New Product - Affordable 3kva UPS units

Why we normally shy away from non-major brands, we got an opportunity that meet many people's needs at a great price.  Introducing the Minuteman Enterprise UPS 3200 series.

These units available in 120 and 200v are well spec'd UPSes, fully refurbished with new batts.... but at a fraction of the price of the APC and Eaton Models

Learn more here:  mm313 (120v)  |  mm392 (200v)

415UPS and 2ndGrid divisions close down

After several years, Wesworth has ended its relationship with 415UPS.com and folded the 2ndGrid division back into GreenlightUPS.

In official corporate speak, we would say the reason is "in order to refocus our energies and improve our branding", but the reality was that any efficiencies gained from these two ventures were offset by higher operating costs.

Not to worry, GreenlightUPS will continue to serve its California and IT consultants under the main store.   415UPS.com's ebay store will re-open as GreenlightUPS O-U-T-L-E-T in 2012

KnowUPS - Shutdown of Multiple Servers

Sadly, most APC Smart UPS units are really dumb without the addition of a network management card.  But once you add these powerful accessories... the skies the limit.  Buy them here

Here are the most common features used

• Be notified of problems via email
• Customize shut down and reboot of connected equipment
• Data logging of events and environment
• Forwarding SNMP traps
• Web access to UPS anywhere on network
• Activate relays based on events

A frequent request is to have the UPS initiate shutdowns on multiple servers.  To do you need the netcard and the PowerChute software available on APC's site.

Read more here

Random Part of the Month XIV - SURT20KRMXLT

I have getting several requests for these very large Smart UPS units.  We only see a few a year, and honestly its not a favorite of mine.  SURT20KRXLT

First off, its the Smart UPS RT Online unit on steroids.  Its a 12U non modular single phase unit.  At $12,000 new its not that much less than a modular and scalable Symmetra unit.   But unlike the Symmetra, this one can give you the full 20,000va.

But wow, if it fails.... you just got a 700 lb paper weight.  And with no bypass and poor surge protection, this will be fun to replace.

U. P. aSked (You people asked): Big Box UPSes dont work on servers

A frequent question from customers is... I bought a 1500 UPS from a big box store, but its not able to handle my two servers each with 500watt power supplies.

• First off, nearly every big box retailer only sells APC backUPS or SmartUPS SC units, which are junk.  
• Second, those junky units use a technology that causes them to shut off during overload conditions.
• Third, your server probably uses a PFC type power supply which tend to have a high inrush current, which these junky UPSes think are overloads.
• Fourth, those junky UPSes require you to size your UPS at 125% of the rated Power supply wattage.  (meaning a two servers with 500watts power supplies need at least 1250watts or a 1700va UPS)

The good news, is that real Smart UPS units from us can handle your server's power supplies at the actual load, without any necessary upsizing.   So two servers with 500 watt power supplies probably can use a 1000va SmartUPS (100b), since the actual max load of the servers is about 300watts and the 100b is rated for 670watts.

Bottomline, all the units we sell are rated for the PFC type power supplies and need only be sized based on their true load.  Of course call us or visit APC's site for actual loads.

Read more about PFC from APC's white paper

New Product - Network Management Card with Modem AP9618

APC Network cards turn your UPS into a very dynamic unit.  The AP9618 card incorporates all the basic network, environmental and relay control features, but adds a Out Of Band Management feature.

In other words, this card (qsc18p) allows you to monitor and manage the UPS by remote control regardless of whether the UPS is powered on.   Also called Lights Out Management, this adds a powerful feature to units.

The qsc18 is available in our store along with the basic (qsc17), relay (qsc19), environmental (qsc19p), and 2nd generation card (qsc30).   Since it still serves an important purpose, APC still makes it, even while they have discontinued its cousins.

Are 3000va units on the way out....

Most people are familiar with Moore's Law, the doubling of computer power roughly every 18 months.  But  "Koomey's Law" may be more relevant to consumers.

Energy consumption for computing is improving just as fast as processing power.    But,  Koomey's Law is that at a fixed computing load, the amount of battery you need will fall by a factor of two every year and a half.

For UPS customers, it means that your typical server will need less and less power to operate.  We allready see that in our business, where new baseline servers sip power at only a fraction of the older cousins.  In the near future, the same server that meets your business's needs today might run on a Iphone or small frame unit using 30 or 40watts.

Random Part of the Month XIII - QWPAEFFICIENCY-MISC

While APC makes most of their money on products... like everyone else they are now expanding aggressively into services.

This product, the QWPAEFFICIENCY-MISC  is actually a ~$3750.00 report based on the physical site survey of your data center.   The report focuses on efficiency and eliminating waste   (I guess paying nearly $4000 isnt waste to them)  Some of the nuggets of value

• Reports efficiency values for the data center.
• Identify the air distribution methodology.
• Provide projected efficiency improvements for each recommendation to facilitate ROI calculations and capital expenditure justification.
• Using the data center one-line diagram, create a list of all measurements required to accurately characterize the power use of the data center infrastructure elements.

Sign up for some of the other APC services here

New Product - the Ferro-resonant UPS.... FerrUPS

Ferro-resonant UPSes are a 3rd type (or topology) of UPS.  Unlike the line interactive or double conversion, ferro-resonant units use a transformer to hold energy long enough for the UPS to transfer to the batteries.

The most common is the FerrUPS.  Branded under Best Power, Powerware and still made by Eaton.  These type of units are very robust and highly sought.  Many times we have have tried to get customers to leave their FerrUPS to no avail.  So we have now started selling a few models.

FerrUPS are best used in industrial applications where the load may spike under certain condition.  Since it continuously 'saturates' the internal transformer these spikes are absorbed without incident.

Look for our Ferrups 10kva later this month.  Unlike some of the other UPSes, these units need quite a bit of work to be refurbished.  DONT BUY A USED ONE!!!   Buy from a trusted supplier like GreenlightUPS

Know UPS - MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET on batteries

Even though UPS units use safe Sealed Lead Acid batteries, they still are filled with dangerous chemicals... How dangerous?  According to the NFPA, Sulfuric Acid has a Hazard Rating of 3/0/2

While that is pretty scary, the reality is that very few formal Control Measures are required since the acid is safely stored in inside the batts.  Read more from the MSDS sheet from Powersonic

But over 65% of the battery is actually lead compounds.  And while sealed in the battery. its safe, lead overexposure is one of the most common overexposures found in industry and is a leading cause of workplace illness.