UPS Reviews

[KeriJane]

Originally Posted by Oklahoma Wolf

To be fair, PC P&C isn't to blame for the part number issue, according to themselves and OCZ. They probably came that way from the factory.

Yes, but to be UNFAIR, PC P&C did offer these things for sale.
Their name is on the front, it's their baby.

Maybe they want to be innocent victims of an unscrupulous Vendor, but shouldn't they have opened one up at some point and looked around?
Their name and reputation is on the line and they blew it.

Especially before sending not one but two off for review?

I still think they knew about most of it,
Unfair Keri

[Zero82z]

Originally Posted by KeriJane

One thing to consider: the Standby power in your PSU, Monitor and anything else connected to UPS is always on and exposed to the UPS power even if you set the computer to shut down very soon after power goes out.

True, but that doesn't make a difference outside of draining the UPS' reserves, and if the hardware is all off, it doesn't matter if the standby power is cut off.

Originally Posted by KeriJane

If the square wave or inadequately "stepped" stepped square wave of cheaper UPSes damages your 5vsb circuits in the PSU, you still need inconvenient and expensive repairs.

Stepped sine wave UPSes will not damage anything in the PSU.

Originally Posted by KeriJane

For me, I'll stick with the better protection that Sine Wave UPSes offer.
Keri

The waveform does not affect the amount of protection provided by the UPS. That is determined by its other features.

[KeriJane]

Hi Zero82z

Really, I'm not trying to provoke an argument. Honest!

I'm only moderately knowledgeable about electronics and the effects of wave pattern upon devices designed around a sine wave alternating current or voltage.

Some of these "Stepped Sine Wave" UPSes reportedly have only ONE extra step (in addition to a simple square wave)!
Or so I read somewhere. Are you saying that in all cases that is enough to protect all devices meant for sine waves?

I agree that if there be enough steps, a close approximation of a sine wave can be had that shouldn't cause any problem. How many steps is "close enough"? Aren't there also some with symmetry problems?

I wasn't trying to imply that tiny Standby currents could run down a UPS very quickly. But some computers (and monitors, TVs, DVD players, etc..) have poorly designed 5vsb circuits that are very prone to failure. A PSU company named "Bestec" was infamous for this.

I'm sorry, but I cannot agree that any significantly not stepped enough or asymmetric waveform won't affect anything you might plug into a UPS.

If I'm wrong it certainly won't be the first time.


The "Other Features" you speak of generally improve with more expensive units don't they?
Things like response time, surge protection and the ability to deal with under/over voltage? Or am I missing something else again?

Really, I'm asking to learn not to provoke.

Thanks for any insights,
Keri

[Zero82z]

Originally Posted by KeriJane

Hi Zero82z

Really, I'm not trying to provoke an argument. Honest

I'm not trying to argue. I'm sorry if it seems that way, but it's a little difficult to convey tone over the internet. That was not my intention at all.

Originally Posted by KeriJane

I'm only moderately knowledgeable about electronics and the effects of wave pattern upon devices designed around a sine wave alternating current or voltage.

Some of these "Stepped Sine Wave" UPSes reportedly have only ONE extra step (in addition to a simple square wave)!
Or so I read somewhere. Are you saying that in all cases that is enough to protect all devices meant for sine waves?

What I'm saying is that the waveform has absolutely nothing to do with the UPS' protection circuitry in the first place. The waveform and the protection provided are two separate things.

Originally Posted by KeriJane

I agree that if there be enough steps, a close approximation of a sine wave can be had that shouldn't cause any problem. How many steps is "close enough"? Aren't there also some with symmetry problems?

PSUs rectify AC current into DC. The input waveform is not especially critical, since PSUs are designed specifically to filter out any ripple and output as flat a waveform as possible. I would imagine an input voltage with a different frequency might have an effect on the output, but I don't see any reason why a simulated sine wave input would cause any changes of note in the output of a PSU.

Originally Posted by KeriJane

I wasn't trying to imply that tiny Standby currents could run down a UPS very quickly. But some computers (and monitors, TVs, DVD players, etc..) have poorly designed 5vsb circuits that are very prone to failure. A PSU company named "Bestec" was infamous for this.

The Bestec +5VSB problem was due to a design flaw, nothing more.

Originally Posted by KeriJane

I'm sorry, but I cannot agree that any significantly not stepped enough or asymmetric waveform won't affect anything you might plug into a UPS.

Asymmetric? I'm not sure what you're talking about there. Anyway, the same thing applies.

Originally Posted by KeriJane

The "Other Features" you speak of generally improve with more expensive units don't they?
Things like response time, surge protection and the ability to deal with under/over voltage? Or am I missing something else again?

Better-quality UPSes most certainly do have more robust protection features.

[Kougar]

Was just about to make a thread when spotted this one. You guys definitely should try for more UPS reviews! Went through a phase about six months back where had nothing but trouble from one unit... and the one I replaced it with has its own quirks.