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Quiet UPS ?

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 6:30 am
by trxman
I've tested 2 of APC BackUPS 500VA and they were quiet.

I've tested 4 of APC BackUPS 650VA and everyone of them was "squiling/buzzing" while it was 20 - 60% loaded.

I need more then 500VA (300W), so I cannot use fist type.
Is there any suggestion for quiet UPS 650VA - 1000VA ?

Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 2:57 pm
by trxman
anyone? :roll:

Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 12:35 am
by Das_Saunamies
I haven't run into a loud Powerware UPS yet, have been using their older civilian models and heavy-duty server ones.

Personally, I think Eaton Protection Stations look good: http://powerquality.eaton.com/Products- ... aspx?cx=47. Eaton is the company that makes Powerware as well. I think it's their brand to begin with, but don't take my word for it.

Powerware/Eaton build quality has been solid, and most civilian models seem to be passively cooled (i.e. I haven't seen one with fans).

Re: Quiet UPS ?

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:09 am
by JVM
trxman wrote:I've tested 2 of APC BackUPS 500VA and they were quiet.

I've tested 4 of APC BackUPS 650VA and everyone of them was "squiling/buzzing" while it was 20 - 60% loaded.

I need more then 500VA (300W), so I cannot use fist type.
Is there any suggestion for quiet UPS 650VA - 1000VA ?
Why not buy a more powerful UPS and leave extra headroom for wattage?

I use this and it is silent until going on battery. Newegg has it for a good price, and Staples has it for a bit more but you can return it if not satisfied. There are other models in the line all working the same way, less powerful, but having the extra time on battery is nice.

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 11:45 am
by trxman
price is realy good.

I just don't know how reliable Cyber Power is comparing to APC - I've never heard of that brand... :(

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 12:00 pm
by JVM
trxman wrote:price is realy good.

I just don't know how reliable Cyber Power is comparing to APC - I've never heard of that brand... :(
You get a three year warranty. Check out the comments at Newegg and compare to APC. I did a lot of research before deciding on CyberPower over APC. For one thing, the comparable APC unit does an automatic self-test every two weeks that creates a very short bit of noise--I don't want to be startled by an unexpected noise. I read all the comments on Newegg of both CyberPower and APC, and I searched the Internet as well. After reading all, I felt comfortable ordering the CyberPower unit.

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 12:14 pm
by JVM
Sorry, I forgot to add some very important information. The CyberPower unit I recommended is simulated sine wave. If your PSU is an older active PFC design, or even if it isn't an older design, you should check with the manufacturer about compatibility with simulated sine wave.

My Enermax is an active PFC design and no problems at all, but I did ask Enermax before buying the CyberPower. CyberPower does make pure sine wave units, but they are more expensive.

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 12:45 pm
by trxman
thx.

I'll check about Corsair HX520WEU.

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:25 pm
by JVM
You can check in the manual for your PSU, if you have one. I didn't realize it at the time I called Enermax, but it is in the manual about compatibility with simulated sine wave.

Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 12:48 pm
by Livesms
Searching for silent (fanless) UPS for my main PC (24/7 torrent, video capture). Budget - 100-130$.
Requirements:
- silent UPS (no "squiling/buzzing")
- line-interactive
- monitoring (LCD or USB) input voltage, current load, battery capacity etc.
- management (buttons or USB) - mute, automatic hibernate after power loss etc
Preferably - Europlug (SHUKO) outlets (but quality and all above is preferable).

In my local prices available:
- APC Back-UPS ES 525VA Russia ~ $90 (EuroPlug, says quiet/silent - large inconvenient case)
- APC Back-UPS RS 650VA ~ $91 (says squiling/buzzing and no communication)
- Eaton PowerWare 5110 500 VA ~ $90 (no info about communication and fanless)
Eaton Protection Station 650 USB ~98$ (looks great, EuroPlug, EcoControl - no info about quality and silence )
- Powercom Black Knight Pro BNT-1000AP ~ $109 (no info about communications and fanless)
- APC Back-UPS RS 550VA LCD ~ $133 (looks great, LCD for all information, communication, EcoControl - no info about silence)

Give me piece of advice here. Please.

Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 3:16 pm
by Das_Saunamies
I have the 800VA Eaton Protection Station, absolutely no hiccups in a year.

The managament was set-and-forget in my case, very easy to do. Manual power-off button, automatic "Eco-Control" (shutdown) for two plugs controlled by master plug - master plug draw sensitivity has 3 settings (desktop setting would not react to laptop loads at all :wink:). The protection from thunderstorms and some power outages has been solid.

I expect to retain the unit for some time, perhaps even until no more spare batteries are available.

Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 10:08 pm
by Livesms
Das_Saunamies wrote:I have the 800VA Eaton Protection Station, absolutely no hiccups in a year.
Thank you. Can you tell me :
- what waveform type produces Eaton Protection Station 800VA (Sinewave or stepped approximation to a sinewave ) ?
- is there any communication ports to connect UPS to PC's USB port ? Any software ? Does is possible to monitor UPS parameters and manage UPS to hibernate PC after AC power lost.

Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 5:11 am
by Das_Saunamies
Livesms wrote:
Das_Saunamies wrote:I have the 800VA Eaton Protection Station, absolutely no hiccups in a year.
Thank you. Can you tell me :
- what waveform type produces Eaton Protection Station 800VA (Sinewave or stepped approximation to a sinewave ) ?
- is there any communication ports to connect UPS to PC's USB port ? Any software ? Does is possible to monitor UPS parameters and manage UPS to hibernate PC after AC power lost.
You know, I never did find out what sine wave type they use, but QNAP company rep's for one have said the unit would be compatible with their products, so I'm good with that.

The unit has USB communication and uses its own software, should be compatible with Windows UPS controls/communication so PCs can shut down during a power outage. I haven't monitored the unit as I have no need to.

Here's the unit's specs: http://powerquality.eaton.com/61082.aspx?CX=47. You can find the link to the series earlier on in the thread.

Edit1: I sent a question to Eaton Services in Finland to find out the waveform type used.

Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 12:47 am
by Das_Saunamies
To whom this may concern: according to the service people in Finland, the Eaton Protection Station 800 uses "pseudosinusoidal wave" in battery output mode, i.e. a cheaper to produce, non-pure waveform.

I'm not really happy hearing this, but as long as it doesn't break my PSU, what could I expect from a consumer model. :roll:

Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 2:02 am
by Livesms
Das_Saunamies wrote:To whom this may concern: according to the service people in Finland, the Eaton Protection Station 800 uses "pseudosinusoidal wave" in battery output mode, i.e. a cheaper to produce, non-pure waveform.

I'm not really happy hearing this, but as long as it doesn't break my PSU, what could I expect from a consumer model. :roll:
Thank you. Will hope my Seasonic SS50ET will work fine with Eaton Protect Station 800.

Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 4:22 am
by Hayate19XX
Ordered one myself hope it work as it should, as the electricity where i currently live doesn't work as it should, especially after we got all that rain some week's ago :?

Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 8:42 pm
by ~El~Jefe~
Back-UPS RS 1500VA

most other models suck. this is dead silent.

Re: Quiet UPS ?

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 2:41 pm
by tackle
I'm on the hunt for a silent UPS. Any recommendations? This thread is old, so I'm re-emphasizing the question.

To not just be a boring thread bump, I'll supply an example of Eatons epic customer service:

My email:
Hello Eaton!

I'm looking to buy one or two UPS's for my setup, that consists of a workstation and a Debian (Linux) based low power server, situated at two different spots (as in cannot share the same UPS).

The environment is very critical audio-wise, there must be close to absolute silence. How does one find out if, and how much noise a UPS of this kind makes?
The specific model I'm currently looking at is the 3S550DIN, the one that has EU-style plugs and 220v operation.

Also, does anyone at your place have experience running one of these under Debian with 'NUT', Network UPS Tools. I understand it's not something you can officially support and whatnot, but perhaps someone of you might have tried it and can report success/fail?

Cheers,

Karl
Their response:
Audible noise < 50 dBA
Not a whitespace more than that. Well that helped. Not.

Re: Quiet UPS ?

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 2:58 pm
by Das_Saunamies
Guess they're not concerned about the sound side of things at Eaton - or customer service at whatever office you contacted.

I've still got the Protection Station 800, and it has been solid through and through. Not a peep out of it and does its job well. No PSU trouble, as it has served 3 power supplies, and all are still working, none have whined.

I have to say the service I've gotten from the Finnish office has been very friendly. Was pleasantly surprised when they knew about the waveform, and have since received advice about replacement batteries and wiring/sockets.

Re: Quiet UPS ?

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 3:34 pm
by tackle
Das_Saunamies wrote:Guess they're not concerned about the sound side of things at Eaton - or customer service at whatever office you contacted.

I've still got the Protection Station 800, and it has been solid through and through. Not a peep out of it and does its job well. No PSU trouble, as it has served 3 power supplies, and all are still working, none have whined.

I have to say the service I've gotten from the Finnish office has been very friendly. Was pleasantly surprised when they knew about the waveform, and have since received advice about replacement batteries and wiring/sockets.
Thanks for the info, that looks like a decent option for me then!

What do you mean about the waveform, btw?

Re: Quiet UPS ?

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 6:02 pm
by Mxx
tackle wrote:What do you mean about the waveform, btw?
Some computer PSU/other devices can work with both 120V and 230V AC voltage. Others have that small slide-switch on the back where you select 120 or 230. The ones with the switch are Passive PFC types. W/o the switch are Active PFC. You can ready sciency details at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_fac ... near_loads
Active PFC devices require(or at least it's recommended) pure/true sine wave current.
Supposedly Passive PFC devices can work fine on step/approximation/simulated sine wave current.

There are also 3 different types of UPS:
Offline/Standby
Line-interactive/Inline
Online/double-conversion
You can read specifics here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterru ... 2F_standby
Online are the best kind and most expensive. Basically there are 2 separate electric circuits: from the wall to your UPS battery and from UPS battery to your device. Your device draws clean conditioned power only from the battery. Your device will not be affected by (virtually) anything that happens on the building's electrical system.

Inline/line-interactive is one step down, but still provides some power protection(obviously in addition to UPS battery). Your device draws power from the wall and if/when something bad happens there's a mechanical switch that switches to battery power.

Don't bother with offline/standby unless you are on an extremely tight budget or don't care about your devices.

edit: this page has a better explanation(with some upsell :wink: ) http://www.cyberpowersystems.com/suppor ... ewave.html

Re: Quiet UPS ?

Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 2:35 am
by Das_Saunamies
tackle wrote:
Das_Saunamies wrote:Guess they're not concerned about the sound side of things at Eaton - or customer service at whatever office you contacted.

I've still got the Protection Station 800, and it has been solid through and through. Not a peep out of it and does its job well. No PSU trouble, as it has served 3 power supplies, and all are still working, none have whined.

I have to say the service I've gotten from the Finnish office has been very friendly. Was pleasantly surprised when they knew about the waveform, and have since received advice about replacement batteries and wiring/sockets.
Thanks for the info, that looks like a decent option for me then!

What do you mean about the waveform, btw?
You got the long and short of it in the previous post by Mxx. My experience has been that the waveform used by this UPS (see my previous posts in this thread) has been compatible with three different PSUs (Corsair HX520W, Nexus NX-5000 R3 and Nexus RX-5300 - all active PFC) both in regular use and during power outages and surges.