With so many people depending on computers and high end electronics in their homes and businesses electrical outages can cause loss of data, corruption of your operating system and basic inconvenience.
If you live in an area that does not see electrical storms or high winds on a regular basis you are still at risk from transformer breakdowns or even accidents that can take out an electric pole that may be near your house or a significant distance away.
In the best situation if you are working on your computer and you know a storm is coming you should shutdown safely and wait until it passes. You should also unplug your computer and monitor to avoid any high voltage spikes that can damage internal components. Unfortunately storms don’t give you notice and an accident that takes out an electric pole can never be predicted so what can you do to safely protect your electronics?
A UPS Uninterrupted Power Supply can give you the time you need to shutdown your computer safely and it can also power your VOIP telephone systems like vonage or other products that need electricity to provide connection to the system. This will allow you to make calls even when the power is out as long as the cable TV network is still up and working.
To select a UPS Battery backup you must know the amount of power used by the products you plug into it. And you should reserve the backup powered outlets to only the most necessary devices. For most home users a 600 to 1000 watt UPS will give you about 20 minutes to perform saves and shutdown safely. It will also act as a bridge to let you work throughout the blackout if your work is critical.
To get the most from your ups never plug in a printer or scanner that is not necessary you only want to provide power for your main computer and monitor and any external hard drive needed for saving data.
You should use a power surge protector strip for your other devices to protect them from voltage spikes. A power strip will also let you turn off power to your scanner printer or other item when it is not in use.
Automated Shutdowns
Many UPS devices come with a special USB cable that can tell your computer to save all your work and shutdown safely. This is good for people that are often away from their desks or leave a computer on at home while they are away. The manufacturer APS calls their automated product “Smart UPS” and they come with everything you need to setup automatic but safe shutdowns.
Other Devices You Should Protect
As mentioned above you should use a UPS on your VOIP service to provide you emergency access to your telephone. There are other devices that you should also think about protecting with a UPS.
Some Home Security Systems rely on a Computer for storing digital video and controlling devices.
Selecting the Right Size
The size of the UPS you choose is based on your needs. Most UPS products are grouped into three basic classes. Personal low power under 500VA. Medium Home and Office 500VA to 1500VA. Large UPS Devices 1500VA and above.
If you need a Larger UPS over 1500va then you will know this and won’t need to think twice. Larger UPS Systems are often used in computer rooms where more then one server needs to be maintained or even in hospitals and other critical situations. If you are in a Mission Critical situation you should call the manufacturer and visit their website and explore all the choices carefully before making a large investment.
Smaller UPS systems can be used for things like your VOIP Phone box and will last maybe an hour or two to provide you time to make a call to the electric company or Pizza place to get dinner.
Medium UPS Systems from 500 to 1500 are for home and business computers they are individual systems and can only support one computer but they have a large number of options everything from automated shutdown software to protection for your Ethernet and telephone lines.
Surge Protection is also an important feature and all UPS devices will have this built in so there is no need to buy an extra surge protector for devices you plug into your UPS. However for other items like your TV, Printer and Electronics you should get a decent Surge protector to protect from Lightning and Surges from Electric Company Spikes.
Final Note
UPS Standards change over time and many systems are now requiring Simulated or Pure Sinewave output to be compatible with new computer power supplies. Whichever UPS System you choose you should remember to check with the manufacturer of your electronics to see if it will work with it correctly. Sizing is also a very important aspect and when you are in doubt it is always better go go with a system with larger capacity batteries for extended run and shutdown times.