[plug] ups for home

[Craig Foster]

Can't agree more...

Dual APC SmartUPS 1500's running server (Dell PE2950 with redundantly connected PSUs), phone system + DSL on one, Linux NAS and PoE Switch on the other.

Our power is shite. Frequent undervoltage not helped by two of the 5 units running on one phase. When both of us have aircon running, the APC's click like a mean typist on a manual typewriter. Was down to 170VAC for a while there.

Western Power took one reading at the pole, one at the balun where it connects to the strata property, and said 'problem's yours mate' and stuck us with a callout fee.

I can live without internet, so a generator isn't required.

Are you trying to game while there's no power, or just protect an investment since gaming rigs can get pretty expensive?

CraigF.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: plug [mailto:plug-bounces at plug.org.au] On Behalf Of Brad Campbell
> Sent: Saturday, 9 March 2013 11:15 PM
> To: plug at plug.org.au
> Subject: Re: [plug] ups for home
> 
> On 09/03/13 17:43, wolfbite wrote:
> > looking into ups for home, cost is always a factor
> >
> > problem deciding
> >    1. indivual ups for each computer (and how big)
> >    2. run a couple of computers off a bigger ups (couple of gaming
> > rigs
> > ) and other computers (and how big :)
> >    3. toying with idea ups on plasma (and how BIG :D
> >
> 
> I have 4.
> - APC SmartUPS 1400 - Powers my desktop (iMac 27+Thunderbolt
> Display+Samsung 24"), modem & office switch.
> - APC SmartUPS 2200 - Powers my server, granny flat switch & main switch PoE
> from granny flat switch
> - APC BackUPS 650 - Powers WD Mybook world backup drive, wireless router.
> USB to wireless router with apcupsd on router.
> - MGE Pulsar 2200VA - Mobile and powers whatever needs plugging in
> between when western power goes down and I get around to starting the
> Generator.
> 
> I bought the Generator 18 months ago. It has 8.5 hours on it in that time, and
> that is only pulled out when the power is out for more than 30 minutes. I run it
> till all the UPS's are charged, then shut it down for
> 30 mins to give the neighbours a break before repeating the cycle. Power was
> always more reliable than this before. An ex WP employee advised me to buy a
> generator 2 years ago, and I thought he was joking.
> 
> I love the APC Smart UPS's. There are schematics on the net. You can fix them
> with basic soldering and electronics tools if they break (one of mine blew some
> fets when the previous owner hooked up the battery the wrong way - Cheap
> UPS yay gumtree). They are not on-line (unlike the
> MGE) but they are built like a brick shithouse, and have long term reliability to
> match (Both of mine are ~2000 vintage).
> 
> The MGE is nice for fussy loads like the Telly and STB. Nothing like losing power
> 30 minutes into F1 qualifying at 3am when you can't start a loud generator.
> 
> Replace the batteries every 2 years. Use either Vision or CSB batteries (direct
> from the importer at a fraction of the retail price) and never worry again.
> 
> I've sized all my units for a reliable 50 minutes of run time. I have all sorts of
> other stuff in the granny flat that runs off the UPS, but it's all controlled via an
> APC PDU (thanks again gumtree) and 5 minutes after a power failure a shell
> script on the server shuts down all non-essential sockets.
> 
> As luck would have it, I have the three APC ups units on separate phases and
> graph and log the line voltage. We regularly see as low as 200v and as high as
> 265v, so active buck and boost or full on-line is not just nice to have. Thanks
> government solar incentives for dumping unmanaged and crap quality small
> generation capacity into an already unstable grid. Thank god we're not in
> Ellenbrook or Joondalup where home solar installs are more prevalent.
> 
> You'd think we are out in the sticks with those sort of power stats, but we're
> smack in the middle of Dianella.
> 
> Probably more than you wanted to know anyway.
> 
> 
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