[Off Topic] - Vintage computers and UPSes
Hey folks, just curious For longevity of vintage computers that are hooked up and powered on semi-frequently; I assume any kind of UPS is better than none to try to reduce power spikes, or reduce PSU fatigue from brownouts. I was curious what folks recommendations or thoughts are here? I have a couple of old (~ 15+ year) UPSes that i'm debating replacing the batteries on, and one of them would be for plugging in some vintage hardware. Is there anything I should watch out for? Should I assume these are too old to effectively monitor/protect - or doesnt' that really matter? etc. Thanks! John
On 8/20/19 12:23 PM, John Heritage via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
For longevity of vintage computers that are hooked up and powered on semi-frequently; I assume any kind of UPS is better than none to try to reduce power spikes, or reduce PSU fatigue from brownouts.
I was curious what folks recommendations or thoughts are here? I have a couple of old (~ 15+ year) UPSes that i'm debating replacing the batteries on, and one of them would be for plugging in some vintage hardware.
That's not a bad idea; most UPSes have MOVs in them, and some have decent line filters. Cheap consumer-grade ones typically don't, but those should be in the garbage anyway. A note about MOVs: I generally like MOVs, but they do have one evil aspect: They fail silently, and you won't know that they're no longer doing their jobs.
Is there anything I should watch out for? Should I assume these are too old to effectively monitor/protect - or doesnt' that really matter? etc.
The UPSes? Many higher-end UPSes from even 20 years ago have serial ports for monitoring. -Dave -- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA
If you get an APC Smart-UPS, be sure to calibrate the charge voltage. They drift over time, and end up cooking the cells: http://www.jjoseph.org/notes/apc_smartups_battery_float_voltage Thanks, On Tue, Aug 20, 2019 at 12:27 PM Dave McGuire via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
On 8/20/19 12:23 PM, John Heritage via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
For longevity of vintage computers that are hooked up and powered on semi-frequently; I assume any kind of UPS is better than none to try to reduce power spikes, or reduce PSU fatigue from brownouts.
I was curious what folks recommendations or thoughts are here? I have a couple of old (~ 15+ year) UPSes that i'm debating replacing the batteries on, and one of them would be for plugging in some vintage hardware.
That's not a bad idea; most UPSes have MOVs in them, and some have decent line filters. Cheap consumer-grade ones typically don't, but those should be in the garbage anyway.
A note about MOVs: I generally like MOVs, but they do have one evil aspect: They fail silently, and you won't know that they're no longer doing their jobs.
Is there anything I should watch out for? Should I assume these are too old to effectively monitor/protect - or doesnt' that really matter? etc.
The UPSes? Many higher-end UPSes from even 20 years ago have serial ports for monitoring.
-Dave
-- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA
-- Jason Perkins 313 355 0085
I bought a Trip-Lite 2400W power line conditioner. It’s was a bit pricey, but it corrects for under- and over-voltages, as well as filtering noise and spikes. Not sure it would save a cap whose time has come, but it gives me a warm fuzzy about plugging in old gear. On Tue, Aug 20, 2019 at 12:33 PM Jason Perkins via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
If you get an APC Smart-UPS, be sure to calibrate the charge voltage. They drift over time, and end up cooking the cells:
http://www.jjoseph.org/notes/apc_smartups_battery_float_voltage
Thanks,
On Tue, Aug 20, 2019 at 12:27 PM Dave McGuire via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
On 8/20/19 12:23 PM, John Heritage via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
For longevity of vintage computers that are hooked up and powered on semi-frequently; I assume any kind of UPS is better than none to try to reduce power spikes, or reduce PSU fatigue from brownouts.
I was curious what folks recommendations or thoughts are here? I have a couple of old (~ 15+ year) UPSes that i'm debating replacing the batteries on, and one of them would be for plugging in some vintage hardware.
That's not a bad idea; most UPSes have MOVs in them, and some have decent line filters. Cheap consumer-grade ones typically don't, but those should be in the garbage anyway.
A note about MOVs: I generally like MOVs, but they do have one evil aspect: They fail silently, and you won't know that they're no longer doing their jobs.
Is there anything I should watch out for? Should I assume these are too old to effectively monitor/protect - or doesnt' that really matter? etc.
The UPSes? Many higher-end UPSes from even 20 years ago have serial ports for monitoring.
-Dave
-- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA
-- Jason Perkins 313 355 0085
Line Conditioner is great. Pricey, but good kit. I plug PCs in to a UPS, UPS in to Line Conditioner, but the first soldier in the line of defense is a Panamax P360. Surge Suppressor with active monitoring. There's a relay between the input and outlets on the strip. It self tests when turned on to help prevent silent failures like those Dave mentioned. Any issues and the power won't engage to the outlets and the LEDs do their best rave effects impression. I seem to lose about one a year in my office. The power isn't the best. Sad to see the strips fail, but they can be repaired. I wouldn't keep power strips in service very long anyway. Rebuilding them is cheap for the protection and piece of mind. $.02 Henry S. Courbis Office Toll Free: (800) REACTIVE (732-2848) Office/Mobile Direct: (856) 779-1900 www.ReActiveMicro.com <http://www.ReactiveMicro.com> - Sales, Support, and News, Our Headquarters on the Internet ReActiveMicro.com/wiki - Support, Software, Manuals, and History. Create your own page today! Facebook.com/reactivemicrousa - Our Social Media Outlet and Support On Tue, Aug 20, 2019 at 10:16 AM Dean Notarnicola via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
I bought a Trip-Lite 2400W power line conditioner. It’s was a bit pricey, but it corrects for under- and over-voltages, as well as filtering noise and spikes. Not sure it would save a cap whose time has come, but it gives me a warm fuzzy about plugging in old gear.
On Tue, Aug 20, 2019 at 12:33 PM Jason Perkins via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
If you get an APC Smart-UPS, be sure to calibrate the charge voltage. They drift over time, and end up cooking the cells:
http://www.jjoseph.org/notes/apc_smartups_battery_float_voltage
Thanks,
On Tue, Aug 20, 2019 at 12:27 PM Dave McGuire via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
On 8/20/19 12:23 PM, John Heritage via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
For longevity of vintage computers that are hooked up and powered on semi-frequently; I assume any kind of UPS is better than none to try to reduce power spikes, or reduce PSU fatigue from brownouts.
I was curious what folks recommendations or thoughts are here? I have a couple of old (~ 15+ year) UPSes that i'm debating replacing the batteries on, and one of them would be for plugging in some vintage hardware.
That's not a bad idea; most UPSes have MOVs in them, and some have decent line filters. Cheap consumer-grade ones typically don't, but those should be in the garbage anyway.
A note about MOVs: I generally like MOVs, but they do have one evil aspect: They fail silently, and you won't know that they're no longer doing their jobs.
Is there anything I should watch out for? Should I assume these are too old to effectively monitor/protect - or doesnt' that really matter? etc.
The UPSes? Many higher-end UPSes from even 20 years ago have serial ports for monitoring.
-Dave
-- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA
-- Jason Perkins 313 355 0085
On 8/20/19 1:16 PM, Dean Notarnicola via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
I bought a Trip-Lite 2400W power line conditioner. It’s was a bit pricey, but it corrects for under- and over-voltages, as well as filtering noise and spikes. Not sure it would save a cap whose time has come, but it gives me a warm fuzzy about plugging in old gear.
Nothing can save a capacitor whose time has come, BTW. -Dave -- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA
Personally I just leave the devices unplugged from the AC power until I'm ready to use them. Then I have no worries about power spikes or even lightning strikes. But if you must leave them on constant power, then yes a UPS would be a very good idea. But before plugging anything of value into the UPS, hook up a load to capacity of the UPS to see how long it lasts on battery and if the batteries are still good. Of course you could do a battery test from the UPS menu as well. Mike R. Sent from: My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device.
On Aug 20, 2019, at 12:27 PM, Dave McGuire via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
On 8/20/19 12:23 PM, John Heritage via vcf-midatlantic wrote: For longevity of vintage computers that are hooked up and powered on semi-frequently; I assume any kind of UPS is better than none to try to reduce power spikes, or reduce PSU fatigue from brownouts.
I was curious what folks recommendations or thoughts are here? I have a couple of old (~ 15+ year) UPSes that i'm debating replacing the batteries on, and one of them would be for plugging in some vintage hardware.
That's not a bad idea; most UPSes have MOVs in them, and some have decent line filters. Cheap consumer-grade ones typically don't, but those should be in the garbage anyway.
A note about MOVs: I generally like MOVs, but they do have one evil aspect: They fail silently, and you won't know that they're no longer doing their jobs.
Is there anything I should watch out for? Should I assume these are too old to effectively monitor/protect - or doesnt' that really matter? etc.
The UPSes? Many higher-end UPSes from even 20 years ago have serial ports for monitoring.
-Dave
-- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA
participants (6)
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Dave McGuire -
Dean Notarnicola -
Henry S. Courbis -
Jason Perkins -
John Heritage -
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