[mertzer]

Help,

Something is happening to my power grid at home. We are loosing power every few weeks. I want to get a UPS, but not sure how to determin how much I need. I am not looking to run the tube on the UPS, just get it shut down. I wanted to just plug my current surge and distribution bar into the UPS outlet (This way I get to keep the neat power distribution switches that are built into my computer desk). I have read some boxes $100-$150 have a "Overload" light when you are pulling too much current. Does this mean that the $30 - $50 units just don't tell you? I currently run my CPU / 17" Monitor / Modem / Speakers / Scanner and Printer off of my current power bar. Any info would help. Thanks!

 

[TheTechIsIn]

I have my entire computer power grid, monitors, boxes, networks, externals, etc. plugged into 4 6 outlet strips($7), which are then plugged into 2 Backups Office 500 UPS's. Iv had no problems and when power goes out I have about 15 min. of power to everything on the grid. I think the UPS's I have run about $50-75.

Theres really no need to get the high dollar when medium works.

To give you perspective of my home setup: (all running off 2 UPS with 15 min. of full up time after power failure)

2 monitors
5 boxes (NT x2,Win2k,XP,Win98)
1 Ext. Orb Drive & 1 Zip Drive
4 Printers
1 Network Hub
1 Desk Lamp
1 Table Lamp
1 Cable Modem
1 Radio
1 cant think of the name (Switches monitor, keyboard, mouse) from one computer to the next so you don't need as many monitors and keyboards and mouses as you would normally need.

 

[Midnight Tech]

Hey, TTII, are you running the autoshutdown software on your setup?

 

[TheTechIsIn]

on the NT servers and the 2000 machine I do, the XP machine and 98 are on their own though.

I have my 98 system connected to my stereo system and have every music CD I own burned to one of my servers so that I can select any song I want to listen to from the 98 system and hear it without CD swapping, so if that computer looses power suddenly not to much to protect the stereo would be out during an outage anyway. And as for the XP system .. I just haven't got around to setting it up yet in the confugurations...