APC BR1000G Back-UPS: Bringing the UPS to the Average Consumer?

[ProdigyzMined]

Uninterruptible Power Supplies have long lived within data centers around the globe, providing protection against power surges, sags, and outages. But recently, companies like APC and CyberPower have worked to bring these simple yet useful devices into the household of the average consumer. With the BR1000G coming in at just over $120, is it something that you should pick up? Lets start with an overview, some basic pros and cons, and then move on to more detailed thoughts.

 

OVERVIEW:

Taking a look at the aesthetics, things are actually pretty respectable. The unit is hefty, and feels like it is very high quality. When you first unbox it, you do have to remove the bottom cover to install the battery, which is incredibly easy and shows APC's effort in making this device consumer friendly. The majority of the unit is a dark grey/black textured plastic, with glossy plastic accents on the side logo and the front bezel. there are also vents along the top and side of the unit. overall, the device has a very clean look, one that can be displayed next to a media center without drawing too much attention. On the back side, we have 8 outlets. 4 are surge only, and the other 4 are surge and battery protected. We also see a pair of  RG-6 and RJ-11 connectors for surge suppression, and an RJ-45 for data connection to your PC. The circuit breaker is also located on the rear of the unit.

 

PROS:

• 1,000 VA/600W capacity means you will be able to protect relatively power-hungry equipment and maintain a respectable battery run time. I usually pull about half of it's total capacity, and it gives me an estimated run time of around 15 minutes.
• LCD screen is super useful, shows all info you'll want to know, including graphics for load and battery charge, along with specifics on voltage in and out, load in watts, event counter, and estimated battery run time.
• alarm is easily silenced, with a push of the left button. You can also set it to never sound the alarm, and to keep the display on constantly.
• 6 foot cable. Might be long for some applications, but easier to manage extra than try and extend it.
• APFC compatibility, so devices that constantly need active power power factor connection won't shut down when switching over to battery power.
• PowerChute management software. Pretty cool that you can monitor it from your PC, and after setting the UPS up with the software it will retain those settings, even without a PC connection. Sweet!
• AVR - Automatic Voltage Regulation, ensures that it outputs smooth voltage to all devices connected, and stabilizes voltage when there is a sudden change of load.
• 3 year manufacturer warranty and a lifetime $150,000 equipment protection policy. Nice touch, APC!
• Battery is easily replaceable. They are readily available on Amazon (LINK) with Prime shipping for less than $40, and installation will take 5 minutes to install at the longest.
• Energy Star certified for efficient operation.
• Can be programmed to self-check battery on a schedule, whether you want it to check weekly or monthly. This even works if not connected to a PC! Awesome!

 

CONS:

• 8 total outlets, with only 4 of them being battery protected. (the other 4 are surge ONLY!) bit disappointing to have so few outlets on battery protection. Can be worked around though, just use some power strips
• HEAVY! this thing weighs over 23 pounds!
• Glossy plastic. looks good, for 5 minutes.
• The 3 buttons on the top of the unit are always on if the unit is outputting power. Kinda annoying.
• Gets warm if the battery is charging.
• PowerChute software is OLD, and can only be installed via a DVD? Really? it's 2016!

THOUGHTS:

This thing is awesome. Just, really, really sturdy and reliable. I have it covering my entire desk setup (two monitors, one gaming PC, and some speakers) PLUS my server rack and networking equipment (two Dell PowerEdge R210's, a router, two switches, Samsung SmartThings hub) and have yet to have an issue. My system does have a 1000 watt PSU, so i would definitely not be able to fully utilize that power if connected to the UPS, but don't see that being a problem in the near future. Having the ability to program the device and have it save the settings onboard so that they stick even when not connected to a PC is incredible, and expands potential use scenarios. I'm also a big fan of the in-depth LCD screen and the scheduled self-test.

(please ignore the cable clutter, just moved into a new house and I'm working on dealing with it all!)

WHY APC?

APC is a subsidiary of Schneider Electric, who specialize in industrial grade circuit breakers, switch gear, and transformers. They have a pretty extensive history in power management, delivery and protection, so I'd imagine this is child's play to them. (I've also heard rumors of CyberPower UPS systems killing themselves, but can't personally back these rumors up. Worth mentioning though.)

 

NOTES:

Just because the UPS is operating under battery power does NOT mean it is safe to unplug it from the wall! It will still use the ground prong under battery load, and you could have some serious issues if you leave your expensive devices un-grounded!

CONCLUSION:

The APC BR1000G is an affordable UPS system for your desk,TV, or anything else in the house you don't want to be affected by power outages, surges or sags. It is well built, with a good warranty, and will blend in pretty well even in plain sight. Not having to worry about power flashes (especially in Florida!) is awesome, and being able to keep my servers online reliably at a respectable price is awesome. This thing does everything you expect it to do and more, it has a sweet set of features and isn't too hard to look at for what is essentially a contained battery system designed to handle quite a bit of voltage. It really has brought the UPS to average households, and I've got to give APC some serious credit for that. Well done guys!

 

Build Quality: 9/10

Software: 6/10

Feature Set: 10/10

 

OVERALL: 9/10

 

[System Error Message]

This looks good but i want one that i can modify. For an example :

So you get a cheap UPS and you can cheaply add features if needed.

 

For example i'd like to be able to add batteries to get more battery time and higher wattage. DC jacks (like the standard ones) to power networking devices eliminate need for the inefficient DC AC DC conversions during battery and has the advantage of a better PSU rather than the crappy ones they tend to come with.

[ProdigyzMined]

On 9/16/2016 at 6:12 PM, System Error Message said:

This looks good but i want one that i can modify. For an example :

So you get a cheap UPS and you can cheaply add features if needed.

 

For example i'd like to be able to add batteries to get more battery time and higher wattage. DC jacks (like the standard ones) to power networking devices eliminate need for the inefficient DC AC DC conversions during battery and has the advantage of a better PSU rather than the crappy ones they tend to come with.

The BR1500G does have the ability to add 4 more batteries with a capacity expansion unit. It's also worth noting that these aren't designed for people who know specifically what they want, like you, but more for consumers looking to buy a UPS that does what it's expected to do, is cheap, and is simple to setup/operate.

[System Error Message]

well this PSU does seem great but there are a few things i would like to know.

You mentioned an extension for more batteries. Will adding more batteries allow more than 600W?

Ethernet cable to monitor PSU is nice.

 

Unfortunately where i live right now there are no blackouts. But the people who live in 3rd world countries and places with a lot of lightning will need a cheap decent PSU that has protection.

 

The main disadvantage for this unit is the lack of the standard DC jack with selectable voltage as networking equipment use either 9,12,20 or 24V. With 20V DC jack you could power laptops directly and many high end routers also use 20V. Infact almost all my networking equipment use 20V, only the low end stuff use 9 or 12V. The point about a DC jack isnt just for efficiency but many of their PSUs tend to be terrible so this could be a chance for UPS to provide quality DC output as some of them do with AC.