Looking for appropriate UPS

[macktruck6666]

Not sure if this belongs here, but I am looking for a UPS (uninterrupted power supply) for my computer to plug.

My main concern is that I am not getting clean power to my computer and it is causing things to go bad.

To me it doesn't really matter how long the battery last under full load, but 10 minutes would be sufficient for me to save anything important before turning off the computer.

I am upgrading my computer with a expected max 750 wattage, but have a 850 watt power supply for possible future expansions and an extra safety margin.

Additionally, I have a monitor that draws 60 watts.

 

So bare bones it looks like I may need a 900 Watt 1500 VA UPS

but it might be safer to go with a 1000 Watt 1500 VA UPS if I may decide to add a few more items that draws a little more wattage.

 

I heard APC is a good brand, but I don't know.

Any advice? Can I expect a good product for under 250 USD? How long would the battery last?

[flibberdipper]

I actually looked into this recently out of boredom because I know that eventually I'm going to have to ditch my APC ES750. So the model I bookmarked is the BR1500MS, which clocks in just above 200 USD pretty much all of the time. It's a 900w/1500VA model that's actually got a good feature set, with honestly the best part being the screen since you can see your load, voltage, and battery remaining without needing to pull up the software (though I still recommend getting a data cable if it's not included and using it since that can automagically shut down your PC at low battery).

 

APC is certainly up there when it comes to UPS' as far as I'm concerned. Battery longevity could vary wildly depending on your usage though. The one in mine is probably 7 years old, and when I got it used it was stone dead, but now seems to be decently fine. If it's anything like mine though, 5 years shouldn't be too hard to hit.

[macktruck6666]

9 minutes ago, flibberdipper said:

I actually looked into this recently out of boredom because I know that eventually I'm going to have to ditch my APC ES750. So the model I bookmarked is the BR1500MS, which clocks in just above 200 USD pretty much all of the time. It's a 900w/1500VA model that's actually got a good feature set, with honestly the best part being the screen since you can see your load, voltage, and battery remaining without needing to pull up the software (though I still recommend getting a data cable if it's not included and using it since that can automagically shut down your PC at low battery).

 

APC is certainly up there when it comes to UPS' as far as I'm concerned. Battery longevity could vary wildly depending on your usage though. The one in mine is probably 7 years old, and when I got it used it was stone dead, but now seems to be decently fine. If it's anything like mine though, 5 years shouldn't be too hard to hit.

So my concern is that if I buy a 900 watt UPS and I eventually expand my build just slightly, that the power draw would be 950 watts and the UPS couldn't supply it even under normal circumstances.

 

By "how long would the batter last" I mean, how long from full charge to empty while the computer + monitor is under full load pulling 900 watts. 2 minutes? 20 minutes?

 

[flibberdipper]

18 minutes ago, macktruck6666 said:

So my concern is that if I buy a 900 watt UPS and I eventually expand my build just slightly, that the power draw would be 950 watts and the UPS couldn't supply it even under normal circumstances.

 

By "how long would the batter last" I mean, how long from full charge to empty while the computer + monitor is under full load pulling 900 watts. 2 minutes? 20 minutes?

 

For roughly the same price just capable of 1,000W, there's the Cyberpower CP1500PFCLCD. Looks like it'd be roughly comparable to the APC unit, just with quite a bit worse life if you're running it at full tilt (about two and a half minutes). In the case of the BR1500MS, a full 900 watt load would result in just a hair over 4 minute long run-time.

[macktruck6666]

3 minutes ago, flibberdipper said:

For roughly the same price just capable of 1,000W, there's the Cyberpower CP1500PFCLCD. Looks like it'd be roughly comparable to the APC unit, just with quite a bit worse life if you're running it at full tilt (about two and a half minutes). In the case of the BR1500MS, a full 900 watt load would result in just a hair over 4 minute long run-time.

I was literally going to respond with this link but didn't know anything about the Cyberpower brand 

 

[flibberdipper]

18 minutes ago, macktruck6666 said:

I was literally going to respond with this link but didn't know anything about the Cyberpower brand 

Yep they're pretty reputable too, actually. Just don't get 'em confused with CyberPowerPC.  

[macktruck6666]

Nearly every vendor I look at has conflicting information. The CP1500PFCLCD and the CP1500PFCLCDTAA (US Trade agreement compliant?) are two different things. The first is rated for 1000 watts and the latter is rated for 900 watts. I honestly don't know which I will get if I ordered one.