Rack mount power backup?

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JoeBannon

JoeBannon

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I built a rack mount PC a few months ago and now I need a rack mount power backup. What are people here using? Do you like it?
 
I picked up an APC SmartUPS off eBay, minus the batteries, for $80. Generic batteries set me back another $20 or so. I like it, it works, and it's quieter than my PC :o if there is a reasonable load on it, it's practically silent.

It also does voltage regulation, but the switching isn't as quiet as my Furman AR1215. However the voltage at my house is very stable, so no worries there.
 
mshilarious said:
I picked up an APC SmartUPS off eBay, minus the batteries, for $80. Generic batteries set me back another $20 or so. I like it, it works, and it's quieter than my PC :o if there is a reasonable load on it, it's practically silent.

It also does voltage regulation, but the switching isn't as quiet as my Furman AR1215. However the voltage at my house is very stable, so no worries there.
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Which APC model?
 
JoeBannon said:
I built a rack mount PC a few months ago and now I need a rack mount power backup. What are people here using? Do you like it?
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I've used APC, Tripp-Lite, and probably a couple of others over the years. Tripp-Lite is definitely my favorite. I've had trouble with APC because they inflate their ratings pretty badly.

For example, the claim is made that you should measure a UPS in "VA", multiplying the amps rating of the computer's power supply times the voltage. Oddly enough, this doesn't translate to watts in their twisted minds. Why? Because I'm guessing one of their engineers said "Hey, most computers don't really use all their power supply capacity anyway, so we can shave a few percent off the UPS's inverter rating and get away with it most of the time." That's fine except when it isn't.

For example, a 500 VA UPS might have a 350W (peak) voltage inverter. The problem is that for some models of the APC, they massively under-spec the inverter to cut costs. IIRC, the 1600VA APC had something like an 800W inverter. Bottom line was it keeled over dead under the load of my quad G5, but according to their "VA" numbers, it should have been just fine. Haven't touched anything from APC since then.

Not that Tripp-Lite and others don't under-spec their inverters. They do it, too, as does every UPS manufacturer I've ever encountered. They just don't do it quite so severely.... :)
 
JoeBannon said:
dgatwood, would this do? I really have no clue about battery backups.

http://www.tripplite.com/products/product.cfm?productID=2853
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A 500VA UPS is very small. My smallest is 500VA, but it just backs up my networking closet (switches, an airport base station, and a DSL modem). I'd go with something beefier for backing up a computer.

What you need to do is determine what size power supply you're going to use, and then:

1. Make sure the maximum watts rating is at least as big as your power supply plus your monitor's consumption.

2. Be aware that this will only run for a few minutes if you're near the maximum capacity.

Personally, I'd go with at least 800VA for typical PC. That would probably max out at about 500-650W depending on model and manufacturer. For an audio workstation, add a bit for your outboard gear and get 1000VA.

http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.pro...&JRSource=googlebase.datafeed.TRL+SMART1000LC

This one is rack-mountable if you buy an "optional shelf".
 
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