Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), should it always "ON"?

[attyallanlatras]

Should I turn off the APC UPS every time I turn off my PC? I have read somewhere that UPS should always be ON...

[red_one]

UPS has rechargeable battery inside. If you want to keep the battery fully charged, leave the UPS on.

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[jettp0gi]

Should I turn off the APC UPS every time I turn off my PC? I have read somewhere that UPS should always be ON...

It's OK to turn it off, but you don't have to. It's like an emergency light, you can leave it plugged in and switched on.

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[attyallanlatras]

UPS has rechargeable battery inside. If you want to keep the battery fully charged, leave the UPS on.

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It's OK to turn it off, but you don't have to. It's like an emergency light, you can leave it plugged in and switched on.

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*red_one and *jettp0gi,

Thanks for your answers. I have additional question: Should I still use an AVR? I have heard that the set-up should be: Outlet > AVR > UPS > PC, while some would say using an AVR is redundant... TIA

[dr. d]

don't UPSs have a built-in AVR?
i mean, their output is a regulated voltage, right?

[red_one]

don't UPSs have a built-in AVR?
i mean, their output is a regulated voltage, right?

Not all, depends on the model.

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[Walter]

UPSes normally have built in voltage regulators.

[vinj]

So whether leaving it on or off has no effect on the power pack lifespan? I have this habit of turning it off for the weekend or long holiday.

[red_one]

Types of UPS:

(1) Offline/Standby - No voltage regulation. AC power is directly passed to PC. There are set points for large over voltage at under voltage situations. If voltage exceeds the set points, internal battery will be used for power. This is the cheapest UPS. Price is around P2,000.



(2) Line-Interactive - Has multi-tap variable voltage transformer inside that serves as semi-voltage regulator. (Note: The toroidal transformer inside a servo-type AVR is more precise and better than this.) There are set set points for large over voltage ang under voltage situations. If voltage exceeds the set points, internal battery will be used for power. More expensive than Offline/Standby UPS.



(3) Double-conversion/Online - Internal battery is used all the time so output voltage and frequency is much more controlled. Has faster response time during brown outs since battery power is passed to the PC at all times. More expensive than Line-Interactive UPS.

(4) Hybrid Topology/Double Conversion on Demand - Has the highest efficiency. can function as Offline/Standby and Double-conversion/Online depending on the power situations. Most expensive UPS type.

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[WallyWest]

Turning your UPS off is ok as long as it's been fully charged prior to being turned off.

I haven't used an AVR on my desktop PC since I assembled it. More than 5 years na buhay pa rin ang power supply. Unless you're in an area that has really bad fluctuations, an AVR is unnecessary.

But if you really want to use an AVR then I suppose the connection should be:

Ac outlet - > AVR - > UPS - > computer

Do not use those cheapo, below 500 pesos avrs that come bundled with desktops. They're just glorified extension cords. Find servo type AVRs.

Tapatalked

[dr. d]

So whether leaving it on or off has no effect on the power pack lifespan? I have this habit of turning it off for the weekend or long holiday.

i think, some batteries deteriorate faster if they stay un-charged for long periods, like our car batteries.
if the batteries are fully charged, i think we can unplug them over the weekend.

however, if the neighborhood experiences a lot of power outages, it is a good idea to keep the ups always plugged, to insure the battery is always fully charged when you have to use the appliance plugged into it.

[oj88]

On UPS battery charging:
Most any modern UPS will charge the batteries even if it's switched off. Most will even give off a relay 'click' when you plug them in, signifying that the circuit is active. Yes, I've confirmed this with a lot of APC, TrippLite and many china-branded UPS.

On switching off the UPS:
If the PC or the load connected to it is turned off, it is best practice to turn off the UPS as well. Otherwise, in an event of a blackout, the UPS will transition to backup power even though there's nothing to supply power to, draining the battery unnecessarily.

On adding an AVR:
Most UPS nowadays have basic voltage regulation built-in. This feature may often be called buck/boost. Buck is reducing the output while boost is the opposite. Each step, whether buck or boost, is usually between 10-20V apart. So for a 20V boost for example, if the input voltage gets down to 200V, it will boost the output back to 220V. Many UPS will have multiple buck/boost steps, allowing you to power up your PC even if the input voltage is down to 180V.

If your UPS does not have a built-in voltage regulator, you can put an AVR before the UPS, not after.