decided to replace it, I found Pilot GL in Eldorado,
it is 2 times more expensive than Moscow, it seemed to me normal. The store demanded to believe, paid. I was afraid to turn it on at home, but everything is fine, I worked for a week in the same conditions, and yesterday when I turned it on, there was a loud bang, like an explosion, fire and
smoke and turned off the machines for the whole apartment. I was afraid to turn them on, suddenly the filter arranged a short circuit for me and waited for the electrician.
Today I discovered that in other stores this model is more than 2 times more expensive. I don’t know what to think. I read your article and decided to buy a UPS. I have a Defender RJ45 / RJ11 TV, it has 2 free sockets, but I don’t want to load it. By the way, I didn’t understand, does it need to change batteries? He didn’t bother me, although the filters saved me, they turned off the light - the neighbors did a European-style renovation with redevelopment, the noise was incredible, I endured it behind the wall, and others came and turned off all the machines in the shield, including mine. So my surge protectors saved my chill-to, TV and laptop. What would YOU
advised? UPS without any filters? And which? While I have a laptop directly, it was bought, and a month later the model was discontinued, so I don’t know if it has overload protection, etc.
Hello Sergey! I have such a problem with the UPS, recently it has begun to make noise even when it is turned off with the button, it seems that the cooler is constantly working, and it starts up then stops jerkily, only the complete shutdown of the UPS from the outlet helps, it didn’t happen before, that it is may be?
Good evening, Sergey.
I have an APC UPS model BX800LI. After 3 months of operation after a power outage, he stopped beeping. The battery keeps normally, I have time to turn off the computer calmly and save everything. But for some reason, the squeak was gone when it switches to battery operation.
At the same time, when you press the On / Off button, when you just turn on the UPS and when you turn it off, there is sound, that is, BEEPER is working.
Do not prompt, in what there can be a problem? The UPS is connected through a surge protector, which company I don’t know, this filter is already 10 years old, but the UPS is new.
Good day, Sergey. Today I accidentally came across your site. Although I am no longer a beginner, I learned a lot of useful things from your lessons. The site is very interesting, useful and accessible. All the best and good luck to you. Sincerely, Ludmila.
My Pilot started flashing today (that's what it's called, I don't know if it's the same as a surge protector or not. Looks similar). That is, when you turn it on, the red light (on it) lights up. But usually it doesn't flash. And today it is blinking - what is it ?! Is it possible to work?! Or is it wrong?
Good day, Sergey! I have a Powrman Smart Sine 2000 UPS. I took this one, because for an adequate price a pure sine wave and good reviews. The instructions say - do not connect power filters and splitters to the UPS. But my location of the computer and sockets is such that you can’t do without an extension cord. Tell me please
1. Why can not extenders and conventional filters with a switch and a button on the side be connected to the UPS and how does this affect?
2. What is better in this case:
a) connect the UPS itself to the outlet, and the load through a regular filter with a button (the system unit and several monitors are included there)?
b) the same as "a", only use a regular extension cord
c) or connect the load directly to the UPS, and the UPS itself through a conventional filter with a button into the socket.
d) the same as "c", only use an extension cord
Of course, it would be more convenient for me to connect the load through a filter / extension cord, otherwise it is not clear how to place everything.
Hello Sergey! I watched videos about the life of batteries from a UPS by pouring distilled water, bought water, conducted an experiment, charged the battery - it didn’t help, the light bulb does not hold 100 watts. The question is whether to buy a new battery or buy a new UPS? Secondly, I have come across such recommendations more than once, but I have never met a reasoned justification for such a requirement.
Nevertheless, my UPS is connected to the outlet through a filter, I have seen this option for many users, there are no problems in the operation of the UPS.
To be completely sure that there will be no problems, contact the UPS manufacturer’s technical support, it’s very interesting what they will answer (just don’t stop at general phrases, let them indicate specific problems that may arise when the UPS is connected to the network through a filter).
Sergey, I called their service and, as you wrote to me, they did not give me any firm and categorical arguments regarding this issue. Thank you for the light on filters. Yours faithfully, Alexander. Ukraine.
The main purpose of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is to temporarily provide power to equipment during power outages. Connecting computers via UPS is accepted everywhere. True, for many users this is a kind of “rule of good manners”, and the practical meaning of this ritual eludes them. “Well, a UPS protects your computer from power surges….” Let's try to figure out: what, from what and how does an uninterruptible power supply protect?
According to the internal structure and logic of operation, all UPSs are divided into three classes: passive, line-interactive and double conversion UPS. Accordingly, they cope with accidents in the power grid to a different extent and belong to different price categories.
Passive(stand-by, VFD, back-UPS, redundant) sources are the simplest and cheapest. In them, the battery power circuit is usually turned off, and starts only when the mains voltage fails. The switching time from mains operation to battery operation is tenths of a second, and the output signal when running on battery is noticeably different from the "correct" sine wave. As a rule, a simple noise filter and a fast-acting fuse are installed at the input of such UPSs. The first partly smooths out impulse noise, and the second should work with a significant increase in voltage in the mains. Passive UPSs are designed to power home and office PCs. A small “dip” in the output voltage at the time of switching to the battery is not terrible for computer power supplies.
Line Interactive(line-interactive, VI, Smart-UPS) UPSs are distinguished by the fact that they have a battery power circuit always on. When the voltage at the input of the "uninterruptible" power supply disappears, its output sockets almost instantly switch to the internal converter - for powered devices, this transition is almost imperceptible. In addition, many line-interactive UPSs are capable of automatically maintaining an output voltage of 220 V. This is done in two ways.
While the mains voltage is in the range from 175 to 275 V, the AVR mechanism (Automatic Voltage Regulation, automatic voltage regulator) is activated. If the input voltage deviates by 10 to 25% below the nominal value, the UPS increases the output voltage by 15%. If the input voltage deviates by 10% to 25% above the nominal value, the UPS reduces the voltage by 15%. If the mains voltage is outside the limits, the line-interactive UPS switches to battery power. In this mode, it continues to work until either the mains voltage returns to normal, or the battery is discharged. However, such UPSs should not be considered as voltage stabilizers. The regime of "stabilization" is forced and short-term!
AT double conversion UPS(double conversion, VFI, Online-UPS) the output voltage is always supplied from the converter, the converter is constantly running from the battery, and the battery is continuously charged from the mains. In fact, the input and output of the UPS are galvanically isolated from each other, and a stabilized voltage is supplied to the output. This is the most reliable, but at the same time uneconomical scheme. The UPS itself turns out to be expensive, large and heavy, the converter gets very hot and requires cooling by a fan, and energy losses during the conversion amount to tens of percent.
Double conversion UPS is used only to power servers and computers in critical cases. Such models rarely go on sale - they are usually delivered to order. Most likely, to power work computers, you will purchase passive, maximum, line-interactive UPSs.
The power of uninterruptible power supplies is usually indicated in volt-amperes (VA, VA). To convert these values into more familiar watts (W), you need to multiply the power in volt-amperes by a factor of 0.6. For example, a UPS with a power rating of 600 VA will provide power to appliances with a maximum consumption of 360 watts. If you give a large load, the current protection will work, and the "uninterruptible" will turn off. In practice, it is desirable to provide about 30% power margin. Thus, the most common 600 or 650 VA UPSs are suitable for powering a computer with a real consumption of 200-250 watts and a monitor that draws about 30-60 watts more.
If the arrangement of computers in the room allows, it is more profitable to use one powerful UPS instead of several small ones. For two office computers, you will need an uninterruptible power supply with a capacity of about 1000 VA. To power three computers standing side by side, one source with a capacity of about 1400 VA is enough.
So what does the UPS protect against?
The filters in the power supply of the computer and monitor also do a good job of limiting impulse noise from the network. However, two filters are better than one! Surge protection is also important. If, for example, the neutral wire in the shield burns out, a voltage of almost 380 V may appear in the outlet. In this case, varistors and fuses usually burn out in power supplies for computers and monitors. Repair cheap, but takes time. In theory, the UPS should respond to a power surge before the fuses in the equipment connected to it burn out.
However, data protection comes first. If the computer's power is turned off in an emergency, all unsaved information is lost. The UPS allows you to either save open documents and shut down gracefully, or put your computer into sleep mode. Manually saving documents is easiest. Switching to battery power, the UPS starts beeping loudly. Once you hear such a warning - check if everything is saved. Next, look at the situation: either just turn off the computer, or put it into sleep mode.
To enable automation, you need to connect the control port (USB or RS-232, depending on the model) of the uninterruptible power supply to the computer with a signal cable and install the necessary software on the computer. Unfortunately, many users are not even aware of this possibility! The UPS is controlled by a built-in microcontroller. Its firmware (firmware) constantly monitors voltages and currents in external circuits, when turned on and periodically during operation, it performs tests of electronics and batteries. It also outputs to the control port information about the current mode of operation, the status of the UPS components. Through the cable, these data are sent to the computer, where they are processed by the monitoring program.
To work with the UPS, it is advisable to use the program offered by its manufacturer. For example, for APC (www.apc.com) this is the Power-Chute program, for Ippon (www.ippon.ru) - WinPower2009 and Ippon Monitor, etc. The program can be installed from the disk that comes with the kit, but it is better to download the most its latest version from the manufacturer's website.
In the application settings, you need to set the automatic shutdown options. As a rule, there are two options to choose from: either turn off the computer after a certain time after switching to backup power, or do it some time before the expected complete discharge of the batteries.
How long can a "bespereboynik" be able to work on battery power?
It depends on the battery capacity and power consumption. Most popular models have one battery with a voltage of 12 V and a capacity of 7 Ah. Theoretically, a UPS with such a battery has an energy reserve of about 80 watt-hours. Simply put, it should power a load with a power of 80 W for about 1 hour, 160 W for about half an hour, 300 W for about 15 minutes, etc. In reality, taking into account conversion losses, this time is about half that.
In sources with a power of more than 800 VA, two of the same batteries or one, but with a larger capacity, are usually installed. Tables or calculators for determining the battery life under different loads for various models are provided on the manufacturers' websites. However, "offhand" it can be assumed that any model will be able to power the load of its rated power for about 5-15 minutes. If you need to provide a sufficiently long battery life for your computer, it is better to take a high-capacity UPS with capacious batteries. It will work only at a third or a quarter of the rated power. But such a load, low for himself, he will be able to supply energy for half an hour or longer.
Uninterruptible power is also useful for network equipment (switches, routers, NAS). Otherwise, when the power is turned off, the network will immediately “fall”, and documents opened from network folders will not be saved. You can power the switch from the UPS of the workplace closest to it, although it is more correct to install a separate “uninterruptible power supply” of low power for this.
Battery life is limited. As it works, its capacity steadily decreases and after 3-5 years of operation it drops to almost zero. Even before the indicator on the UPS signals the need to replace the battery, it becomes noticeable that the battery is no longer “holding a charge”. Each time the battery life is reduced. In principle, a couple of minutes is enough to save documents and shut down the computer correctly. When the UPS starts to turn off even earlier, it is definitely time to change the battery.
Replacing the battery is easy. In popular APC brand UPSs and some others, the battery is located under a removable hatch or cover. To get to the battery in Ippon, SVEN and similar UPSs, you need to unscrew the four screws on the bottom and separate the case halves. In the instructions and on the official website, you are unlikely to find a description of self-disassembly and replacement: like printer manufacturers, UPS manufacturers receive a significant share of their income from the sale of "original" batteries with their installation in authorized service centers.
Nevertheless, almost all computer stores sell sealed lead-acid batteries in the most common sizes. The brand and manufacturer do not play a role: these are quite standard products. First, open your "uninterruptible" and find out which battery is installed in it. For most "office class" UPS (500-700 VA), batteries marked 12V 7Ah with dimensions of 151 × 94 × 65 mm are suitable. When installing a new battery, try to tightly put the terminals on the contact petals of the battery. If the terminals are loose, they can be gently tightened with pliers.
After installing the battery, it is advisable to calibrate the UPS so that its firmware evaluates and remembers the parameters of the new battery. Fully charge the battery within a day. After that, remove the plug from the socket so that the UPS switches to autonomous power. Allow the battery to fully discharge until the uninterruptible switch turns itself off. It is better to use not a computer as a load (although in extreme cases this is permissible), but several light bulbs with a total power of about 300 watts. Then reconnect to the mains and turn on the UPS - let the battery charge and the device will continue to operate normally. In addition to calibrating the device as a whole, this procedure is also a “training” of the battery. After a full cycle of "discharge - charge" the battery begins to use its capacity to the maximum.
Why do many UPSs have telephone (RJ-11) and network (RJ-45) sockets?
By definition, "uninterruptibles" do not need a telephone or a local network. It's just that as a "bonus" in the same case with the device, there are pass-through filters for impulse noise for the telephone line and the network. Connect one jack to a telephone jack on the wall, and plug the telephone into the other. If a high-voltage interference occurs on the telephone line, for example, during a thunderstorm, the filter will smooth out the voltage surge and protect the phone.
