Personal computing discussed

Search found 69 matches

by westom
Thu Jul 26, 2012 2:14 pm
Forum: Cases and Power Supplies
Topic: Thinking about buying an UPS
Replies: 36
Views: 11616

Re: Thinking about buying an UPS

And yet, despite your numbers, most folks who support PCs and servers have experienced issues with these machines when plugged into dirty power. Even if parts aren't being physically "harmed" there are potential memory issues, timing issues, crashing, etc. Many if not most IT people do no...
by westom
Thu Jul 26, 2012 12:40 pm
Forum: Cases and Power Supplies
Topic: Thinking about buying an UPS
Replies: 36
Views: 11616

Re: Thinking about buying an UPS

Ok, I admit I have no idea what your credentials are. We could never have damage. So we even broke open integrated circuits to discover what human mistake made damage possible. How to separated the informed from the sheep? The informed are appalled when sheep so routinely believe outright lies. The...
by westom
Thu Jul 26, 2012 8:34 am
Forum: Cases and Power Supplies
Topic: Thinking about buying an UPS
Replies: 36
Views: 11616

Re: Thinking about buying an UPS

I've personally seen inexpensive consumer-grade UPS units that were severely damaged (melted/cracked casing and permanently destroyed internal circuitry) by nearby lightning stike but which still protected all the equipment that was connected (and running) to them during the strike, whereas the sim...
by westom
Wed Jul 25, 2012 5:25 pm
Forum: Cases and Power Supplies
Topic: Thinking about buying an UPS
Replies: 36
Views: 11616

Re: Thinking about buying an UPS

The 'scope trace he linked to looks fairly clean to me. Yes, there's some visible distortion near the zero-crossing of the waveform, but it is *much* better than the typical "stepped sinewave approximation" put out by most UPSes. To be that clean, a UPS must cost about $1000 or more. Othe...
by westom
Wed Jul 25, 2012 7:54 am
Forum: Cases and Power Supplies
Topic: Thinking about buying an UPS
Replies: 36
Views: 11616

Re: Thinking about buying an UPS

How the **** do you know it has a "spike of up to 270 volts"? Any sources? I don't wait for anyone to tell me. I ignore hearsay. And have less respect for subjective claims from advertising and a post without relevant numbers. I connected that UPS to my oscilloscope and measured the up to...
by westom
Tue Jul 24, 2012 10:22 pm
Forum: Cases and Power Supplies
Topic: Thinking about buying an UPS
Replies: 36
Views: 11616

Re: Thinking about buying an UPS

I'm just using it to give my expensive gaming PC some extra TLC, it's nothing mission critical or anything like that. 1) In battery backup mode, a UPS outputs some of the dirtiest power a PC might ever see. No problem. Because voltage much worse is also ideal power for all computers. Any 'cleaning'...
by westom
Fri Jul 20, 2012 7:54 am
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: Voltage Question
Replies: 35
Views: 11556

Re: Voltage Question

Westom, you are arguing against a phantom. Even numbers say that voltage drop should not be 15 volts. That your only number is only speculation. Or that you ignored wiring defects. An air conditioner causing a significant voltage drop (dimming lights) means wiring problems. Your dimming (a 4.5 volt...
by westom
Thu Jul 19, 2012 6:02 pm
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: Voltage Question
Replies: 35
Views: 11556

Re: Voltage Question

If the voltage on a branch circuit briefly dips to 105V during a compressor start, ... A 12 amp air conditioner on a 20 amp circuit consuming a massive *40* amps on startup means voltage might drop by a whopping 4.5 volts. Where did you come up with a 15 volt drop? Well, many see that dimming. Then...
by westom
Thu Jul 19, 2012 4:55 pm
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: Voltage Question
Replies: 35
Views: 11556

Re: Voltage Question

Incorrect. Flicker can occur on a properly-sized circuit for any device that generates a large inrush current. Continued flicker during operation, or a sustained dimming, would indicate a serious circuit problem. The OP has indicated that the flicker only occurs when the AC unit starts, and that th...
by westom
Thu Jul 19, 2012 12:52 pm
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: Voltage Question
Replies: 35
Views: 11556

Re: Voltage Question

So, I guess the question becomes: what do I do, if anything? Do you all recommend that I upgrade to a better UPS? I am confused by your concern. Due to how it is and must be designed, then electronics work just fine even when an incandescent bulb dims to less than 50% intensity. The UPS is for some...
by westom
Wed Jun 06, 2012 7:57 am
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: Do Power Strips & Laptops Mix?
Replies: 28
Views: 8845

Re: Do Power Strips & Laptops Mix?

First, the whole-house surge protector is a great idea IF you have a spare 240V breaker position in your service panel and IF you both have access to your panel and rights to modify it. . Those restrictions do not apply. A 'whole house' protector is often attached to the side of a breaker box. Or t...
by westom
Tue Jun 05, 2012 3:16 pm
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: Do Power Strips & Laptops Mix?
Replies: 28
Views: 8845

Re: Do Power Strips & Laptops Mix?

So you're saying that you are personally so large a threat to the power strip industry that they actually hire guys like Bud to follow you around on the internet and dispute things that you write on forums? Many spend $45 or $100 for a protector circuit that also sells in Wal-Mart for $7. Obscene p...
by westom
Mon Jun 04, 2012 10:21 am
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: Do Power Strips & Laptops Mix?
Replies: 28
Views: 8845

Re: Do Power Strips & Laptops Mix?

Westom goggles for "surge" to post his wisdom. Bud is paid to post here. His job is to promote protectors that do not claim protection. He has followed me everywhere to post attacks. Why did he join yesterday? It is his job. He joins discussions to attack me. It is his job. Ask bud for nu...
by westom
Sun Jun 03, 2012 7:21 am
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: Do Power Strips & Laptops Mix?
Replies: 28
Views: 8845

Re: Do Power Strips & Laptops Mix?

Manufacturer's specs aren't particularly helpful for people who don't know what joules are, or how many are typically carried in a lightning-induced power surge. Joules are taught even in high school science. Surges that are destructive can be as much as hundreds of thousands of joules. Protection ...
by westom
Sat Jun 02, 2012 11:44 pm
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: Do Power Strips & Laptops Mix?
Replies: 28
Views: 8845

Re: Do Power Strips & Laptops Mix?

I'm no electricity whiz, but there is a significant difference between a simple power strip and an actual surge protector, right? Read manufacturer spec numbers to see the difference. A power strip protector claims near zero protection and can give a surge even more potentially destructive paths th...
by westom
Wed Nov 09, 2011 11:59 am
Forum: Cases and Power Supplies
Topic: Question about proper grounding
Replies: 32
Views: 9214

Re: Question about proper grounding

You'd be more helpful if you suggested what should be done with said multimeter to diagnose this problem. Set a multimeter to 20 VDC. Attach the black probe to the chassis. Touch the red problem to a purple wire from the power supply where it connects to the motherboard. That will read about 5 volt...
by westom
Tue Nov 08, 2011 8:11 pm
Forum: Cases and Power Supplies
Topic: Question about proper grounding
Replies: 32
Views: 9214

Re: Question about proper grounding

Perhaps this is the one case I've run into thus far where ONLY a multi-meter can tell me what is going on...if that is the case, so be it. But, on the whole, I've not had many issues determining the right faulty part. Again, thank you for your comments but a smidgeon of humility might serve you bet...
by westom
Mon Nov 07, 2011 4:19 pm
Forum: Cases and Power Supplies
Topic: Question about proper grounding
Replies: 32
Views: 9214

Re: Question about proper grounding

That was my thought, but I tried a good PSU I have and I was getting the same 3 to 4 resets and then, of course, the impending freeze up. With a multimeter and one minute of labor, my next post will say without speculation what is and is not working. Especially useless is a power supply tester. Def...
by westom
Fri Nov 04, 2011 2:26 pm
Forum: Cases and Power Supplies
Topic: Question about proper grounding
Replies: 32
Views: 9214

Re: Question about proper grounding

... tying the green/copper wire to the neutral would remove the floating ground from the situation, but I would bet that the computer would still lock up from other reasons. The best way to ground that outlet it to run a singal conductor to a grounding rod under/outside the house(if possible) or ru...
by westom
Fri Nov 04, 2011 12:38 pm
Forum: Cases and Power Supplies
Topic: Question about proper grounding
Replies: 32
Views: 9214

Re: Question about proper grounding

Dig deep into any current US-standard breaker panel and you'll find a bus bar that ties the ground terminal block to the neutral terminal block. Dig deeper into any computer to discover those two 'grounded' wires connect to things electrically different. A neutral and safety ground wire are electri...
by westom
Thu Sep 29, 2011 6:52 pm
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: How to determine how just much UPS I need
Replies: 30
Views: 4346

Re: How to determine how just much UPS I need

Whether these numbers exist or not isn't relevant; my point is that they're not as easy to find as you claim. ... There's an input current rating on the side of the power supply; but that's a maximum ... TBH I don't see how it is even practical for the PC manufacturer to provide this information in...
by westom
Thu Sep 29, 2011 5:36 pm
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: How to determine how just much UPS I need
Replies: 30
Views: 4346

Re: How to determine how just much UPS I need

The only label on the back of most of the HP workstations here where I work is a serial number. A few of the newer ones have an "80 Plus" sticker next to the power cord. *None* of them have any sort of label on the back that indicates a nominal wattage. Those numbers must exist. Otherwise...
by westom
Thu Sep 29, 2011 7:35 am
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: How to determine how just much UPS I need
Replies: 30
Views: 4346

Re: How to determine how just much UPS I need

hmm....so for a 800w PSU id' need a 1600W UPS? Do they even sell those? (sorry I sound ignornant but I've never heard of one that high) First, you ignored my first paragraph. Take wattage numbers from the label of brand name computers designed by engineers. No PC is consuming 500+ watts. Is your co...
by westom
Wed Sep 28, 2011 10:18 am
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: How to determine how just much UPS I need
Replies: 30
Views: 4346

Re: How to determine how just much UPS I need

The problem I am running into is, that I have no idea just how much of a UPS I need. And with the prices that I'm finding for what I "think" I need (700/800W range) on APC's site, needless to say I'd like a second opinion before whipping out the credit card. Most every computer (including...
by westom
Thu Aug 25, 2011 1:45 pm
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: Any good UPS brands other than APC?
Replies: 124
Views: 30479

Re: Any good UPS brands other than APC?

Yes, any reasonable switching supply will filter out the transients from a stepped input waveform as part of the AC-DC conversion process. But yet again, you've missed the point; nobody here is claiming that the transients are getting through the switching supply. The problem is that the higher pea...
by westom
Thu Aug 25, 2011 8:50 am
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: Any good UPS brands other than APC?
Replies: 124
Views: 30479

Re: Any good UPS brands other than APC?

westom, you're information is out of date. Take a look at the link to the doc I posted earlier, there are now true sine wave output UPS rather than square waves. A 0% THD wave does not exist. No sine wave is pure except when advertising promotes urban myths. A spike, triangle, ramp, and square wave...
by westom
Wed Aug 24, 2011 10:24 pm
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: Any good UPS brands other than APC?
Replies: 124
Views: 30479

Re: Any good UPS brands other than APC?

No such thing as a 'pure sine wave' output. Every output is nothing more than a modified version of a sine wave. Advertising can play games with anyone who does not demand perspective; does not always ask for numbers. Who assumes subjective expressions mean something important. This 120 volt "s...
by westom
Tue Jul 05, 2011 8:50 am
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: Any good UPS brands other than APC?
Replies: 124
Views: 30479

Re: Any good UPS brands other than APC?

Back on topic, does anyone know if it is a good idea to buy a second hand UPS? ... But what about other components, for instance those sacrificial parts which deal with power surges... Metal-Oxide Varistors (MOVs), Gas arrestor tubes and Silicon Avalanche Diodes (SADs)? No protectors are sacrificia...
by westom
Mon Jul 04, 2011 4:22 pm
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: Any good UPS brands other than APC?
Replies: 124
Views: 30479

Re: Any good UPS brands other than APC?

It's worth noting that this is with 240V stuff, in 120V land I suspect the voltages will all be halved so safe on the bulk cap working voltage. The output from this 120 Volt UPS that is ideal for any electronics: 200 volt square waves with a spike of up to 270 volts between those square waves. This...
by westom
Mon Jul 04, 2011 10:35 am
Forum: General Hardware
Topic: Any good UPS brands other than APC?
Replies: 124
Views: 30479

Re: Any good UPS brands other than APC?

This high frequency can result in ringing and overshoot on the voltage on the capacitor - potentially exceeding its rated working voltage. Harmonics and spikes from a 'dirty' UPS may cause harm to motorized appliances and power strip protectors. But electronics are required to be so robust as to ma...

Go to advanced search

GZIP: On