UPS

[HubertPalus]

Hi LTT forum,

 

I built my dream gaming PC rig yesterday but I dont know if i should buy myself a UPS. Should I buy a UPS and if so what are your recomendations

Link to my PC part picker list:   https://pcpartpicker.com/list/JzKLQD.

[jaslion]

I wouldn't know.

 

What makes you feel like you should buy one? Is there a problem with power?

 

Not all ups's do the same thing so you need to buy the correct one to solve a problem you have.

[HubertPalus]

Well I rarely have problems with power the last time i had one was in 2017, I just heard about them when i was building a pc and i thought i should buy one but im not sure

 

 

[HubertPalus]

is it worth even buying a UPS?

 

[manikyath]

if your area has unstabile power, outages are somewhat common, or you have a family member with a fetish for tripping breakers... it's worth getting a UPS.

 

if none of the above... a UPS is just a big heavy box that burns 20 watts or so staying topped off, and requires new batteries every 3 years.

[HubertPalus]

well i live in a town with very stable power so i shouldnt worry about it i think?

 

[Sir Asvald]

1 minute ago, HubertPalus said:

well i live in a town with very stable power so i shouldnt worry about it i think?

 

Please make sure you quoting us so we know that you've replied. Back to the topic, If you're that worried, get one.

[HubertPalus]

ok everyone thanks for the advice ill make sure to quote people from now on :).

 

[akio123008]

19 minutes ago, HubertPalus said:

well i live in a town with very stable power so i shouldnt worry about it i think?

Precisely.

[kb5zue]

You might also consider getting an inverter for your ac voltage/current.  The voltage coming out of the wall is extremely dirty.  One of the best things to prolong the life of your machine is to use a device (inverter), to clean the voltage/current coming out of the wall into a "true" sine wave.  Sort of like running your water thru a filter to remove crappola before you brush your teeth with it.  Just don't get something necessarily cheap, remember, your computer uses this and cheap inverters don't necessarily give you a true and clean signal.

IMHO

 

[akio123008]

7 minutes ago, kb5zue said:

You might also consider getting an inverter for your ac voltage/current.  The voltage coming out of the wall is extremely dirty.  One of the best things to prolong the life of your machine is to use a device (inverter), to clean the voltage/current coming out of the wall into a "true" sine wave.

In most places the AC on the mains is actually a very clean sine wave. Usually cleaner than what most inverters are capable of producing. It's not extremely dirty at all.

 

On top of that, a computer power supply doesn't care too much about the shape of the incoming waveform, it even runs on DC.

 

Using an inverter means buying an online UPS (which is basically what that is) AKA spending 500 dollars or more on a bulky box that produces heat and makes noise, which also wastes power for no reason at all.

[Biohazard777]

27 minutes ago, kb5zue said:

The voltage coming out of the wall is extremely dirty.  One of the best things to prolong the life of your machine is to use a device (inverter), to clean the voltage/current coming out of the wall into a "true" sine wave. 

AC coming out my sockets is a clear sine wave (checked it with an oscilloscope, because that is what every man does when he gets an oscilloscope hah), anyhow the point is that not every home has "dirty" AC.
And an "inverter" is not the name of the device you are describing, inverter converts the DC to AC, What you described is called AC power conditioner / AC line conditioner and unless the OP is planning to hook up a medical device to it he doesn't need one because the PSU should do all the necessary filtering and give out clean DC to the PC components.

[gal-m]

1 hour ago, HubertPalus said:

I built my dream gaming PC rig yesterday but I dont know if i should buy myself a UPS. Should I buy a UPS and if so what are your recomendations

Link to my PC part picker list:   https://pcpartpicker.com/list/JzKLQD.

Congratz on the build @HubertPalus!

I understand that since it is your dream PC you want everything to be perfect, HOWEVER, like others have said: if your power grid is stable you DON'T need an UPS as it's just going to be adding inconvenience such as heat, noise, upkeep, etc.

 

You're overanalyzing things at this point - there is no need to do that. Go and enjoy your new PC  

[LogicalDrm]

-> Moved to Power Supplies

 

[Daethz]

My last UPS helped my computer survive over 400 power outages (brownouts, crazy rapid flickering etc too).

I just replaced it with a newer model, of the same model recently.

A CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD PFC Sinewave UPS System, 1500VA/1000W

 

No cons other than the led on the power button which I cover up with a little slice of black tape & i suppose the ports could be a little tighter, some plugins like to have a tiny sliver away from the plug, bothers me, because small things bother me.

[Daethz]

On 7/2/2021 at 4:31 AM, manikyath said:

if none of the above... a UPS is just a big heavy box that burns 20 watts or so staying topped off, and requires new batteries every 3 years.

My last UPS battery lasted 6 years and was still working. ( and over 400 outages )

I replaced it out of anxiety from hearing about a 6 year average life though.

[akio123008]

22 hours ago, Daethz said:

My last UPS battery lasted 6 years and was still working. ( and over 400 outages )

Yeah that was kind of the reason most people don't need one; because they don't have 400 flipping outages in 6 years. 

 

Like holy crap that's more than 1 outage per week on average. Over the last 6 years I've had maybe 1 or 2 outages in total.

[Ravendarat]

How old is the house you are living in? The older the house the better the reason to have a UPS. If you have a good one it will also stabilize the power and help prevent spikes which can absolutely cause issues with your electronics. I personally run one but my house is about 40 years old and after spending like 7-8 grand on my setup Id rather be safe than sorry for a couple hundred bucks  

[Daethz]

51 minutes ago, akio123008 said:

Yeah that was kind of the reason most people don't need one; because they don't have 400 flipping outages in 6 years. 

 

Like holy crap that's more than 1 outage per week on average. Over the last 6 years I've had maybe 1 or 2 outages in total.

To make it sound even worse, I literally live within 5 miles of a power plant.

[cachethrash]

It only takes one outage to surge or dearth your computer to death, so past power reliability is irrelevant. It's like any type of insurance: is it worth it to pay more/extra up front to avoid some pain later on? I for one say, yes.

[akio123008]

9 hours ago, Ravendarat said:

The older the house the better the reason to have a UPS.

Here's another myth surrounding power: "older house is worse electrics".

 

House wiring is really just some dumb wiring, there isn't anything about it that can cause unreliable power, apart from wires literally disconnecting. Voltage spikes and other similar power problems are caused by the grid outside your house, your wiring doesn't matter.

 

If you experience very dirty power, that's because that's how it's delivered to your house. Don't blaim your old electrics. It'd be the same in a brand new house.

 

Ok, so some houses do have particularly dodgy wiring, where wires are not making good contact and actually disconnecting and or arcing, but in that case I'd classify the wiring as "broken" rather than "old". Also in that case, you still wouldn't be experiencing voltage spikes so your gaming rig would be fine, it'd just be a fire hazard.

 

TLDR: There's no reason to assume old wiring is bad, unless it's actually broken. (in which case call an electrician right now, and perhaps the fire brigade too)

[H713]

In my own experience in Madison (where power is generally quite reliable), I've seen more things go offline due to UPS faults than due to power failures. UPSes aren't as reliable as some people would have you believe. Yes, batteries fail, but so does switching electronics. The APC stuff, which is often "recommended" has been nothing but garbage in my own experience.

 

Also, FWIW, surge protection in general is a crapshoot, and a lot of it really doesn't do what it claims to.

 

If you're going to get a UPS, get a good one. That's going to cost many hundreds (or thousands) of dollars. Otherwise don't worry about it. 

[Maxximou5]

10 hours ago, H713 said:

If you're going to get a UPS, get a good one. That's going to cost many hundreds (or thousands) of dollars. Otherwise don't worry about it. 

Do you have recommendations on what you would consider a good one?
 

Much like @HubertPalus, if I bought a dream machine I would want it to be protected from brown/blackouts. Though I can agree with your underlying sentiment of a UPS failing and causing an issue or possibly harming the machine as well. I work with A LOT (multiple hundreds) of APC units and have seen problems with replacements after failures from brown/blackouts, having to replace entire racks before. I am by no means as insightful as some, but have certainly seen those same units work as intended and provide protection in most cases.

On 7/3/2021 at 5:22 PM, Daethz said:

A CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD PFC Sinewave UPS System, 1500VA/1000W

I have seen this one recommended before, as it's of the few smaller units that provide PFC Sinewave. How has this unit worked out for you so far?

 

Does anyone have an opinion about any of these? -

1. APC Gaming UPS, 1500VA Sine Wave
2. CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD PFC Sinewave
3. APC UPS, 1500VA Sine Wave UPS

Based on previous answers it seems like it would be a waste or possibly harmful for OP to get a UPS. Though, I would argue that having a backup or a level of protection on in investment is a good thought to have. Much like having a backup for your backups in the event your backup fails. I believe there to be a fine line between the potential issues caused or derived from a UPS versus the possible protection it could provide in such an event.

[Daethz]

55 minutes ago, Maxximou5 said:

Do you have recommendations on what you would consider a good one?
 

Much like @HubertPalus, if I bought a dream machine I would want it to be protected from brown/blackouts. Though I can agree with your underlying sentiment of a UPS failing and causing an issue or possibly harming the machine as well. I work with A LOT (multiple hundreds) of APC units and have seen problems with replacements after failures from brown/blackouts, having to replace entire racks before. I am by no means as insightful as some, but have certainly seen those same units work as intended and provide protection in most cases.

I have seen this one recommended before, as it's of the few smaller units that provide PFC Sinewave. How has this unit worked out for you so far?

 

Does anyone have an opinion about any of these? -

1. APC Gaming UPS, 1500VA Sine Wave
2. CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD PFC Sinewave
3. APC UPS, 1500VA Sine Wave UPS

Based on previous answers it seems like it would be a waste or possibly harmful for OP to get a UPS. Though, I would argue that having a backup or a level of protection on in investment is a good thought to have. Much like having a backup for your backups in the event your backup fails. I believe there to be a fine line between the potential issues caused or derived from a UPS versus the possible protection it could provide in such an event.

I have used the cyberpower for 6 years, I just replaced it because it was making clicking noises.

Only the new one is too. I think I might be overloading the circuit tbh