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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Baltimore, Maryland
    Posts
    402

    Default UPS: Rack vs Tower

    Hey folks,
    So, I need to get a UPS, been saving up for one but $500 for a pure sine wave is a long time getting there. THEN, I notice that, while I've been searching for a space saving 1U rack version, the tower models are MUCH less expensive for the same rating and even have more outputs. Other than convenience, is there a compelling advantage for having a rack mounted one over a tower one?

    The one I'm currently looking at is the Cyberpower OR1000LCDRM1U: http://www.cyberpowersystems.com/pro...000PFCLCD.html.
    Cost is $169 list, about $120 street, rated at 1000VA / 600W, Line interactive, Pure sine wave, AVR with (10) NEMA 5-15R outlets and USB/Serial connection and LCD readout. Only has 1 battery but still rated for 3 minutes full load and 9 minutes half load. Plenty for brownouts and power blips. The math for my host says 523 watts (110%=575w).

    So, this unit seems definitely DOABLE. So, other than it not being rack mounted, which I can't really find a comparable 1U unit anyway, am I missing something here?

    Jeff

    p.s. Yes, I've already got a Surge-X box.

    7th Voice FOH/Mon/Sys Tech
    www.7thVoice.net
    www.reverbnation.com/7thvoice

    SAC Installation:
    Dell Optiplex 990, Intel i5/4GB RAM
    3xMOTU 2408, PCI-424x card, 6x ART TubeOpto8, 2x Motormix

    SAC Portable Rig:
    IBM ThinkCentre M50 3.2GHz/4GB RAM
    2x MOTU 2408/PCI-424x card, 2x ART TubeOpto8, 2x M-Audio Profire 2626
    Yamaha Promix01 controller, EWI Tourcase
    CUDJ-P-22.

  2. Default Re: UPS: Rack vs Tower

    Avoid the Cyberpower 1U UPS units like a plague of death!!! As that it surely will leave you dead when you need it most. These things are most noted to having battery failures due to an overheating issue. I researched these heavily for another application and had many confirmed UPS deaths from many users... Save your money and get a good UPS. I have APC units that have never left me down. I have 6 rackmount versions in various production racks. Another option is that you can put some of the newer towers on a 2U rack tray.
    SAC Host PC: ASUS P7H55-M, INTEL CORE I5 655K 3.2GHz, 4GB GSkill Ram, GSkill 60GB SSD, (2) RME HDSP 9652

    SAC Link with SAW Studio

    Studio Levelizer, Studio Reverb, Studio Frequency Analyzer, Liquidsonics Reverberate & Core

    STC Productions http://www.stcp.com

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Baltimore, Maryland
    Posts
    402

    Default Re: UPS: Rack vs Tower

    Quote Originally Posted by brianklock View Post
    Avoid the Cyberpower 1U UPS units like a plague of death!!!
    OOPS! Right link, wrong model. I actually AM looking at the tower model, particularly the CP1000PFCLCD. Cyberpower doesn't have a 1U rack version of the Adaptive Sine Wave series, just the 2U.

    Okay, carry on

    Jeff

    7th Voice FOH/Mon/Sys Tech
    www.7thVoice.net
    www.reverbnation.com/7thvoice

    SAC Installation:
    Dell Optiplex 990, Intel i5/4GB RAM
    3xMOTU 2408, PCI-424x card, 6x ART TubeOpto8, 2x Motormix

    SAC Portable Rig:
    IBM ThinkCentre M50 3.2GHz/4GB RAM
    2x MOTU 2408/PCI-424x card, 2x ART TubeOpto8, 2x M-Audio Profire 2626
    Yamaha Promix01 controller, EWI Tourcase
    CUDJ-P-22.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Albuquerque, N.M.
    Posts
    1,105

    Default Re: UPS: Rack vs Tower

    My 1U rackmount UPS cost $50.00 and will run my entire FOH for 6 minutes. My girlfriend, Patti, put it to the test the other night during a show when she tripped over the power cord! My UPS ties into my computer via USB interface so a warning immediately popped up on the screen, "Utility failure - system shutdown in 6:22 minutes." I reached back and plugged the cord back in the wall. The show didn't skip a beat! The UPS software reset itself to show that all is good and now charging. Hell...I couldn't imagine wanting any more features than that. 500 bucks??? That seems excessive to me.

    On my UPS during that show:

    CPU
    ADA8K (x3)
    MotorMix Control surface
    HD video monitor (1080p)
    Non-HD video monitor (1600x1200)

    The only thing not on the UPS was the router, and that was because I was running show from the host and used the laptop occasionally to walk the room.
    DF

    http://soundaddy.com

    Intel DG965OT Motherboard (11/17/08) - Intel P4 LGA-775 651 (Cedar Mill) 3.4GHz CPU
    2.0GB 800Mhz RAM - 40GB Intel X25-V SSD - 500GB SATA "Spinner"

    RME HDSP 9652 (x2 - 1 spare) - Behringer ADA8000 (x5 - 2 spares)
    CM MotorMix (x3 - Host system) - Behringer BCF-2000 (Remote system)


  5. Default Re: UPS: Rack vs Tower

    Powerware (aqquired by Eaton) has the best UPS in the business, the 9 series is top notch. Most of teh cheap UPS' only protect you from surges, brownouts and blackouts (as would a powerware 3 series). Their customer service is fantastic, if you have a problem with the unit durring the warranty period, they cross ship you a new one.

    I just bought a non name (ULTRA) 1000VA UPS for a $100.00. Can't say how good it is yet though. The thing to watch for is how well the batteries hold up without a constant charge. These are usually designed to sit connnected to the mains power all the time and are constantly monitoring and charging the battery, when they only get connected to mains for 6 hours or so a few times a week, the battery may not last nearly as long.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Baltimore, Maryland
    Posts
    402

    Default Re: UPS: Rack vs Tower

    The CyberPower model is the lowest cost one I've found with an actual sine wave output, all the rackmount ones I've looked at around the $100 price range are stepped. While that might work on what I've got now, I don't know so don't want to take the chance. And if it does, I don't want to be surprised if I change to something else in the future (like a PC) that has an Active PFC power supply. The Adaptive Sine Wave models are certified to be compatible.

    My real question is, are the towers of the same line just as good as the rack mounted units of the same line, i.e. are the rack mounted ones just more expensive due to having to fit them inside a rack and provide all the racking mechanisms.

    For example, both the CP1500PFCLCD and the OR1500PFCRT2U have the exact same specs, but the Tower model is literally about half the price ($260 vs $486 list). All things equal, I think I'd put up with lugging around a tower UPS vice having it rack installed if it would save $235...plus I could bring it inside and keep it powered to make sure it's got a full charge between gigs (and possibly lengthen battery life?).

    Jeff

    7th Voice FOH/Mon/Sys Tech
    www.7thVoice.net
    www.reverbnation.com/7thvoice

    SAC Installation:
    Dell Optiplex 990, Intel i5/4GB RAM
    3xMOTU 2408, PCI-424x card, 6x ART TubeOpto8, 2x Motormix

    SAC Portable Rig:
    IBM ThinkCentre M50 3.2GHz/4GB RAM
    2x MOTU 2408/PCI-424x card, 2x ART TubeOpto8, 2x M-Audio Profire 2626
    Yamaha Promix01 controller, EWI Tourcase
    CUDJ-P-22.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Albuquerque, N.M.
    Posts
    1,105

    Default Re: UPS: Rack vs Tower

    Quote Originally Posted by Andy Hamm View Post
    Powerware (aqquired by Eaton) has the best UPS in the business, the 9 series is top notch. Most of teh cheap UPS' only protect you from surges, brownouts and blackouts (as would a powerware 3 series). Their customer service is fantastic, if you have a problem with the unit durring the warranty period, they cross ship you a new one.

    I just bought a non name (ULTRA) 1000VA UPS for a $100.00. Can't say how good it is yet though. The thing to watch for is how well the batteries hold up without a constant charge. These are usually designed to sit connnected to the mains power all the time and are constantly monitoring and charging the battery, when they only get connected to mains for 6 hours or so a few times a week, the battery may not last nearly as long.
    Good to know. But the good news is that the batteries are serviceable (Read: User replaceable). I could order new batteries and be up and running. I have 2 of these units (1 that hasn't been plugged in yet), so I *could* use the second unit battery as a spare.
    DF

    http://soundaddy.com

    Intel DG965OT Motherboard (11/17/08) - Intel P4 LGA-775 651 (Cedar Mill) 3.4GHz CPU
    2.0GB 800Mhz RAM - 40GB Intel X25-V SSD - 500GB SATA "Spinner"

    RME HDSP 9652 (x2 - 1 spare) - Behringer ADA8000 (x5 - 2 spares)
    CM MotorMix (x3 - Host system) - Behringer BCF-2000 (Remote system)


  8. Default Re: UPS: Rack vs Tower

    Quote Originally Posted by Donnie Frank View Post
    Good to know. But the good news is that the batteries are serviceable (Read: User replaceable). I could order new batteries and be up and running. I have 2 of these units (1 that hasn't been plugged in yet), so I *could* use the second unit battery as a spare.
    Yeah they are, but with the cheap $100 one I bought, the batteries are likely close to what I paid for the whole unit. I really can't say that the one I have is good or bad, I hate to jump to the conclusion that inexpensive is cheap, but I'm allready regretting not shelling out for a rackmount version.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Westminster, CO
    Posts
    2,460

    Default Re: UPS: Rack vs Tower

    Rackmount is convenient and clean looking as a total package. Tower doesnt have to sit in the rack and add another 40lbs.

  10. Default Re: UPS: Rack vs Tower

    u could spend a ton on the newer low tdp processors or even mobile processor setups, shrink the footprint, though i doubt it would be good for high channel counts, a much smaller ups would be required...

    im contemplating this only to allow a small petite woman to setup and tear down...

    alas...i've found quad cores a necessity... ive found SAC and my karaoke program run reliably so long as Sac is on cpu0 and windows and the karaoke program are on 1 2 or 3...my e8400 dual core wont do both at the same time...but any quad will...

    were talking 4 input max though, with moderate processing....ive never had a slipped buffer...usually a snafu in the kj proggie locks it up...but Sac just keeps goin while i restart the program. I even ran tight vnc to remotely run the kj program, still, very reliable, considering all the extra overhead i was asking from both the host, network, and remote...
    Last edited by quaizywabbit; 06-15-2011 at 02:15 AM.
    intel e8400, intel dg41ty mobo, 4gigs Corsair ddr2 800 ram, rme digi9652, 3x ada8000

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