Cheapest Online / Double Conversion UPS ? (for a small server)

[Anonymous user]

Hi.

I have a small server in a remote office that needs to be protected from power surges. Usually, this scenario is fulfilled by BackUPS, no problem - since it's just one small server.

However, this particular location turn out to suffer from (REALLY) bad power supply. The electric company in this area really sucks - the surges are very visible, each lasted for several seconds, and it happens 5 - 6 times daily.
I was surprised to find BackUPS not able to protect the server in this case. It was that bad.

So I looked around to find another suitable APC product - but got thoroughly confused instead 🙂
But I think I'll need a UPS with a feature called "double conversion" / online UPS

However, I found it very difficult to find, for sure, which APC products with this feature. After googling and browsing around for 6 hours (God my eyes hurt!) I gave up, and turned to this forum. Hopefully somebody would be able to enlighten me.

My question: Which APC UPS product is the cheapest with online / double conversion feature ?

Thank you.


Regards,
Harry

[BillP]

Here you go:
http://www.apc.com/products/family/index.cfm?id=163

The Back UPS Range is normally (few exceptions like e.g. the RS) is Offline
Most Smart UPS are Line-interactive
And starting from the RT Range we go Online 🙂

[Anonymous user]

Thanks ! 😄 That's about as clear as it can be.

Unfortunately, the RT series is beyond the budget for this project. The cheapest I could find is SURT1000XLI / Smart UPS RT XL 1000v, and it's priced around US$ 700.

For now I'll purchase Smart UPS 420VA, to better cover the server for the moment.
While making the proposal for the SURT1000XLI.

Thanks again for the summary. Much appreciated.


cheers,
Harry

[BillP]

The Smart UPS SC Range is basically pretty much the same as the Back UPS RS Range - except for the Business Edition Software coming with it.
I would recommend starting with an SUA750I if you really want to go with a Smart UPS.

[Anonymous user]

Yes, the UPS Model number SUA750I will be the basic model in Smart UPS and cheapest only.

[BillP]

The Smart-UPS SC 420 is a lot like a Back-UPS, it just has smart signaling. It'll give you basically the same exact protection the Back-UPS did. You might be better off with a "true" Smart-UPS, not something in the SC family.

[Anonymous user]

>
The Smart-UPS SC 420 is a lot like a Back-UPS, it just has smart signaling. It'll give you basically the same exact protection the Back-UPS did. You might be better off with a "true" Smart-UPS, not something in the SC family.

Any recommendations ?

Some of our remote offices have started to experience deteriorating power conditions - to the point where SC420i is no longer able to protect them. Some of the servers there have had data corruption incidents due to this.

I'm still unable to get my proposal for SURT1000XLI approved. While to my knowledge, that is THE cheapest true online UPS (*) from APC.

Do feel free to correct me if I'm wrong - if there's any online UPS in $ 300-400 range, I can get them approved quickly for these suffering remote offices.


Thanks!
Harry

(*) true online UPS : I'm thinking about a UPS where the devices connected to them will be fed with power straight from the UPS's battery, at ALL times.

[BillP]

If you are looking for the cheapest Double Conversion Online UPS then you are correct, the [SURT1000XLI|http://www.apc.com/products/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=SURT1000XLI&total_watts=200] is the cheapest that you can get. The rack mountable version of it is [SURT1000RMXLI|http://www.apc.com/products/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=SURT1000RMXLI&total_watts=2...].

To know more about different UPS systems please see this APC Knowledge Base - [Different Types of UPS Systems|http://jpaa-en.apc.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/727/kw/topologies/session/L3RpbWUvMTMxMDIyMTMxNC9zaWQ...]

[Anonymous user]

Jonathan, thanks for the confirmation.

Before you replied, I've also contacted a friend of mine who happen to be an electrician too. My future strategy would be to equip remote offices with APC SC420i, and the ones with nasty power supply will be provided with a custom-made UPS made by my friend (basically a sealed car battery with AC socket). Because we just need the power protection feature, that's all.

Thanks.

[BillP]

Not a problem. I am glad that I was still able to help. I do hope that the solution would fix the problem that you're having on your remote offices.

[cogeanumarius_apc]

I like the easy explanation,  but maybe it is not anymore valid, can we have an updated version of it?

As I can see today, we have "line interactive" description for all the Back-UPS range on latest models, like: APC Back-UPS 500/650/700/950/1400 BX, APC Power Saving Back-UPS Pro 550/900...and the list could continue, all these have no SMART in the name but all are "line interactive"

[MarkC_apc · Accepted solution]

Not sure of protocols on this website and apologize if overstepping Schneider's intent, but you could likely find a waranteed, refurbished APC double conversion unit on ebay for the price range you are looking for.  I'm quite familiar with these units as I use  SURT6000/5000's with a Prius to generate 240 volt split phase power for my rural property in emergencies.  They are very robust units and have battery cages that are easily upgraded with all new batteries (very important to keep top quality batteries in the APC UPSs).  Be sure to get the proper WATTAGE with these units as their power factor is not always high (the new SRT line appears to be very good! - $$$s).   These are all "smart" units and can communicate in many, helpful ways.

Highly recommend one of these rather than a home built "battery/outlet" (IMO)  especially if you want a warning of impending disaster!