Fried battery Backup unit

[Jim Jensen]

I made a decision several years ago to put every computer on a battery backup unit (our lower quantity makes it less financially impacting) and I'm glad I did. This morning when we came in, the reception desk computer wasn't working. It's not used a lot, mostly just for scanning or handling a client payment (no receptionist at the desk), so I might not normally put the same protection on it. However, a surge roasted the battery backup and it did its job, sacrificing its life to save the computer, which has no ill effects at all.

[Jeff Zylstra]

About a month ago, one of the UPS units started beeping obnoxiously and wouldn't stop.  I turned it off and unplugged it, then plugged it back in a minute later.  It promptly emitted that burning electrical smell, then started smoking.  I didn't take it apart, but I'm sure that it too gave its all in protecting the computer, which worked just fine after I plugged it into a new UPS.  I normally go to Batteries Plus and have them install new batteries for about $30, but this one got "recycled". 

I'm a firm believer in UPS units for computers and other sensitive equipment.  We should be promoting them more for home use since just about everything in your home now has expensive electronics in it that is susceptible to spike and surges in electricity.

[Hans Manhave]

I have lots of them at home. I also insist on the automatic voltage regulation feature. Maybe a Texas necessity.

[Billy Welsh]

Recently lost an IP phone, a motherboard, and a LAN switch after some nasty weather.  Had UPS's on all, so I believe the surge somehow came through the CAT5.  This was in a branch location; the contract techs told me they've rerouted the CAT5 and phone lines through the large UPS for the router, switch, phone system, etc.  I have not had a chance yet to get back to that location and see it for myself.  With multiple phone lines and CAT5 in all the walls and the ceiling, I don't know that a standard UPS can protect it all.

[Jeff Golas]

Wow thats quite a flame up, and on a FET/transistor nonetheless. Usually the varistors take the brunt but only if its a large enough surge.

To kinda answer where a UPS protects from an electronics standpoint...there's three ways:

1. Detect a surge and physically disconnect the output from the input (via a relay, etc)

2. Take a large surge (100+ volts or lightning) via varistors that are in line with the input - these are large round things that act as fuses when the voltage increases. Normal fuses work on CURRENT...if the load increases higher than the fuse's rating, the fuse blows. A varistor on the other hand does almost the same purpose but only if the VOLTAGE increases. (at least thats how its used in surge protection purposes). If you want a visual, open up the cheapest surge strip you have...you'll literally just see 2 varistors in line with the power cord and thats it. They do the job but dont react to smaller surges very well.

3. Take a small surge (40-50v for example) - if #1 doesn't apply (cheap/small UPS), then the circuitry in general will just sacrificially blow to save the device connected. Wasteful but does the job and sells UPSes ;-)

[Hans Manhave]

With all this UPS talk, yesterday my workstation UPS went out with a 4 hour notice.  "Help, replace me or you'll lose everything" message on my screen and then four hours later it died.  Interstate Battery has many UPS battery replacements in stock so 30 minutes later I had it back up.  $80.08 purchased two batteries to go into the APC device. 

[Mark]

This conversation has good timing. I'm in the process of re-working my shutdown methods.  Right now, it's manual, and I'm not comfortable with that at all for obvious reasons.  Also, I'm working with two unequal UPSs and need to figure out the best balance until I can spend nearly $10k to replace them with a single, adequate one.

All of this, while melting snow is POURING through our roof! 

[Jeff Golas]

PITA I always had with shutdown methods is security...the system doing the shutdown has to have permission to shut those systems down remotely. In addition...its a ROYAL pita to test it all...wait for everything to shut down, then boot it all back up, only to do it again.

[Mark]

PITA I always had with shutdown methods is security...the system doing the shutdown has to have permission to shut those systems down remotely. In addition...its a ROYAL pita to test it all...wait for everything to shut down, then boot it all back up, only to do it again.

Plug UPS into DC.  Done.  lol

Or in this case, Plug UPS into ESX host.  Add USB controller and USB device to DC.  Check box to allow for vMotion with USB device attached.  Let DC handle shutdowns and just make sure you have all your delays setup correctly! lol

Actually, I am going to move this role to the Asterisk server & maybe have it drop some call files when battery reaches x % and then shut everything down from there.  I think that will be a bit more reliable and I wont have to use plink to shutdown my ESX servers.  I think having it on a physical box is just an all around better idea.

[Jeff Golas]

You know...thats not a bad idea...maybe during my next maintenance window I'll look into that...thats how I used to do it but now I have that shiny nice APC Symmetra thats supposed to do it on its own.