UPS for protecting my equipments

U

uptick

New member
I know idealy i should probably get the following to protect everything (computer, digital piano keyboard, microphone, studio monitors, audio interface)

Amazon.com: APC BR1500G Back-UPS Pro 1500VA 10-outlet Uninterruptible Power Supply: Electronics
Amazon.com: CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD PFC Sinewave UPS 1500VA 900W PFC Compatible Mini-Tower: Electronics

However, since I am not really recording anything yet, I'm basically just using the digital piano by itself (and possibly getting a set of studio monitors in the future) and not connecting them to the computer yet for interfacing with the DAW for recording.

So for now, I was thinking of cheaping out on the UPS a ltitle bit and go with something a little more economical:

Amazon.com: APC BE550G Back-UPS 550VA 8-outlet Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS): Electronics
(this one is standby type and is by a highly reputable company called APC and has amazing reviews and rating)

Amazon.com: CyberPower CP625HG GreenPower UPS: Electronics
(while this is continuous, and also by a reputable company, however, not so great review on this particular unit)

Now, here is the difference between the two: (the standby basically waits until it detects a surge or drop in power, and kicks into affect with a 2 ms difference, which the below statement said is fine with computers, but what about digital equipments like microphone, digital piano, etc? should i use a continuous for them? or would a standby suffice as well? I'm having a hard time deciding between these two products.

"computer equipment is designed to work with 2 ms power interruptions 120 times per second, the interruptions caused by switching to standby UPS power should not affect equipment. This is good news for home and small business users, as standby UPS systems cost as little as one quarter the price of an equivalently-rated continuous UPS system. For mission-critical applications and delicate servers, however, the extra peace of mind afforded by a continuous UPS system is definitely the way to go"

Of course, when I get better with the instruments, I will of course get a better UPS to protect everything (including my computer)
 
If you are in an area with "dirty" power, it's a good idea to use a UPS for your computer, and any expensive keyboards with memory/digital processing units. Microphone? They don't plug into AC power!
 
The only thing you really need to "save" from a power outage is the data on the PC (and a kbd etc to save it with plus a lamp to see the fekker with!) This can be done with a modest UPS of say 1kva rating and will, as you say be of the switchover type.

If you want to keep EVERYTHING running, no matter what you need a "continuous conversion" UPS where rectified mains keeps an inverter running at full power all the time on the batteries. Needless to say CC UPSess are bigger, run hotter, noisier and eat batteries faster and are more expensive. OR....

Do as the farmers do? Tractor battery runs an inverter but when the juice is out for more than say 5 mins, a genny kicks in.

But as Mike says, are you in a poorly served place? Most folks get by with just a UPS on PC and its periffs.

"We" have not had a power cut for some 7 years and what we get is very clean. Mind you, we bloody well PAY for it!

Dave.
 
uptick, Are you looking to "protect" your gear from data loss or from power line surges or a combination of both? If you don't lose power frequently, probably a good surge protector on the circuit that the gear is on would be more cost effective that a UPS. A UPS on the computer isn't a bad idea, but could be rated lower for just the current draw of the computer and not something that needs to support all the gear that doesn't care if power is lost. I would prefer myself a dedicated surge protector versus one that may be in a UPS.

Mike, I wouldn't trust the power up in Lowell/Methuen area either since I've done work in a few of the NGRID substations up there :).
 
Mark - I've lived here 22 years now, never had issue with surges or noise. Plenty of power outages during ice storms and stormy winters because the grid sux! I've got an 8500 watt generator to keep the heat and lights on and the beer cold, but its not conditioned - would a UPS keep the power smooth enough to run a computer?
My wife had a UPS for her computer which we chucked a few years ago - thing started beeping all the time, with no way to shut it off unless you unplugged it. battery was probably shot in it.
 
mjbphotos said:
Mark - I've lived here 22 years now, never had issue with surges or noise. Plenty of power outages during ice storms and stormy winters because the grid sux! I've got an 8500 watt generator to keep the heat and lights on and the beer cold, but its not conditioned - would a UPS keep the power smooth enough to run a computer?
My wife had a UPS for her computer which we chucked a few years ago - thing started beeping all the time, with no way to shut it off unless you unplugged it. battery was probably shot in it.
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Yes a CC UPS would sort it but there is a cheaper way. BIG 12V battery cheap ass battery charger and a cheap (Maplins here) 12 inverter of about 500VA capacity. Probably best to keep all that ***t in an outhouse and just run in the mains power from the inverter. That juice will be "modified sine" which is bolloxspeak for a dirty waveform but since computer PSUs chop the mains up pretty horribly anyway I have not found it a problem. Put a filter on it if you like.

The 12V battery acts as a superb surge limiter! With the best will in the world you will not get it past 16volts and a lot less on load.

Dave.
 
uptick said:
I know idealy i should probably get the following to protect everything (computer, digital piano keyboard, microphone, studio monitors, audio interface) ... I will of course get a better UPS to protect everything (including my computer)
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So I basically do what you're looking to do. I have a cheaper APC brand, maybe 500-600VA, that interfaces with my computer over USB (after 2 minutes it shuts the PC down in plenty of time so it doesn't just *click off* with complete loss of battery power). My audio interface is USB, so that's indirectly protected through the PC/battery backup. I run my headphone amp and a second USB Hub into a power strip that plugs into one of the available plugs on the battery backup, so they're protected. My studio monitors are plugged into the surge only (non-battery) side of the battery backup, so they are protected but don't drain the battery. The key with the studio monitors is I have them on a separate power strip that I click on/off when I use them. The risk to them is nominal since they're usually off, and protected by the power surge AND battery backup surge protection if they are on during an outrage [which is extremely rare].

In my living room I have our TV, internet modem, wireless router, and satellite box on a slightly large Cyber Power battery backup. The idea here is to use it as a sort of power conditioner, since it has active voltage regulation (if it dips below or goes above certain voltages the battery kicks in). The APC above has it as well. This helps prolong the life of these components, or at least the power parts for these components, since voltage fluctuations are the leading cause of failure in most electronics. We may not completely lose power a lot, but we do have plenty of minor moments where the lights might flicker, etc.
 
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mjbphotos said:
Mark - I've lived here 22 years now, never had issue with surges or noise. Plenty of power outages during ice storms and stormy winters because the grid sux! I've got an 8500 watt generator to keep the heat and lights on and the beer cold, but its not conditioned - would a UPS keep the power smooth enough to run a computer?
My wife had a UPS for her computer which we chucked a few years ago - thing started beeping all the time, with no way to shut it off unless you unplugged it. battery was probably shot in it.
Click to expand...
If you're fed out of the Washington St substation, you should be good. Back around 2005 it was upgraded with new controls and feeder protection equipment. Many a lunch hour and much money spent at Daddy's Junky Music up in Salem :)

Wondering if you might have ever run into this guy >>> https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-anderson-1314b694
Ages ago he was involved in live sound and recording in the area of Lowell/Lynn.
 
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