Should you get a UPS device for your computer?

If you think it's time to purchase a UPS system, There are a few key questions you should ask yourself:

> If the power goes out, will that also turn off my computer (which will in turn discard my unsaved changes)?

> If that happens and I didn't have a chance to save my work, am I concerned about losing whatever I was working on?

If you have no concerns about losing data in the event of a power failure, then there is no point in going to the time and effort (both short-term and long-term) of buying a UPS and maintaining it. However, if this does concern you, here are some things to consider:

> If you have a desktop computer (Windows, Macbook) which does not have an internal battery, then a power failure will immediately turn off your computer.

> If you have a laptop with a working internal battery (i.e., one that still holds a charge), a power failure will simply make your laptop switch over to run on its own battery. This almost entirely eliminates the risk of losing data (with the exception of data you may be editing online), assuming that your battery is charged, and you are present to notice that the power went out and click Save.

> Also, if you have set up your laptop to use important peripherals that need their own power (like using an external monitor with the laptop lid closed), while you won't immediately lose your work, you may not be able to fully operate the laptop during a power failure (and Save your work) until you disconnect those peripherals and open the laptop's lid.

> And if your laptop's internal battery is more than 3-4 years old, it's more likely that it no longer holds a charge, so a power failure will either immediately turn it off, or you may only have a very short time on the battery to react before it powers off.

If these issues concern you, you should probably buy a UPS device from Off Grid!

Here’s the most important things you need to know about Uninterruptible Power Supplies

An Uninterruptible Power Supply or UPS is the best thing to have for hooking up your computer system to the wall socket. Basically, a UPS is a power strip combined with a battery to keep your computer running when the power goes out.

The notion behind a UPS is not to keep computing while the power is out. Instead, the UPS is designed to keep your basic computer components (console and monitor) up and running just long enough for you to save your work and properly shut down the computer.

Keep the following points in mind:

- A UPS only gives you about five minutes of computer power. Be expedient and save your stuff to disk, and then shut down. You can print, scan or do other tasks when the power comes back on.

- Leave the UPS on all the time. You need to turn it off only when the power is out and the computer has been properly shut down.

- In addition to providing emergency power, a UPS provides higher levels of electrical protection for your equipment. Many models offer surge, spike and dip protection, which keeps your PC running smoothly despite any nasties the power company may throw your way.

Take a look at this video to understand how a UPS system works…

Take a moment to browse through Off Grid's website, there are a broad range of back up power solutions including UPS devices - all at an affordable price!

6 Advantages of using a UPS system

A UPS is an external power supply that helps in providing protection for electronic devices during load shedding or sudden disruption in the power supply.

There are many advantages of using a UPS, here are just a few:

× Protects against uncertain data loss During a power cut, a UPS will keep your system running so that you have time to save your precious data and shut down your computer or other electronic devices safely.

× Supplies power
A UPS is an alternative power source which is reliable during power surges, spikes and of course, the dreaded load shedding. In case of any of these electrical disruptions, you can resume your work for a few hours by using a UPS.

× Protects your devices from power fluctuation
Fluctuations in the power supply can lead to damage to your electronic devices. By having a UPS system, the power fluctuations will be controlled and provide a stable power output.

× Provides surge protection
Power surges, outages and spikes are all detected by a UPS system, and automatic switch-over to the battery power will take place during these conditions in order to prevent any damage.

× Maintains battery life
Once you connect a UPS to the battery, the charging of the system is maintained. This ensures that there is enough power for all your electronic devices during load shedding or a power outage.

× Gives power back to businesses
Majority of businesses connect their computers and other electronic devices to a UPS system. The main benefit is that even though there are huge power disruptions (especially with load shedding) it is not going to affect work output.

Having a UPS system is essential, not only at work, but in your home as well.  It manages to protect the most delicate parts of your machine, but still provide you with hours of power. If you are looking for a reliable, affordable UPS system, take a look at the selection from Off Grid Load Shedding Solutions!

How does a computer’s UPS work?

Your computer or laptop is able to withstand slight differences in power, but a significant change will cause the power supply to fail! A UPS is generally there to protect your PC against these different power problems…

Surges and spikes – Times when the voltage on the line is much more than it should be.

Sags – Times when the voltage on the line is less than it should be.

Total power failure – Times when a line goes down or a fuse blows somewhere on the grid or in the building or area.

Load shedding – Times when the power is cut purposely to avoid excess load on the power system.

Frequency differences – Times when the power is swaying at something other than the right frequency.

There are two common systems that we use today, standby UPS devices and continuous UPS devices. A standby UPS runs the computer off of the normal power until it detects a problem. At that point, it will very quickly turn on the power inverter and run the computer off of the UPS’s battery.

In a continuous UPS, the computer is always running off of the battery power and the battery is always being recharged. It is possible to build a simple UPS yourself, using a large battery charger, a battery and a power inverter. If the power fails, the battery will then give power to the inverter. There is no switch-over time in a continuous UPS device.

Standby UPS systems are far more common for home and small-business use because they tend to be a lot cheaper than a continuous UPS. Continuous systems provide clean, stable power, so they are usually used for servers.

Off Grid can provide you with backup power solutions for you or your business, including a variety of UPS devices. Our load shedding solutions are both easy to work and affordable, so when the power goes out, you will not be inconvenienced.

What is a UPS?

Power cuts, because of the dreaded load shedding, can not only cause you to lose unsaved work and precious data. It can also damage your valuable hardware and network infrastructure. So how do you protect your computers from load shedding? Enter the UPS…

A UPS, or “Uninterruptible Power Supply,” is any device that keeps your computer powered up and operational in the event of a power interruption. Simply put, a UPS is a battery that provides power to your computer or other critical hardware when its primary power source is unavailable. When your computer’s power source is lost, the UPS provides power for a certain amount of time (usually 10 or 15 minutes) so you can save your work and properly shut down your systems.

If you operate your business on a network or have various peripherals connected to your computer, a UPS system can be used to protect multiple devices, including monitors, modems, and routers. Most Uninterruptible Power Supplies will also shield these network systems from damage that may occur from power cuts and surges.

A UPS comes in two basic types: standby or continuous. A standby UPS, as the name implies, doesn’t switch on until power is interrupted. When it detects a loss of power, it switches on immediately (within 5 milliseconds). Most commercial UPSes are of the standby variety.

A continuous UPS, on the other hand, is always on and acts as a battery that powers your computer. A continuous UPS charges itself on power from a wall plug, and in turn runs your computer or other hardware system. This acts as a buffer so that no matter what happens to your power — be it surge, or load shedding — your critical machinery receives a clean, reliable flow of juice.

Uninterruptible power supplies range in price. Some Uninterruptible Power Supplies even include software that automatically saves your open files and shuts down your computer if its power source is compromised.

So before you buy another piece of costly computer hardware, consider investing a little money in a UPS. It can save you the headache of losing valuable data, and, in the event of a power incident, it just might save you some serious money by protecting your infrastructure investment.

Off Grid provides back up power solutions that are both affordable and easy to run! Order yours today and beat the load shedding blues!