Ultra Backup Systems with AVR
Intro, Specs, and Bundle
A few members of the crew here at HotHardware have had experience selling or servicing PCs for large retail chains at one time or another, and each one of us can tell a handful of stories about clients that didn't take our advice with regard to power protection and ultimately paid the price. It never ceased to amaze us how someone could drop upwards of three thousand dollars on a high-end PC only to scoff at the $50 surge protector recommendation. "No thanks", they'd say, "The $5 power strip will do." And inevitably some of them would be back in the shop a few days, weeks, or even months later because their system's got "hit" during the last big thunderstorm. Poof! The moral of the story? Don't be lulled into a false sense of security because you've never experienced a power related problem. Power protection is an important consideration for every PC.
Recognizing the need to supplement their already popular line of power supplies with an assortment of power protection products, Ultra recently released a trio of Uninterruptable Power Supplies with AVR, or Automatic Voltage Regulation. Each of the three units has a similar feature set, and they differ only in the amount of backup time offered by their built-in batteries. We've been working with Ultra's 2000VA, 1500VA, and 1025VA Power Protection Units for a couple of weeks now, and have our thoughts regarding the units detailed on the pages ahead. First up, we have their specifications and bundles...
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General | Model | 2000VA, 1500VA, 1025VA |
Watts | 1200, 900, 615 | |
Backup Time | About 60 - 90 Minutes | |
Net Weight Kg (lbs) | 14.5 (31.93) | |
Shipping Weight Kg (lbs) | 15.9 (35.02) | |
Digital Display | Yes | |
Output | Voltage (on battery) |
Simulated sine wave at 100V / 110V / 115V / 120V or 220V / 230V / 240V +/- 5% |
Frequency (on battery) | 50 or 60 Hz +/-1Hz | |
Voltage Regulation( AVR) |
AVR automatically increase output voltage 15% above input voltage if -9% to -25% of nominal. |
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AVR decrease output voltage 13% below input voltage if +9% to +25% of nominal |
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Transfer Time | 2 / 4 milliseconds, including detection time | |
Input | Voltage | 100V / 110V / 115V / 120V or 220V / 230V / 240V +/- 25% at line input |
Frequency | 50 or 60 Hz +/- 10% (auto sensing) | |
Protection & Filtering | Spike Protection | 2100 Joules |
Unit Input | Breaker or fuse for overload & short circuit protection | |
Overload Protection |
UPS automatic power off if overload exceeds 110% of nominal at 60 seconds and 130% at 3 seconds |
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Telephone Protection |
RJ-11 (1 in 2 out* or 1 in 1 out) compatible jacks for telephone surge protection. |
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Ethernet Protection | RJ-45 compatible jacks for Ethernet network surge protection | |
Coaxial Protection | F1 terminal for cable TV/modem surge protection | |
Short Circuit | UPS output cut off immediately or input fuse protection | |
Battery | Type | Sealed, maintenance-free lead acid |
Typical Recharge Time | 6 hours (to 90% of full capacity) | |
Protection | Auto discharge protection | |
Interface | Dimension WxDxH (mm) | 130 x 382 x 192 (5.1" x 15.0" x 7.6") |
Input Inlet | IEC 320 power inlet | |
Receptacles | NEMA 5-15R (UPS outlets x 4 , Convenience outlets x 2 ) | |
IEC 320 female appliance coupler | ||
(UPS outlets 4 , Convenience outlets x 1 ) | ||
USB / RS-232 |
Detect battery low, Schedule UPS on/off, AC input/output power status display |
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Alarm | Battery Back-up | Slow beeping sound (about 0.47 Hz) |
Battery Low | Rapid beeping sound (about 1.824 Hz) | |
Overload | Continuously beeping sound | |
Environment | Ambient Operation | 3,500 meters max, elevation. 0-95% humidity non-condensing, 0-40 deg |
Audible Noise | <40dBA (1 meter from surface) | |
Storage Condition | 15,000 meter max. elevation |
Each of the three Ultra Power Protection Units we tested came with the same set of accessories and software. Included in the boxes along with the units themselves were hefty power cords (not pictured), USB connector cables, and a piece of telephone wire. Because the units can protect Ethernet or phone circuits from surges through their RJ11/RJ45 jacks, Ultra throws in the phone cable, but we would have preferred an Ethernet cable in its place. In addition the aforementioned items, Ultra also supplies a basic user's manual with the units and a copy of their UPS MON software. UPS MON interfaces with the units though the USB cable to monitor the state of the UPSes. More on the software a little later.