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kmetzger

Aug 30, 2010, 12:37 PM

Post #1 of 5 (2506 views)

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UPS for C-band TV

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I read through the messages written about UPS and voltage regulators written six years ago, but would like to ask for advice for my current situation. I've been using relatively cheap Koblenz UPS units (300W, 550 VA) for my computer and C-band TV system. I think I bought them 2 or 3 years ago, but both of them gave out a couple of days ago. In other words, there was a power outage and each one failed to do its job.

I assume I should just chuck them in the garbage, but just to be on the safe side I thought I'd ask here if I should take them to a repair shop (I have no idea).

For my computer I bought a CyberPower unit - 810 watts, 1350 AV for 3,500 pesos. I notice that the batteries can be replaced when they die out. Do I need to shell out that much for my C-band TV too?

Kim

Papirex

Aug 30, 2010, 2:24 PM

Post #2 of 5 (2495 views)

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Re: [kmetzger] UPS for C-band TV

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I don't know about your situation, but about 9 or 10 years ago I bought a Trip Lite brand UPS at Sam's Club in Cuernavaca for about the Peso equivalent of $100 or $120 US Dlls ( I don't really remember now.) I have had the battery in it replaced twice. The first time, about 4 years ago it cost $400 Pesos, that was about $40 US Dlls at the time. Recently I had it replaced again. The cost last month was $450 Pesos, that was about $35 US Dlls at that time.

I'm not going to disconnect it now to read the specs on the label, but it has been doing the job well. It has always been much cheaper to have the battery replaced than it would be to buy a new UPS. I have another older APC brand of UPS and surge protector, and I am going to see if a replacement battery is still available for it too. I don't really need it, but I intend to use it downstairs with my laptop and one table lamp so I can see for a few minutes to light some candles when there is a power outage at night.

I would advise taking them to a reputable shop to at least get an opinion on the advisability and cost of having the batteries replaced.

Rex
"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved" - Victor Hugo

RickS

Aug 30, 2010, 4:26 PM

Post #3 of 5 (2476 views)

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Re: [kmetzger] UPS for C-band TV

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Kim, someone will probably chime in and give you some advice about what to buy/where, but I would suggest to you that any/all small UPS systems have a limited life. They are basically 'just' a battery and batteries will only last so long especially if power goes out a lot as it does in Mexico (yes, I know that a UPS system is much more than a battery but for the purpose of this conversation......).

After a couple of years of ownership I occasionally (every couple of months?) do a test to simulate a power outage to see how long the batteries will keep my computer running. That 'simulation' is merely unplugging it from the wall and counting the minutes before the computer dies. The 'real' purpose of a UPS system is NOT to keep your electronics running for 'hours' in the event of a power outage but rather to give one ample time to gracefully turn everything off and wait for power to reliably return.

I have no knowledge of the Koblenz brand nor whether one can replace the batteries in it, but Rex mentioned two 'good' ones to consider as replacements if you can't... Tripp Lite and APC. Other brands may be available but you should look for one that makes battery replacement fairly easy. I sometimes find (here in the US on the Internet) that one can find an entirely new units for about the same price as a battery replacement. If that happens, I replace the whole thing as there are other components withing the unit that can get 'weak', especially if you have voltage surges or brownouts. I know this never happens in Mexico, 'tho ;>)

The 550VA size you had was sufficient for a standard 'tower' type PC, even if you have the older style CRT style monitor which was a power hog. In the past I have run 350VA ones successfully on the PCs I supported at work. The 850W/1350VA one you have behind your computer now is, in my opinion, over-kill (but surely NOT harmful..... you'll just have superior up-time in the event of a power outage because the battery is larger I suspect).

With respect to your C-Band, unless one is REALLY hooked on TV and can't miss the remainder of the show if the power goes off, one does not need to even have a UPS (battery backup). What one could have is protection from surges and brownouts for both the receiver and TV. This can be done with a voltage regulator/surge protector device (sans battery). I've seen folks use these on their refrigerators in Mexico. But don't be fooled into thinking that one of the $9.95 (US) surge strips will save your electronics consistently. A good $50 (US) one will. But since one can get a small UPS for about that same $50 price (in the US), many folks just go ahead and buy an 'inexpensive' UPS system and then you get the best of both worlds. The size to get depends on the power draw of your TV (the receiver uses minimal power).

Hope this helps.....

(This post was edited by RickS on Aug 30, 2010, 4:33 PM)

YucaLandia

Sep 1, 2010, 10:50 PM

Post #4 of 5 (2439 views)

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Re: [RickS] UPS for C-band TV

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In addition to battery back-up, good quality UPS's also provide prtection from voltage spikes, voltage surges, and consistently high voltage. The voltage protection functions can often be as or more important than the battery back-up features.

All 6 different models and brands of UPS's that cost less than $100 USD (including 2 Koblenz models) that I have tested have not provided the protection needed by some electronics. i.e. APC's small units that cost about the same as battery replacement costs ($40 USD) do not protect against slow power surges, nor do they protect your electronics from consistently high voltage, as often happens in Mexico.** I had an older robust HP laserjet printer ($600 USD model) fried when connected to a cheap APC UPS. APC fought over the problem for 2 months, including requiring that I ship the UPS back to them & they threatened that I would have to also ship the printer to them, but finally they agreed that their cheaper units do not protect against consistently high voltage. After months of technical discussions, they finally sent a check for the entire amount claimed for our damaged electronic equipment.

Specifically: One "110V" leg of our "220V" CFE service often spirals up to 133VAC to 138VAC, staying there for hours & days during low power usage in our neighborhood, which ultimately cooked some of our electronics. While the new APC cheaper digital units did not protect our electronics, our two old-school induction coil technology APC units ($120 new & $180 new with batteries that cost $40 USD - $60 USD) consistently regulate the high voltage down to safe levels (keeping voltages under 125VAC)

**Mexico's official policy is to provide AC power at voltages between 114VAC to 140VAC, which means that some of our appliances, printers, and electronics that work fine in the USA and Canada will instead need good protection and constant downward voltage regulation that is only offered by more expensive and older UPS's.
http://en.wikipedia.org/...wer_around_the_world

Office Depot had carried some better quality (a.k.a. more expensive = more than $100 USD) UPS's in the past. Unfortunately, it may take a good volt meter (DMM) to actually determine if your UPS is doing the job: i.e. check your line voltage and see if it exceeds 126VAC. If your line voltage on either leg of your 110V/120V power is higher than 126VAC, then check the output voltage of your UPS. A good UPS will regulate the voltage back down under 127V, while the newer & cheaper UPS's will not.

We've had great experiences with the following brands of more expensive UPSs and voltage regulators over the past 4 decades: Sola, Tripp / TrippLite, & APC. Also, if you have an old constant voltage transformer kicking around, they work great to to protect electronics & computer equipment from dirty power and high voltage (i.e. the transformer used by TV techs to float - isolate from ground - the TV while they are working on it.)
steve
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E-visit at http://yucalandia.com

(This post was edited by YucaLandia on Sep 1, 2010, 10:52 PM)

kmetzger

Sep 7, 2010, 6:20 AM

Post #5 of 5 (2366 views)

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Re: [YucaLandia] UPS for C-band TV

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Thanks everybody. I decided on a 550VA, 330 Watt APC for 1,370 pesos. On this one I can clearly replace the battery.