Re: UPS

[kotsya@u.washington.edu (David Stern)]

On Fri, 02 Jan 1998 01:03:44 +0100, grin wrote:
> On Fri, 26 Dec 1997, Michael Stutz wrote:
> > 
> > I recommend Best Power's products (I use their "intelligent" Fortress model
> > on my single-user sytem), see a recent copy of the UPS HOWTO. They are a
> > little more expensive than, say, APC, but my impression is that the hardwar
> > is superior; better yet, they openly support GNU/Linux, and include the
> > source to the accompanying software (which is easy to install). And a cable
> > is included.
> 
> Yes, I strongly recommend AGAINST APC. I own one, it works but they keep
> the interface secret, and they have minus one support. Of course if you
> don't wanna have "smart" UPS (system load, voltage and freq measures,
> thermometer etc...), it'll be just okay.

Best and Exide/Deltec appear reputable (I had an outdated UPS-HOWTO), 
and I'm a little uncertain about APC.  I read that there was a linux 
program which implements some of the APC smart features, but that it 
was beta.  I'm looking into MGE also.

As I'll also be getting a natural gas powered generator with an 
automatic transfer switch (online within 30 s from loss of electrical 
service), it'd be nice to be able to remain online during power 
"outages", but I haven't found any info on running UPS's on non-sine 
wave ("dirty", "square" or "triangular" wave, generator) power.  I 
figure an interactive UPS would buck and boost, and that would help, 
but I've heard non-sine wave power can be pretty nasty and I'm not sure 
if I trust an interactive model to filter, let alone be able to 
maintain power for prolonged periods without switching to battery.  I 
don't even know if an online model will work with "dirty" power.

When I wrote these companies asking if the online models could cope 
with non-sine wave power for extended periods, only APC responded and 
said that they "usually" could, and recommended their "smart" model 
(that's an interactive model). If anyone runs a UPS on "dirty" power, 
please let me know:
1.) longest time period running on dirty power without switching to 
battery
2.) 3600 rpm or 1800 rmp generator
3.) online or interactive
4.) brand/model

-- 
David Stern

kotsya@u.washington.edu
http://weber.u.washington.edu/~kotsya/



--
TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to
debian-user-request@lists.debian.org . 
Trouble?  e-mail to templin@bucknell.edu .