will a APC (SMT1000) Smart-UPS be ok with a generator?

[Anonymous user]

I am thinking to purchase a APC SMT1000 UPS.  I will have a couple of servers, a couple of NAS devices, a media server, some gaming consoles, router, ethernet switch, and some other networked home theatre electronics, that would be connected to the smt1000.   I live in a rural area and have an older propane powered honda ex1500 generator that i use as backup power for part of my home during the occasional times when the power company power fails.  The switch over to the generator is manual. I would like to have the SMT1000, and the equipment connected to it, powered by the generator during the times that i am using the generator.   My concern is that i had read on some other posts in this forum and elsewhere about folks who complain that while on a generator power quality issues (brown outs etc.) caused their UPS to flip over into backup mode and then moments later back to the mains, and that this cycle can then keep repeating every few seconds.  Is this something I need be concerned about happening with the SMT1000?   For some context, please note I have noticed when running on the generator that some lights in the house go dimmer and brighter -- this seems to be based on changes in load, that is, increased load causing a dimming until the speed of the generator changes to compensate.  I have not measured, but i guess from this that the voltage supplied is somewhat variable while on generator.   Is running the SMT1000 from a generator of this type just a plainly bad idea?    I have read that the sensitivity of the switch over can be controlled with the SMT1000.   Do you think this will be sufficient to prevent the flipping back and forth condition i describe?    If this will be a problem, is there anything i can do mitigate, like for instance put some kind of power conditioning between the generator and the UPS.  If this is something that I should do, exactly what equipment would be recommended for this purpose?

[smargh_apc · Accepted solution]

An APC rep will be able to give definitive advice, but in your particular case I'd only be comfortable with an online UPS, i.e. the SURT series, which permanently powers the attached kit from battery and only uses mains power to charge the batteries.