CJ Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 Where I live, we are prone to power cuts and power drops. I have all my computer equipment just plugged directly in with no protection at all. What should I get as a precaution? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 UPS would be your best bet. They regulate the power supply to your PC and protect from spikes. Will also provide battery to prevent power loss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 They will help protect the computer when there are cuts/surges, but if you want the best protection get a top end power supply unit, most have protection build into them that sheilds the power to the motherboard in case of any spikes/failure. They aren't cheap though, over £80 I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 UPS would be your best bet. They regulate the power supply to your PC and protect from spikes. Will also provide battery to prevent power loss. Are there cost effect home units available Pete? I'm only used to working with 'big stuff' when it somes to UPS's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 Thermaltake Around 80-120 squids on ebay. Scott =op Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 These kind of things - http://www.apc.com/products/category.cfm?id=13&segmentID=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 A small APC unit would do the job... and give you over/under voltage protection as well. http://www.apc.com/products/family/index.cfm?id=21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 These kind of things - http://www.apc.com/products/category.cfm?id=13&segmentID=1 Ah sorry, didn't see you post that as well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 About £60 for a basic one, not bad at all really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Posted November 16, 2007 Author Share Posted November 16, 2007 About £60 for a basic one, not bad at all really Which one are you looking at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Posted November 16, 2007 Author Share Posted November 16, 2007 Can you help me out folks? I am not sure what it is (and which one) I need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 Do you really need an APC? Pretty sure a decent powerpack would do you just fine. If you run a business from home though i would think about it. Scott =op Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Posted November 16, 2007 Author Share Posted November 16, 2007 Do you really need an APC? Pretty sure a decent powerpack would do you just fine. If you run a business from home though i would think about it. Scott =op It isn't so much a business issue (although I do get paid for working via the net and am looking at expanding) but more that the PC and Mac I have here are my only real sources of keeping in contact with the UK and I would not want the power problems on the island to muck up the hardware. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 Just get a decent powerpack then. The good ones have a few little tricks inside them that stop damange via surges, spikes, powercuts etc. Thermaltake ones have REALLY come down in price. I just had a look and you can get one to suit most peoples needs for around 40 quid. All the thermaltake ones have the protection you require. Scott =op Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Posted November 16, 2007 Author Share Posted November 16, 2007 Just get a decent powerpack then. The good ones have a few little tricks inside them that stop damange via surges, spikes, powercuts etc. Thermaltake ones have REALLY come down in price. I just had a look and you can get one to suit most peoples needs for around 40 quid. All the thermaltake ones have the protection you require. Scott =op Could you please point this technical numpty to a site that might sell these please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 I'll disagree with you on this.... Powerpacks aren't really suitable for decent usage, remember if they were any good they would be used in commercial data centres. I've got an APC 1000VA unit, which gives me around 15 minutes of run time on my two pcs. The APC stuff is superb at doing brown out filtering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 Have a look here and see which one you need... http://www.thermaltake.com/ You basically want to look for one around the same wattage as the one you have, or above, with the connections you require (depends on how many HDD's, CD-Rom's, floppy drives etc. I'm pretty sure if its just a standard PC the most basic one will do. Noticed your in Greece, Ebay ok? Scott =op Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 I'll disagree with you on this.... Powerpacks aren't really suitable for decent usage, remember if they were any good they would be used in commercial data centres. I've got an APC 1000VA unit, which gives me around 15 minutes of run time on my two pcs. The APC stuff is superb at doing brown out filtering. I agree about the APC stuff for commercial use etc. But i don't think the issue is the computer turning off i think the issue is when it does turn off it takes the memory and motherboard with it. My pc's have been in a few powercuts and only 1 powerpack has bit the dust. Took some memory with it too. Bought a thermaltake powerpack and even though its seen its fair share of powercuts i've never had an issue. Oh, i also have my PC plugged into an anti-surge multi adapter thing. Scott =op Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Thermaltake-W0151-500W-Toughpower-PSU-Power-Supply_W0QQitemZ200167996879QQihZ010QQcategoryZ42021QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem Perfect Scott =op Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Posted November 16, 2007 Author Share Posted November 16, 2007 So, would it be something like these then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 The problem with things like that, is that don't protect against brown outs, yes they may stop power surges, but brown outs are equally dangerous. Little more money yes, but the cost of replacing hardware outweighs it personally... If I was a belt and braces man, I'd use both, so yes I do like the thermaltake item as well (not knocking it ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 So, would it be something like these then? I got a cheapy one (£10) which had a set of blown batteries, luckily the APC ones use off the shelf battery packs, total cost of £30 for two new 12v batteries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 Whats a brown out?? Sounds like an underwear mishap Scott =op Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Posted November 18, 2007 Author Share Posted November 18, 2007 I am still confused with this but am veering towards the APC solution as that means just plugging something rather than paying someone to faff about inside my PC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 That's your best bet Col. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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