UPS – What Is It and Why Do I Need One?

UPS stands for uninterruptible power source. Since we live in Southern California and especially as we start to enter the summer season, we will start to experience rolling brownouts. Every time the power grid is impacted, even by a planned rolling blackout, your property will experience a power surge just before the power goes off. Hopefully the surge will be small enough that your only negative impact will be flickering lights before the power goes out. Most homes do not have a whole house battery. This means that when that surge hits, it travels through your property’s internal power grid until it grounds out. During that time anything plugged in that is sensitive to electrical variances can be damaged or at a minimum have a shortened life span. This is why parts of the country that experience lightning storms unplug equipment prior to a major storm. Considering the frequency and short notice you may have for CA rolling blackouts, I recommend any electronic equipment of signicant value be on a UPS or at minimum a power surge protector. Cheap power surge protectors that are typically made of plastic and purchased for $20 or less normally provide no meaningful protection. Good power surge protectors normally include a warranty amount so make sure you keep the information necessary to file an equipment replacement claim.

UPS systems or a whole has battery provide the real protection. Why???? Because the battery acts as a power sink. Batteries are specifically designed to absorb electricity that varies in stength. This allows them to absorb the impact of a surge and discharge a regulated amount to your plugged in electronic equipment. Computers, audio equipment, high end TVs, etc… should be on a UPS. The bigger the battery on a UPS, the longer and more devices it can power during an outage, as well as the larger a surge it can absorb without being impacted.

Whole house batteries, quite often install with solar panels but can also be installed as a stand alone device, provide the same service as a USP device but for everything in your home plugged into any outlet. A UPS only protects the devices plugged directly into it….and it is plugged into a wall outlet.

Here are some UPS device options:

• CyperPower EC750G – 750VA for $109 – https://a.co/d/0hZsMMuH
• APC BX1500M – 1500VA for $189 – https://a.co/d/0buLxumk
• Goldenmate 2000VA/160 – 2000VA for $679 – https://a.co/d/04PWVdpR
• VIOPUMPO VO-P-2500 – 2500VA for $319 – https://a.co/d/07ktiLFh

If you have questions about these or other UPS devices, give me a call/text/email and I can find the right solution for you!