SECTION 2
part 1
part 2
part 3

SECTION 3
part 1
part 2
part 3
part 4
part 5

SECTION 4
part 1
part 2
part 3
part 4
part 5
part 6

There are only three major components that make up a UPS. One is the battery (which is why they are usually heavy), the other part is the electronic circuitry that controls the power supply unit (PSU).

The circuitry is responsible for filtering and detecting the power loss on one side. At the same time another part of the circuitry charges the battery. The circuitry is not high. What is important is the technology that makes one unit better than the other. Some UPSes have front panels that displays the line status while others use software to log and track different data. It is also possible via software to turn the UPS 'off or run remote diagnostic tests.

The PSU converts AC voltage to DC voltage, as all the components in side the computer use DC. Strange as this may sound, the electronics used inside a UPS are components that can be easily procured. A student of electrical engineering could very easily put together a simple sort of UPS in very little time.

Deciding the UPS you will require

What is the total amount of power that your system will consume?

Consider every component that will be plugged into the UPS and sum up the amount of watts they will use.

The power consumed by each device is usually displayed near the sockets or the power points on the reverse. You may also find this information in terms of Volt-Amps or VA. Usually VA is equal to the watts consumed, but this is not so in the case of computer equipment. A standard used by the industry is to calculate the watt rating at about 60 percent of the VA rating. This holds good for both the inputs required by the computer and the output of the UPS. A user must match both the watts and the VA of the UPS and the computer system. Further, it is always a good idea to utilise the UPS to only 80 percent of its capacity.

Buying a UPS

How to get the best deal?

1. Decide how long the UPS must power your system. This will depend upon what exactly you

would want to do once there is a power cut. If all you would like to do at that point is save your file and shutdown the system, you will not require more than five minutes of back up time. This will also be a lot cheaper than a system with a back up time of 30 minutes or more.

2. Check the type of guarantee that you are getting. It should be preferably be a replacement one. Not many parts can be 'fixed' in a UPS. And if the battery is the one giving a problem, it is better replaced than fixed.

3. Check also whether the battery requires servicing and maintenance? And whether the

servicing will be handled by company/dealer who supplied the UPS, or by you alone.

4. If you are planning on expanding, and then ask also of the cost upgrades/replacements. Always buy a UPS that suits your needs today. Tomorrow, you could worry about new one. It's easier and cheaper.

Ensure that you buy a UPS from known company and not a fly-by- night operator. After all, if the logic is to invest in something that is reliable.