# 500VA or 650VA UPS?



## blackpearl (Jun 1, 2007)

My PC configuration is this:

Pentium D 820
Intel 945 mobo
1 sata HD
2 cd drives
7300gs Gfx card
2x512 MB DDR2 Ram
15" monitor

For the present config a 500VA UPS is enough. But I will upgrade the monitor to 17" and probably the Gfx card too. Then will a 500va UPS support the new config? Or will I need 650VA?

I'm going for APC and the 650VA is costly. So I will buy it only if its absolutely necessary. Kindly advice.

People having similar config and preferably APC UPS, kindly respond.


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## Choto Cheeta (Jun 1, 2007)

APC is good and higher is allways better !! but That config will run with 500 VA i think as if i can run E6600 + P5N-E SLi + 3GB + 2 DVD Burners + 17" with my 4 year old Proview 500 VA, u can rest asure APC 500 VA is good enough for ur system !! though Cold start (Monitor or Full system) may be a problem !!!


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## adithyagenius (Jun 2, 2007)

Does having extra VA increase uptime?


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## janitha (Jun 2, 2007)

adithyagenius said:
			
		

> Does having extra VA increase uptime?


Definitely.


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## blackpearl (Jun 2, 2007)

Choto Cheeta said:
			
		

> APC is good and higher is allways better !! but That config will run with 500 VA i think as if i can run E6600 + P5N-E SLi + 3GB + 2 DVD Burners + 17" with my 4 year old Proview 500 VA, u can rest asure APC 500 VA is good enough for ur system !! though Cold start (Monitor or Full system) may be a problem !!!



Thanks!!


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## praka123 (Jun 2, 2007)

I got 500VA APC and it is overloaded if i try a manual start(without AC)..go anytime for 650VA one.


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## blackpearl (Jun 2, 2007)

^^ I'm having simiar thoughts after seeing this site

*www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp

You can calculate your PSU requirement. Mine showed I need a 415W PSU excluding the monitor ofcourse. So a 500va UPS won't be enough.


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## gannu_rox (Jun 2, 2007)

Nowadyas 650 is d bare min...

800 fer a high end gaming rig...


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## Choto Cheeta (Jun 2, 2007)

@praka123
@blackpearl

I have mentioned that, with 500 VA, one will face problem with Cold Start-up !! but certainly running process wont be effected !! so, if one plans to for a Cold start, then even i guss 650 VA APC wont do, as if one need to work with Cold Start then some Double Battary 650 or 800 VA is needed...

so, as blackpearl said, his has a budget problem, therefore I suggested that 500VA

and rather than VA Backup will also depend on that Battary one is using !! 

@blackpearl

As i have writen already that I am running 450Watts (ColorSit) with E6600 + 3GB + P5N-E SLi + now 3 HDD (SATA-II and PATA) and 17" Monitor, even with my 4 Year old Proview apart from Cold Start-up, there is not a problem with Power Cut (Yes my battary is pretty old therefor not more than 4/5 mins backup)


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## blackpearl (Jun 2, 2007)

The 500VA APC is Rs 2400 and the 650 VA is Rs 3600.
Thats a big difference.

I don't plan to do cold start. I just want it to run for atleast 5 min so I can safely save my work, finish a half burned CD etc. Nothing else.

@Choto Cheeta :

I may have a 15" monitor right now but I would upgrade to a 17".
Also the gfx card might change. Then will a 500va be enough. Even you have a 600va.

P.S: I have a 500W smps. Consider that as a limit. But it won't stretch that far. 

One question more: What is the wattage rating of a 17" CRT monitor?
15" ones are of around 75W.


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## praka123 (Jun 2, 2007)

my backup time with a 50O va APC is 4-5 minutes also take this is for a pc with crt monitor,router,gfx cards included running.


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## Gigacore (Jun 2, 2007)

500 VA is a good choice


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## janitha (Jun 2, 2007)

I think the SMPS wattage should also be given consideration, especially with 500 - 600 W and above becoming popular.


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## blackpearl (Jun 2, 2007)

praka123 said:
			
		

> my backup time with a 50O va APC is 4-5 minutes also take this is for a pc with crt monitor,router,gfx cards included running.



Whats your config?


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## praka123 (Jun 2, 2007)

p4 HT 2.8ghz,xfx 7300 GT dual dvi ,gigabyte 915GV mobo etc etc +MT880 modem router,speakers and PSU is 400W.samtron 56v monitor too.
earlier i think i got lil more time as backup.


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## ashfame (Jun 2, 2007)

also consider Mtech 800VA Double Battery UPS, It runs ma comp for 1/2hr.
i hav a p4,845mobo,256mb ddr,cd writer, 17"crt, woofer & printer running on the same ups.
throw anything on it n it will get power for it!
sometimes i switch on ma PC n den realize after a few mins dat i havnt switched the mains ON.
hehehe!!


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## blackpearl (Jun 3, 2007)

^^ Whats the price of the Microtek UPS?


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## ashfame (Jun 3, 2007)

blackpearl said:
			
		

> ^^ Whats the price of the Microtek UPS?


I bought it many months back!
It was of Rs.2750


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## blackpearl (Jun 3, 2007)

Hmmm... not bad for 800VA. APC is damn costly man!!
Actually I don't know which UPS to trust.


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## Choto Cheeta (Jun 3, 2007)

APC u can Trust on that VA Thing 

Quite honestly if u try mesureing that VA with Hardware !!! u will find, APC will b able to pass the test on delivering promissed VA rather than brand like Microtek or Proview or etc...

Its like that SMPS, u get a 400 Watts frontec or JBM type SMPS in just Rs. 250 or 300 MAX where as buy a Perx or such SMPS, same will Cost 3000 or more with those Brands


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## blackpearl (Jun 11, 2007)

OK. I've decided to go for an 800VA UPS. Now there are 2 brands - Microtek and Numeric. Microtek has 2 batteries so almost double backup time, while Numeric has single battery but is microprocessor controlled and has a monitoring ability through software. Looks more sophisticated.

Which should I go for?

Expecting some quick replies.


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## Choto Cheeta (Jun 11, 2007)

Between those to I vote for Microtech !!!!



though its only my personal Idea


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## ashfame (Jun 11, 2007)

Yeah go for Microtek!
Its good!
And there is a problem with the UPS that offers monitoring!
Sometimes a reverse current can flow to the port with which it is connected and damn there you go! LOTS OF PROBLEM
You should have a almost non-fluctuating power supply (impossible in INDIA)


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## rahul30 (Jun 11, 2007)

my vote is for  microtek double battery 800 va @ rs. 2300 instead of apc 500va @ rs.2100


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## assasin (Jun 11, 2007)

i've a APC 500VA ups which is 3yrs old and it supports monitoring thru pc.i didnt hav any probs with that monitoring stuff.its working like a charm.


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## hitman050 (Jun 11, 2007)

I am also thinking of buying a UPS. Im confused now. APC is obviously the best brand, but are its prices worth it? Wont a 800VA Microtek UPS be better than a 500VA APC?

Also, is there any way that when the electricity goes off, and my PC is running from backup, it shut downs automatically?


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## assasin (Jun 12, 2007)

hitman050 said:
			
		

> Also, is there any way that when the electricity goes off, and my PC is running from backup, it shut downs automatically?


 
yeah u can do that only if ur ups supports monitoring thru pc


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## hitman050 (Jun 12, 2007)

Which UPS have monitoring? Can you give model no?


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## blackpearl (Jun 12, 2007)

Now I'm more confused!!

Obviously, Microtek would give longer backup, but Numeric is a digital UPS whereas Microtek is an analog UPS. Which one will be more reliable?

Actually I have some very bad experiences with UPSes. Whichever I buy breaks down.   So I want to be very cautious.


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## assasin (Jun 12, 2007)

^^^   go ahead and buy any APC ups and njoy peace of mind.


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## blackpearl (Jun 13, 2007)

From 500va to 650va to 800va to finally 600va. I bought a 600va Numeric UPS today. You can call me crazy or indecisive. 

The UPS is running fine and giving backup. I haven't tested the cold start capability till now since the battery is yet to be fully charged.

The UPS however did not came with the serial-port cable that is used to monitor its functioning. The seller told me it doesn't come with the cable nowdays, but I doubt that. I will have to confirm that. Anyway, I want to know what type of cable Numeric UPSes uses, I mean the port present in the UPS is serial. Will I have to connect it to the serial port of my PC or can I connect it to a USB port too? That is, will I need a serial-to-serial cable (not available) or a serial-to-USB cable (available) will do?


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## ashnik (Jun 16, 2007)

Numerics don't come with serial ports, and if i'm not wrong they don't have lan ports too. 
Tha's why I bought PCM 1KVA 1.5 yr ago...about 4.4K
Still going fine..


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