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Imagine this,
You are working on that all important presentation to be sent to the client and
the power goes off.
You spent a fortune on your computer equipping it with the latest equipment,
can you leave it to the vagaries of power fluctuations.
This is where a UPS comes in
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| UPS (Uninterrupted Power
Supply) |
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UPS other wise known as Uninterrupted Power Supply works by
taking the best of two devices, a stabilizer and an inverter.
Thus a UPS acts as
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A stabilizer, hence
regulating voltage
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An inverter, hence
supplying power in case of a power failure (refer accompanying flash
presentation)
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| Why UPS and not a
Stabilizer/Inverter? |
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As mentioned above a UPS regulates the voltage and provides
backup during a power failure. A stabilizer regulates voltage but does not
provide backup; while an inverter provides backup, but does not regulate the
voltage. Moreover a UPS is calibrated for PC usage while a stabilizer/inverter
are not. This means that a UPS can be bought and directly used with a PC making
it a Plug and Play device to save your computer against power failures &
voltage surges.
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| What does the UPS contain? |
| The main parts of a common (standby) UPS
are
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1.
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A Voltage Regulator
consisting of a Surge Suppressor and a Filter
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2.
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An Inverter which
is powered by a Battery and
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3.
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A Transfer Switch
which initiates the shift from the mains to the battery in case of a power
failure
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The Surge Suppressor and the Filter ensure that when the power
is drawn from the mains there are no undue fluctuations or spikes passed to the
computer, which can harm it. In the event of power failure, computer is moved
to battery-supplied power by the Transfer switch. The Inverter converts the DC
voltage supplied by the battery into AC voltage and ensures that there is a
uniform voltage, which is given to the computer.
Apart from the standby UPS shown above, another type of UPS called the line
interactive UPS is also used. This type of UPS is very expensive and is mostly
used in cases where saving data is very critical.
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| Consumables |
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A UPS is a robust device seldom requiring any maintenance or
upkeep. The only consumable that is used in a UPS is a battery, which over the
course of time might become less effective. Batteries are available
specifically for UPS and only these should be used. Using generic/automotive
batteries should be avoided at all costs since they may spoil the electronic
parts of the UPS.
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| What to look for when buying a
UPS |
| The 3 critical factors that should be considered
carefully before buying a UPS are-: |
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1.
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Monitor Size-:
Depending on the monitor size (14", 15", 17") of your computer the UPS should
be chosen, since a smaller wattage UPS will not be able to support a bigger
monitor.
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2.
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Backup time-: Backup
time is the time for which your computer stays on after the power fails.
Depending on your requirement, you can choose a suitable UPS. The cost of the
UPS is proportionate to the backup time.
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3.
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Batteries used in the UPS-: As a rule, the quality of the UPS
depends on the quality of the battery used. So ensure that the battery being
used is of a good quality.
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