UPS/ Power Boards/ Surge Arrestors - What do you use?

[Paul G]

I need to 'improve' on the tangle of power cords and ineffective power extension boards under my feet here at my desk.

What do you use/recommend for your power supply and surge protection and why, and how much do you really need to spend to have good protection?

[I @ M]

Good question and topic for a post Paul, I don't think I can remember it being addressed on here before and certainly is a "must" for people that live in areas subject to dodgy power supplies ( like us ) and face crashes on any regular sort of basis.

[Kym]

Answered... http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?p=356402#post356402 in the sticky at the top of this forum ;)

[Paul G]

Excellent - Thanks Kym :th3:

I know there's been a few small topics on the subject but is there still scope for individual contributions?

[ameerat42]

Arrrggghhhh!!! That's the approximate spelling of my expression when my MB browned out almost a decade ago. I lost heaps of stuff, and felt like a fool for a long time afterwards. My backups were not particularly up to date at the time. So I started to switch off at the wall. But one day I lost data again. Not as bad as the first time, and I don't think it was due to power fluctuations, but...!

But since I got a new quad core system 2 1/2 years ago I made sure to get a UPS with it. It is a 300W machine and cost $100. It runs the computer, monitor and external HDD, and it hasn't missed a beat since. It's also a surge protector. The only thing I haven't done is to hook it up via USB to power the computer down when there's a blackout. I just never leave the place without shutting down and switching off at the wall first. During thunderstorms I shut down and wall switch off anyway.

As Lara B famously did not say: "If you haven't got an Uninterruptible Power Supply, why the Benson and Hodges not?"

That's all. Am...

[wideangle]

I would recommend a UPS Battery power board. It will save you from the times the power goes off!

[rwg717]

Yes....hmmmm, I have the same problem too. As to surge protection, I got good advice from a guy who really knew his stuff when I bought a surge protector from him. I asked how secure it was and he replied...."Oh, its good but I have found that if a lightning strike really wants to get through, a metre of concrete won't stop it, but this is the best I know of!"
About 4 months later a thunder storm came through, direct hit and burned out the surge protector and modem, but at least that was as far as the damage went.:(
Richard

[Calxoddity]

MGE Ellipse 1500 UPS (1500W 10 mins with BIG surge protection).

Not much point dicking around with half measures if it means the loss of your IT kit and records! (For the record I've previously lost 3 power supplies, 1 motherboard, 2 adsl modems and a graphics card to surges and brownouts).

Regards,
Calx

[Kym]

Stating the obvious - you still need a good backup/recovery strategy that includes regular off site backups

[DAdeGroot]

I use APC UPS's (need to buy another soon too as I'm adding a NAS unit).

The two we have at the moment at 500VA units, and power one PC each (well ok, one also has the filesever on it). They cost around $380ish each (I think).

[soulman]

I use a 750VA APC UPS (http://www.apcc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=sua750xli) to run my main workstation, monitors, server and network gear. I paid about $700 for it. The printers and other non-essential (stuff that doesn't have to stay on during a power failure) equipment runs from a Belkin surge protector (http://www.belkin.com/au/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=173147) that is guaranteed not to let your gear fry. I hope I never find out how good the guarantee, and the insurance that goes with it, is but it is good to have it. FWIW, the cheapest price I could find on the Belkin was from Dell - I think about $100. I would rate the latter as a minimum amount to spend to protect your gear. A UPS is great if your power tends to go off regularly. Everyone I spoke to about brands recommended APC.