Quick review of load lights

I often recommend people to keep their UPS's loaded no more than 50%.  However, a quick check of the left hand side LED bank can be confusing in determining your load.

Instead of being logical and making each light 20%, APC has a special formula.  This tends to distort their actual load.

So a quick review...
1 bar is 17-32%
2 bars is 33-50%
3 bars is 51-66%
4 bars is 67-84%
5 bars is 85-100%
All flashing is overloaded

Inventory that Ebbs and Flows

Because of you, GreenlightUPS is having a record year.

This good news does have some drawbacks though.  One is the frantic attempt to balance what you want with what is available to us.  This has caused us to rebalance some of our prices to reflect these strange demand trends.

One example is the 3000va 120volt XL units.
We cant keep enough of our 313B units (SU3000RMXL3U) in stock.  The result is that the price has risen from 449 last year to 569 now.   While the 5U version, 315 (SU3000RMNET) has fallen from $499 to $439.

Both units have the same battery and power capacity, yet because of preferences the prices differ by $130.  I personally like the 315's better because they use fewer higher capacity batteries, which is more desirable in UPS units.

So the bottomline, if you are looking for a particular UPS model #, you might want to call me or search around to find the best value for your dollar.

Most power per pound

We recently have been getting many requests from overseas and other far flung places like.. Tacoma, WA.  Invariably, everyone needs their UPSes quickly.  However, filled with iron core transformers and lead batteries, these units arent light or cheap to ship.  A recent inquiry asked for the most KVA for the smallest and lightest format.

So that got me thinking, what are the best buys per pound... The winners are:

1. APC 6000va 208v - 693G3 - 120lbs - 50va/lb
2. APC 10,000va 208v - 1096g3 - 244lbs - 41va/lb
3. Powerware 3000va 120v - pw312 - 81lb - 37va/lb
4. APC backUPS 800va 120v - br800 - 22lbs - 36va/lb

Great ideas for Overseas Shipping

Here at GreenlightUPS we have seen an uptick in interest from people throughout the world looking to buy UPS units.  While normally, the heavy nature of UPS units makes it impossible to ship outside the country, being close to the port of Miami and Miami International Airport, allows some affordable options.

Our recommendation:
1) Buy Double Conversion/Online type UPS units, like the Powerware 2500va (at 36kg/74lbs) to keep the weight at a minimum
2) Buy at least 4 units to help defray the cost of shipping.
3) Get the unit to your country as cheap as possible and then use your local carrier to get it to your address.


Some examples:
Recently, a IT company in Bahrain needed some UPSes.  IQgloballogistics quoted 4 units from our Miami port to Bahrain for under $300.  Granted it took 44 days at sea, but it was very affordable.

A company in France needed two 10kva units. We first delivered the units to Miami Airport.  From there they flew Air France cargo to Paris for $218.    Then the customer arranged pickup from the airport to their address.   A rough cost of International Air cargo rates can be found here:    

A customer in Puerto Rico needed a 3000va unit.  In this case we took advantage of the heavily subsidized USPS service and shipped the unit is pieces.  150 total pounds for about $70.

Summer Sabbatical for the Bob in WeBob

I will be back at my Alma Mater, The University of The South, aka Sewanee for about a  month., starting next week.

Don't worry, I will still be answering calls, helping with orders and managing the operations... but will be doing it from the comfort of canoe in nice a cool pond in the mountains of Tennessee.

GreenlightUPS... official UPS sponsor of the FIFA World Cup?

We'll not exactly...  But when a major satellite company needed 20kva worth of UPS systems to provide backup to their equipment... they turned to us.  
They had 16 hours to evaluate, order and ship multiple UPS units from FL to their Air Cargo dock in CA, in time to fly over to South Africa.
None of the big guys could ship the units that quickly, let alone call them back.  We advised them on UPS approaches and selections, sold them on our International units, tested them, repacked them to meet FedEx delivery requirements and had them arrive in CA 10 hours later.
They told us of that some of their fellow satellite feed companies were still hoping to get their units from the big guys in time.  But with the World Cup starting next week....

What they needed
1) Needed International units
2) Needed Double Conversion Online UPS units (since all power is provided by Generators)
3) Needed 4 rack mount systems to split loads
4) Needed them under 100lbs

What they bought
a) 8000kva (896IG3)  - and yes its under 100lbs without batts
b) 5000kva (593IG3)
c) 3000kva (393IB) - not technically double conversion but good enough for backup

If I take a UPS on a plane, will I be sent to Gitmo?

Nearly every UPS system uses lead-acid batteries which is the most proven battery technology available.   Specifically, these batteries are termed Valve Regulated Lead Acid - Absorbant Glass Mat batteries (VRLA - AGM).  In these batteries the acid or electrolyte is absorbed into a mat of fine glass fibers.

According to C&D battery, makers of the great Dynasty battery, VRLA-AGM batteries are completely safe for air transport.

Yet, while these batteries are safe and will not cause the same risks as flooded batteries or Lithium Ion batteries, I would not recommend going through TSA security with a UPS and announcing you have lead ACID batteries underneath your burka. 

Recently, even an experienced shipper questioned me on my UPS batteries.  To assuage his fears I marked the air bill "Uninterrupted Power Supplies."  But technically they should be marked as NMFC 063496 UPS System with DOT safe AGM batteries. 

If you get stopped by Homeland security, ICE, FBI, FAA or other spook, remember UPS batteries are:

• "Battery, wet non-spillable, not subject to regulations" by DOT 
• "Not restricted for air transport" by IATA
• "In compliance" with IATA/ICAO special provision A67

Remote location UPS?

A customer needed a small UPS for a kiosk to last for 8 hours but didnt have any space to put the giant bank of batteries.  The kiosk was powered by a single outlet up against the wall.  On the other side of the wall was a service area, which had tons of room.   So we...

• Moved the kiosk outlet to the storage room side of the wall
• Installed a SmartUPS RT 2000va UPS in the storage room with 5 battery packs
• Created a wall mounted inlet plug that connects to the kiosk on the other side

In theory you can do this across larger distances and with larger UPS units.  The applications are endless...

Website Updates... SendBurnerBing

Just a quick note to let you all know that we have added some extra features to the website.

The first one is the quick SMS sender listed on our home page.  This is great for people that want a quick shipping or inventory check..  The service is free at SendSMSnow.com

The second one is the Blog headline scroller from Feedburner.  The full WeBob blog is now at http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheWebobBlog.

Finally, we are now advertising on Bing.  If you start Binging... you might even find our Bing cashback offers later this summer

Smart and dumb UPSes

Talking with a customer today, we shared some thoughts on APC naming conventions.

APC's  flagship line has been the Smart-UPS (which even has a wikipedia entry).  In the past, most SmartUPS units output a true sine wave.  APC's cheaper BackUPS line was the UPS with a stepped or simulated sine wave UPS.    The other feature of the SmartUPS used to be that it had a SmartSlot port to allow for network management cards to be used to monitor and control your power needs... hence "smart"

Yet today its all screwed up.. some SmartUPS units has square wave,  All BackUPS have "smart' features that allow monitoring, remote shutdown, etc.   SmartSlots are missing on some SmartUPSes and SmartSlots exist on non SmartUPS models.... so what gives?

The bottomline, is that I don't know myself.... but at my store at least I wont sell a SmartUPS that isn't sine wave.   That means the crappy SC620 that I got is being sold as a BackUPS 620.


Here are some of the quirks...
Old Smart UPS 700 (SU700) - Sinewave
New SmartUPS 620 (SC620) - Sq Wave

Old SmartUPS 700 - SmartSlot
New SmartUPS 620 - No SmartSlot
New Backup Pro 700 - LCD, Smart controls