Line-interactive uninterruptible power supplies are unlikely to ever lose their relevance in the computer equipment market. The whole purpose of their purpose is to maintain energy supply during short-term power outages and protect the computer from sudden voltage surges in the network.
The focus of this article is the best UPS in the world in terms of price-quality ratio APC Smart-UPS 1500. Overview, characteristics and reviews of owners will provide potential buyers with more information about a wonderful device that can significantly increase the life of all components of a personal computer and server equipment .
All in an adult way
The market for self-contained power systems is full of products from different manufacturers that offer customers to purchase quite powerful devices at a low price, while APC is asking for fabulous money for its product - 40,000 rubles. Naturally, the question arises - for what? When buying an APC Smart-UPS 1500 VA, the user gets an honest output power of 980 watts, which will not decrease under heavy loads, as is the case with competing devices.
Often, more powerful devices (1200 watts) are connected to this uninterruptible power supply - the UPS emits terrible sounds during overloads, flashes with all indicators, but does not turn off. That is the whole charm of an expensive APC product, its name is fault tolerance. Therefore, people buy such UPSs and connect them not only to personal computers, but also to servers, network equipment and multimedia centers.
The performance characteristics
For APC Smart-UPS 1500 UPSs, potential buyers will certainly have questions not only about the price, but about the big weight - there are really a lot of 25 kilograms of a complete set for a small device. Literally half weigh batteries (lead-acid - like in a car), and a high-quality transformer inside the case is not at all easy.
As for the technical characteristics, there is nothing to complain about. Charging batteries from scratch is 3 hours. One charge lasts for 7 minutes (when consuming 800-980 watts). At lower loads (350-600 W), the UPS is able to maintain uninterrupted power for 20-40 minutes. As for overload (1200 watts), here the device is able to work out about 2-3 minutes. The input voltage range from the network is 160-286 Volts, and the pulse protection is 480 Joules.
First introduction to UPS
The owners of the device in their reviews recommend that all customers keep the instructions and software discs that come with the package. The fact is that the official website of the manufacturer does not contain the necessary information, and therefore, when there is a need for fine-tuning, it will be impossible to complete the task. At APC Smart-UPS 1500, the instruction (paper version) is rather primitive, the description is more about safe battery replacement and proper connection of computer equipment. But the manual, recorded on an optical disc, is respected by all users.
The first time you turn on the uninterruptible power supply, the manufacturer requires that you fully charge the batteries (leaving the device connected to the network for 8 hours) and calibrate. This step is only required with APC batteries. In other cases (installation of non-branded batteries) calibration is prohibited.
Support for all kinds of batteries
The manufacturer has a rather strange policy regarding maintenance-free sealed batteries. The manufacturer requires (there is a warning in the manual) that the user installs only branded batteries in the APC Smart-UPS 1500 (12 Volt and 7.5 Amp battery), while warning the owner of calibration problems and recommends not installing containers with characteristics that go beyond 11.5 - 12.5 V and 7-7.7 A).
In fact, the hands of the user are untied - why buy expensive branded batteries (a kit costing 10-15 thousand rubles) if you can take Chinese at a price of no more than 3000 rubles per set. It is this loophole that many owners who use this APC product are using.
Calibration Features
The manufacturer is silent about the small inconvenience that awaits the owner. The fact is that the usual calibration of the APC Smart-UPS 1500 is time consuming and requires constant user attention. The procedure looks something like this:
- you need to connect the UPS to the computer via a USB or COM cable;
- install driver and software;
- start calibration and monitor program messages:
- apply a load of 50% of maximum power (you need to find a device with a capacity of 490 watts);
- apply maximum load (respectively 980 watts);
- disconnect all devices and wait for the completion of the procedure (about one hour).
Not every user will agree to calibration. Naturally, the question arises - what happens if you simply insert the batteries, charge them and connect the computer to the UPS. There is no difference in battery life, only a warning system (light indicators and a built-in speaker) will publish a howl about discharged batteries that are not calibrated (warning of a shutdown).
Pleasant UPS features
Speaking about the advantages of the APC Smart-UPS 1500, many owners do not forget to mention the “Cold Start” function in their reviews. For uninterruptible power supplies, this is one of the best features that allows you to turn on your computer from batteries, in the absence of electricity. The only drawback is that the battery life of connected computer equipment is doubled, but, as practice shows, such inclusion is enough to perform the necessary actions with files or documentation.
The second interesting feature in this UPS is the function of rectifying the voltage in the network. In older buildings, poor wiring under heavy loads does not always give an honest voltage of 220 volts. Often, the indicator "jumps" within 170-250 V. For the transformer built into the device, this is not a problem - the user will hear only the clicks that the UPS emits when the current rectifier is turned on .
Hardware management
Officially on the world market, the manufacturer introduced APC Smart-UPS SC 1500 in the segment of server and communication equipment. Hence, as many users believe in their reviews, and such a high price. When it comes to servers, many UPS owners immediately have thoughts about remotely controlling an uninterruptible power supply and about the possibility of programming a device controller .
In fact, any user can configure APC for themselves - you just need to connect the UPS to the computer with an interface cable, install drivers and software. The functionality for programming is extensive - from managing the low battery alarm to the correct shutdown of all connected computer equipment. Moreover, the program is able to complete problematic processes with the backup of running data.
Problems and their solution
Like all electronic equipment, the APC Smart-UPS 1500 may experience malfunctions during operation, which are often resolved by users on the spot. The actual problem is the lack of charge in the batteries - when the power is turned off, the UPS emits a continuous beep (the indicator light is red) and switches off spontaneously, preventing the computer from completing the correct operation. The situation is corrected by replacing the batteries.
With longer operation of the device in a humid and unheated room (5-6 years), a more serious problem may arise - the UPS, if you touch the case with your hand, beats an electric current and often makes strange sounds (intermittent buzzing). It's all about the transformer, whose winding is damp. In such cases, specialist intervention is required, otherwise a short circuit cannot be avoided in the future - strangely enough, the wiring is on, and not the connected equipment.
Owner reviews
It’s quite difficult to imagine negative reviews in the media regarding the performance of the APC Smart-UPS 1500 device. They simply do not. You can only meet recommendations for improving the work with the software and hardware, which were not mentioned by the manufacturer in the user manual. The lack of flaws says a lot - a unique uninterruptible power supply really deserves the respect of all owners.
But if you try hard, you can always find a negative. The main drawback of the APC Smart-UPS 1500 is its price (40,000 rubles). For the money you can buy a good laptop for games and entertainment. Naturally, potential buyers have questions on this topic, but only those who do not understand computer equipment and have not heard anything about fault tolerance.
Finally
There is only one conclusion: the APC Smart-UPS 1500 is the best purchase for all users looking for a decent uninterruptible power supply for work or home use. There are simply no analogues in the market in the “price-quality” ratio, and this will be confirmed not only by any owner, but also by a system administrator who constantly works with server equipment and probably knows a lot about UPS.