Description

A mini-tower UPS with line interactive topology, the CyberPower PFC Sinewave CP1500PFCLCD provides battery backup (using sine wave output) and surge protection for desktop computers, workstations, networking devices, and home entertainment systems requiring active PFC power source compatibility. The CP1500PFCLCD features an advanced multifunction control panel with a color LCD to quickly confirm status and alerts at-a-glance. The CP1500PFCLCD uses Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR) to correct minor power fluctuations without switching to battery power, which extends battery life. AVR is essential in areas where power fluctuations occur frequently. The CP1500PFCLCD comes with a three-year warranty (including coverage of batteries) and a $500,000 Connected Equipment Guarantee.

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■ Asustor
I only just figure this out, because I had a power outage due to extreme heat in my city. For some reasons, the sudden power cut rendered the AS5402T from turning on. I honestly freaked out. I thought the power outage killed the Asustor. Reading Asustor’s troubleshooting online, they say I should remove the CMOS battery, and then put back the battery.

Here’s the deal, it gets really hot where I live and so the portable AC is always on, along with fans, and other stuff that draws too much electricity – and when there’s a surge/stressed, my breaker box will shut down. Sometimes, there is a very brief hiccup, where the power just cuts but comes back right away – so the computer is still running, but it still is very scary. With surges and blackouts, it may cause problems for my computer – so I really don’t want to take a chance on losing my computer (especially the data).

Recently, my portable AC permanently died (due to being constantly on because of the heat), and my NAS refused to bootup after a power outage. While it all worked out in the end, after I opened up the NAS and re-seated the CMOS battery, I was extremely worried that the NAS had fried or short-circuited beyond repair.

So, after some considerations, I have decided it was time that I bought a UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply). There are some criteria that I needed the UPS to fill: (1) it needs to be powerful enough to power my desktop PC (which draws a lot of power) and NAS, so I can safely shut it down, (2) needs to offer enough outlets for the PC and monitor and NAS, (3), Needs to be reasonably priced, and (4) It just needs to work and not fail.

I ended up going with CyberPower, one of the leading UPS Battery manufacturers. They make several UPS for consumers, and I bought their top-of-the-line sinewave technology. There are four version of this particular CyberPower PFC Sinewave UPS Battery Backup, and I bought the highest rated power (1500VA/1000W) and most expensive ($259) unit.

It came with a 80% charge on the battery, which is really nice so you can use it right away. The other nice thing is that it has 12 outlets (6 battery and 6 surge protector), 1 USB, and 1 USB-C. I used five of the battery outlets (PC, Monitor, NAS, and Mesh Network). If you have more than 6 items that needs to be constantly powered – then you may have to go with a different UPS and/or buy two.

My only complaint is only one outlet was a man-spreader (bigger/wider), the other outlets are very narrow. I only had one big plug, so it wasn’t a problem… but if you have several bigger plugs, then I suggest you get an extension. I actually plan on getting an extension for that one big plug, as I figure I might need that big slot for something else in the future.

I checked the UPS’ display and it said I was only using two bars (out of five) – about 20-30% – of the load. The UPS display is pretty easy to read, and you can tilt it up, if you plan on having it sit on the floor. I recommend it on the floor, because it weighs 25 pounds. That’s really heavy, I wouldn’t want it sitting on a desk.

Anyway, CyberPower boasts I can get about an hour of runtime, on a full battery charge… but I suspect it may be about 30 minutes. Still, that’s plenty of time for me to power down the NAS and PC… or it gives me enough time so I can walk over to the electric circuit board and reset the power connection.

Obviously, I can’t test the battery out, unless I am hit with another circuit break hiccup or true power outage, but I have peace of mind now.