[OT] UPS Advice Please

[Evan Leibovitch]

Stephen wrote:
> My UPS started acting flaky so I am looking to replace it.
>
> I would appreciate advice on what I should get.
>
> I have three desktop systems, with power supplies of 650w, 400w and 350w.
>
> I also want to run through the UPS my cable modem, router and bridge.
> Maybe the monitor.
>
> Should I be looking at one, big, UPS or a number of smaller ones?
>
> How powerful?
>
> Where is a good place to buy? (In GTA)

During the past Christmas holidays I had a battery failure in my old
trusty APC SmartUPS-800. I found that  since I last shopped, the
market has split into "consumer"  and "business" units. The former now
use USB for any alerting of an attached PC and have generally been
cheaper than what they replace (APC's newer "backUPS" systems have as
much useful signalling as the more-expensive SmartUPS line).

I took advantage of a boxing day sale at FutureShop to get an APC
BackUPS XS 1300.

To power all your systems you'll need closer to 2000 VA or more. But it
looks like the current upper limit on "consumer" UPSs is at about
1500VA. So your choice is to get multiple commodity units or one of the
heavy-duty network-capable ones. One option worth considering is getting
two systems of 1200VA each one for two of the systems, and the second
for the third PC and networking equipment. That may actually be cheaper
than getting a single 2000 VA system.

As for where to buy, there are the usual suspects -- TigerDirect, Canada
Computers, NewEgg and the Spadina/College ghetto as well as FutureShop
or BestBuy.

HTH,

- Evan

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