Does anyone use UPS' on their computers?

For reference, http://section3.redirectme.net/pics/Command_Center.jpg, I have 10 computers in this pic. You can see 3 of the UPS' on the bottom right and there are 3 more out of frame. On the more important computers, they will shutdown automatically via software but others don't have that ability and get shutdown the hard way. Anyone else worry about this or have other solutions?

---

I have UPSs on all my PCs, most have auto shutdown (actually, the ones that do go into "hibernation" mode). For the one that doesn't, I figure for short outages (less than a couple of minutes) the UPS will do what's needed, but if an outage is going to be longer, it'll just go until it can't anymore. Better than nothing, as far as I'm ocncerned. The one that doesn't shut down automatically is because it's an older UPS that has some proprietary serial cable thingy to do the communication, the PC it's on doesn't have a serial port.

-Dave

---

I have UPS on all three desktop PCs. Only one has the auto shutdown hooked up. That actually worked in a longish power failure we had a few months ago. The other two depleted and just died, so in this case, no real benefit to UPS.

However our power does have a fair number of glitches, and I think the UPS units help with those.

I buy fairly cheap consumer-grade models, but much higher capacity than some advise. The advised levels often give a very few minutes of run time when the batteries are young, and less later. Going to, say $120, instead of, say $60, buys you a whole lot more run time (a few tens of minutes instead of a few minutes), and means the battery is under much less ferocious drain when it gets used.

All mine used to be APC units, but when I replaced all three last year I went for three different CyberPower models. One failed the second day I had it (at the moment I was plugging something in, so perhaps it was actually my fault). They replaced it. No other problems otherwise.

---

APC on All Systems . . . auto-shutdown and NO problems here - per se

---

BOINC Wiki . . .

Science Status Page . . .

APC on All Systems . . . auto-shutdown and NO problems here - per se

Same here.

Tripplite here, a 750VA unit bought roughly 10 years ago. Both my desktop systems are on that, their combined draw is not much more than 200 watts. I didn't set up the automatic shutdown software and so far don't regret that decision. The only extended test has been a 42 minute power outage one night about 2 years ago which I slept through. S@H continued crunching on both systems through that outage. I suspect it got close to exhausting the batteries, but for outages since then I've always been awake and shut down the systems within a few minutes.

                                                                  Joe

Tripplite here, a 750VA unit bought roughly 10 years ago...

Hope you've replaced the batteries once or twice in that time?...

Happy crunchin',
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Tripplite here, a 750VA unit bought roughly 10 years ago...

Hope you've replaced the batteries once or twice in that time?...

Happy crunchin',
Martin

No, but I certainly would have if my systems needed near 100% availability. The batteries are far beyond average expected life.

                                                                 Joe

Tripplite here, a 750VA unit bought roughly 10 years ago...

Hope you've replaced the batteries once or twice in that time?...

Happy crunchin',
Martin

No, but I certainly would have if my systems needed near 100% availability. The batteries are far beyond average expected life.

                                                                 Joe

The batteries in my APC units were long since dead and swollen well before then. I'm impressed that yours are even alive.

---

I seem to recall that the average estimated life of the sealed lead acid or gel cells used in most backups is about 5-6 years tops in standby use. And their capacity diminishes over time.
So, if you are really relying on your ups to keep a system up and running, don't forget to replace the UPS with a new one, or replace the batteries every 4-5 years. And please do recycle the batteries.

---

"Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once."

I seem to recall that the average estimated life of the sealed lead acid or gel cells used in most backups is about 5-6 years tops in standby use. And their capacity diminishes over time.
So, if you are really relying on your ups to keep a system up and running, don't forget to replace the UPS with a new one, or replace the batteries every 4-5 years. And please do recycle the batteries.

I like to use the APC UPS units because I can replace the batteries and APC will provide a prepaid return label and disposal of the old batteries.

When the UPS gets too old, I can Trade-Up the UPS and again APC will provide a prepaid return label and disposal/refurbishing of the old unit.

When I Trade-Up, I can get a new UPS that's the same size or up to about 50% larger.

All three of my computers are on their own UPS and I have another UPS to handle the Cable Modem and WAP/Router. (I also include the VCR in the computer room on this UPS.)

---

I seem to recall that the average estimated life of the sealed lead acid or gel cells used in most backups is about 5-6 years tops in standby use. And their capacity diminishes over time.
So, if you are really relying on your ups to keep a system up and running, don't forget to replace the UPS with a new one, or replace the batteries every 4-5 years. And please do recycle the batteries.

I like to use the APC UPS units because I can replace the batteries and APC will provide a prepaid return label and disposal of the old batteries.

When the UPS gets too old, I can Trade-Up the UPS and again APC will provide a prepaid return label and disposal/refurbishing of the old unit.

When I Trade-Up, I can get a new UPS that's the same size or up to about 50% larger.

All three of my computers are on their own UPS and I have another UPS to handle the Cable Modem and WAP/Router. (I also include the VCR in the computer room on this UPS.)

That sounds like a great program that APC has going.
In the past, I have obtained my replacement batteries locally (Batteries Plus), and they accept the old ones back for recycling.

---

"Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once."

I have UPSs on all my PCs, most have auto shutdown (actually, the ones that do go into "hibernation" mode). For the one that doesn't, I figure for short outages (less than a couple of minutes) the UPS will do what's needed, but if an outage is going to be longer, it'll just go until it can't anymore. Better than nothing, as far as I'm ocncerned. The one that doesn't shut down automatically is because it's an older UPS that has some proprietary serial cable thingy to do the communication, the PC it's on doesn't have a serial port.

-Dave

All in the same room?

I have 10 PCs in 1 room and not enough outlets unless I use power strips. I'm a little concerned about it, don't want to blow fuses or start a fire.

I have UPSs on all my PCs, most have auto shutdown (actually, the ones that do go into "hibernation" mode). For the one that doesn't, I figure for short outages (less than a couple of minutes) the UPS will do what's needed, but if an outage is going to be longer, it'll just go until it can't anymore. Better than nothing, as far as I'm ocncerned. The one that doesn't shut down automatically is because it's an older UPS that has some proprietary serial cable thingy to do the communication, the PC it's on doesn't have a serial port.

-Dave

All in the same room?

I have 10 PCs in 1 room and not enough outlets unless I use power strips. I'm a little concerned about it, don't want to blow fuses or start a fire.

No, my PCs are spread out over 4 rooms...

-Dave

---

I use this downstairs on the wife's machine and 1 of those as well as this upstairs and have been very pleased.

---

On the more important computers, they will shutdown automatically via software but others don't have that ability and get shutdown the hard way. Anyone else worry about this or have other solutions?

I just picked up a Belkin, though I have yet to install it. If I read the manuals right, you can setup their software on other PCs in a special slave mode. This mode will pick up on network signals broadcast by the master software on the PC that has the USB connection to the UPS. Should be a good solution for those with other passive UPS', or those with a high capacity UPS and multiple machines.

---

I use this downstairs on the wife's machine and 1 of those as well as this upstairs and have been very pleased.

Just got almost the same 2 Belkin's as yours - one to replace the failing one on my wife's computer, and the 1000VA tower to replace the 10 yr old Triplite in my home office. Newegg.com had these on special in the last month or so.

I moved the old UPS (battery light on) to protect my TV/PS3/Wii from surges and brownouts.

---

Mark

Tripplite here, a 750VA unit bought roughly 10 years ago...

Hope you've replaced the batteries once or twice in that time?...

Happy crunchin',
Martin

No, but I certainly would have if my systems needed near 100% availability. The batteries are far beyond average expected life.

                                                                 Joe

The batteries in my APC units were long since dead and swollen well before then. I'm impressed that yours are even alive.

The typical UPS batteries are way too small -- pulling the required amount of power that quickly stresses them very much.

I have a pair of APC 2200's, with decidedly non-factory equipment batteries. The larger set is 75 amp-hour, and the smaller set is 30 amp-hour.

I have six hours on batteries before the generator is needed.

---

If all you do on a machine is run boinc then I would say a UPS is optional since nothing but a few work units will be lost if your filesystem gets corrupted during an ungraceful poweroff. If you have files you want to keep around or if you need to use the computer on a daily basis, get a UPS.

My workstation here at the office has a dedicated UPS. I also have it set to not only auto shut down when the battery runs empty but also have it set to stop boinc as soon as it goes on battery power to lighten the load and extend battery runtime. When wall power comes back, boinc is restarted. And of course it also sends email whenever the UPS activates. This is all done through apcupsd in linux.

At home I have a single 1500VA unit that powers both my windows gaming machine and my linux box. Don't think I currently have any monitoring set up on that... I'm in the middle of rebuilding/upgrading so I'll have to rework my strategy once everything is back up. I will probably have the linux machine monitor the UPS and auto shutdown and just let the windows machine die when the battery runs out.

---

A member of The Knights Who Say NI!
For rankings, history graphs and more, check out:
My BOINC stats site

The typical UPS batteries are way too small -- pulling the required amount of power that quickly stresses them very much.

I have a pair of APC 2200's, with decidedly non-factory equipment batteries. The larger set is 75 amp-hour, and the smaller set is 30 amp-hour.

I've opted for car batteries.

---

Grant
Darwin NT