Author Topic: Matching a Power hungry PSU with the right UPS (Read 11029 times)

Redfish · « **on:** April 30, 2009, 11:23:12 AM »

Ok, not I know there are peeps here with beefy systems.

My question is how do you know what VA rating to look for in a UPS to ensure enough juice gets to your system on demand?

For instance if you want to get a 650WATT PSU what is the VA you look for in a UPS? 900VA? 1000VA??

Carigamers · « **on:** April 30, 2009, 11:23:12 AM »

W1nTry · « **Reply #1 on:** April 30, 2009, 11:38:29 AM »

Rule of thumb... bigger is always better XD.... you could have a 650W PSU and still not require a 4KVA UPS. It depends on the system draw. Also you have to factor in how many devices are feeding off the UPS. So you have Tower, Monitor maybe speakers (don't know why but i'm just saying), printer, etc). You also have to factor in UP time once the UPS kicks in (aka power goes). Take for instance I have my tower which has a 750W PSU I would consider my system mid range and I prolly draw no more than about 300Ws give or take. Then I have my Display connected (32" HD LCD) and that's about it. I have a 1200VA (I believe) UPS and when power goes I have about 5 minutes or more. Remember a UPS is not intended to keep you going until the power is restored (unless you're in the service provider environment which you're NOT). It's intended for you to wrap up what you're doing, save and properly shut down. Also to clean up the supply of power especially if you are in a area prone to brown outs or low voltage (the silent killer of hardware).

I said bigger the better as the larger it is, the more devices it will be able to power and the longer it will be able to do so. Keep in mind that a UPS has a shelf life meaning the battery will need replacing in as little as 2-3 years, 5 if you're lucky. And again the bigger it is the more money the battery will cost to replace. Just some stuff to consider meng.

Redfish · « **Reply #2 on:** April 30, 2009, 11:44:19 AM »

Ok kool. Yea I know it's just to have enough time to prevent a Ohhh Sh!T MAN!! moment lol.

So say my setup is a 750W PSU and only other things to be plugged into it is a 19 inch lcd monitor and some logitech X530 speakers, a 750VA UPS would do?

Arcmanov · « **Reply #3 on:** April 30, 2009, 11:56:03 AM »

For a system with 700W PSU and up, with monitor and maybe speakers and communication equipment
(router, hub, wi-fi), I'd say a 1000VA minimum would be the safest.

The APC ones are the best. They have software monitoring via USB, which will shut down your
system very nicely after a set time on battery, or when the battery reaches a certain percentage.

W1nTry · « **Reply #4 on:** April 30, 2009, 11:57:36 AM »

I would suggest NOT putting your speakers on it. Unnecessary. Most UPS systems have Voltage Regulated ONLY ports. Meaning no back up power. I suggest plugging in the speakers, printers, etc to the regulated ports and the Tower and LCD into the UPS ports. And yeah a 750VA should do. But why not go with a 1200VA XD?

Carigamers · « **Reply #4 on:** April 30, 2009, 11:57:36 AM »

Crixx_Creww · « **Reply #5 on:** April 30, 2009, 11:58:00 AM »

like he said, it would depend on your power usage, check how much power yu use on load and on average
then factor in the constant load of your monitor and you have a good idea what to look for.

Load would be different depending on what you have in your rig.

W1nTry · « **Reply #6 on:** April 30, 2009, 12:01:29 PM »

I recommend Liebert as well. APC is very visible, but i've heard some of my peers say it's rubbish and they are some ppl that need CLEAN power for the equipment they use.

Berzerk · « **Reply #7 on:** April 30, 2009, 12:01:53 PM »

hoo dang

im using a 750w psu with an apc 550 w va.....hmmm that could explain some tings...

Redfish · « **Reply #8 on:** April 30, 2009, 12:04:09 PM »

Hmmm ok. Yeah I only have the tower and monitor plugged in to the UPS backup battery plugs my bad for not explaning that.

Only other thing to plug in are the speakers on the normal surge protector plug and there is currently a free plug on my little crappy UPS.

I don't have to plug in a router or anything else into it, that's in another room in the house. So it would just have tower and monitor on the battery backup and the speakers to plug in on the normal surge protection and nothing else.

Why I don't go 1000VA or 1200VA?? cause I watching the funds meng, plus I am pretty sure there is nothing else I'll have to plug into it.

The tower would only have 1 dvd drive and at max 2 hard drives. So I should be good with a 750VA right?

Thanks for the input so far fellas but what about the FORZA brand of UPS??

W1nTry · « **Reply #9 on:** April 30, 2009, 12:11:02 PM »

Quote from: Redfish on April 30, 2009, 12:04:09 PM

Thanks for the input so far fellas but what about the FORZA brand of UPS??

That's a really good racing simulations on Xbox.... wait...we talking UPS here O_o..... never heard of em... and yeah 750VA should suffice.

Redfish · « **Reply #10 on:** April 30, 2009, 12:14:34 PM »

^lol ass, kool think I will get one of those then

Kraeoss · « **Reply #11 on:** April 30, 2009, 12:15:06 PM »

ermm google is a friend who we constantly over look too eh... and just as viable as any of us lol....
http://www.extreme.outervision.com/PSUEngine psu calculator for power draw

*one day google will become skynet?*

Redfish · « **Reply #12 on:** April 30, 2009, 12:17:52 PM »

*plays terminator music*

I'll be back, lunchtime in work

TriniXaeno · « **Reply #13 on:** April 30, 2009, 09:44:27 PM »

nice find kraeoss. A user will have to be a PC expert to use that tool though but nice find all the same.

Philosophical45 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 30, 2009, 10:13:27 PM »

i use a 1200va APC. i have a 750watt power supply but my system on average only uses around 250-300watts, during folding at least. I get around 20minutes of up time once current goes. Only things i have connected to the back up honestly is the monitor, tower and i believe the routers. But as the others said, just find one that suits your power usage, i would choose apc over forza though....

unforgiven · « **Reply #15 on:** April 30, 2009, 10:47:39 PM »

just askin something here
what about the brand powercom?
was planning on gettin one
1000VA
http://www.powercom-usa.com/ProductDetail.asp?ID=17

any advice?

rassmatic · « **Reply #16 on:** April 30, 2009, 10:51:38 PM »

well i use an 850Watt PSU on 1000VA Forza UPS. I get about 30mins max of uptime during power outages. I have everything connected to it (Monitor, printer, speakers, router, etc). no problems with Forza. guess people just rather APC because of the brand. like ppl who say "go Nvidia, screw ATi".

W1nTry · « **Reply #17 on:** April 30, 2009, 10:53:43 PM »

I have a 1200VA Tripplite never really checked to see how long it would hold out for... I should...

Arcmanov · « **Reply #18 on:** May 01, 2009, 12:12:02 AM »

The APC ones are superior because they use a good ol USB interface to communicate with the PC, and the monitoring software
is second to none. Its also easier to get replacement batteries for em when they finally stop charging.

All other brands you see out there are S#!TTY by comparison.

Yeah, I said it..S#!TTY!!!

W1nTry · « **Reply #19 on:** May 01, 2009, 01:10:33 AM »

Quote from: Arcman on May 01, 2009, 12:12:02 AM

All other brands you see out there are S#!TTY by comparison.

Yeah, I said it..S#!TTY!!!

BLASPHEMY!!! Liebert FTMFW!

Carigamers · « **Reply #19 on:** May 01, 2009, 01:10:33 AM »

Author Topic: Matching a Power hungry PSU with the right UPS (Read 11029 times)

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