Is a cheap UPS enough?

[just some guy]

Hello everyone.

 - Our country has been suffering from power crisis for 5 years now, well we call it "rotating brownout".

..I recently bought a PC and I know power outages can damage it. I was wondering if a cheap UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) will have some drawbacks or disadvantages. For the word "cheap" I mean ones with less quality.

 -The only thing I'm looking for is when there is power outage, I only need a couple of minutes to properly shutdown my PC.

[W-L]

Hello everyone.

 - Our country has been suffering from power crisis for 5 years now, well we call it "rotating brownout".

..I recently bought a PC and I know power outages can damage it. I was wondering if a cheap UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) will have some drawbacks or disadvantages. For the word "cheap" I mean ones with less quality.

 -The only thing I'm looking for is when there is power outage, I only need a couple of minutes to properly shutdown my PC.

 

A brownout can potentially ruin a PSU if there is a large power spike or something like that before it, most times the PSU takes the brunt of it and dies if something bad does happen, but a UPS is a good idea especially since a sudden power failure can cause data corruption.

 

I would suggest a UPS with decent quality or components so they give clean power to your PSU during a battery backup. What are you running in your system it will get a better idea what size of UPS you need.

[Boink]

Power failures aren't really going to damage your hardware (provided you are hooked up to a surge suppressor) but they can lead to data corruption. If you want to get around this really cheaply you can just make daily backups instead of investing in a UPS. 

On the other hand a cheap UPS can, and often will, output power that isn't in spec (i.e. 120V at 60Hz or 230V at 50Hz) or in a non standard waveform (sawtooth vs. sin wave) which can REALLY damage you power supply and your other components by proxy.

 

tl;dr A cheap UPS is a really bad idea.

[just some guy]

Power failures aren't really going to damage your hardware (provided you are hooked up to a surge suppressor) but they can lead to data corruption. If you want to get around this really cheaply you can just make daily backups instead of investing in a UPS. 

On the other hand a cheap UPS can, and often will, output power that isn't in spec (i.e. 120V at 60Hz or 230V at 50Hz) or in a non standard waveform (sawtooth vs. sin wave) which can REALLY damage you power supply and your other components by proxy.

 

tl;dr A cheap UPS is a really bad idea.

You mean getting a cheap UPS only makes things worse?

[just some guy]

A brownout can potentially ruin a PSU if there is a large power spike or something like that before it, most times the PSU takes the brunt of it and dies if something bad does happen, but a UPS is a good idea especially since a sudden power failure can cause data corruption.

 

I would suggest a UPS with decent quality or components so they give clean power to your PSU during a battery backup. What are you running in your system it will get a better idea what size of UPS you need.

Can you give recommendations or examples of UPS with a decent quality.

 

 P.S

   I'm not planning on spending more than $60 on a UPS but if I'm intrigue then maybe I'll reconsider.

[Boink]

You mean getting a cheap UPS only makes things worse?

Most likely, yes.

[W-L]

Can you give recommendations or examples of UPS with a decent quality.

 

 P.S

   I'm not planning on spending more than $60 on a UPS but if I'm intrigue then maybe I'll reconsider.

 

It can depending on the UPS, there are some that will turn off your PC when it goes into battery backup since they are square sincewave or have a lot of noise in the generated. It's suggested to get a good quality UPS something like APC is a good trusted brand.

[just some guy]

Most likely, yes.

Crap.

      Look, I just need 5 minutes or less to properly shutdown my PC.

      Will that make a difference if ever I would get a crappy UPS?

[W-L]

Crap.

      Look, I just need 5 minutes or less to properly shutdown my PC.

      Will that make a difference if ever I would get a crappy UPS?

 

Yes if it's taking power from it and getting bad quality power it can damage it over the long term. This isn't stuff that should be skimped out on since it's powering your components, same thing when buying a PSU.

[just some guy]

 

It can depending on the UPS, there are some that will turn off your PC when it goes into battery backup since they are square sincewave or have a lot of noise in the generated. It's suggested to get a good quality UPS something like APC is a good trusted brand.

 

APCs UPS costs like a 100 or so.

[W-L]

APCs UPS costs like a 100 or so.

 

It depends on which one you need for your system, what are your specs it would be easier to recommend a unit that is the correct power for your system.

[just some guy]

Yes if it's taking power from it and getting bad quality power it can damage it over the long term. This isn't stuff that should be skimped out on since it's powering your components, same thing when buying a PSU.

How about getting a monstrous PSU and a UPS full of kittens? Will that be okay?

[just some guy]

It depends on which one you need for your system, what are your specs it would be easier to recommend a unit that is the correct power for your system.

Well, I really can't give a my specs cuz I'm planning on upgrading soon. You know, a monstrous GPU, a good CPU, enough RAM, good PSU, and a better-looking case. That's it.

UPS wasn't part of my budget. I recently learned about it.

[W-L]

Well, I really can't give a my specs cuz I'm planning on upgrading soon. You know, a monstrous GPU, a good CPU, enough RAM, good PSU, and a better-looking case. That's it.

UPS wasn't part of my budget. I recently learned about it.

 

Depending where your located this one isn't bad it gives a few mins of run time at max load but gives you enough time to save and shutdown the system, it will also keep your system going for those random brownouts that last for a few seconds or so. If your really tight on budge Cyberpower is a decent UPS brand and has mediocre stuff.

 

http://www.apc.com/products/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=BE750G-CN&total_watts=200

[just some guy]

Depending where your located this one isn't bad it gives a few mins of run time at max load but gives you enough time to save and shutdown the system, it will also keep your system going for those random brownouts that last for a few seconds or so. If your really tight on budge Cyberpower is a decent UPS brand and has mediocre stuff.

 

http://www.apc.com/products/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=BE750G-CN&total_watts=200

All APC costs much and Cyberpower UPS are 2nd in line.

[W-L]

All APC costs much and Cyberpower UPS are 2nd in line.

 

You get good quality in what you pay for, I've always used APC UPS and never had issues with them, other than me overloading it a few times and tripping the over current protection. 

[just some guy]

You get good quality in what you pay for, I've always used APC UPS and never had issues with them, other than me overloading it a few times and tripping the over current protec

 

You get good quality in what you pay for, I've always used APC UPS and never had issues with them, other than me overloading it a few times and tripping the over current protection. 

(Sighs..)     If its really necessary to get a good UPS then I guess it'll have to wait.