I know nothing about this but would like some advice with regards to getting a UPS. I’m currently busy resetting my Windows because the power went down during a Windows Update.
We get a lot of power outages. Even when there’s no load shedding. This being deepest darkest Africa.
It will be for two gaming machines. What should I look out for? Do you have any recommendations? Are there things out there that are better than a UPS? Must be quiet though.
Thanks everyone!
Solar panels + battery banks + smart invertor = real uninterrupted power supply. You’ll be forking out quite a bit of money though…
Yeah unfortunately that’s not going to happen at this point in time. Maybe one day in the future.
https://www.wootware.co.za/rct-850va-line-interactive-480w-ups-sa-wall-socket.html
you don’t need anything more than that
Get a ups that has a comms port (USB, Serial or Ethernet) and set up your pc to communicate with the ups to automatically shut down.
You’re welcome
I usually buy the RCT, but the 2000VA. They only last a couple of years though and then needs replacing, but at least it protects your PC. It should give you a little extra time to finish that Windows Update before the PC goes off.
Thanks everyone!
You can also go slightly more expensive and buy an APC with a replaceable battery, which should last you an insane amount of time.
I’ve been through the 2kVA RCT one twice. It’s as @Viper says, they need replacing every few years. With the first UPS I had, it managed to last a 2 hour blackout, with 1x adsl modem, 1x router, 1 small server powered with a 150W drive, while watching movies off of a plex server, via a tablet.
That said, with the 2nd UPS, that I got recently and different network setup, a beefy pc, killed it within 40mins. May have to play with the power settings of your pc. And then there’s the question: does your local adsl/fibre connection actually stay up in the area, so you can finish said windows update?
Normally with updates, by the time the installation starts, the download has completed. Interrupting the download isn’t a big deal. It’s an unwanted shutdown during the installation process that really messes you around.
Gonna Hijack this topic for second here, I have got a 800W PSU, would this work:
https://www.takealot.com/rct-850va-line-interactive-ups/PLID32714233
I basically need it to just be able to make sure I can gracefully shutdown my PC, it will also be hooked up to my two screens, and phone charger using a surge protector multi-plug.
PC>surge protector>UPS>home power.
Others may be able to answer your question better, but it depends on how much power your PC actually requires under normal circumstances.
Your PC probably doesn’t use the full 800W your PSU can provide.
Assuming you have a PSU that offers at least 90% efficiency, a rough estimate of your maximum power draw is 890W.
The “VA” of the UPS power spec is a rating for apparent power. It is related to the Watt, but as far as I know you can’t really make a direct comparison without the detailed power specs of everything you will be connecting to it and doing some hard-core maths.
Given that it is unlikely that your PC will use the full 800W that your PSU can provide, and that you only want enough time to shut down gracefully, I think a 850VA/480W UPS should be fine for you.
Yeah I also don’t think my PC is using all those watts, I just don’t know enough about UPSs’s’s’ to be sure of what to get, don’t really have the money to throw around, so I want to get one that works for me straight away.
Check online for what wattage your gpu, cpu,fans and so forth uses under load. Just add them all up then you know how big of a ups you need for when your pc is under load add 20% then you should be fine.
Since i auck at math i hope you huys can help me out,
I found the following on EATON’s website:
- List all equipment to be protected by the UPS.(Remember to include monitors, external hard drives, routers, etc.)
- List the amps and volts for each device. These ratings can typically be found on the label on the back of the equipment. Multiply amps by volts to determine VoltAmps (VA). Some devices may list their power requirements in watts. To convert watts to VA, divide the watts by power factor. For servers, the power factor is often 0.9.
- Multiply the VA by the number of pieces of equipment to get the VA subtotals.
- Add the VA subtotals together.
- Multiply the total by 1.2 to get the grand total. This step accounts for future expansion.
- Use the grand total to select a UPS. When choosing a UPS, be sure that the total VA requirement of supported equipment does not exceed the VA rating of the UPS.
And here is the equipment
And then this is what i get:
Since i googled that SA uses 230v as standard:
230x1.5=345
12x3.33=39.96
230x15=3450
345+39.96+3450=3,834.96
3834.96×1.2=4,601.952
Does that then mean i have to get a 4,601.952VA UPS, cos that does not sound right.
It comes back to the same problem as mentioned above. Its accounting for the maximum that the PSU can draw.
Although looking at that. The 15A is the supply from the wall socket. IIRC thats why the circuit breakers are 16A if something draws more they trip.
If Power = Volts x Amps
Therefore Amps = Power / Volts
850 / 230
= ~3.7 Amps drawn at the wall socket that should be at full load. I don’t think you’re using all 850W as said before.
But I’m not an electrician so I can’t guarantee that.
How many 12v fans do you have in your pc?
What CPU do you have? (power usage normally range between 65-85W usage depending on model)
What GPU do you have? (power usage normally range between 70-300W depending on model)
How many Hdds do you have? (12V-2A=24W Depending on hdds )
This the the max power they will consume but normally they don’t.
Dell (100-240v-1.5A) Finding the output on the power brick of the screen its 12V-4A=40W
The second one gives us the power rating 12V-3.33A=48W
So far its
88W(88VA) {if the power factor is 1 but it should be less we will just use one its just easier} of power you need to supply so far now we need the rest.
So lets say you go with your 938W power(your pc does not use this much) that you need for max with a 2000VA PSU so even if the power factor is 0.6 it should supply 1200W of power.
fans = 3
CPU: Intel Core i5 7400
according to techspot usage is ±83w
GPU: 4095MB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti (MSI)
according to tomshardware the usuage is ± 70w
4 internal HDDs
1 external HDD
6W Fans x 3= 18W
CPU 85W
GPU 70W
HDD 24W x5= 120W
Screens 88W
So total is 405W±(add the peripherals) this is what your pc consumes at absolute max usage.
So you need just over that for your pc. the more over head you give the UPS the longer it will be able to power your pc.(1000VA+)
ok cool thank you
this should be good then?
https://www.wootware.co.za/kstar-ks-ua100-1000va-line-interactive-ups.html
