posted
I was just reading the post on Ivan's path and I read a post from Shiela on getting improper shut down messages while her power goes in and out while they reconstruct the power lines and thought how many use battery backups?
I bet most people don't even know much about them so I thought this might be a good topic to re-discuss and share a common device that not only can save your computer but save money as well.
My work PC's are both on APC Office Back-ups that have a battery reserve in case of surges, and total power loss. And I can say they have paid for themselves many times over. I believe I paid around 79 or 80 bucks each and they not only have a battery but surge protection as well.
I have been sitting here working when I have heard the back-up beep, power flickers, and my PC never misses a beat. We can get surges sometimes that can literally restart your computer here, which in some cases can cost upwards of hundreds of dollars on lost computer time and or production loss. I am slowly adding backups to plotters and the edge as well. I have one more plotter to go then I'm covered.
For the most part it won't keep the equipment on for long , but it WILL give me enough time to save programs and shut down on my own in case of a "real" power loss.
I lost a job a few years ago that I had 3 hours into and yes I never saved along the way, so at 50 dollars and hour shop rate that paid for the first battery back up almost immediately.
Just an idea that might save a lost of money in the future. I will say Idid lose a battery back-up in a flood a few years back and APC replaced it free of charge, even in a flood condition, They said it did it's job, it took the hit and stopped power to the pc's before the water rose to the computers. I am still using this pc that had about and inch and a half of water in the case on that day.
Have Fun~
[ September 22, 2004, 09:37 AM: Message edited by: Bob Rochon ]
-------------------- Bob Rochon Creative Signworks Millbury, MA 508-865-7330
"Life is Like an Echo, what you put out, comes back to you." Posts: 5149 | From: Millbury, Mass. U.S. | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
I have one too, and it is a very heart-jolting but comforting feeling when you hear the beep. You know it has just taken a zap for the team. Wouldn't be without it.
-------------------- Gene Golden Gettysburg Signs Gettysburg PA 17325 717-334-0200 genegolden@gettysburgsigns.com
"Art is knowing when to stop." Posts: 1578 | From: Gettysburg, PA | Registered: Jun 2003
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Keep your eye out for sales or rebates - I got a really good one for FREE after all the rebates. Even so, I'd still pay full price for one. They are an essential piece of equipment as far as I'm concerned.
-------------------- Kimberly Zanetti Purcell www.amethystProductivity.com Folsom, CA email: Kimberly@AmethystProductivity.com
“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” AA Milne Posts: 3722 | From: Folsom, CA | Registered: Dec 2001
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Batter back ups are the most important item on my systems. Each seat has one. They will take the power spikes, the dropouts, or whatever the power co decides to give you.
Those power strips some use for spike protection are not fast enuf to protect your machines.
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5274 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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""Good judgment comes from experience; and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" - Will Rogers Posts: 3485 | From: Beautiful Newaygo, Michigan | Registered: Mar 2003
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Yes. My battery back-up keeps my monitor and computer running for 30 minutes after power failure; its great ($80 well spent - perhaps the only money that I've spent well).
-------------------- William Bass wjb71@bellsouth.net Northwest Florida Posts: 636 | From: Pensacola, FL | Registered: Aug 2004
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I had one for a year with no beeps... then we got a surge & BAM! the power went out & the computer went down. No beep, no battery power I was bummed & took it back.
I would have exchanged it instead of returning it but I resisted trusting the sam brand & wanted to look into different brands. It was called something like tripplite.
Thanks for reminding me, I do need to get another one (or 2 by now)
posted
We have one at every workstation, and on the big printer. I got em from the local power company for $105 each - they've proven themselves. I get about 15 minutes after power goes out.
-------------------- John Stagner Action Graphics Salem, MO agraphics02@earthlink.net Posts: 98 | From: Salem, Missouri | Registered: Aug 2003
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I have always had APC backups on my computers. I sent one in to have the battery replaced after a few years and it's working great again.
The other backup needs a battery now, but my uncle (retired IBM tech man) suggest Tripp Lite. As technical as he is, he wants me to read up on each piece of computer equipment I have and find out how much juice (amp?, volts?, watts? or something like that) each one takes before selecting which model I should buy. That is too technicle for me. I will just go to the website and buy a medium level one. They have setups for hospitals and other major business needs, as well as home office.
Good subject. A fellow sign shop was having trouble with power blips the other day and she had never heard of battery backups. They are great to have.
Pam
-------------------- Pam Eddy Niles, MI ple@qtm.net Posts: 460 | From: Michigan | Registered: Dec 2000
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In response to Pam's uncle's comments... I will add that as indignant as I wanted to be when my TrippLite didn't work... I later came to suspect that I had too many pieces of equipment plugged into it.
posted
Doug, what are you doing up so early. It's 6:30 am here in Michigan?
Yep, my uncle always researching things very thoroughly. He is the only guy I know that reads the owner's manual for his new vehicles cover to cover.
I have a habit of plugging too much into outlets, so I better put some effort into research myself. I hope there are a lot of pictures though. Reading tech stuff is no fun.
Pam
-------------------- Pam Eddy Niles, MI ple@qtm.net Posts: 460 | From: Michigan | Registered: Dec 2000
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""Good judgment comes from experience; and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" - Will Rogers Posts: 3485 | From: Beautiful Newaygo, Michigan | Registered: Mar 2003
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One thing to remember there are a lot of plugs on the back-ups and you must read at least which ones are on the battery support and which ones are not. Not all the outlets on the back-ups are on the battery.
as long as the cpu and monitor are on the battery you should be covered. In a case of Doug's it would be too easy to have the cpu plugged in on the wrong bank of outlets and get caught with your pants down so to speak.
[ September 23, 2004, 08:15 AM: Message edited by: Bob Rochon ]
-------------------- Bob Rochon Creative Signworks Millbury, MA 508-865-7330
"Life is Like an Echo, what you put out, comes back to you." Posts: 5149 | From: Millbury, Mass. U.S. | Registered: Nov 1998
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I'm up early cause it's only 2:20 here & I'm a night owl with a schittload of work right now.
I had a power strip plugged into the proper protected outlet on the back-up battery supply, but the power strip was probably running CPU, monitor, plotter, modem, router, zip, scanner, printer, speakers etc. etc.
posted
Another advantage to these units is that they modulate current coming in, which allows me to run my computer from the generator. The generator produces a power that varies too much and without the filtering would damage my system.
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6714 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I love my UPS. I have one of APC's more heavy duty models as well as several others for my multitude of computers and equipment.
The power here is very unreliable. A good UPS is critical.
As was mentioned before. Many of the newer models (and some older) communicate with the computer either via serial or USB. The software provided not only saves files for open programs that I designate and shuts down the machine but it also keeps a log of all blackouts, brownouts and over volatages. It also keeps tabs on the battery. They do wear out over time of course and have to be replaced around every three years or so.
In additon it also lets me know how many items I can have plugged into the device, with a graph that shows how much power is available. With a side note as to how long the battery life will be with x number of devices plugged in.
I can run my computer, monitor, cable modem, router and printer for about 20 minutes. Including USB devices powered by the computer itself. Scanner, etc...
A note on the difference between a quality UPS. Some UPS' will have a note on the box telling how long in milliseconds it takes to switch power from the outlet to battery. These devices are crap. A quality model runs on the battery continuously, taking a charge from the outlet as a constant. There is no switch-over time.
BTW, you can run a single lamp and a coffe pot for hours on a good backup. A hotplate too.
Good info for those of us in hurricane country.
The model I have is the APC BackUPS XS 1000 and cost me around $140 dollars a year ago.
A little story. A few months ago I was having a lot of trouble with power outages. Every time it rained or the wind blew at all the power would go out. About twice a week or more for a period of about two months I would guess. I made several calls to the local power co-op. I ran into typical beauracratic BS trying to get someone to do something about the issue. I spoke to one of the head honchos, he told me that there was not much they could do about the problem as whole but that they would of course get the power back up when it went out on an individual basis.
I told him that was unacceptable and that the numerity of the outages was beyond reason. He still didn't want to budge.
At that point I informed him that I had a detailed 24 week record of every outage, how long, dates and times as well as brownouts and overvoltages. Down to the second. I told him I was going to send an e-mail to "touchstone" with my information.
From Touchstone's web page:
Touchstone Energy is a national alliance of local, consumer-owned electric cooperatives providing high standards of service to customers large and small.
Dude changed his tune real fast ! Before I could turn in my seat good I had a half dozen cherry picker power trucks scouring my neighborhood, cutting limbs from trees and working on the power lines.
Things have been much better since. Power is still an issue. Maybe more than it should be but nothing like before I made the call.
So, I say again. I love my UPS.
Steve
-------------------- Steve Aycock Designs 3489 Oswald St. Johns Island, SC zaor@warpdriveonline.com Posts: 124 | From: Charleston, SC | Registered: Feb 2003
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I wouldn't be able to function without a good power supply. The power company here tends to allow alot of brown-outs and low voltage situations. These can really mess with electonics. The APC 1250 that I use can keep my monitor and PC up and running for between 3-4 hours, and it also supplies a constant voltage regardless of the incoming voltage. As far as the last time that I needed it, last night my dog chased a big ol' racoon up the power pole and across the transformer.... A loud flash and a big boom and the lights go out, not to mention a rather upset coon that landed a good forty feet from the pole. The critter seemed to make a complete recovery especially when he noticed that the dog had seen him. Long story short... Computer survived fine and I was able to save my work and shut it down. The controller in my central air unit wasn't so lucky. Wouldn't conceive of running without it.
""Good judgment comes from experience; and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" - Will Rogers Posts: 3485 | From: Beautiful Newaygo, Michigan | Registered: Mar 2003
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