Re: ups installation question


"Fred Mau" <fred-dot-mau@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:Xns96D18D09FCE63freddotmaucomcastnet@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Shel <scs@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in news:5irgi19h7jrmtq1qod2ocv89ncrelqc5s2@
> 4ax.com:
>
>> On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 12:08:19 -0400, "Ted Zieglar" <teddyz@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>Do NOT plug a power strip into a UPS, particularly one with a surge
>>>protector.
>>
>> Why is the surge protector a no-no?
>>
>>
>
>
> Surge protectors generally have a combination of Toroids and Varistors
> that could - theoretically - have a reactance which would change the
> power factor (That is, the phase shift between the voltage and current
> curves on the sine wave) in ways that MIGHT cause the UPS circuitry to
> not operate correctly, either by not kicking in at all or kicking in
> when it shouldn't. When small SOHO UPSs started appearing in the '80s,
> there were stories of this causing premature failures and even fires in
> an instance or two, but AFAIK totally unproven - I think they were just
> grasping at straws and didn't have anything ELSE to blame the failures
> on.
>
> When I was with a previous employer, we deliberately popped some UPSs by
> changing the power factor, not specifically to test the UPS but just to
> analyze how our downstream equipment would handle it and as part of our
> UL/ETL listing requirements. But we were at power factors and
> reflectance waveforms that you would NEVER see in the real world.
>
> For all practical purposes, this ISN'T going to happen in a SOHO
> environment with one power strip plugged into a UPS. In a commercial
> office building where I might have hundreds (or thousands) of surge
> protectors connected to a central power source, I *might* start to think
> about it.
>

In almost all commercial spaces that I've been in or installed systems the
local electrical inspectors will make you remove power strips from UPS's
most likely for the reason Tom (Edison) mentions in his post. I think,
however, you make the best point of the tread, when you say "for all
practical purposes, this isn't going to happen in a SOHO environment."
That's been my point all along.

--

Rob


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: My new UPS says using a power strip voids the warranty
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    (alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt)
  • Re: My new UPS says using a power strip voids the warranty
    ... That's because you could be connecting loads to the UPS outlets and to ... the power strip connected to the UPS. ... A UPS is not necessarily a surge protector and most UPS have louse surge ...
    (alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt)
  • Re: advice on a UPS and surge protector
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  • Re: OT: surge protectors
    ... While it is fair to say that any surge protector is better than ... A UPS contains an internal battery that will ... If your central heating system pulls enough power that it is denying ... well respected brands with decent quality products. ...
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