UPS — What Is It and Do I Need One?

UPS stands for Uninterrupted Power Supply. This can be VERY useful for most computer/laptop users. Some benefits are:

  • A UPS includes a very large battery, which means it is a far more powerful surge protector than anything you normally would use as a plugin adapter.
  • If your power fluctuates (i.e., the lights flicker or go out), your equipment experiences a surge of power (normally small) before the flicker/outage. This surge places additional wear and tear even if everything remains functional and will cause early death of your electronics equipment.
  • If you are working from a desktop or server, having a UPS will give you time to shut down your equipment in a controlled manner. This prevents data loss or corruption.
  • If you don’t need internet access, a UPS can keep your work environment fully operational for short periods of time.

I recommend that all laptops, desktops, servers, etc… should be on a UPS. Expensive equipment that are sensitive to power fluctuations (Example: TVs) should be on a very robust power surge or a UPS device. If you live in an area with significant storms and/or unstable power, whole house surge protectors and lighting rods will save you significant many in repairs. In California, rolling brownouts all have a small power surge, even if they are done on purpose. The power surge can damage sensitive equipment like electronics.

How large a UPS should I buy? This depends mostly on 3 considerations:

  • How much money you want to spend?
  • How much power/electricity the equipment you will plug into it will draw/need?
  • How long do you want it to run when power is out?

Here are some currently on the market UPS devices of various strengths:

Give me a call if you require some help figuring out the “right” solution for your situation.

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