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  1. #1
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    Default A question about a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)

    We get quite a lot of electrical storms up here, and seem to have a higher than usual amount of blackouts (e.g. one day last week there were four within 10 minutes), so the time has come to install a UPS to prevent the modem having to go through a 5 minute reboot every time, especially given that there is someone working from home and permanently online during the week.

    The modem is at my end of the house, and I run a laptop which also has an external monitor. The laptop is of course not subject to blackouts, but the monitor is, and in a blackout the windows get rearranged which is pretty aggravating (esp 4x in 10 minutes). For the modem itself the UPS only needs to be tiny, but I'm thinking that if I go to a 1000VA unit like this CyberPower Value Pro 1000 (which is $23 cheaper at MWave) then I could attach my monitor to it, and perhaps my sound system (because they don't like surges and blackouts either).

    The sound system doesn't draw much power - a headphone amp (perhaps 2-4 watts), 2x Studio Monitors which are rated at 100w each but never run at anything like it, and a subwoofer which is run at absolutely minimal power.

    Note that I would not intend to keep running the sound system during a blackout - just prevent it from getting a surge or immediate shutdown. In other words, it would not be draining much power from the UPS.

    And so to the question:
    I have constructed a large power box which controls and contains all the staggering number of cables that I have running around my desk. It may not look like there is much there in this format, but the last socket has a remote control outlet which runs to another power board that hat has all the sound equipment on it. Would it be ok to run the whole power box out of one of the UPS sockets? The only thing that I would keep running in blackouts longer than a couple of minutes would be the Modem, so the power draw won't be a problem.

    Power box.jpg

    Yesterday I tried to fire up my power consumption meter, but even after fitting new batteries it wouldn't work, so I guess it's jiggered. I can't see how the whole system would be drawing more than about 200-250 watts - even if I happened to be listening to music - and the 1000VA unit is claimed to run for 18 minutes @ 200w and 10 mins @ 300w.
    Regards, FenceFurniture

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  3. #2
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    If you get the right type of UPS your powerboard will be redundant for the most part. Even a lightweight 650VA rig like I use to run my CPAP has four filtered outputs and another four filtered with battery backup so you have 8 outlets straight up. If you really want the modem to stay up for a reasonable time, you would just put your heavier loads (sound system etc) on the filtered outputs so they are protected from spikes but drop off once there's an outage, while your modem will have the batteries to itself to stay online a bit longer.
    .
    Updated 8th of February 2024

  4. #3
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    The CyberPower BRIC-LCD 1000VA/600W could be another option. As TTiT pointed out is has four protected outlets and four protected battery backed outlets. It also has a 2 year warranty and a user replaceable battery which is required every few years.

  5. #4
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    Thanks for your replies chaps. Yes, the bric idea has been rolling around the back of the head. The actual power box that I showed in the pic will be redundant because I am going to build a new desk with a couple of staggered depth shelves. The speakers, Sub-woof and UPS will all sit on the top shelf, with the UPS in the middle. It will be board and steel pole construction (and this diagram is from Excel, so it's a little clunky):





    You can see a 4x GPO (like on the current power box) underneath the top shelf left and right, and another two on top of the second (red) shelf, which are the right way up. The UPS is shown in front of the top screen for info purposes only (it will sit behind the screen of course). With the bric idea I could just run one lead to each 4x GPO, and choose either battery or just surge protection.
    Regards, FenceFurniture

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  6. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by apple8 View Post
    The CyberPower BRIC-LCD 1000VA/600W could be another option. As TTiT pointed out is has four protected outlets and four protected battery backed outlets. It also has a 2 year warranty and a user replaceable battery which is required every few years.
    Hmmmm - that is the one I had previously - circuitry died after just 3 years. I don't expect to get more than 3 years from the batteries but would like a little more life from the rest of it! Bring on a 'right to repair' rule like a few other countries are doing
    .
    Updated 8th of February 2024

  7. #6
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    Brett, We got this one for the home office on the recommendation telecommunications tech who helped do the setup after going to NBN.
    It may not be what you're after or answer your question but the tech seemed a decent bloke so I trusted his recommendation, Cheers, Peter

    CyberPower Line Interactive UPS Black 2200VA | Officeworks

  8. #7
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    Thanks Peter. I think that is the same as the bric but without the "no battery" outlet options, and a 2200VA which is probably more than I need - I'm happy to save my work and shutdown in an extended blackout. I watched a vid yesterday and they were saying that there is a big jump in price going past 1500VA.
    Regards, FenceFurniture

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    I have a 800VA CyberPower and to date it been reliable running 24/7 for the past 4 years running a PC for my weather station, solar systems and security NVR. I had to change the battery on the weekend as it didn’t hold when I turned the power off. My bad for not changing it earlier, the new battery was about nearly 1/2 the price of the UPS.

    If you do go with your original choice put it to OfficeWorks as they carry that model and will match and beat the price by 5%.

  10. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by apple8 View Post
    If you do go with your original choice put it to OfficeWorks as they carry that model and will match and beat the price by 5%.
    That's useful to know.
    Regards, FenceFurniture

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  11. #10
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    Very important to regularly change the batteries in your UPS.
    I do not know why, but the Mechanical Switch Boards in one building at work have a UPS in them. Now the UPS is not there to power electric motors when there is a power interruption, not sure what it does, but it might be for the BMS.
    However if the batteries in the UPS fail, then everything attached to the board shuts down, even if mains power is available. Easy to fix when it happens, but can be prevented by regular battery changing.

  12. #11
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    A copy of the manual here:

    Value Pro - Backup UPS Systems | CyberPower

    Note this has a simulated sine wave output; that may or may not matter to you/your equipment.

    It does not have a user replaceable battery so it is disposable after about 3 years YMMV.

    Realistically it probably has a single 7.5 - 9 Ah 12v battery. Stated half power run time when new is 9 minutes, enough to get you through a brown out, or allow the software to gracefully force shut down a pc after a few minutes.

    It will keep your modem going for ages but I do not know how power hungry your monitor is. You may not be around when the power trips, so not able to manually shut down. That might not matter.

    if you run the whole powerbox out of it, and you exceed the trip current it will shut down. (Wait until someone plugs in a printer or vacuum cleaner,). Again, this might not be an issue.

    Safety wise, if you run stuff from a ups, and someone turns the appliance off ‘at the wall’, it will still be live, (although the UPS will beep regularly), and this can be an issue in some cases.

    Good luck

    regards.

  13. #12
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    For my modem I bought one of these.
    12V 2.5A DC to DC Uniteruptable Power Supply | Jaycar Electronics
    We had a dodgy connection at the transformer on the pole out the front (I spoke to the linesmen who fixed it) Every time a strong gust of wind blew the connection would stutter and we would lose power momentarily. Enough to reset the NBN modem and we had to wait for it to boot up again. This little 12V UPS has been great. NBN is still rubbish but it does stay connected.
    Those were the droids I was looking for.
    https://autoblastgates.com.au

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