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steve666 · Dec 15, 2007, 02:20 AM

My Conext 900 AVR's battery just died. Not sure if I should replace the battery or buy a new UPS. I tried an APC XS Series 900VA but the fan was noisy. I dont remember the Conext making any sound at all.
Any recommendations? Thanks.

ghporter · Dec 15, 2007, 09:18 AM

A 900VA UPS is HUGE. What do you plan to connect to it?

mduell · Dec 15, 2007, 10:43 AM

UPSs often make a bit of noise when operating (power out) or running a self-test, but the rest of the time they should be nearly silent. I like APC for UPSs, but you're not going to get a 900VA UPS in the price range of the BUXS (see below for details). What do you have plugged in, what's your expected expansion, and what's your runtime requirement?

Originally Posted by ghporter

A 900VA UPS is HUGE. What do you plan to connect to it?

900VA is huge for someone with a MacBook, but small (too small) for someone with a Mac Pro and decent LCD. Some people are 'forced' to buy higher VA capability UPSs in order to get larger batteries for longer run times. Also note th that 900VA is only 540W since this is consumer grade equipment.

steve666 · Dec 15, 2007, 10:47 AM

I currently have a ibook G4 with an HP AIO, which I was told not to battery back up. I also have a cable modem.
I am probably going to get a iMac to replace the ibook in the near future or a Macbook Pro.

The Conext 900 AVR never made a sound, Im not sure if it even has a battery in it. I do want AVR because I live in an old building and the power may be iffy (brownouts). I saw a Cyberpower UPS at staples that looked smaller than the APC-685VA and doesnt even look like it has a vent for a fan.

ghporter · Dec 15, 2007, 12:04 PM

For an iBook you technically don't "need" an UPS; the AC adapter and battery in the computer do that job for you. However, to protect everything from spikes and sags (and surges too!) an UPS is a good idea. I wouldn't go for anything bigger than a 350VA UPS, and plug the cable modem and even a router into it as well. If the HP AIO is a laser, then (conventional wisdom) it's probably a good idea not to plug it into an UPS, because when the corona wire warms up, lasers tend to suck current-a LOT of it-and that can hurt the UPS. If it's an inkjet, go ahead and plug 'er into the UPS, but get a 500VA unit.

As mduell says, for a Mac Pro with a nice (as in big) LCD, you'd need more than 900VA, but not necessarily an UPS with a fan. I haven't seen any APC units that had fans myself. They do make a 1500VA unit that is about 3.5" wide by 14.5" tall and 13" deep, which has no fan.

mduell · Dec 15, 2007, 03:24 PM

The 900VA BackUPS doesn't appear to have a fan either... is the OP sure he was hearing a fan? How long did it run for?

Originally Posted by ghporter

I haven't seen any APC units that had fans myself.

AFAIK all of the SmartUPS models have fans. My 1400VA does.

ghporter · Dec 15, 2007, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by mduell

AFAIK all of the SmartUPS models have fans. My 1400VA does.

Then they're really quiet and unobtrusive. I've seen some SmartUPS models in person, and BackUPS models from small to big and never noticed a fan. My own UPSs are all 500VA BackUPS and smaller, and I'm certain they don't have fans.

steve666 · Dec 15, 2007, 05:34 PM

This model definitely has a fan, I hear it whirring in there. It also squeaks a little and I have a small apt. so its noticeable. This unit is the XS Series 900 VA. Its not a tower its a long unit with a vent on top and the plug outlets in back.
I really dont need a lot of runtime at all, Im mainly using it to clean up the power, thats why I wanted it to have AVR.
I saw a Cyberpower unit at staples for $80, lover VA Rating but it doesnt look like it has a vent so Im assuming it also doesnt have a fan. Not sure how good a brand it is though, although APC seems to be cheaping out lately. The Unit I bought has a cheap plastic cover over the battery and its made in India. Of course Cyberpower is made in China but at least the price reflects that!

ghporter · Dec 15, 2007, 08:05 PM

Check out Cyberpower's warranty. APC stands behind their products, and has an excellent reputation for reliability. The fact that its battery was not made in Chicago or Montreal is immaterial; it is unlikely that an APC device will simply crap out on you-I cannot say that about Cyberpower's products. The other "big name" in UPSs is TrippLite. They also make rock-solid equipment that you can stake your data on, and also warrant their equipment appropriately.

steve666 · Dec 15, 2007, 09:50 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

Check out Cyberpower's warranty. APC stands behind their products, and has an excellent reputation for reliability. The fact that its battery was not made in Chicago or Montreal is immaterial; it is unlikely that an APC device will simply crap out on you-I cannot say that about Cyberpower's products. The other "big name" in UPSs is TrippLite. They also make rock-solid equipment that you can stake your data on, and also warrant their equipment appropriately.

Their warranty is 3 years. Cyberpower is a big company but they also make other things.
I have researched Tripplite and from what I've read their UPS's are quite noisy.

ghporter · Dec 15, 2007, 09:52 PM

I've never heard my TrippLites make noise except when running on battery-and you pretty much can't avoid that. Still, mine were smaller units. APC makes power protection and cooling products (with cooling being a fairly new endeavor). TrippLite has been making power conversion products for almost 50 years, and was one of the first to market UPS products for computers. While the period for warranties is probably pretty much uniform across the "big names", I'd put my money on a well known manufacturer of UPSs, not someone who "also makes UPSs".

steve666 · Dec 15, 2007, 09:56 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

I've never heard my TrippLites make noise except when running on battery-and you pretty much can't avoid that. Still, mine were smaller units. But TrippLite's warranty is a lot more than 3 years, as is APC's.

They now have fans in them, at least the ones with AVR do.
I just bought an APC XS series and it has a fan (unfortunately sometimes a squeaky one). I checked the manual, the APC has a 3 year warranty.

ghporter · Dec 15, 2007, 09:59 PM

That's weird. I misspoke and was researching MY DRAFT response, and you replied to the DRAFT. Please see the completed post-I corrected myself about the period of the warranties. I was trying to say that TrippLite's and APC's warranties are (to me) worth more than Cyberpower's.

steve666 · Dec 15, 2007, 10:55 PM

Gotcha, thanks.
I guess now it comes down to the noise factor. My Conext (which is/or was) owned by APC made no noise at all even though it has AVR. The one drawback is that it doesnt have software that works with the Mac, although I think in the future I will just turn off the UPS when I leave the house (there was a power outage while I was away and apparently the battery ran itself down).