Desktop UPS

[Octopuss]

I need a desktop UPS replacement.
Originally I had APC Smart UPS 1000 (or something) die on me about two years ago that was just four years old or so (annoying, it was expensive), and I just replaced it with this small one I had stashed away. This one died too. I hoped the battery went bad, but I bought a new one and it's not charging. Meh.
I think I'm done with APC.

Anyway.
I was warned against Cyberpower by someone from APC authorized service centre (they don't do just APC there, more like every brand out there), so that's out of the question.
I don't feel like wasting money on APC again after this, so what's left? Eaton? That's the only other brand I know. Any ideas about this one?
Also I'd prefer to buy used one.

It doesn't even have to be extremely powerful, my PC draws like under 400W even when I'm gaming (still on 1080P and an older graphic card).

 

[T_Minus]

I have half-dozen APC lower end units (IE: Not Rack $800+ units) some of which are 10 years old, one lives in my mud room and is covered in dust\dirt and water droplets as it's near where dishes are moved to\from... the only thing I've had to do is replace batteries. I think maybe you just had a bad unit.

I have 2 or 3 CyberPower too -- for their capacity they last a very very short amount of time it's as-if the battery they came with are at 50% what they should be They work, but they sure don't last nearly as long as equally sized APC units.

 

[BlueFox]

I've been quite happy with my Liebert (now Vertiv) UPS units. Pretty great warranty (overnighted me a replacement) that even covers batteries.

 

[Stephan]

For whatever N=1 is worth, been using an Eaton Ellipse ECO 1600 since 2014. Works on Linux too. Noiseless when idle. Small unit. Quite a few sockets.

 

[Octopuss]

Is power factor important at all?
I've just found out that most stuff out there is 0,6, and even the APC SMT1000I that died on me two years ago that cost me a small fortune (for desktop use) only was 0,7.

I'm going through Eeaton's 5 line models now. No idea how to choose.

 

[PedroP]

Have you check your electric installation, specially if the ground wires are well bolted ? With time they tend to get loose.

Your average lifetime for UPS is really low. I have HP T1500 XR UPS wick is over 10 year old, only really need to replace batteries and dust off the thing.

For me APC and Cyberpower are really overrated. Next time try a older UPS and stay way from passive models. Take a look at this site https://www.hardwareinsights.com/database-of-ups-output-waveforms/

I need a desktop UPS replacement.
Originally I had APC Smart UPS 1000 (or something) die on me about two years ago that was just four years old or so (annoying, it was expensive), and I just replaced it with this small one I had stashed away. This one died too. I hoped the battery went bad, but I bought a new one and it's not charging. Meh.
I think I'm done with APC.
...

 

[mackle]

I had an old UPS that lasted one bad surge. But it saved my hardware. My current cyberpower has lasted 5 years and numerous cycles, pretty good for the price point. We lose power pretty frequently and it gives me enough time to shut down my server and then run the WiFi for 90 minutes.

 

[Tom5051]

APC are still king. I have not seen a lot of them fail in 30+ years of IT work.

 

[edge]

APC are still king. I have not seen a lot of them fail in 30+ years of IT work.

What is your depreciation and retirement schedule on the APC units. I find the APC units wear out around 10 years or when the second replacement battery wears out. You might not be seeing them fail because corporate policy surpluses them before they wear out.

 

[newabc]

Add a note on cyberpower's desktop UPS: It is possible a same model number of a cyberpower desktop UPS changes its battery design after 4-5 years. I have met a such model when I tried to buy a new replacement battery for it but failed to put it into the UPS. The design changed. Finally go for a new UPS.

 

[ReturnedSword]

The average age of my APC Back UPS Pro units is 8 years. The only time I’ve had UPS fail was when they were brand new, otherwise once when I accidentally shorted a terminal while servicing a unit’s battery. The new APC sine wave desktop models had some new unit failures early on once they went into backup mode — I usually test units first for this. It could happen to any UPS. Had this happen with an Eaton and a CyberPower as well.

 

[Octopuss]

Along with an upgrade itch for an UPS for the networking equipment in the house, I actually do need a better UPS for my PC now that I upgraded the graphic card.
I currently have this ancient APC unit that is theoretically sufficient with 540W, but in the case of an outage there's very little headroom if it happens while I'm gaming or something, so I'd like something a litlle more capacious.
I heard APC does some bad things to batteries that makes them die prematurely, so if that's true I'd like to explore other brands' offerings.

Does anyone have any tips?
Right now I'm looking at 5E gen2 models from Eaton, specifically https://www.eaton.com/cz/cs-cz/skuPage.5E1600UI.html, but I have zero experience with this brand.
It's not very important for desktop, but I would like some sort of monitoring ability, ideally via network (screw USB cables and crap if that can be helped), but I assume that would mean having to scout more expensive product lines...

 

[Stephan]

ideally via network (screw USB cables and crap if that can be helped), but I assume that would mean having to scout more expensive product lines...

Yes, Eaton UPS with "Netpacks" start at 1k EUR new. Unit you suggested does not even have USB. Bigger units also with somewhat louder fans. Eaton Ellipse ECO 1600 with USB is supported on Linux with nut package. Still nice, I still use it. Could be an RPi to SSH into and check status. Aside from budget, how often does your utility provider have more issues than brief 1s outages? In theory an UPS is to bridge time until a Diesel comes online, or to shut down safely if power is out for longer. Not to keep on gaming like mad for hours while your entire neighbourhood is dark.

From nut package status output:

battery.charge: 100
battery.charge.low: 50
battery.runtime: 1906
battery.type: PbAc
device.mfr: EATON
device.model: Ellipse ECO 1600
device.serial: 000000000
device.type: ups
driver.debug: 0
driver.flag.allow_killpower: 0
driver.name: usbhid-ups
driver.parameter.interrupt_pipe_no_events_tolerance: -1
driver.parameter.override.battery.charge.low: 50
driver.parameter.pollfreq: 30
driver.parameter.pollinterval: 5
driver.parameter.port: auto
driver.parameter.synchronous: auto
driver.state: quiet
driver.version: 2.8.3
driver.version.data: MGE HID 1.54
driver.version.internal: 0.62
driver.version.usb: libusb-1.0.29 (API: 0x0100010A)
input.transfer.high: 264
input.transfer.low: 184
outlet.1.desc: PowerShare Outlet 1
outlet.1.ecocontrol: The outlet is ECO controlled
outlet.1.id: 2
outlet.1.status: on
outlet.1.switchable: no
outlet.2.desc: PowerShare Outlet 2
outlet.2.ecocontrol: The outlet is not ECO controlled
outlet.2.id: 3
outlet.2.status: on
outlet.2.switchable: no
outlet.desc: Main Outlet
outlet.id: 1
outlet.power: 25
outlet.switchable: no
output.frequency.nominal: 50
output.voltage: 230.0
output.voltage.nominal: 230
ups.beeper.status: disabled
ups.delay.shutdown: 20
ups.delay.start: 30
ups.firmware: 02
ups.load: 16
ups.mfr: EATON
ups.model: Ellipse ECO 1600
ups.power.nominal: 1600
ups.productid: ffff
ups.realpower: 205
ups.serial: 000000000
ups.status: OL CHRG
ups.timer.shutdown: -1
ups.timer.start: -1
ups.vendorid: 0463

 

[Octopuss]

Outages are very rare here. I just want an UPS that will let me use the PC for a while when power goes down. I don't intend to keep gaming on the PC of course.

And yes, the 5E seems like cheap junk, that was a bad idea, but it was the first line I discovered when I started looking.
I guess USB connection is ok as long as the monitoring software isn't a horror like the stuff APC has (unless they came up with something better in the past ten years).