[Leaplist] UPS advice needed

[patrick]

Richard F. Ostrow Jr. wrote:
> Not necessarily... My SmartUPS APC 650VA burned up (would have caught fire
> if I wasn't right there) as well.

I have a dozen UPS s running as our power sags at least twice each day,
often 8 to 12 times.  Plays havoc with all things electronic, like TVs,
cable boxes, Tivos, computers, clocks... Progress Energy has just
changed out a main splice, plus, replaced a ground transformer and the
incidence dropped a bit, three weeks ago.

Over the past 5 years, I have seen smoke from my Tripplite, APC, and
Belkin UPSs. I think the number is 5, plus, I have had 10 computers die
also, and a power meter that plugs in known as a "Kill a Watt" now only
reports Watts, and the voltage meter reports 230 on 1150 VAC lines!

 It matters not what brand.  After enough AC power surges, sags, and
problems, they are apt to fail.

I have witnessed power events that were like automatic fire from my M-16
rifle.  Before I could unplug the Kill a Watt, it was damaged!

Latest was in August, when a APC UPS 500VA unit smoked while I was out.

Came home to a home full of stench.  It had protected my AudioVideo and
TV systems in the Master Bedroom.  Metal casing on the APC UPS protected
the wood Armoire from any fire.  The battery is still good and I kept that.

I don't know if a plastic case would have melted.  Have one of those, a
Belkin Office 650VA, and it is in a metal shelf, working well.

Without these UPSs, I would be spending tons more of bucks replacing
equipment, instead of one UPS per year on average.