Mindful Tips for Buying a UPS that is Perfect for You.
If you reside in Nigeria or any other African country where power supply is a major challenge, buying a UPS is absolutely worth it. Although most ICT professionals have switched from using desktop computers to high-end laptops with long-lasting battery power. However, they still use devices with zero to low battery capacity such as monitors, routers, timers, etc. This makes it important for us to have this conversation regarding back up electricity supply. Overall, if the majority of your work is driven by computer systems and other electrical devices, you must pay attention to these tips for buying a UPS.
UPS means Uninterrupted Power Supply. It is an appliance containing a battery that serves as a backup in the case of a power outage. One can also use it as a power surge to save connected devices from unstable or poor voltages. Keep reading as these tips for buying a UPS will come in handy
Decide Why You Need a UPS
In some parts of the country, the power situation is more terrible than in others. Also, people who depend solely on tech devices to get their work done are more likely to have a dire need for a back up power supply like the UPS. In the case where you have a fairly good amount of power supply, a UPS will help you conclude or save up ongoing work on your computer. You’ll even shut down your devices without them tripping off as soon as the power goes off. If you use a generator, your UPS serves as a temporary way to continue your work before the generator comes on.
If your intention is to protect your devices from abnormal and unstable voltage, getting a UPS is an expensive option. All you need is a good surge protector which usually cost less than you need to buy a UPS system. Residing or working in areas with extremely poor power supply will require you to invest in an alternative power source like an inverter rather than a UPS system.
What Type of UPS Do You Need?
Let’s say you’ve come to the conclusion that you really need to get a UPS. Now you must determine what type will serve you awesomely. There are three major types of UPS that have different features and capability. You can decide to go for the offline/standby UPS which is really basic and is best used as a surge protector and provides minimal battery backup. Another option is the online/double-conversion UPS which allows you to always be connected and even when the power goes off, there’s no transfer time between the main power source and battery. The third type of UPS is the line-interactive UPS. It has a mix of the other two types of UPS; most interestingly, it handles minor under or overvoltages perfectly and in those moments, its battery continues to charge without running on it. However, in the case of a major under/over voltage, it takes over completely. If you’ll love to see a full comparison of the three types of UPS you should check here. You should also look at the build-up and size.
Calculate Capacity and Load
You need a UPS system that can power all devices plugged into it for a fair duration. Calculating the load you’ll be putting on the UPS will help determine the capacity you need. Do the maths by making a list of devices you’ll be using with the UPS. Specify the watts of each item and add them all together to get the total capacity you need to power all of them.
Runtime
If you interface with tech devices often, you’ll realise that sometimes 5 minutes is not enough time to properly save and shut down your ongoing activities. Buying a UPS that can run for a reasonable amount of time is very important. No one wants to feel uneasy each time power is interrupted. And like we said earlier if you suffer serious power issues, a UPS isn’t a great solution. Go for a solar inverter instead. Since you’ve read this article to this point we’ll assume you actually need or intend to get yourself a UPS. The first thing you need to find out is - after power has been interrupted, for how long do I need back up power to bring my devices to shut down safely. Calculating the capacity of your UPS and the total amount of load you’ll be putting on it can help you estimate the runtime.
Ports
This might not mean so much to you but if you have a lot of items to power, you’ll need to be sure that the UPS has just the right number of ports. Also, confirm that the plugs and chargers of your devices can fit properly into the UPS.
Some additional tips for buying a UPS system will include that you go for replaceable batteries so that you can change them once they no longer work rather than replacing the entire UPS system. UPS with replaceable batteries are usually more expensive. However, it’s worth the investment in the long run. Lastly, no one needs a noisy UPS, especially if you’ll be using it from your room or workspace. You can compromise on this if you’ll be getting a big UPS that is positioned outside your space. With the application of these tips for buying a UPS, you can now confidently get yourself a functional back up power supply on SellOff.ng.
