UPS recommendation for my home server?

Bomster Member

Hi there,

I'm looking for a UPS reccomendation please. I have just moved to the countryside and am having electricity cutouts atleast once a month. I just want something that keeps my Unraid server going for those few seconds of outage.. and if it's a more long term outage, I don't need to keep it running, just let it gracefully shut down, say 15 min run time.

The Unraid server is 95% of the time just at idle, at which point it uses around 40w (measured).

I may at some consider putting a PoE switch and 1 x CCTV camera on it too, I haven't measuer them but I can't see them using any more than say 20w.

Could you please help me get a UPS? I read online that Eaton are the best made, but I also see people often reccomending APC.

Something quiet would be nice, and also something that isn't prone to setting alight (I read this is a thing?!).

These are the units I have looked at:

https://secure.ups-trader.co.uk/tower-ups/277-apc-br550gi-tower.html

https://secure.ups-trader.co.uk/tower-ups/410-eaton-5s-550.html

https://secure.ups-trader.co.uk/tower-ups/37-apc-smt750i.html

https://secure.ups-trader.co.uk/tower-ups/97-sua1000i.html?search_query=sua1000&results=14

Any advice would be greatly appreciated :)

Bomster, 2024-10-05 16:07:39 +01:00

#78

NB-23 Member Warrington

Howdy

Idle you have say 60 watts nominal.
we need to think about max inrush.
The CCTV wont inrush much, but the raid box could if its spinning disks. Even given that we are looking at low consumption.

As soon as you mention quiet it makes me think of a single UPS, and its one you've already looked at - the SUA1000i. They are reliable, not over complicated, cheap and small footprint. You might get away with a BR550gi, but those are from APC's approximate wave range, and if you have inrush you might be getting close to its limits. Lets have some safety margin.

Regarding things setting alight - anything that has energy can do that, in the same sense that bananas are radioactive. APC are the market leader and that comes with years of experience. We use compressed air to clean the internals before shipping and then give them a harder time on our test bench than they are supposed to be able to take. You might find some comfort in them being second hand, as they have proven over a long period that there is not a manufacturing defect either in a sub-component or the PCB assembly.

https://secure.ups-trader.co.uk/tower-ups/97-sua1000i.html?search_query=sua1000i&results=3

There are plenty in stock at the time of writing, you can take some time to ponder it. IMO these and the rack equivalent and 1500VA will be fondly remembered as the pinnacle of UPS design before thing were over complicated to fit trends for LCD interfaces and cloud managment / vendor lock in.

NB-23, 2024-10-07 12:19:07 +01:00

#81

Bomster likes this.

Bomster Member

Thanks NB-23. I'm sold :)

Bomster, 2024-10-08 09:32:44 +01:00

#82

Bomster Member

Actually - one last question if you don't mind. Is there any issue in running a long(ish) lead from the UPS to my PoE switch? The Unraid box is in a spare room, and the switch is in the attic. It would be a c. 8m cable run - would this be any concern? And can I purchase such a long lead or better to make my own?

Bomster, 2024-10-08 09:34:50 +01:00

#83

NB-23 Member Warrington

Howdy

When recording studios buy from us we often recommend running the UPS in an adjoining room and putting a power spur across.
Provided the power draw is way below the cable rating you will have no worries.

I'll have a quick look at what our 15m extension lead rating is. That was 20 metres actually and 3120 watts if fully unwound and 1500 if you dont unwind it (the wires being close together get warm, and this is why the rating is lower when its not unwound).

The SUA1000i can supply around 600 max, and I expect the switch to be below 50 watts. There is lots of headroom. I'd probably buy an extension lead and repurpose that. If you unwire the plug you can push the wire through small holes then re-attach.

This takes some DIY abilities, only take it on if you are a DIY capable chap.

NB

NB-23, 2024-10-08 09:53:29 +01:00

#84

Bomster likes this.