Battery Backup Power

Battery backup units, known as UPS (uninterruptible power supplies) can save you both time and money. Retyping a report or replacing expensive computer hardware (due to power outages) can be a thing of the past with one of these units. And the best part? Battery backup units are comparably quite inexpensive, usually costing less than $100.

Battery backup units are like smart surge protectors; they constantly monitor the power being sent from your electrical outlet. While power is present, the battery backup unit will charge its internal battery while powering the devices you have connected to it. Whenever power is lost, the battery backup unit will immediately begin powering your devices with its battery. When power from the electrical outlet becomes available again, the battery backup unit will switch back to charging the battery. This way, your computer remains operational and you’ll have an opportunity to save your work and safely shutdown.

The amount of time that a battery backup unit can supply power to your equipment varies among manufacturers and models. Obviously, the longer or more devices it can power, the more expensive the unit will cost. However, current $80 models will keep the average computer and flat screen monitor powered up for approximately twenty minutes. That is more than enough time to save your work and safely shutdown.

Some battery backup units come with software for your computer. With this software (and usually a USB connection from the battery backup unit to the computer) your computer can be safely shutdown while unattended. This is a great feature to have since there’s a great possibility that the power loss will happen while you are away from your home (or asleep in your bed!).[ad name=”250×250″]

Another benefit of using a battery backup unit is that your hardware is protected from dips and spikes in electrical power. Your equipment is provided with a clean stream of power, which can extend the life of the devices you have connected.

Also, battery backup units aren’t limited to powering computers and monitors. If you have a home network (cable modems, routers, switches), you should consider buying an extra unit. This way, whenever the power flashes off for a brief period of time, you can continue transferring files or browsing the internet uninterrupted. If you’re into playing video games, consider hooking up your favorite consoles. Losing hours spent in a game can seem nearly as crushing as losing your reports or homework!

So, for under $100 your unsaved work can be preserved and your equipment can last longer. However, there is one small catch. The batteries in your backup unit will not last forever. You can expect to replace them every few years or less, depending on how often the battery was used. The good news is that the batteries are very easy to replace and usually cost $30 – $50. That’s a great bargain considering the service they provide.

There are many UPS manufacturers out there, but I can personally vouch for APC units. I’ve installed numerous APC units over the past few years and have had no trouble with them at all. The smaller units come with software (as mentioned above) that automatically shutdown the users’ computers. In fact, they came in handy just a few weeks ago when a nasty storm rolled through the area and knocked the power out. Thankfully, the only inconvenience from the storm was having to power up a few workstations the next morning!