Question on APC Back-UPS CS

[Bob]

Hi,

I am looking to buy a APC Back-UPS CS 650VA unit:
http://www.apc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=BK650-AS&total_watts=200

and is wondering if it comes with a XP native driver to interface into the
XP power option?

Any comment on this unit?

Thanks.

Bob

 

[kony]

Hi,

I am looking to buy a APC Back-UPS CS 650VA unit:
http://www.apc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=BK650-AS&total_watts=200

and is wondering if it comes with a XP native driver to interface into the
XP power option?

Any comment on this unit?

Thanks.

Bob

yes, unless it's very old and the CD was made before XP
driver was available, in which case you'd download the most
recent from APC's website.

As for comments, it's reasonable for a 650VA UPS but it's
main weakness is it (appears to) only uses 1, 12V/7AH
battery. 650VA UPS used to use 12Ah or 2 x 7AH batteries
for longer runtime... but of course that also means higher
cost when it comes time to replace the batter(ies).

 

[Noozer]

Actually, it should work without software. The UPS controls simply monitor
the serial port lines and can tell when the PC is running on backup power.

 

[Bob]

Actually, it should work without software. The UPS controls simply monitor
the serial port lines and can tell when the PC is running on backup power.

Thanks.

Hang on. Without software (either some program or the XP UPS interface) how
does the PC knows there is enough power left? Or how does the PC know when
to begin initiating the shutdown policy - be it hibernation or plan shutdown
(which seems to be used by many external program support). Hibernation is a
much better technique as you do not lose unclosed files.

 

[Bob]

As for comments, it's reasonable for a 650VA UPS but it's

main weakness is it (appears to) only uses 1, 12V/7AH
battery. 650VA UPS used to use 12Ah or 2 x 7AH batteries
for longer runtime... but of course that also means higher
cost when it comes time to replace the batter(ies).

How often do you have to replace batteries in a UPS? Does the APC unit have
any tester or signal to tell you to replace it?

Can this be done without returning the unit to the service center?

Thanks

Bob

 

[kony]

How often do you have to replace batteries in a UPS? Does the APC unit have
any tester or signal to tell you to replace it?

Can this be done without returning the unit to the service center?

A battery typically lasts 3-5 years. It kinda depends on
how much runtime you really need since that wil decrease
over time, and discharge/recharge cycles.
Discharge/recharge cycles themselves also determine battery
longevity, if you ran the UPS till it shuts itself off a few
times a week, you might not get over a year out of a
battery, depending on what the UPS threshold is for when the
battery is low enough it shuts off. Like any other lead
acid battery, if you run it down too far or too often, it
will be shorter lived. If you need to do it though, better
to be able to than to worry about that, as the particular
battery that one takes seems to be 7Ah, 12V, is about $15
online, not very expensive.

You don't have to return it to a service center, nor do you
need to buy the battery from APC, it's a quite common
battery, actually the most common 7Ah/12V type available.

 

[kony]

Can this be done without returning the unit to the service center?

One more bit about the battery, some have wide tabs and some
narrow, when it comes time to replace the battery you will
need to know which it has (obvious when looking at it, the
wide are visually obvious, about (I may be off by a few %,
I'm not looking at one at the moment) 6mm wide.