APC Back-UPS ES UPS [Bought Eaton UPS instead]

rpsgc · Post by **rpsgc** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:07 am

Hello,

Do you think these UPS are any good? Specifically this one. They seem like surge protectors with little batteries which is fine by me, I'm not hoping to keep it running for a long time, just enough to safely power down my computer if the power goes out or keeping it from shutting down if there is a brownout. What is worrying me is future-proofing. At some point I'll want to upgrade my computer, and then again, eventually, and I don't know if its 405W / 700 VA would be enough for a gaming computer in a few years.

The alternative would be to purchase a "proper" UPS, like this here, but it costs twice as much.

Das_Saunamies · Post by **Das_Saunamies** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 9:25 am

Not to mention the "proper" UPS comes with 45 dB of sheer dread.

The ES is probably fine, and the RS series has its place in the data centres of the world (like the one I worked in), but it certainly belongs in no home. If you want 800VA, I recommend to you the Eaton Protection Station that I got: http://powerquality.eaton.com/Products- ... aspx?cx=96.

Shouldn't set you back terribly more than the APC ES series, comes with better design (standing up gathers less dust, easier plug management) and has more clever features (shuts down 2 devices when PC turns off, software-configurable set-and-forget).

And best of all: silent!

Edits: fixed URL in link.

rpsgc · Post by **rpsgc** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 9:43 am

Your link is broken

(was, you ninja edited it

)

Eaton? Never heard of it, but those PSU look familiar! Ah yes, they're sold here as MGE (which is now a part of APC).

So MGE UPS are good eh?

dhanson865 · Post by **dhanson865** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 9:55 am

I bought a UPS several years back (maybe 5 years ago) that they don't sell anymore that is only 300va or 325va and 180w. That is all you need to safely powerdown a PC in a hurry. It'll only last a few seconds longer than the shutdown process if you are in the middle of a 3d shooter pulling over 100W but it'll give you a minute or two in a web browser or at the desktop pulling maybe 50 or 75 watts.

I wish I could show you a picture of one. It's about 1/2 to 1/3 the size of a BE350G APC unit. It has rounded corners but is roughly rectangular.

I'd guess during gaming 150W is a good round number to use go figure based on your country what they sell that will do 5 minutes at 150W and don't pay more than that if you want to go cheap.

Eventually they die and the replacement battery for some models costs as much as just getting a new one so last year I got a 350VA to replace it since they don't sell the super small one anymore. I always just buy the smallest as I don't usually buy video cards that pull more than 75W.

BTW right now the Powercolor Go Green 5750 is the card to beat for the gamer that wants silent lower power draw gaming.

Das_Saunamies · Post by **Das_Saunamies** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:01 am

I don't know about MGE, but I've never been disappointed by an Eaton or Powerware UPS (I've had 3). APC UPS' were good too, just less features for more money.

It's a sound argument that you don't need all those W if all you want is a safe shutdown. My rig with the now-defunct 8800 GTS drew <290W at load and <190W in idle, counting peripherals. Peripherals are +40W, there and thereabouts. So something like 650VA could still serve you fine.

I wanted to make sure I've got some precious minutes to spare in case something goes wrong, i.e. Word won't close properly.

Edit1: I think it's just the dot at the end confusing your browser, or maybe the Eaton site needed a refresh to work correctly. For once I didn't end up editing a post after writing, like I am now.

rpsgc · Post by **rpsgc** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:04 am

Das_Saunamies wrote:I don't know about MGE, but I've never been disappointed by an Eaton or Powerware UPS (I've had 3).

MGE is a brand of Eaton so MGE = Eaton

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eaton_Corporation#Brands

Das_Saunamies wrote:Edit1: I think it's just the dot at the end confusing your browser, or maybe the Eaton site needed a refresh to work correctly. For once I didn't end up editing a post after writing, like I am now.

Nope, it wasn't the dot. There was some garbled 404 URL before the actual URL.

This:
http://powerquality.eaton.com/pp/Cookie ... F=/404.asp[[Q]]404;http://powerquality.eaton.com:80/Produc ... ation.aspx

Das_Saunamies · Post by **Das_Saunamies** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:11 am

Okay, cool.

I'd forgotten about the whole MGE purchase. My UPS' predate that event.

rpsgc · Post by **rpsgc** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:15 am

So you can vouch for that Protection Station? Quiet, noiseless? Considering it has more power than the one from APC (500W vs 405W) and costs the same, I'm strongly considering it now.

Even a six-core (i7-980X) rig with an HD 5970 GPU and two 24" monitors shouldn't go over 500W at load so I think I'm OK!

Das_Saunamies · Post by **Das_Saunamies** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:23 am

Yeah, I'll vouch for it. I've got my signature rig in it with all the networking and audio gear I need for gaming, plus a NAS and USB HDD attached to said NAS.

I can't hear a thing from 1m away, and the case makes too much noise from 2m away for me to hear anything even up close. If there is any electrical noise, it's beyond my sensitivity, and I consider myself sensitive - hence I'm on SPCR!

Edit: errors. Also, power button on top lights up green, so you'll want to hide it in a dark bedroom.

rpsgc · Post by **rpsgc** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:55 pm

Well, you've convinced me. I'll order one tomorrow.

Post by **Ralf Hutter** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 6:00 am

Das_Saunamies wrote: I recommend to you the Eaton Protection Station that I got: http://powerquality.eaton.com/Products- ... ation.aspx.

I can't get this URL (or variations of it) to work on FF or IE. Can you list the name and model number of the unit you are referring to so that I can look for it manually on the Eaton website?

Thanks!

rpsgc · Post by **rpsgc** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 6:05 am

Ralf Hutter wrote:
Das_Saunamies wrote: I recommend to you the Eaton Protection Station that I got: http://powerquality.eaton.com/Products- ... ation.aspx.
I can't get this URL (or variations of it) to work on FF or IE. Can you list the name and model number of the unit you are referring to so that I can look for it manually on the Eaton website?

Thanks!

Ah!! I told him his link was broken!

This be the one:
http://powerquality.eaton.com/Products- ... aspx?cx=96

(It's not available in the Eaton USA/CA/UK site)

Das_Saunamies · Post by **Das_Saunamies** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 6:08 am

Ralf Hutter wrote:
Das_Saunamies wrote: I recommend to you the Eaton Protection Station that I got: http://powerquality.eaton.com/Products- ... ation.aspx.
I can't get this URL (or variations of it) to work on FF or IE. Can you list the name and model number of the unit you are referring to so that I can look for it manually on the Eaton website?

Thanks!

Sure. The model is the "Eaton Protection Station", like it says in the URL, comes in 500, 650 and 800VA varieties.

Edit1: must be cache or something, because the link worked fine for me when posted, and now it doesn't. Corrected now.
Edit2: Found it on Amazon UK, not to be found on Amazon US -> http://www.amazon.co.uk/MGE-UPS-Systems ... 810&sr=8-1

NightRider · Post by **NightRider** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 4:28 pm

I got a Tripp Lite 750va/450w for 80 on ebay and its nice.

colm · Post by **colm** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:21 pm

I run that same model, but for america 120volt.

it has been 6 years. I am impressed. I amstill procrastinating a new battery..it even does brown outs without it.

older can run the newer, and newer may need a bigger number. the 700vA is a big one.

scdr · Post by **scdr** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:02 am

Couple of notes on the APC.

I have been content with APC UPS units (had couple of circa 300-350 watt ones that kept my computer from glitching when brownout for several years.)

A few caveats:
The old ones gave no indication when the battery was worn out (on top of that, once the battery died - they made power glitches worse. When I ran the dishwasher, computer connected to the UPS would reset, but if it was connected to just a surge protector it ran fine).
I got new ones on sale that were cheaper than replacing batteries in old ones.

Recently got a couple of APC ES 450
One of them has been trouble-free so far,
the other one I ran into problems within month of purchase (it was complaining the battery was bad)
Exchanged it. Replacement has squaked about bad battery once or twice (past store replacement period - may have been a problem with the monitor I had on it). Anyway - I am a little unsure of current quality of their units.

They are strangely designed. The surge protect only outlets (half of the outlets are UPS, half are surge only) are NOT SWITCHED. They stay on all the time. This is useless as far as I can tell.
Maybe having one outlet on all the time would be okay (for a router/etc.) - but 4 outlets?? (And they tout it as "greener"). I would much rather have all outlets switched, some UPS, some not - so could have speakers, scanner, printer on just surge protect; have computer, monitor, KVM and external hard disk on UPS, and turn them all on/off with one switch.

This is on the US model - not sure if would be same with Russian and higher power - but worth checking if that important to you.

rpsgc · Post by **rpsgc** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 5:33 am

Just a quick question (yes, I'm a noob when it comes to electricity): would there be any problem if I connected a surge suppressor to the UPS? Not the battery powered plugs, the other non-powered (surge protected) ones.

Das_Saunamies · Post by **Das_Saunamies** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 11:08 pm

rpsgc wrote:Just a quick question (yes, I'm a noob when it comes to electricity): would there be any problem if I connected a surge suppressor to the UPS? Not the battery powered plugs, the other non-powered (surge protected) ones.

A single-socket suppressor shouldn't be a problem, though I don't know why you would want to use one. It's just an extension of the plug with added protective circuitry that shouldn't affect normal power transfer.

rpsgc · Post by **rpsgc** » Fri Apr 09, 2010 1:43 am

It's to be used as a power strip, I need to connect more stuff than the UPS allows!!

http://www.apc.com/products/resource/in ... u=P5B%2DSP