I will be purchasing a MAC Pro as soon as the release of Leopard comes out,
so I am currently focusing on all the software and hardware that I want to
get for my new MAC. I am currently a PC user and I have seen the light. I
have been converted.
I have been looking at a Belkin UPS to use with the MAC Pro but from the
tech specs I noticed that the MAC Pro has a max rating of 6A on 240V (what
we have here in the Aus & in the UK). That's 1440watts. I can't seem to find
a UPS that is that big, besides massive cabinets used in the corp. world.
Has anyone else found and is using a UPS for their MAC Pro?
Stephen - 01 May 2007 21:10 GMT
On Tue, 1 May 2007 19:51:53 +0930, "Chris Barnes"
<chrisbarnes@adam.com.au> had a flock of green cheek conures squawk
out:
>I will be purchasing a MAC Pro as soon as the release of Leopard comes out,
>so I am currently focusing on all the software and hardware that I want to
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
>Has anyone else found and is using a UPS for their MAC Pro?
For the numbers you provide the MacPro uses a max of 1440VA, to get
watts you have to multiply the VA by the power factor of the MacPro
(what ever it is).
The APC RS 1500VA ups is big enough.
Stephen
--
dg - 02 May 2007 13:22 GMT
I'd go for something like I used to use for my server: two 12v deep-
cycle gel batterries of the maritime / emergency-services vehicle
persuasion (car/truck batteries, but with substantially deeper Amperes
and without the hazards of liquids) sealed in a small steel cabinet
about two by one by one (h x w x d) feet, which also contained the
rectifier and surge protection, and analog dials for current voltage
and amperage readouts. Any recreational vehicle shop or battery-
rebuilder can run one of these up from available stock; mine cost
about one hundred and fifty dollars (US), and provided about 7 hours
reserve power to my Proliant 3000, which only drew 700W max, about 1/2
the max wattage of your Mac Pro. This cost the same as the then (6
years ago) cheapest APC capable of supporting the Proliant's load, but
provided several times that APC's power reserve and had a longer life-
cycle, to boot. Mind, it wasn't light, at about 70 pounds! Don't
forget to have the shop include ventilation louvers, as while the
system does not generate much heat normally, the batteries will last
longer if they are close to room temperature, and the heat generated
when the system is active (power main down) is considerable. Mine
supported that server through many winter ice-storms without flaw.
> I will be purchasing a MAC Pro as soon as the release of Leopard comes out,
> so I am currently focusing on all the software and hardware that I want to
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> Has anyone else found and is using a UPS for their MAC Pro?
Chris Barnes - 04 May 2007 12:19 GMT
I have found one by Eaton "Powerware" here is OZ.
I think I will be going for the 9120 at 3000VA. Should give 30% spare for
future.
> I'd go for something like I used to use for my server: two 12v deep-
> cycle gel batterries of the maritime / emergency-services vehicle
[quoted text clipped - 31 lines]
>>
>> Has anyone else found and is using a UPS for their MAC Pro?
Clark Martin - 03 May 2007 05:03 GMT
> I will be purchasing a MAC Pro as soon as the release of Leopard comes out,
> so I am currently focusing on all the software and hardware that I want to
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> Has anyone else found and is using a UPS for their MAC Pro?
The 6 A rating is a maximum startup surge rating. There should be a
maximum power supply wattage rating, this is more like what you need.
But even this is going to be overkill as you are unlikely to ever pull
that much power continuously.
A 500 VA UPS will probably work just fine for you. What is just as
important is how long the UPS will power your system but that can be
hard to get info on.

Signature
Clark Martin
Redwood City, CA, USA Macintosh / Internet Consulting
"I'm a designated driver on the Information Super Highway"
Paul Nevai - 03 May 2007 12:56 GMT
> A 500 VA UPS will probably work just fine for you. What is just as
> important is how long the UPS will power your system but that can be
> hard to get info on.
In my experience most blackouts are just brownouts and anything keeping the
system up for 15 secs is perfect. If it's more than that then it could easily
be much-much longer anyway and then nothing helps. All my computers are on
UPSs and the system works, almost perfectly.
BTW, the batteries cost a fortune and they last only about 4 years [APC].
/PaulN
Clark Martin - 04 May 2007 05:53 GMT
> > A 500 VA UPS will probably work just fine for you. What is just as
> > important is how long the UPS will power your system but that can be
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> be much-much longer anyway and then nothing helps. All my computers are on
> UPSs and the system works, almost perfectly.
But when you do have a black out you need a UPS that will hold it up
long enough for you to get to the computer (after finding a flashlight
and tending to whatever else needs doing then) and close out whatever
needs doing then shutdown.

Signature
Clark Martin
Redwood City, CA, USA Macintosh / Internet Consulting
"I'm a designated driver on the Information Super Highway"
Clever Monkey - 04 May 2007 16:31 GMT
>>> A 500 VA UPS will probably work just fine for you. What is just as
>>> important is how long the UPS will power your system but that can be
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> and tending to whatever else needs doing then) and close out whatever
> needs doing then shutdown.
The ideal solution is to have a UPS that is smart enough to tell the
computer to shut itself down cleanly. This is one of the other major
feature points in choosing a UPS.
For example, for my headless boxes at home I need a UPS that has a
serial port, and speaks a protocol I can hack in order to hook a black
out into a shutdown.

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clvrmnky
Direct replies will be blacklisted. Replace "spamtrap" with my name to
contact me directly.
Clark Martin - 08 May 2007 07:21 GMT
> >>> A 500 VA UPS will probably work just fine for you. What is just as
> >>> important is how long the UPS will power your system but that can be
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> serial port, and speaks a protocol I can hack in order to hook a black
> out into a shutdown.
APC, Belkin and some other manufacturers have a USB port on their latest
versions. They include Mac software (or you can download it) but you
don't need it, OS X has support built in for it.
For a users workstation I'd prefer to do the shutdown myself if
possible. Hence the desire for a longer hold up time. For a server
automatic shutdown is fine.

Signature
Clark Martin
Redwood City, CA, USA Macintosh / Internet Consulting
"I'm a designated driver on the Information Super Highway"