Will the UPS be enough?

[epdnz84e]

Hello guys, I have a question about UPS and how much watts does it need. I have a Legrand 480watt UPS an I'm using it for a computer with the following configuration:

CPU: Intel core i9 10900k

GPU: Nvidia RTX 3070ti

Motherboard: Asus z490 rog maximus XII Hero

Ram: 32gb ddr4

Cooler: Corsair iCUE h150i

Storage: HDD 7200rpm 1tb, 1tb sata ssd

PSU: Corsair hx1000i

it has a 3 additional rgb fans, the fans on the cpu cooler radiator are also rgb.

 

PcPartPicker says that the estimated wattage is about 550watt, but I would round it up to 600watt because I also have an elgato streaming card and some fan hubs inside the case.

 

I have some concerns about the UPS that I'm using. So far my pc has been working fine, but I'm not sure if the UPS is overloaded. The main thing I'm using the UPS for is to avoid electricity fluctuations and as a surge protector, I don't really need the battery functionality.

 

This being said, here are my questions:

1. Are 480watt ups too little for my computer configuration?

2. If the UPS is permanently plugged in the wall, is 480watt the max it can supply anyway?

3. Would my computer turn off if the UPS wasn't good for my configuration?

4. Is there any risk of damaging my components with the current UPS unit I'm using?

5. I've read online that with low quality UPS, they won't turn off when overloaded, and they will lower the voltage instead. Can this damage my components?

6. If I only want to protect my components and make them last longer, would a surge protector be good enough for my use case?

7. Is a surge protector capable of protecting the computer against power fluctuations the same way as a UPS does?

 

Thanks to everyone that takes the time to answer

[TubsAlwaysWins]

Not very familiar with UPS ratings but there are 2 important factors to consider when choosing. How long you want it to run for and how much load you are putting on it.

 

1. Id probably get a 600WH unit

2. I think its the max it can supply on the battery side. The surge only side is rated up to 1500W (Assuming US electrical system)

3. Does the UPS have a screen or a USB interface you can use to view load? If so, check that

4. If its working then probably not

5. Most power supply's should be able to handle voltage fluctuation to a certain point. Im guessing maybe 5-10VAC

6. Surge protectors only help with surge, so things like lightning strikes, etc. A UPS will filter dirty power and output clean power. Ive had a computer refuse to boot without a UPS to filter the power.

7. Surge protector is only good for high voltage spikes, power fluctuating between 110-130VAC wont be affected.

 

I believe Surge protectors work more like breakers. They dont have the ability to filter becuase they arent rectifying the power. 

I recommend Cyber Power over APC.

Dont ever plug a printer into one. 

 

Someone correct me if im wrong pls

[mMontana]

21 minutes ago, epdnz84e said:

1. Are 480watt ups too little for my computer configuration?

IMVHO yes.

22 minutes ago, epdnz84e said:

2. If the UPS is permanently plugged in the wall, is 480watt the max it can supply anyway?

Yes.

22 minutes ago, epdnz84e said:

7. Is a surge protector capable of protecting the computer against power fluctuations the same way as a UPS does?

Yes and no.

Surge protector can help your PSU only for overcurrent, not for undercurrent. And within a defined range, overcurrent is not a bad thing. For instance, until 260volts lots of 230V PSU can manage that nicely, lowering a bit amperage consumption.

With undercurrent, surge protectors can do nothing, while UPS can.

 

Last but not least: a lot of UPS are sold in VA (voltampere) not W.  Cosphi is the coefficient between the two measuerments. For finding watts, you need to look deep into specs/manuals before buy the device.

[OddOod]

I always go for the Cyberpower 1500VA units because the price isn't too steep and I also want to run my primary monitor off it so I can safely close programs and shut down in the 10 minutes I have. And that's at 330W of draw.

[Nene]

1 hour ago, epdnz84e said:

This being said, here are my questions:

1. Are 480watt ups too little for my computer configuration?

2. If the UPS is permanently plugged in the wall, is 480watt the max it can supply anyway?

3. Would my computer turn off if the UPS wasn't good for my configuration?

4. Is there any risk of damaging my components with the current UPS unit I'm using?

5. I've read online that with low quality UPS, they won't turn off when overloaded, and they will lower the voltage instead. Can this damage my components?

6. If I only want to protect my components and make them last longer, would a surge protector be good enough for my use case?

7. Is a surge protector capable of protecting the computer against power fluctuations the same way as a UPS does?

 

Thanks to everyone that takes the time to answer

1: potentially far too small. If you're estimating 600W then assuming a worst case 0.8 power factor you'd want to look at 750VA. Bear in mind that's peak though, and most of the time it won't use that.

2: depends on the UPS, some of them will switch into bypass when overloaded, some won't and will just lose regulation. Some will just shut down. A bad UPS will often be worse than no UPS.

3: again, depends on the UPS.

4: physically? If the UPS doesn't have any safety mechanisms it might degrade the PSU, otherwise the main risk is sudden power outages causing data corruption.

5: that's not quite what happens in all cases, but as with 4 the main risk is data corruption if your PSU decides it isn't going to play any more.

6: probably, yes, but it depends what you want to protect them from. A surge protector will "clamp" excessive voltages.

7: not really, no. The thing they're good for is preventing or reducing the risk of excessive voltages damaging your PSU and things connected to it. However it's perfectly possible for a surge protector to be overwhelmed and not effectively clamp a spike, or just plain explode when it tries. You can improve that by layering two or more different types of surge protection, but you're getting pretty deep into the weeds.